Boom!
Golden Lion Shiki's body crashed heavily into the Floating Island Ship, instantly carving out a massive crater in the outer layer of the island. Soil and rubble continuously plummeted into the ocean below.
The tremendous impact forced this old pirate from a bygone era—who had been away from the frontlines of battle for nearly two decades—to cough up a mouthful of blood, staining his clothes crimson.
Intense pain, like a raging inferno, ignited within Golden Lion Shiki's heart.
"You damn brat!"
Golden Lion Shiki struggled to rise from the crater, his feet planted like nails in the soil as he glared up at the White Dragon soaring in the sky, his mind swirling with shock and doubt.
According to the intelligence he had gathered, the Royal Seven Warlords of the Sea—White Dragon—possessed the power of the Paramecia-type Clay-Clay Fruit.
Meanwhile, the abilities of the Logia-type Rumble-Rumble Fruit belonged to another monstrous newcomer—Whitebeard Jr., Edward Teach!
So why were the powers of these two Devil Fruits now simultaneously manifesting in White Dragon alone?
But that wasn't the only thing troubling Golden Lion Shiki.
How could this brat wield two completely different Devil Fruit abilities at once?
It was common knowledge.
A widely circulated "secret" existed on the seas.
No Devil Fruit user could consume a second Devil Fruit.
Anyone who dared to defy this "secret"—attempting to eat a second Devil Fruit while already possessing one—would perish on the spot due to the violent clash of the two opposing Devil Fruit powers within their body.
The reason it was called an "open secret" rather than an "ironclad rule" was that, in the past, individuals with multiple Devil Fruit abilities had indeed emerged!
A specific name flashed through Golden Lion Shiki's mind.
'Is this White Dragon brat… also an [Aberrant]?'
The so-called [Aberrant].
A special being whose physiology differed from ordinary lifeforms.
Only such [Aberrants] could consume multiple Devil Fruits and wield their powers simultaneously.
However…
"I don't give a damn what kind of freak you are, brat!"
Golden Lion Shiki leaped out of the crater like a majestic rooster, soaring back into the open sky.
Recalling his earlier battle with Storm, he decided to temporarily abandon close-quarters swordsmanship and instead unleashed the full power of his Float-Float Fruit.
The Float-Float Fruit allowed its user to strip inanimate objects of their gravity, letting them float freely in the air.
But this was merely the fruit's most basic application.
As a legendary pirate from the old era, Golden Lion Shiki had once stood at the absolute pinnacle of the world's power hierarchy.
To reach such heights, a fighter could have specialties—but never weaknesses!
In other words.
Whether it was [Haki], [Swordsmanship], or the [Float-Float Fruit]…
Golden Lion Shiki had developed all of them to an extremely high level.
Take the [Float-Float Fruit] as an example.
Golden Lion Shiki had long since awakened the [Float-Float Fruit] to its [Awakening] level!
After [Awakening], the [Float-Float Fruit] far surpassed its pre-awakened state in both range of influence and precision of control.
The moment Shiki leaped into the air, he immediately used the power of the [Float-Float Fruit] to levitate himself midair.
Then, he stretched his hand toward another island floating beside his Floating Island Ship, unleashing the power of the [Float-Float Fruit]. An invisible force instantly took control of that island.
Shiki's right hand seemed to grasp an inexplicably immense power as he yanked it forward violently. The massive island obeyed his will, flying straight ahead.
An entire island, carrying a breathtaking sense of oppression, hurtled toward Storm's location.
An island used as a weapon!
This was what the [Float-Float Fruit] could achieve after [Awakening]!
The colossal island bore down on Storm, its enormous shadow engulfing the space where he stood. The violent shockwaves whipped his robes into a frenzy.
Storm had initially planned to evade using the extreme speed granted by the [Rumble-Rumble Fruit], simply ignoring the island's existence.
But in the split second before transforming into lightning to dodge, Storm suddenly remembered his [Haki].
Hero Garp had long used "mountains" to temper his "Iron Fist."
Then Storm could also use an "island" to temper his [Haki]!
"Using an island to train [Haki]? Why hadn't I thought of that before?"
Storm took a deep breath. The power of the [Rumble-Rumble Fruit] surged through his body, powerful currents stimulating his nerve cells, allowing him to unleash faster and stronger force.
Electro Drive · Lightning Fist Barrage!
ORA ORA ORA—
Storm swung his fists forward, his lightning-wreathed, Haki-coated arms leaving behind a blur of afterimages in the air. An ordinary eye couldn't even discern how many punches he threw in a single second.
BOOM BOOM BOOM—
Storm's "Lightning Fist Barrage" relentlessly pounded the island, deafening explosions erupting one after another. Dust, shattered rocks, and soil scattered like blossoms in the wind.
A massive crater rapidly formed in the Floating Island's surface, its depth expanding with each strike.
Each of Storm's "Lightning Fist Barrage" strikes carried not only the extreme speed of the [Rumble-Rumble Fruit] but also the "internal destruction" effect of [Armament Haki].
The seemingly colossal island, under Storm's twin "Lightning Fists," was as fragile as paper.
Storm was like an unstoppable drill, blasting straight through the entire island—from the outside, to the inside, and out again!
Amid the raining debris of the shattered island, Storm's lightning-and-Haki-clad figure reappeared before Golden Lion Shiki.
"You could have dodged, yet you chose to take it head-on?"
Shiki watched Storm with keen interest.
"Gyahahaha! Kid, I acknowledge you!"
Golden Lion Shiki swiftly kicked his legs, the two Named Swords [Cherry Ten] and [Withered Tree] strapped to his feet slicing through the air with dazzling swordplay so dense not even water could penetrate.
"Lion: Thousand Severance Valley!"
One golden Soaring Slash after another erupted from the blades of his swords, each massive enough to split mountains and rend the seas.
Countless slashes intertwined into an overwhelming net of attacks, bearing down on Storm with seemingly no escape.
Storm took a slight breath.
Facing the incoming "Lion: Thousand Severance Valley," his pupils sharpened with a crimson glow as he activated his [Observation Haki], instantly perceiving the trajectories of the countless slashes.
Through his Observation Haki, what appeared to be an impenetrable storm of attacks actually had several gaps—paths wide enough for him to slip through effortlessly.
[Moon Walk]!
Storm stomped hard on the air, borrowing its resistance to propel himself forward instead of retreating.
The razor-sharp slashes rushed toward him, yet Storm moved as if strolling through a garden, weaving through the deadly net with impossible precision—seemingly slow, yet faster than the eye could follow.
To Shiki, it felt as though he had just unleashed his attack.
Yet in the next instant, the White Dragon ghosted through the barrage, appearing right before him as if teleporting.
"Is this all the strength you remnants of the old era have?"
Storm closed the distance instantly, his fist clad in [Armament Haki] driving toward Shiki's face with brutal force.
"No wonder you've been hiding like a coward all these years!"
Storm's words came from the heart.
After his assault on Marine Headquarters, Golden Lion Shiki had been defeated by Sengoku the Buddha and the hero Garp, then imprisoned in Impel Down.
Yet within just two years, he had severed his own legs and escaped the heavily fortified prison, becoming the first known fugitive to break free.
However…
After his grand escape, Shiki found the seas without Roger unbearably dull. He sought to create a world where Roger still existed (scratch that)—
Ahem.
Shiki deemed the "Great Pirate Era" Roger had ignited with his death too soft and decided to let this "gentle" new age taste the terror of the old era!
And then…
He retreated to the East Blue, spending over a decade quietly developing bioweapons.
Hmm…
Storm's verdict?
Pathetic.
Frankly, Storm considered Shiki even more pitiful than Sand Crocodile!
At least Crocodile had the sense to pursue the Ancient Weapons!
Shiki?
He pinned his hopes on biotech—mutating a bunch of mindless beasts!
Not just foolish—
It was downright idiotic!
Storm's fist crashed mercilessly toward this relic of the past, whose brain had probably been scrambled by a ship's helm long ago.
CLANG!
Golden Lion Shiki raised his right leg once more, using [Cherry Ten] to narrowly block Storm's incoming fist.
At the same time.
Storm's mocking voice drifted into Golden Lion Shiki's ears.
The eyes of the once-flying pirate from the old era instantly flushed with crimson.
"Brat, who the hell do you think I am?"
"A leftover from the old era, a stray wildcat with severed legs, a supreme idiot who keeps wasting the [Float-Float Fruit]... Want me to keep going? Golden Lion?"
"You damn bastard!"
The fury in Golden Lion Shiki's heart burned fiercer than ever.
This time.
Without waiting for Storm to "discharge."
Golden Lion Shiki unleashed his full power, forcibly pushing Storm back several meters.
Storm felt the force transmitted back through [Cherry Ten], his mocking grin widening further.
"Is this all you've got now? Golden Lion Shiki!"
Storm let out a loud laugh, his body crackling with intense electricity as he charged forward again.
"Pathetic! So damn pathetic!"
Storm swung his fists relentlessly, each [Armament Haki]-wrapped iron fist carrying terrifying, staggering power.
Golden Lion Shiki maneuvered through the air, swinging [Cherry Ten] and [Withered Tree] on his legs repeatedly.
Even though Golden Lion Shiki was once a world-class [Great Sword Master].
Back then, he still wielded swords with his hands.
Switching to legs.
And in such a perilous battle at that.
Golden Lion Shiki found himself at a disadvantage at an unimaginable speed.
Storm's eyes gleamed with a sinister red light as he seized a fleeting opportunity, driving his right fist forward with crushing force.
His fist seemed to predict the future, slipping past Golden Lion Shiki's dense web of sword slashes to land squarely on his body.
Boom!
With a dull impact that could make one's teeth ache.
Golden Lion Shiki's body shot backward like a meteor, crashing into a [Floating Island] hundreds of meters away.
"Cough—Gah!"
Golden Lion Shiki coughed up a mouthful of blood as he embedded himself into the island's interior.
Ever since the Battle of Edd War ended.
Golden Lion Shiki's strength had been hampered by the ship's helm lodged in his skull, unable—and unwilling—to unleash his full power.
Then, after attacking [Marine Headquarters], being imprisoned in [Impel Down], and escaping.
His strength suffered another drastic decline.
Even as a former pinnacle powerhouse of the seas, losing his legs dealt a fatal blow to his combat prowess!
Compounded by the fact that Golden Lion Shiki hadn't engaged in a proper fight for over a decade.
His strength had long since fallen from the apex of the world's power pyramid.
But...
Even if Golden Lion Shiki realized this, he would never accept it!
Golden Lion Shiki burst out of the crater in the [Floating Island].
Then, without holding back, he unleashed the full power of the [Float-Float Fruit], forcibly dragging nearby [Floating Islands] toward him.
One after another, the islands hurtled under his control, their overwhelming momentum enough to crush any coward.
These very [Floating Islands] were the vast assets Golden Lion Shiki had painstakingly accumulated over the past decade.
But at this moment, he had completely disregarded these islands, along with the subordinates and beasts on them.
"Die, you ignorant brat!"
Golden Lion Shiki manipulated over a dozen islands, hurling them all toward Storm at once.
The terrifying momentum seemed intent on smashing Storm from the sky straight into the depths of the ocean!
Storm's figure was entirely engulfed by the shadows of the falling islands, yet his eyes showed not a trace of retreat.
At this moment, only one thought occupied his mind.
Swing his fists—keep swinging them!
Boom! Boom! Boom!—
Over a dozen islands collided and crushed against each other.
Storm, just as before, tirelessly swung his fists, now clad in the pitch-black hue of Armament Haki.
His punches were like thunderstorms—not only incredibly fast but each strike carrying the terrifying force and destructive power of lightning.
What did it matter if there were over a dozen islands?
Shattering them was merely a matter of time!
But Golden Lion Shiki wouldn't give Storm much "training" time.
"Lion's Roar: Earth Bind!"
Under Shiki's control, the power of the Float-Float Fruit forcibly merged the dozen floating islands together.
These once naturally formed islands, under the influence of the Float-Float Fruit, rapidly transformed, ultimately taking the shape of a colossal earthen lion that towered between heaven and earth.
The remaining members of the Flying Pirates and the beasts living on those islands lost their lives in this sudden upheaval.
Pirates and beasts alike were all "kneaded" into the earthen lion by Golden Lion Shiki.
Under the power of the Float-Float Fruit, the density of this earthen lion far surpassed that of ordinary soil islands.
The next moment, Golden Lion Shiki completely withdrew the floating force applied to these islands.
The earthen lion, along with Storm, who was crushed at its very core, plummeted straight toward the vast ocean below.
Golden Lion Shiki hovered alone in the sky, looking down with pride and satisfaction at the falling earthen lion below.
"Perish along with these islands... White Dragon!"
Boom!
The earthen lion crashed into the boundless sea, sending a towering tsunami hundreds of meters high.
As the waves gradually subsided, only faint ripples remained on the calm surface of the East Blue.
Golden Lion Shiki, believing the battle to be completely over, was about to turn and leave.
But then, an abrupt change occurred.
Rumble—
With an earth-shaking explosion, the once-calm ocean erupted once more into monstrous waves.
The commotion was no less intense than the earlier descent of over a dozen islands.
It was as if someone had detonated an ultimate bomb of unimaginable power beneath the sea, setting off the entire ocean.
The seawater surged upward, reaching for the sky, waves endlessly churning.
The earthen lion, painstakingly formed by Golden Lion Shiki from over a dozen floating islands, had now been reduced to dust by the explosion, swept away by the currents without a trace.
Amid the towering white waves, terrifying arcs of electricity—thin yet potent—stood out starkly.
These were no ordinary silver-white lightning bolts.
They were black arcs, saturated with an overwhelming aura of destruction!
Within this storm of wildly dancing black thunder...
Storm emerged from the depths of the ocean, step by step.
Bathed in the endless spray and thunder, he finally stood before Golden Lion Shiki.
At this moment.
Storm's black hair stood on end toward the sky, his entire body wreathed in twisting black arcs of electricity, as if he had entered an extraordinarily unique state.
"Golden Lion Shiki!"
Storm spoke, his voice carrying the terrifying authority of the heavens themselves. The black lightning coiled around him expanded and pulsed with each word.
"Let me demonstrate to you.
"This... is what true power looks like!"
The instant his words fell.
Infinite black thunder enveloped his entire being.
A black Thunder God now stood towering across the heavens!