One Piece: The user of the Nen-Nen Fruit, who overturned the sea.

After another exchange of swordplay, the two retreated simultaneously, creating a distance of several dozen meters between them.

Shiki's chest heaved violently, and sweat streamed down his forehead and the wrinkles on his face.

But the arrogant smile still lingered on his lips, and the fighting spirit in his single eye remained undiminished.

"Kid, who taught you your swordsmanship? It doesn't sound like Hawkeye's style."

"Self-taught," Roy said.

"Can someone learn to this level through self-study?"

Shiki snorted.

"Your talent is even more exaggerated than Roger's."

Roy didn't reply, but held Qiu Shui horizontally in front of him and gently stroked the blade with his left hand.

"Shiki, is your Float-Float Fruit still usable?"

Up until now, you've been using swordsmanship and Haki.

Shiki's smile froze for a moment.

"You figured it out."

His Float Fruit is certainly usable.

But the exchange just now had confirmed one thing for him—within Roy's telekinetic domain, his Float-Float Fruit ability would be severely suppressed.

He can manipulate objects around him to float, but Roy can do the same, and do it with more precision and directness.

He can make a floating island crash down, while Roy can keep that island in mid-air with a flick of his finger.

In terms of ability, he was completely suppressed.

"Then let's change our strategy!"

Shiki suddenly raised both hands upwards.

Centered on him, the clouds within a radius of several kilometers began to churn violently.

Under his control, the clouds rapidly condensed and compressed, transforming into hundreds of enormous lion heads, each over ten meters in diameter, within a few breaths.

These lion heads floated in mid-air, densely covering the entire sky, reflecting a dazzling white light in the sunlight.

"Lion - Tianshui Funeral!"

Shiki pressed his hands down.

Hundreds of lion heads, imbued with Armament Haki, simultaneously hurtled towards Roy.

Roy watched the attacks coming from all directions without changing his expression.

He simply raised his left hand and snapped his fingers.

Telekinetic domain, fully activated.

The water balloons all stopped less than ten meters away from him.

It wasn't slowing down, it was stopping instantly. Hundreds of lion heads were suspended in mid-air, motionless as if a pause button had been pressed.

Shiki's pupils suddenly contracted.

"Your abilities—"

"The power of telekinesis has awakened."

"Within my domain, all matter is controlled by my will."

"If you try to use the Float-Float Fruit to carry things and throw them at me, you're essentially handing me a weapon."

Roy's fingers twitched slightly.

The hundreds of lion heads simultaneously changed direction and hurled back at Shiki.

Shiki quickly manipulated the lion heads to stop, engaging in a telekinetic struggle with Roy.

But in the instant his attention was diverted, Roy's figure had already disappeared from the spot.

The next second, he appeared behind Shiki.

Autumn waters slash diagonally.

Shiki's Observation Haki caught Roy's movement at the last moment.

He used his two swords to block Roy's attack from behind.

The shockwave from the clash of blades shattered the surrounding clouds once again.

Shiki was thrown forward dozens of meters by the force, tumbling twice in the air before barely managing to regain his balance.

Before he could even catch his breath, Roy had already reappeared in front of him.

Autumn waters pierce straight.

Shiki dodged to the side, the blade grazing his shoulder and leaving a shallow bloodstain on his skin.

He thrust his sword at Roy's chest with a backhand motion, but Roy twisted his body at an uncanny angle, easily dodging the attack.

"Too slow."

As Roy spoke, he slapped Shiki in the chest with his left hand.

The psychic shockwave emanated from his body.

Shiki was thrown back by the force of the impact, his body tracing a straight line through the air before finally coming to a stop after crashing through several layers of clouds.

He had a charred handprint on his chest, and a trickle of blood oozed from the corner of his mouth.

Roy did not pursue. He stood still, watching as Shiki regained his footing, and said something that enraged Shiki.

"Shiki, you're getting old."

The ship's rudder above your head is still affecting your nerve reaction speed.

"Your Conqueror's Haki isn't what it used to be—those attempts to entangle you just now all failed, didn't they?"

Shiki's face turned bright red.

"Shut up--!!!"

Golden Lion drew both swords, unleashing a golden slash at Roy once more.

Roy casually sliced ​​it to pieces with a single stroke.

I am stating the facts.

If you didn't have that rudder in your head, if you were twenty years younger, this battle might have been quite exciting.

But now—

He paused for a moment.

"You are no match for me."

Shiki's hands, gripping the two swords, trembled violently.

A sense of humiliation at being looked down upon arose in my heart.

He knew Roy was telling the truth.

He knew he was getting old, knew he was being held back by that damned rudder.

He knew that his Conqueror's Haki could no longer be freely wrapped around the blade as he had in his youth.

But none of these are acceptable to him.

He is the Golden Lion.

He can lose in his life, but he cannot be given charity.

"Roy the Kid—"

Shiki's voice was hoarse and deep, each word sounding as if it were carved from bone.

"I have said it before, even if I die, I will die on the battlefield."

He raised his twin swords again, the blades aimed at Roy.

"Since you were able to kill Saint Satan, it means you have the strength to kill a peak expert."

Then use that strength to kill me—stop with the nagging about 'you're no match for me'!

Roy stared at Skeeter's bloodshot eyes and remained silent for a few seconds.

Roy sighed.

"All right."

His right hand pressed down on the hilt of the Autumn Water Blade once more.

"Since you're so eager to die—then I'll grant your wish."

Shiki knew he would lose.

From the moment Roy shattered his golden slash with a single blow, he knew he couldn't defeat this young man.

He was all too familiar with this feeling—

I felt the same way when I faced Roger at Etwol and when I faced Rocks at God Valley.

The guy standing opposite me is stronger than me.

But Shiki the Golden Lion has never given up in his life just because his opponent is stronger than him.

He took a deep breath and forcefully suppressed the surging blood in his chest.

With his right hand gripping Sakura Ten and his left hand gripping Drywood, the blades of both swords regained their dark, Armament Haki-infused sheen.

"Again!"

Skee pushed off with his feet and charged toward Roy again.

The two swords danced in a whirlwind, one above and one below, simultaneously slashing towards Roy's throat and side.

Roy raised his knife to block.

Qiushui braced himself against the cherry blossoms above, while simultaneously turning sideways to avoid the withered tree below.

The sword's edge grazed the hem of his clothes, raising a wisp of fabric.

Shiki missed his first attack and immediately changed tactics.

With his right hand, Sakura Ten pressed down, while with his left hand, Kuki slashed horizontally from the side, the trajectories of the two swords drawing a strange intersecting arc in the air.

This move is one of his signature techniques – a double-sword throat lock.

Back in the New World, countless arrogant young swordsmen had their necks severed by this move.

But Roy was faster than him.

From the moment the battle began, the red light that flashed in Roy's eyes indicated that he had already figured out every move the Golden Lion made.