"Golden Lion" Shiki stood among the titans of his era, his name uttered in the same breath as Pirate King Roger and "Whitebeard" Edward Newgate. His appearance had once perfectly embodied his epithet—thick golden hair cascading like a lion's mane down to the ground, accompanied by the regal bearing of a king among beasts. Unlike Roger, who sailed with a close-knit crew, or Whitebeard, who bound his followers through familial bonds, Shiki had amassed his empire through raw intimidation and cunning strategy. At his peak, he commanded no fewer than fifty pirate ships. And while Roger sought adventure above all else, Shiki's ambitions reached further—he hungered for nothing less than world domination.
Where Roger might have emphasized the "pirate" in "Pirate King," Shiki fixated on the "king."
This man who had once aspired to rule the world commanded respect through his formidable presence, overwhelming strength, and brilliant tactical mind—even as fortune turned against him time and again.
Yet in the pirate world, as elsewhere, the old inevitably give way to the new. Though Shiki's towering figure and imposing aura remained impressive from a distance, closer inspection revealed the truth of his decline. His once-proud frame had grown leaner, his clothes hanging looser than in his prime. The legendary golden mane that had been his pride had thinned dramatically, exposing his scalp. The ship's helm embedded in his skull—a remnant of a long-ago battle—now made him resemble less a majestic lion and more a comical rooster.
Deep wrinkles lined his face, accompanied by the dark spots of advancing age. Below, where powerful legs had once carried him, two swords now served as prosthetic limbs.
Even as he sat cross-legged at the head of the gathering, projecting the calm confidence of a man who had weathered countless storms and faced unimaginable challenges, he was undeniably a shadow of his former self.
Time and age proved more relentless adversaries than even the Marines. Shiki had endured the tortures of Impel Down and achieved the impossible by escaping its depths, yet he could not evade the inexorable clutches of time itself.
Kuro, ever observant, noticed that Shiki's eyesight seemed to have deteriorated as well.
Yet Shiki's ambitions burned as fiercely as ever. He had been meticulously planning his grand "comeback," envisioning a triumphant return that would shock the world to its core. He yearned to show the Marines who had imprisoned him—and even the ghost of the now-deceased Roger—that this so-called "Great Pirate Era" was nothing but a playground for weak children playing at being pirates.
These self-proclaimed heirs to piracy and the new generation of Marines had no conception of what it truly meant to be a pirate, nor why the very word "pirate" struck terror into the hearts of ordinary people.
To prepare for his return and fulfill his dream of world domination, Shiki had been secretly recruiting forces and expanding his influence. Known also as the "Flying Pirate," Shiki had consumed the Float-Float Fruit (Fuwa Fuwa no Mi), granting him the ability to make himself and any non-living object he touched levitate and move at will.
The mysterious disappearances of islands throughout the Grand Line in recent years were Shiki's handiwork. Using his Devil Fruit powers, he had lifted these islands into the sky to serve as his hidden bases.
The Float-Float Fruit had been instrumental in Shiki's meteoric rise, but it wasn't without weaknesses. Severe weather, particularly storms, proved its greatest vulnerability. During the Battle of Edd War, a sudden tempest had been Shiki's undoing. Learning from this bitter experience, one of his first priorities in preparing for his comeback was assembling a team of meteorological experts.
Harden and his companions had been "invited" here because of this—more specifically, because of the steamships they had been traveling on.
From the sky, these vessels were unmistakable. Powered by coal, their massive central chimneys continuously belched long plumes of black smoke into the air.
When Shiki happened to pass by Water 7, these unusual ships immediately caught his attention.
Storms were the bane of traditional sailing vessels, largely because they relied on wind-catching sails for propulsion. But these steamships bore no sails whatsoever, which instantly piqued Shiki's interest.
Not long after, he witnessed these steamships navigating through a violent storm with remarkable stability. Later, he observed them safely traversing the Calm Belt—a feat that conventional ships could never accomplish.
Finally, Shiki made his move. Under cover of darkness, he seized one of the steamships and transported it to his base. Both the innovative design of the vessel and its crew fascinated him deeply.
However, Shiki—accustomed to absolute authority—never considered whether his "guests" wished to participate in his plans.
Now, as Shiki raised his glass with the affected demeanor of a gracious host, the volatile Harden responded by violently kicking over the low table before him.
Shiki twirled his wine glass contemplatively, his gaze shifting between the spilled food on the floor and Harden's defiant posture.
"Are you dissatisfied with my hospitality?" Shiki asked slowly, his tone carrying an oily quality that grated on Harden's nerves.
"Why the hell did you bring us here?" Harden demanded.
"Why else? I want you to join my pirate crew!" Shiki laughed heartily. "Your ships fascinate me. Vessels that don't rely on wind and can traverse the Calm Belt—this revolutionary technology, combined with my team of expert navigators, will make even the forces of nature bow before me!"
The faces of everyone at the table darkened. Krieg frowned deeply, while Kuro lowered his gaze to the floor, his expression carefully neutral, thoughts hidden behind his glasses.
"You think we'd agree to that?" Harden sneered, looking at Shiki as if he were delusional.
"Oh, you'll agree," Shiki replied with a predatory grin. "Because standing before you is the Flying Pirate, 'Golden Lion' Shiki!"
"Young man, you'll soon understand that in this world, there are people whose strength you cannot challenge and whose will you cannot defy. Just as I decided to bring you to my base, and here you are. Your opinions mean nothing to me. Once you accept reality, you'll be begging to join my crew."
Shiki's arrogant declaration silenced the room. No one immediately refuted him, for they had already witnessed his overwhelming power firsthand. During their initial encounter, Shiki had effortlessly captured their entire ship, leaving them utterly helpless.
Only Harden dared to respond, his cheek twitching as he forced a cold smile. "I've never heard of any 'Golden Lion.' All I know is a 'mangy mutt' who got his ass handed to him by the Pirate King Roger! I'm from the East Blue, and I'd never stoop so low as to serve someone who couldn't even defeat an East Blue pirate."
CRASH!
Another table overturned as Shiki abruptly rose to his feet. The metallic clang of his sword prosthetics echoed ominously through the room.
The towering figure of Shiki loomed over the gathering from his elevated position, the light behind him casting an elongated shadow that completely enveloped Harden.
"You're from the East Blue?" Shiki asked, narrowing his eyes, his tone suddenly unreadable.
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