“You can’t leave this thing behind.” Gern’s eyes flashed with a cold light, and he suddenly exerted force.

Under double acceleration, the blade of black blade eight desolations suddenly lit up with a dazzling white light.

At the same time, his arm muscles tensed to the extreme, and Armament Haki spread like a living thing from his right hand to the tip of the blade.

It resonated with the vibration particles inherent in the blade, leaving spiderweb-like spatial cracks in the air.

“Heaven Quake: Cross Slash…”

Horizontal slash! Vertical chop!

black blade eight desolations cut two intersecting, sharp slashes in the air, and wherever the blade passed,

The space seemed to be torn apart, and pale white vibrating particles formed a huge cross-shaped shockwave that shot straight into the sky!

“Sky Break!!!!” Two intersecting slashes tore through the sky.

The horizontal slash was pale white, and wherever it passed, the clouds were neatly cut into upper and lower halves.

The cross-slash created a vacuum channel as the air along its path was extremely compressed.

“Crack!” The sound of the sky shattering echoed across the heavens.

Three giant ships simultaneously began to disintegrate from their centers; thick ship planks, sturdy masts, heavy turrets…

All structures were vibrated into regular cubic fragments the moment they touched the slash.

Shreds of wood, steel, and fragments of sails scattered across the sky, like a destructive natural disaster!

However, the wreckage was still falling!

At the same time, Gern’s body also began to fall.

The strong wind whistled past his ears, and his black hair danced wildly in the airflow.

“It’s not over yet…” Gern suddenly twisted his waist while falling, opening the five fingers of his left hand and pointing them towards the sky.

Countless pale white particles condensed from his palm, forming a small ring,

And as Gern pushed his palm, it instantly expanded into a huge ring-shaped shockwave.

The space inside the ring was violently distorted, as if even light was shattered by the vibration.

“Heaven Quake: Starfall!”

“Boom!!” The shockwave from the ring exploded and spread spherically.

All falling debris was vibrated into dust the moment it touched the shockwave!

Wood shattered, steel twisted, and the entire sky was cleared into a vacuum zone by the expanding white shockwave!

Below, the Marines at G-3 Base stared dumbfounded at the scene, even forgetting to breathe.

And Sakazuki looked up, only to see that the falling debris, upon contact with the shockwave, disintegrated like fragile sandcastles!

“Is this… your ability, Gern?” Sakazuki’s fists involuntarily clenched.

Magma seeped through his fingers, but he forcibly suppressed it back.

Leaving aside his Devil Fruit ability, at this moment, Akainu realized with unprecedented clarity that at least in terms of mastery of Observation Haki, he was indeed inferior to Gern.

Meanwhile, Gern landed lightly on a slanted pole, his single knee slightly bent to cushion the impact.

black blade eight desolations pointed diagonally at the ground, and the vibration particles on the blade had not yet dissipated.

“Sakazuki, a formidable guy has arrived!!”

“I told you, didn’t I…” Gern looked up at a certain position above the clouds, his Observation Haki firmly locked onto it.

“Golden Lion Shiki!!!!”

“Gurararara!!” The moment Gern finished speaking, amidst arrogant laughter, the clouds parted, and in the sunlight, a golden figure stood in the air.

Upon seeing Golden Lion appear, even Sakazuki’s pupils involuntarily constricted.

Especially the moment that man’s twin swords were drawn, his internal Magma Fruit ability unexpectedly boiled uncontrollably!

“Brat, you’re more interesting than I imagined!” Golden Lion laughed, and Conqueror's Haki poured down like a tsunami.

Sakazuki only broke out in a cold sweat, while Gern felt nothing from Golden Lion’s Haoshoku.

After all, compared to the Haoshoku baptism of Rocks and Roger at God Valley back then, or Whitebeard’s Haoshoku… Golden Lion’s deterrence was truly not enough.

In an instant, all the Marines in the entire G-3 Base were instantly knocked unconscious, leaving only Sakazuki and Gern standing there!

Golden Lion Shiki, descended!!!

.......

Golden Lion Shiki floated in mid-air, his sharp, eagle-like eyes fixed on Gern, a faint cold smile hanging on the corner of his mouth.

His golden long hair danced in the wind like a living thing, each flutter carrying a suffocating sense of oppression.

“It’s indeed the exact same ability…” Golden Lion’s voice was low and hoarse, “And it’s a Nature Type.”

On the base, Gern could feel his back already drenched in cold sweat.

Unlike the tension or excitement he felt when facing other enemies, what he felt now was an instinctive tremor,

Like the instinctive reaction of prey being targeted by a top predator.

And his left hand unconsciously clenched, vibration particles silently gathered in his palm, emitting a faint hum.

“Shiki.” Sakazuki’s voice carried the explosive roar of boiling magma.

He deliberately stood half a step diagonally in front of Gern; this position allowed for a combined attack and also left Gern with combat space.

Especially since Akainu noticed Gern’s small adjustment in breathing, it was clear that after that last slash, he needed to adjust himself.

Golden Lion didn’t even glance at Sakazuki; his gaze remained fixed on Gern.

That kind of look was like an appraisal.

“Brat.” Golden Lion suddenly spoke, his voice carrying an undeniable command, “Release Doge, then kneel and apologize to me.

Otherwise…” He slowly raised his right hand, and his index finger lightly pointed.

“Boom!” A watchtower in the distance suddenly rose from the ground, twisting and compressing in mid-air, finally turning into a pile of scrap metal that crashed into the center of the base plaza, kicking up a cloud of dust.

“This base will become even more miserable than that pile of scrap metal.”

Upon hearing Golden Lion’s words, Gern instinctively looked at Sakazuki,

And found that this usually strong man also had a grave expression, with fine beads of sweat seeping from his forehead.

But it was true, after all, with the two of them now, even if they combined forces against Golden Lion, it would be a struggle.

Akainu wasn't a brainless fool either…

“Shiki, you can try.” Gern took a deep breath, holding black blade eight desolations horizontally in front of his chest, the vibration particles on the blade began to vibrate at high frequency, causing the surrounding air to distort.

And upon hearing Gern’s challenge, a hint of admiration flashed in Sakazuki’s eyes.

Immediately, his magma fist had already expanded to twice its original size, emitting astonishing heat.

He almost gritted his teeth as he squeezed out a sentence, “Justice… cannot be insulted!”

Golden Lion paused, then burst into a fit of wild laughter.

The Haoshoku Haki contained in his laughter impacted the surroundings as if it were solid, and the base’s glass windows shattered.

“Hahaha! Interesting! Too interesting!” Golden Lion wiped away the tears from his eyes from laughing.

“Two brats who don’t even have Haoshoku, dare to speak so presumptuously in front of me?” His smile suddenly vanished, replaced by a chilling killing intent.

“You don’t understand at all who is standing in front of you.”

Before he finished speaking, Golden Lion violently waved his hand, and the two famous swords, “sakura ten” and “Withered Tree,” flew out, hovering beside him, their blades pointing directly at Gern and Sakazuki.

“Last question.” Golden Lion’s voice was as cold as ice, “Release them, or die?”

Half of Sakazuki’s body had already turned into scorching magma, and crimson lava dripped onto the ground, burning out charred pits in the steel floor.

His eyes were as hard as iron, and his voice was deep and hoarse: “Golden Lion, this is Marine territory, not a place for you to run wild!”

Gern did not speak, only slightly lowered his stance, black blade eight desolations pointed diagonally at the ground, the vibration particles on the blade silently leaped.

His gaze was fixed on Golden Lion, compared to making threats…

What he should do now is fully activate his Observation Haki, capturing every subtle movement of the opponent.

“So…” Golden Lion looked down at the two from above, a mocking arc curving at the corner of his mouth.

“Are you trying to make me… kill you here?”