096 Afraid of What Lies Within the Heart

The sky was a luminous blue, as clear as a transparent mirror. Thick, billowing clouds clustered like cotton, at times surging like waves, adorning the heavens here and there, painting the sky with a beauty worthy of a masterpiece. Boundless and infinite, it was so vast, so unattainable.

"Cough... cough..." Bright crimson droplets fell as blood spilled. At the edge of the heavens, a golden figure streaked across the sky, trailing light as he passed.

"Damn Garp, that fist is still as hard as ever. Next time, I’ll make this world bow beneath my feet," he muttered, eyes flashing with both wariness and ambition. The Golden Lion was battered, his breath ragged and disordered.

"Roger would never have been captured by the Navy. With that bastard’s strength, even if he couldn’t defeat them, he could surely escape unscathed."

"Why is it, then? Roger, you once defeated me—you could never be so fragile. I refuse to believe it. I refuse..."

The Golden Lion swept across the sky, his gaze filled with helplessness, anger, and sorrow.

"Golden Lion..."

Suddenly, a roar thundered from the horizon, reverberating through the clouds, its sound brimming with boundless fury and murderous intent.

Frowning, the Golden Lion thought he must have misheard; he paused for a moment, then continued on his way as if nothing had happened.

"Whoosh... buzz... buzz..." The air was torn apart with a deafening sound. The sky exploded with noise, and the Golden Lion’s expression changed as he turned. A rainbow-like streak broke through the clouds, hurtling toward him.

Blazing flames and icy light, a golden-red spear, like a meteor, shattered everything in its path as it shot straight toward him.

"Swish..."

Golden strands fell, a thin line of blood appeared on his cheek. The Golden Lion turned his head, eyes coldly fixed on the approaching fire.

"Boom..." The sea erupted, waves nearly ten meters high surged into the sky, revealing a massive whirlpool.

"Splash... splash..." Terrifying bursts of energy exploded, flames swept across, and a figure clad in fire appeared before the Golden Lion in the blink of an eye.

"Whoosh..."

His hair billowed wildly, the Golden Lion squinted, face expressionless as he stared at the figure opposite him.

"Golden Lion." Gritting his teeth, Xuan Ye trembled all over, hands clenched tight, his emotions impossible to describe.

He was excited, expectant, and even fearful. At that moment, Xuan Ye found himself afraid to face the Golden Lion, afraid that the person he longed for was no longer there.

So many years had passed. Even though Xuan Ye never said anything and insisted that Xiao Xi was still alive, reason told him that after such a long time, any accident could have occurred—especially considering how weak and helpless she had been.

"Who are you!" The Golden Lion was intrigued. Confronted by this young man, he felt the urge to recruit him.

From the aura alone, the Golden Lion judged that this youth could rival the Navy’s three monsters. It was not just intuition but his years of experience.

"You’re the Golden Lion, aren’t you?" Suppressing the agitation within him, Xuan Ye’s gaze was piercing.

"That’s me. Who are you, kid? Interested in joining me?" The Golden Lion grinned broadly, genuinely inviting Xuan Ye.

"Tell me—four years ago, when a man and a woman fell from the Sky Island, where is the girl?" His lips quivered, Xuan Ye stared at the Golden Lion, heart pounding, swallowing hard, utterly focused.

"Four years ago? Sky Island? What’s that?" The Golden Lion was unconcerned, smiling instead. "Well? You haven’t answered me yet! Want to join me? Together, we could dominate this world."

"Think about it—dominating the world means owning everything. Isn’t that wonderful, doesn’t it fill you with a sense of conquest?"

"Since you know my name, you should know my power. Let me tell you, I just came out of Marineford—hmph, by now, half of Marineford must be destroyed!"

"How about it? Follow me, and you can roam the seas at will. Even the World Government would avoid you. Ah, wait—by then, the World Government will already be destroyed."

He laughed wildly, the Golden Lion radiating the aura of a king, as fierce as a lion.

Gritting his teeth, Xuan Ye stared hard at the Golden Lion, unable to endure any longer. His face twisted, his eyes gold and crimson, roaring, "Tell me—four years ago, where is that girl?"

"Hmm?" The Golden Lion came to his senses, frowning, uncertain why the man before him was suddenly so furious, his aura turning violently savage.

"Kid, don’t think you can shout at me just because you’ve got some strength, you—"

"Tell me. I only want to know the whereabouts of that girl." Xuan Ye cut him off coldly, not waiting for the Golden Lion to finish.

"Hmph, whatever you’re talking about, I don’t remember." Cursing, the Golden Lion turned to leave, muttering, "Thought I’d found a decent subordinate, but turns out he’s a lunatic, talking nonsense and wasting my time."

He needed to know—right now, the Golden Lion was wounded, desperate to return to his floating island and recover, then plan his next steps. He believed it wouldn’t be long before the world bowed at his feet.

"Stop right there. If you don’t give me what I want today, don’t even think about leaving." Flames flickered, the temperature rising ever higher. In an instant, the clouds vaporized, leaving only wisps of white mist, as if in a celestial realm—an illusion.

The Golden Lion halted, turned, and his muttering face darkened. Had he heard correctly? Was this kid trying to detain him?

"What did you say, kid?" His eyes narrowed, ignoring Xuan Ye’s flames, but his gaze radiated danger. If Xuan Ye dared repeat himself, he wouldn’t hesitate to strike him down right here.

"Didn’t you understand? If you don’t give me the answer I want today, you die."

"Courting death!" Almost simultaneously, as soon as Xuan Ye finished speaking, the Golden Lion, like a raging beast, radiated wild energy and vanished in a flash.

Who was he? He was the Golden Lion—the Golden Lion who ruled the world.

When had it come to this? When had a nobody, a blond upstart, dared speak to him like this?

Was it simply because he hadn’t shown his face in so long that the world had forgotten him?

Unforgivable. As a legend who once suppressed an era, how could he tolerate such provocation?

"Kid, even Roger reborn wouldn’t dare speak to me like that. Have you lived enough?"

Like a wild beast, the Golden Lion’s fury erupted, his figure appearing before Xuan Ye, only a breath away, his fist cleaving the air with a thunderous boom.

"Bang..." Raising his fist, flames twisting around it, pitch black, Xuan Ye struck fiercely, his face twisted, enunciating every word, "Old man, you’re not worth dying for."

"Boom..." The air combusted, a wave of pressure swept out, the sky itself shook, and the sea below churned with waves.

"Whoosh..." Xuan Ye was blown backward, his right hand trembling.

The Golden Lion merely shook himself, then sneered, "Kid, your strength isn’t bad. I’ll ask you again—do you want to be my subordinate and conquer the world?"

"Bah..." Xuan Ye spat, his fists tense with bulging veins, his tone chilling, "Tell me where that little girl is."

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