On the floating island, Golden Lion Shiki sat upon a massive throne.
In front of him was a large screen, displaying Keith and the others ascending toward the island using Moonwalk.
A red gleam flickered in Shiki's eyes. His Observation Haki activated, and as he sensed Keith and the others' auras, he let out a mocking laugh.
"Kehahahaha! A bunch of snot-nosed brats. Since you're so eager to play, I'll play along!"
Rising from his throne, Shiki revealed the twin famed swords at his feet: Oto and Kogarashi. Floating midair, he prepared to teach these upstarts a lesson.
Pffffft.
Suddenly, a series of squeaky, almost flatulent-sounding footsteps echoed through the hall. A blue-haired man dressed like a clown strode in with exaggerated motions. This was Dr. Indigo, the eccentric ship doctor of the Golden Lion Pirates and the inventor of IQ, the drug used to induce evolution in animals.
Through a series of pantomimes and comedic gestures, Indigo delivered a message.
Shiki tilted his head, then grinned.
"Nani? You're saying I shouldn't provoke the Warlord Wayne?"
Indigo's jaw dropped in disbelief. "Nani?! You actually understood that?!"
So he could talk after all he just preferred acting in mime for comedic flair.
Shiki laughed heartily. "Warlord? Just child's play! Real strength doesn't bow to the Navy. Besides, I'm the Golden Lion! Kehahahaha!"
For years, Shiki had been gathering floating islands across the Grand Line. With Indigo's help, he developed IQ, a drug capable of evolving beasts, while recruiting powerful fighters under his name.
His ultimate goal: to annihilate the East Blue, the sea that humiliated him, declare war on the Navy once more, and claim the Pirate King's throne.
Today, he aimed to absorb the entire Free City into his floating island network and use Wayne's head as a trophy to reestablish his fame as the "Flying Admiral." It wasn't personal Wayne was simply close by, and Shiki found his ideals annoying.
Unlike Whitebeard or Roger, Shiki was a textbook pirate ruthless, greedy, and power-hungry. To him, Wayne represented a distortion of the pirate legacy.
Shiki pulled out a Den Den Mushi.
"This is Shiki. Gather all combat personnel on the island!"
"Aye, Captain!"
Setting the Den Den Mushi down, Shiki leapt upward. His twin swords tapped the floor, and he soared into the sky, his voice echoing through the great hall.
"Kehahahaha! Let those little brats meet their end at the hands of the great Golden Lion!"
Meanwhile, Keith and his squad had reached the island's surface, only to be greeted by their first challenge: a horde of ferocious beasts enhanced by IQ.
"Prepare for battle! Formation!"
Keith eyed the massive tiger, half-meter-long lice, and mountain-sized apes before them. Though not fatal to him, these beasts posed a real threat to the warriors behind him.
As a first instinct, several soldiers drew their custom submachine guns and opened fire.
Ratatatatat!
Countless bullets struck the beasts but failed to harm them, only enraging them further. The lead gorilla howled, rallying a stampede.
"Tempest Kick!"
"Finger Gun!"
Dozens of elite fighters leapt forward. Some launched crescent-shaped slashes midair, others pierced with sharpened fingers. The lead gorilla collapsed under a barrage of attacks.
These warriors were the physical elites of "Three Hundred," trained personally with Wayne's Six Powers techniques. In addition to martial artists, the unit included swordsmen, sharpshooters, and a few Devil Fruit users.
"Tempest Kick: Honey Badger Claw!"
Keith, the fiercest among them, unleashed a spinning kick that blasted a saber-toothed tiger across the battlefield. Leaping into the fray, he dispatched beast after beast.
Within minutes, the entire wave of monsters had been decimated.
Keith gave a hand signal, and the squad advanced toward the jungle ahead.
"Quiet. Prepare for contact."
Keith halted and gestured. He had sensed a formidable group approaching.
The Golden Lion Pirates.
Before long, both sides collided in the jungle.
Captain Tea-Beard Buck, bounty 46 million.
Captain Black Tiger Arfo, bounty 52 million.
Captain Three-Eyed Rakk, bounty 36 million.
All renowned pirates recruited by Shiki over the years. Each commanded their own squads and answered to the Golden Lion.
A chaotic skirmish erupted.
"Tempest Kick: Crescent Moon!"
"Finger Gun: Twin Shot!"
"Black Tiger Strike!"
Over a hundred combatants clashed as blades, fists, and powers collided.
Keith faced Arfo, the pirate with the highest bounty.
"This needs to end quickly," Keith thought. "We're on their turf. Reinforcements will keep coming."
"Armament Haki: Honey Badger Barrage!"
Keith roared. His body bulked up taller, broader his fists sheathed in darkened Haki.
He launched a hailstorm of punches into Arfo's chest, collapsing it inward. Arfo fell without a sound.
The fight soon ended in victory, but not without cost.
Several of Keith's men lay bleeding on the ground.
He clenched his fists, then gave a firm order.
"All wounded who've lost combat ability retreat immediately!"
"Captain..."
"You'll only slow us down! Aji, cover their withdrawal!"
Though none feared death, they wouldn't waste lives in vain. It was better to get the injured back to Free City for treatment.
Keith led the remaining troops deeper into the jungle.
Soon, a figure appeared in their path.
Blonde hair. A ship's helm embedded in his head. Floating silently in midair, he grinned like a madman.
The Golden Lion himself had arrived.
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