"That's right!" Harden declared, standing his ground without a trace of fear, even as he faced one of the most notorious pirates in the world.
Kuro observed Harden's defiance and inwardly sighed. He had always considered Harden reckless, but now he realized the truth—Harden wasn't merely reckless; he had an absolute disregard for his own life.
To everyone's surprise, "Golden Lion" Shiki, who had seemed on the verge of erupting in rage at Harden's words, suddenly broke into hearty laughter.
"East Blue, you say?" Shiki addressed the bewildered Harden. "I wasn't wrong—you'll be begging to join my crew before long."
Harden, mistaking this for mockery of his humble origins, scowled darkly. "And if we refuse?" he asked, his voice cold as steel.
"Then you'll never leave this place," Shiki declared. "But take pride—you'll have the honor of being buried in the sky!" He spread his arms wide with theatrical grandeur, as if embracing the heavens themselves.
"I'll bury you right here first!" Harden, who had been barely containing his fury throughout the exchange, finally snapped. He launched himself toward Shiki on the platform.
Following Harden's lead, several of the more courageous expedition members also rose and charged at Shiki. These were primarily younger crew members who had been deeply influenced by William's ideals over the years.
However, these brave souls constituted only about half of the expedition team. The rest, including Krieg and Kuro, remained seated, their expressions ranging from fear to calculation.
Krieg shifted uncomfortably in his seat and cast a questioning glance at Kuro, who had maintained an unusual silence throughout the confrontation. To his surprise, Kuro briefly met his gaze before lowering his eyes once more, resuming his meditative posture. Krieg couldn't begin to fathom what thoughts lurked behind those calculating eyes.
Meanwhile, Harden, having mastered the Rokushiki technique of Soru (Shave), moved with blinding speed. In an instant, he materialized before Shiki. Though his weapons had been confiscated, Harden showed no hesitation as he unleashed a powerful kick aimed directly at Shiki's throat.
BANG!
With just one hand, Shiki effortlessly caught Harden's leg mid-strike. Despite Harden having put every ounce of his strength behind the attack, Shiki didn't budge a millimeter. The Golden Lion's expression remained one of casual amusement, as though Harden's assault were no more troublesome than swatting away an insect.
"It seems you haven't suffered enough yet!" Shiki's grin widened menacingly.
Before Harden could attempt another strike, a sharp pain shot through his captured leg. Then, with terrifying strength, Shiki swung him overhead like a ragdoll and slammed him violently into the floor.
BOOM!
The impact was so devastating that Harden's body created a crater in the wooden planks. Every bone in his body felt as though it had been shattered simultaneously.
As Shiki released his grip on Harden's leg, the younger pirate caught a glimpse of something gleaming in the light—Shiki's sword-leg descending toward him. With desperate reflexes, Harden pushed himself aside, narrowly avoiding being impaled.
Years ago, to escape the impenetrable fortress of Impel Down, Shiki had made the brutal decision to sever his own legs at the ankles, freeing himself from the Sea Stone shackles that bound him. Since then, he had replaced his missing limbs with his twin swords, using them as lethal prosthetics. A single strike from those blades could easily claim a life.
Watching Harden's desperate evasion, Shiki burst into malicious laughter. "Zanpa (Slash Wave)!" he roared.
With a sudden upward swing of his right leg, Shiki unleashed a crescent-shaped blade of compressed air. The invisible sword slash cut through the room, striking several expedition members who had been charging toward him. Those unable to dodge in time screamed in agony as the attack sliced through flesh and bone, leaving them collapsed and bleeding profusely on the floor. Within seconds, the polished wooden boards were stained crimson.
Harden's eyes blazed with unbridled fury. He cast a resentful glance at Kuro and Krieg, who remained motionless amid the chaos. Gritting his teeth, he turned back toward Shiki, determined to continue the fight despite his injuries.
But before he could take a single step, Shiki casually raised his right hand. Immediately, the floor beneath Harden began to tremble violently. Throughout the room, the low tables, wooden beams, and sliding doors all started to shake as well.
"Can an antelope defy the will of a lion?" Shiki asked mockingly, his tone dripping with contempt for Harden's presumption.
As the final syllable left his lips, the floor beneath Harden split open with a thunderous crack. From the fissure emerged a massive lion's head, sculpted from rock and earth by Shiki's Devil Fruit power. In one swift motion, the stone beast lunged forward and swallowed Harden whole.
Beneath the low table, Kuro's hands clenched into white-knuckled fists. Krieg stared at the enormous stone lion with undisguised horror before shifting his gaze to Shiki, who appeared completely unfazed by the violence he had just unleashed. Around them, the remaining expedition members sat frozen in terror, their eyes fixed on the monstrous creation that had devoured their comrade.
With casual efficiency, Shiki dispatched the remaining rebels. With a mere wave of his hand, a wine jug and cup floated through the air and positioned themselves before him. He poured himself a drink, his expression indifferent as he surveyed the carnage. Only then did many of those present realize that Shiki hadn't even stepped off his platform during the entire confrontation.
"The overconfident ones are all lying down now," Shiki remarked, gesturing lazily toward the defeated expedition members sprawled across the floor. "Recognizing your place in this world and accepting that there are enemies beyond your strength—that, too, is a form of growth. You're clearly more mature than those fools on the ground. I trust you won't be stupid enough to refuse my generous offer."
"Raise your glasses and celebrate this day," Shiki proclaimed, his laughter resonating with triumph. "Celebrate the honor of becoming comrades of the great Shiki!"
A suffocating silence blanketed the room. Most of those who remained were visibly shaken by Shiki's overwhelming power and reputation. Yet, despite their fear, few seemed eager to abandon their loyalty to William—whether out of genuine devotion or fear of William's eventual retribution. Either way, no one moved.
Shiki's smile began to fade as the silence stretched on. Just as the atmosphere grew unbearably tense, Kuro made his move. With deliberate grace, he picked up his wine cup, held it with both hands in a gesture of respect, and bowed slightly toward Shiki. Then, without hesitation, he tilted his head back and drained the glass in one smooth motion.
All eyes in the room had been fixed on Kuro. Among those seated, his status was the highest in Harden's absence. Seeing Kuro submit to Shiki, the others exchanged uncertain glances. Gradually, most followed his example, raising their glasses and drinking. However, a few remained motionless, their faces pale but resolute in their defiance.
"Hmm?" Shiki's gaze shifted toward these holdouts. "Do you wish to join your overconfident friends on the floor?"
One of the younger shipwrights rose to his feet, his expression defiant despite his obvious fear. He cast a scornful glance at Kuro and the others who had submitted. "We may lack the strength to fight alongside our comrades, but we are not cowards! We will never bow to someone who was defeated by an East Blue pirate!"
"Good! Good! Good!" Shiki clapped enthusiastically, repeating the word three times as if genuinely impressed by their courage and conviction.
But the moment his applause ceased, Shiki levitated into the air. With a series of lightning-fast kicks, he unleashed multiple waves of deadly sword energy. The unprepared shipwrights had no chance to defend themselves—they were cut down in an instant, their bodies collapsing lifelessly to the ground.
After completing his brutal demonstration, Shiki calmly extracted a cigar from within his robes. He lit it unhurriedly, exhaled a thick cloud of smoke, and let his gaze sweep over the survivors, most of whom now looked utterly terrified.
"Now," Shiki said, his voice devoid of emotion, "I trust that everyone remaining here is my comrade, correct?"
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