Chapter 175 - Another Draw, Shanks: This guy is so good at pretending, from now on I also want everyone to give me face!
That sword light brushed past his scalp, but fortunately, the ship's helm that had been flying straight at his head was directly split apart by the sword energy.
In such a crisis, even with Golden Lion's boldness, he let out a sigh of relief. Just now, he truly had no ability to resist at all. If that helm had not been cut apart, he would have been crippled even if not dead.
Then came that familiar voice.
A smile instantly appeared on Golden Lion's face. He had not expected that fellow to still be alive after so many years, and this time it seemed he owed him another favor.
Back at the Valley of the Gods, they already owed him once.
Shaking the seawater off his body, Golden Lion's sense of powerlessness faded. He quickly used the ability of the Float-Float Fruit to suspend himself in the air and avoid a repeat of what just happened. Looking at his fleet, now basically annihilated, Golden Lion felt incomparable grief.
The once invincible fleet, able to push Roger into desperate straits, had now completely vanished.
He had once stood at the peak, and also fallen into the abyss.
Tidying away his unnecessary emotions, he was still Golden Lion! His gaze locked firmly on the one who had arrived.
As the huge wave crashed into the chasm cleaved open by sword energy, the once gloomy weather cleared. The dark clouds dispersed, and rays of sunlight poured down from the sky.
"Renji, so you really are not dead!"
Golden Lion never thought he would meet Renji again under such circumstances.
Back then, when he forced Roger into a corner, he was brimming with pride. Now, left with nothing, this fellow had probably seen it all. Truly disgraceful!
"Never thought even you would show yourself!"
Roger's eyes flashed with interest. This era was indeed fascinating. After Rocks' death, heroes vied for supremacy. All these years he regretted not seeing Renji, who had appeared like a god at the Valley of the Gods.
Such a man of talent—if one did not see him, it would truly be disappointing.
"So strong!!!"
On the Roger Pirates' ship, Shanks stared at Renji in shock. That slash just now was unleashed by him, right? Such strength, and such arrogant words—he had learned something!
"The situation has changed, Marshal Kong, that guy has arrived."
"Who?"
Kong was dumbfounded. Just now, Garp said the battle had changed, that Roger seemed to be winning. Now it changed again.
What was this, a chameleon, constantly changing?
"Renji."
When Garp finished, he also realized this matter likely had nothing to do with the Navy anymore.
Since the man had arrived, their Navy remaining here would serve no purpose.
Besides, he didn't care. This had nothing to do with him.
The ones who should be troubled were those Celestial Dragons. For them, Garp had little fondness. The only reason he joined the Navy was because of the pirates' killing and plundering—at least the Navy was better than pirates. The reason he refused promotion to admiral was because admirals had to protect the Celestial Dragons, something he was unwilling to do.
"That bastard appeared?!"
The once-irritable Steel Bone Kong instantly calmed when he heard the name.
After disappearing so long, for him to appear again suddenly filled Kong with a foreboding sense.
"Yes."
"What does he want to do?"
Renji appeared in the battle between Golden Lion and Roger—what was his aim? After Garp explained what had been about to happen before Renji arrived, and that he said he came to stop the war, Steel Bone Kong fell into silence on the other end of the line.
"Retreat."
Staring sternly at the Den Den Mushi, Steel Bone Kong gave Garp the order to retreat. Now it was not about picking up scraps or not.
Renji had come to stop the war, and Golden Lion had already failed. His invincible fleet was gone, while Roger had suffered little loss. A war that everyone thought Golden Lion would win ended in such a ridiculous fashion.
If not for Renji's arrival, Golden Lion might have even lost his life. Was this the terror brought by the New World's weather?
Although they did not capture Golden Lion, this result was enough.
For them, Golden Lion's defeat was the greatest benefit. Golden Lion was too strong now—if he had won, no one in the New World could stop him.
But with his failure, and Roger following an elite path, it was much better for the Navy and the World Government.
Since Golden Lion had lost, there was no point in staying. Remaining would only risk being besieged by pirates.
So Steel Bone Kong decisively ordered Garp to retreat.
"Alright."
Without hesitation, Garp ordered the fleet to turn and leave the New World.
Their fleet could not withstand this. It was not only Renji; he had also seen Whitebeard's flag. It looked like all four of them were here.
Trying to monitor them was impossible. Better to retreat directly.
At Marine Headquarters, Steel Bone Kong worriedly flipped through Renji's wanted poster. Damn it, after disappearing so many years, couldn't he just stay gone? Appearing now only filled the already volatile sea with even more uncertainty.
"Inform the Five Elders. They are the ones who should be troubled."
Tsuru calmly spoke. Although Renji was a pirate, it was the Navy's duty to capture him, but they had no spare resources now.
In today's New World, aside from Golden Lion, Roger, and Whitebeard, there were also Big Mom, Barrett, and all kinds of emerging pirates entrenched. Not to mention the Four Seas and the first half of the Grand Line required huge Navy forces to maintain balance.
"In the end, isn't it still us who suffer?"
Sengoku complained. Clearly, this was the Celestial Dragons' fault, yet they forced them to handle it. This whole mess was caused by the Celestial Dragons.
If they had not stolen the pirates' secret treasure back then, Rocks might not have even come.
And now? The treasure was gone, the man was gone, and for a long time even the Navy's justice had been severely questioned.
"Enough, don't dwell on it."
Steel Bone Kong, calling again, cut them off.
They could say such words to him, but if those on the other end of the line heard, punishment would be unavoidable.
"Gurararara, Roger, it has been a long time!" Whitebeard's voice carried from afar. Then his eyes turned toward Golden Lion. "That was an ugly defeat, Shiki!"
Unbelievable!
His face had truly been slapped swollen.
On the way here, Whitebeard had sworn that Roger was surely going to lose.
With such a formation, even if he favored Roger, Whitebeard knew Roger could not win.
But unexpectedly, Roger did win—and all because of the New World's changing weather.
If Renji had not intervened, Golden Lion might not even have known how he died.
"Tch, I did not lose to that bastard Roger!"
Golden Lion roared in defiance. He could admit failure, but never admit he lost to Roger.
He had already forced Roger into desperate straits!
"Now the roles are reversed, Shiki!!"
Though somewhat unsporting, Roger knew well that his side no longer held the disadvantage.
Although Golden Lion himself was not badly injured, his fleet was completely gone.
He had few combat-capable subordinates left, and Golden Lion's path was never one of elite quality. Roger could fight him head-on, and not to mention, his two deputies, Rayleigh and Jabba, were here as well.
Then naturally Golden Lion became the disadvantaged side.
"That's right, don't get arrogant!!"
Buggy, holding throwing knives, also started shouting. Just earlier he thought he was doomed to die today, yet unexpectedly the weather saved them.
A bit of a pity though. That wave had already surged toward Golden Lion—if nothing unexpected had happened, he probably would have died at sea.
"So continue then!"
A trace of coldness flashed across Golden Lion's face. As a great pirate, he would not fear this. Even without his fleet, he could still fight Roger.
"Who's afraid of who!"
"I said, give me some face. If you must fight, then let me be your enemy!!!"
Renji saw the two about to clash again and felt speechless. Looking around, he no longer wished for Roger to die.
At the very least, the era of great pirates required someone to open it. He could not be the one to risk his life for it. In that case, Roger would have to be the one to die.
After his death, Renji would take his corpse away to prepare for future Impure World Reincarnation.
For now Roger still had his uses. As for Golden Lion, Renji also wished to see if he could be recruited.
Back in the Rocks Pirates, Renji had thought about it but gave up.
Back then, Golden Lion was absolutely impossible to win over. He carried enormous ambition and wanted to surpass Rocks. He would never agree.
So Renji gave up on the idea.
But things were different now. Having watched his invincible fleet utterly destroyed, Renji felt it was worth trying to approach him.
This old lion's ambition was still great, but how many powerful men were without ambition?
Take Kaido—did he not think every day about becoming captain?
As for Whitebeard, there was no chance he would join his crew. Big Mom likewise would not, for she had her own firm dream, otherwise she would not have turned herself into a childbearing machine.
"Tch, you, after disappearing so many years, are far stronger than before!"
Golden Lion never truly intended to fight.
He just could not swallow his anger. He knew clearly that without his fleet, he was no match for Roger's crew.
But with his enemy right in his face, Golden Lion could not say nothing. If word spread, would his reputation not be ruined?
Though this naval battle also made him realize he likely could never again rally such a fleet.
Back then, pirates joined him because he could command the New World's winds and waves and possessed the strongest power.
Of the three legendary pirates, he was the strongest, so pirates endlessly joined his Flying Pirates.
But now he had clearly become the weakest. Worse, at his peak he was defeated by Roger. How would others view him now?
"Haha, I'll give you that face. Till we meet again!"
Roger too had no desire to continue fighting Golden Lion. Fighting further would yield no result. And with the three former Rocks Pirates present, Whitebeard surely would not fight him, but neither would he help.
If Renji and Golden Lion joined together against him, plus Golden Lion's surviving men, Roger would surely lose. Retreat was the wise choice.
"Mn."
Renji nodded, watching Roger set sail and depart. He did not stop him, then turned to look at Golden Lion.
"What? Should I leave too?"
Facing Renji's gaze, Golden Lion felt somewhat displeased.
Back in the Rocks Pirates, Renji was an unremarkable nobody. Now it was different. His strength seemed to equal or even surpass his own.
And now he owed Renji face, for Renji had just saved him.
[Ding! You have changed Golden Lion's fate. Reward: one lottery draw!]
Excellent!
Renji's heart leapt with joy.
As expected, by preventing the helm from crushing Golden Lion, he had already changed his fate, regardless of whether Golden Lion joined his crew.
Why could Luffy defeat Golden Lion in the movie?
Because in the movie, even Roger would lose. Moreover, Golden Lion could not use Haki.
Of the three legendary pirates of that era, Whitebeard could not use Haki due to his body, Golden Lion because of the helm, and Roger had died. But all of them had great mastery of Haki.
In that era when Luffy did not even know Haki, defeating Golden Lion was forced. The old Golden Lion's combat power was lowered, perhaps because of the helm reducing his battle intelligence.
Use!
[Ding! Lottery draw used. Congratulations, you obtained: Conqueror's Luck.]
[Conqueror's Luck]: Its owner is Yonko Buggy. After acquiring this, the user gains the blessing of luck, unaffected by the Luck-Luck Fruit. In addition, it increases all three colors of Haki by ten percent, and carries a certain worship aura, causing those weaker than the user to blindly adore him. It has little effect on stronger opponents.
What the hell?! Really?!
They actually gave him the meme ability "Conqueror's Luck"!
Thinking carefully…
He had basically collected all the Yonko's constitutions.
The Oni tribe physique of Kaido, the iron balloon of Big Mom, the abnormal body of Blackbeard, and now Buggy's Conqueror's Luck.
So he had been given all the Yonko's powers?
And today everyone gave him face. Did this mean he now had all the Yonko's powers except for Whitebeard's?
"Hey! Why the hell are you staring at me?"
Whitebeard was baffled. You won't talk to Golden Lion, but why look at me?!
"Nothing, just happened to meet you, how about a drink?"
Happened to?
Weren't you the one who came here on purpose?
Whitebeard felt helpless, but did not refuse. Who knew when they would next see the old lion again.
Elsewhere.
The Roger Pirates.
After the battle finally ended, many present still felt lingering fear.
"Captain, where to now?"
They had basically traversed the New World already. Before fighting Golden Lion, Roger had already discovered his terminal illness. Only Rayleigh and Jabba knew.
"To Twin Capes. There's still one place I haven't gone!"
He had visited nearly every island, but one place remained—Raftel!
This fabled island with the great treasure, though Roger cared little for the treasure itself. He only wanted to see Raftel, the ruins of the ancient kingdom.
But before that, he needed to find Crocus at Twin Capes. Otherwise, the voyage could not continue.
The fight with Golden Lion had made Roger realize his health was worsening.
"Captain, your condition…"
"Don't worry! I'm not that fragile. Besides, we're pirates—who doesn't want to be the Pirate King!!"
Roger's words instantly roused everyone present.
"But before that, we need someone who can read the Poneglyphs!"
Though Roger could hear the voices of the stones, he could not understand their content.
To reach the final island, they had to find someone who could. For now, this was their biggest problem.
"I heard there are people in Wano who can read the Poneglyphs. Recently, I heard some samurai have left Wano!"
Excitement lit Roger's eyes. He felt ever closer to the truth of the world.
What he had seen at the Valley of the Gods, and what Renji had said back then, filled him with a pressing desire to uncover the truth.
So the title of Pirate King was his for the taking!
(End of this chapter)
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