Chapter 404: Kukulkan El's Era

"Tch! That monster…"

"Cough, cough… such Haki…"

Out on the sea, alongside Dal, Eden, and Ares, similarly shocked were some of the Rocks Pirates who survived—like Wang Zhi, who escaped God Valley at the first moment using his Teleport Fruit power, and Golden Lion, who got grazed by the residual blast, left covered in blood but narrowly surviving.

They had personally witnessed Uranus obliterating God Valley, leaving a gigantic abyss tens of kilometers wide in its wake, horrifying to behold. Then they saw that colossal war machine get mercilessly pulverized by Fallen Angel El's terrifying strike. They could hardly believe their own eyes.

What further daunted them was the incredible Haki they felt, enough to make them quake in fear, as if facing an untamed primordial beast that made their scalps prickle.

"Huh, two have managed to slip away?"

With imposing presence, El suddenly looked back.

His piercing gaze fell upon Golden Lion and Silver Axe in the far distance on the other side of the gigantic chasm—so far off they looked almost negligible. In that instant, his powerful Observation Haki locked onto them both, raising their hackles.

"Swoosh…"

Wang Zhi's expression changed. Without thinking, he vanished where he stood, blinking away repeatedly via the Teleport Fruit to escape.

"Father, I'll handle him!"

At once, Dal made his move. He left the odd space, going after Wang Zhi. Harnessing his innate, ever-improving Observation Haki that had developed from strict daily training, he tracked Wang Zhi directly. Then deploying his Transfer Fruit power, he gave chase in a flash.

They had spent too long preparing to settle for meager results.

The Rocks Pirates were likewise among their chosen targets. The defeat of the Rocks Pirates was now certain—no way they'd let Wang Zhi get away.

"Damn it…"

Meanwhile, Golden Lion turned ashen.

Sensing doom, he tried fleeing in another direction. But he was already wounded by Uranus's aftermath, escaping death by a hair's breadth. Even at full strength, his flight speed would never match El. And in truth, El didn't even need to go after him personally.

Several figures abruptly blocked Golden Lion's path.

At the same instant Dal took off after Wang Zhi, he transferred Eden, Frey, and Ares to intercept the Golden Lion.

"Mister, sorry about this… but you're staying here!"

Facing the badly wounded Golden Lion, Eden smiled brightly.

"Kyahaha, looks like you've all prepared thoroughly…"

Golden Lion, understanding he likely couldn't escape, offered a bleak laugh.

He realized these imposing Kukulkan youths surrounding him left no path out.

"Whether it's our Rocks Pirates or the World Government, we've both basically dressed you in a king's robe!"

He never imagined the World Government would actually activate an Ancient Weapon, shattering the Rocks Pirates' ambitions. Rocks, Whitebeard, Silver Axe, John, tens of thousands of pirates… plus numerous Marines, CP0 agents, and even part of the Holy Knights… all wiped out here. He himself had nearly died under that single Ancient Weapon strike. Then, that "treasured" device said to be the Government's ancient weapon, Uranus, had also been casually destroyed by that monster El. The biggest winner by far was the Fallen Angel Pirates.

With no more threat from the Rocks Pirates, and the World Government likewise crippled—and having lost the deterrent of its ancient weapon—he couldn't fathom who else in this sea could block El's ambitions.

"You're not wrong. Without that Ancient Weapon, the future of this sea is set!"

Only twelve years old, Ares was already quite mature.

Crossing his arms, he looked down at Golden Lion with pride:

"From now on, it's my father Kukulkan El's era!"

"Cough, cough… don't get cocky just yet…"

Bloodied all over and gravely injured, Golden Lion spat blood, a savage look on his face:

"I'm the Golden Lion. I won't just wait to die!"

Clutching his named swords, Sakura Ten and Kogarashi, he mustered formidable Haki and violently slashed at Eden, Frey, and Ares:

"Lion: Chikiri Valley!"

A piercing slash tore through the air.

Slash after slash assaulted the siblings, brimming with killing intent. Meanwhile, he shifted direction at once, trying to flee. In the end, he refused to die here—he'd fight to the last.

"Clang… clang…"

Yet, the siblings' strength exceeded Golden Lion's expectations. Those fierce cuts he unleashed were all deflected and knocked aside in quick succession.

"Elbaf Spear—!"

Right after… the three raised their weapons. Locking onto the airborne Golden Lion with Observation Haki, their auras flared ever higher.

"Hakoku!!!"

In that instant, three powerful shockwaves tore through the atmosphere, merging into an unstoppable force that bore down on Golden Lion.

"Cough… cough… Lion: Lion's Roar of the Seas!!!"

Golden Lion's pupils shrank as he coughed blood, desperately countering.

He brandished two swords, each wreathed in black-red lightning, driving them forward with a mighty slash.

"Roar—"

In the blink of an eye, a massive slash sliced the air, forming a fierce, lifelike lion shape roaring explosively. It fought back against the sweeping shockwave.

"Boom… BOOM…"

But heavily injured, Golden Lion was no longer at his peak.

The massive shockwave crushed his conjured lion and engulfed him, throwing him helplessly through the air.

"Swoosh—"

A dark blur flickered past.

With scales glinting, El—four wings spread—rushed over at lightning speed, seizing the blood-soaked Golden Lion as he struggled feebly.

"Grraah—…"

Yet El's gaze stayed cold. In a flash, a terrifying flame burst out, scorching off Golden Lion's thrashing limbs.

"Aaagh…"

Limbs burned away mercilessly.

Already severely injured, Golden Lion could only shriek before passing out in despair and resentment.

"Uthan, Barry—!"

Instantly, harsh flames had incinerated Golden Lion's arms and legs but spared his torso. Even the bleeding stumps were burnt black, cauterizing them. He was left barely breathing.

"Yes, Lord El!"

A door of air opened.

Clad in their shape-memory battle suits, Uthan and Barry—both using flight modules—hurried over, clearly excited. With the Government's Ancient Weapon destroyed and a crippled World Government, who was left to check their unstoppable advance?

"Is that fellow Ryan waiting in Mirror-World?" El asked without delay, tossing the ruined Golden Lion to them:

"Move quickly. We can't waste the Float-Float Fruit's ability!"

"Yes, sir—"

~~~

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