"No need for your reminder!"
Zoro solemnly said, "Of course, it's to help Luffy become the Pirate King!"
"Is it the influence of the Captain's Devil Fruit, or something else..."
Zzzt zzzt...
Lily gripped the sword in her hand tightly, blue lightning coiling around the blade again. She bent her knees slightly, returning the sword to its sheath, adopting an Iaido stance.
"It's not important anymore. At first, I thought you were a formidable enemy, but now it seems, you are not able to challenge me. However, your tenacity and persistence are troublesome, let's resolve this quickly..."
As she spoke, she glanced at King, who was poised to attack, and said, "Soon, it will be your turn."
Clang!
The sword unsheathed, a flash of sword light.
In an instant, the blue lightning descended like it fell from the heavens, accelerating rapidly from high above to pierce the stationary Zoro below.
The lightning flashed, illuminating Zoro's eyes.
Just like two years ago, in Alabasta, when Lily boldly thrust at the more powerful Zoro.
Back then, she charged fearlessly.
And now...
"I can't back down either!"
Haki burst into green flames around Zoro, rapidly contracting onto his three swords, coiling green flowing fire along their blades. Among them, Enma bloomed with red sparks interwoven with the green flames, merging as one.
In the explosion of those flames, he seemed to transform into a three-headed apparition, his three swords multiplying into nine.
"Ghost Qi Nine-Sword Style..."
Every aspect of his being was poised to strike back.
"Asura Sword Pulling..."
One strike to determine victory or defeat!
"Game of the Dead!!"
The nine swords whirled like a cyclone, then swung together, splitting the incoming blue lightning.
Boom!
The green flames collided with the blue lightning, instantly shattering the earth, and even the sky filled with dark clouds thundered into a spiraling hole, continuously drawing inward.
But quickly, the green flames shattered like broken glass, and the blue lightning pierced straight through, from Zoro's chest through his back.
Splat!!!
Light and shadow dispersed, shattered earth fragments fell, even the hole in the sky began to mend.
In that moment, the surrounding space seemed to freeze.
Zoro's three-headed six-armed apparition vanished, turning into a stance of two downward-slicing swords, while blood continuously flowed from his mouth gripping Wado Ichimonji, forming drops on the ground.
A slender sword two fingers wide appeared behind him.
Lily maintained the thrusting stance, watching as the white lightning in her hand pierced straight through Zoro's heart, then glanced at him and said calmly:
"That unclear Haki, unable to fully unify will, cannot stop mine. My Haki, is the absolute unity of will."
She wasn't sure what happened to this guy, or what was mixed in, but she herself had always been walking towards her dream from the beginning.
That dream of freeing the world from oppression, though realized through Sage, she was genuinely, step by step, achieving her own ideals within it.
"A steadfast will, is my strength to cut through anything! Roronoa Zoro... you've lost!"
Shk!
Lily withdrew the sword from his chest, blood spurting out, and as the white lightning retracted, Zoro's body sagged, about to fall.
This thrust didn't just pierce the heart; the 'cut through anything' it contained severed Zoro's internal organs like Internal Destruction.
One strike, enough to render him incapable of resistance.
Before Zoro could fall, the slender sword turned into a cold gleam, about to slice his neck.
"Pineapple Gravel!"
At this moment, a voice suddenly sounded from above, like rainfall, with trails of cyan flames splashing onto Zoro, setting him aflame, while above Lily, a sudden gust arose.
"Phoenix Seal!"
Lily's eyes flashed coldly, the white lightning she wielded again aroused blue electricity, slashing upwards.
Shk!
With one slash, a burst of fresh blood accompanied it, a bird's claw flew away from above, landing on the ground and transforming into a human leg.
The person above groaned, gritting teeth against the pain as they flew forward, holding out a hand, with another bird's claw lifting Zoro and flying far away.
"Marco..."
Lily looked up, "Haven't you had enough lessons? Escaping last time should've taught you to vanish. Wandering remnants easily get killed."
"Ah... let me, this remnant, play my part one last time; after all, I am free, Sword Princess!"
Marco, flying away, left a word without turning back, clasping the burning Zoro with cyan flames, quickly flying off, becoming a blue speck in Lily's vision.
"Is losing a leg worth it? Is the Straw Hat Gang worth such a price from you?"
Lily shook her head, ignoring them further.
The power of flight, indeed, is hard to follow.
Marco naturally couldn't overcome her in battle, but for someone like him wanting to leave, no one could hold him back.
Removing the trouble is enough.
"It's your turn."
Lily turned, pointing her sword tip at King.
"A powerful Supreme King..."
King said deeply, "Someone like you, would you really be under the Four Emperors?"
Those with talent have truly rebellious hearts, and if such people can be in a group, it wouldn't be under a ruler like Mr. Kaido, but more cooperative, or gathered for mutual benefit.
But the Disaster Pirates' reputation on the seas isn't like that; it's under the absolute rule of the Disaster.
Such a Pirates shouldn't have someone with such strong Supreme King presence.
"Four Emperors? I am not loyal to the Four Emperors."
Lily took a deep breath, shouted, "The mere Four Emperors are not Sage's limit, I am loyal to the one who can lift all oppression in the future, regardless of race, lineage, where all will kneel under one hand... the King of the World!"
"Lifting all oppression..."
King chuckled, "You really have utmost confidence in your Captain, but..."
…
"Will you change the world?" the young King couldn't help but ask.
"Of course, only I can change the world!" Kaido revealed a proud smile.
"Abel, from now on you will be called 'King', and I have your back!"
In the fire at the experimental grounds, young Kaido laughed heartily, "I won't hand you over to anyone, oh ho ho ho ho!!"
…
"I still believe, Mr. Kaido, will become the Pirate King!"
Roar!
He gripped his sword tightly, coiling even greater flames, intense enough to become magma.
"For Mr. Kaido's future..."
Bam!!
The flames behind King's head disappeared, and he burst from the ground with a depression, the fire at the sword's tip trailing backward at high speed, transforming into a massive meteor of fire, and the meteor gradually enlarged, forming a gigantic fire dragon of molten magma.
"I will not lose here! Guardian Fire Dragon Emperor!!"
Elemental power, on par with Haki.
Some techniques don't need Haki, as element alone can have incredible destructive power.
But this destructive power...
Clang!
The blue lightning thrust forward, heading straight for the magma fire dragon, breaking through its head upon contact, splitting it into two halves horizontally, revealing King's form, swiftly passing by him.
Zzzt...
The blue lightning landed, transforming into Lily's figure, kneeling on the ground, back turned to the still thrusting King, slowly sheathing her sword.
"You are tougher than Roronoa Zoro..."
Lily said solemnly, "But my determination, is simply stronger. Guardian, you only wish to protect Kaido, whereas I... am Sage's sharpest, bloodthirsty sword!"
Click.
The sword fully sheathed.
Shk!!!
A massive burst of blood erupted from King's chest, causing his body to shudder, collapsing to the ground.
"Have a good rest, when you wake, perhaps we will be comrades."
Lily stood up, speaking without turning back, but her body swayed as well.
The continuous use of Conqueror's Haki, along with her cutting through anything, took a tremendous toll.
A little longer, she'd be out of stamina too.
"Fortunately... I won."
She shook her head, taking a deep breath, looking up at the hovering Ghost Island, and murmured, "Sage, you will win for sure!"