After the "friendly sparring" with Garp and the "polite greeting" with Newgate, the Oro Jackson finally enjoyed a few days of truly peaceful sailing. The crew had been treated to a spectacle of titanic battles and raw Haki, and for the first time in weeks, the deck was filled with laughter instead of the scent of dust and blood.
The aftermath of the duel with Whitebeard continued to simmer in conversations, especially among newcomers like Ellio, whose eyes still glimmered with awe whenever the sparring session was mentioned. The tales of immense Haki, near-impossible reflexes, and the overwhelming power of legends dominated mealtime discussions.
Meanwhile, Kyle sat alone in his quarters, meticulously wiping down the black-gold naginata that had been his companion for many years. Every stroke of the cloth was accompanied by a replay of his encounter with Newgate in his mind. Every swing, every clash of Haki, every subtle shift in balance—he analyzed it all.
Pure Haki and raw strength. No Devil Fruit, no flashy tricks—just sheer force, precision, and willpower. That was the kind of power that could topple islands and crush fleets.
"Still not enough…" Kyle murmured, caressing the cold blade, a faint frown marring his face. "I need more… more control… more insight."
The day was unusually calm. The Grand Line rarely treated sailors with such serenity. The sea and sky merged into a single, endless horizon, the sun gleaming high above with perfect clarity. A rare gift for preparation, Kyle thought.
Suddenly, Dolinger's urgent cry broke the calm.
"Fleet spotted ahead! Five ships! Approaching us rapidly!"
"Five ships?" Jabba set down his dumbbells, strolling to the rail and squinting at the horizon. "Who brings such a grand display?"
Rayleigh moved forward, raising his telescope. A small smirk tugged at his lips. "So… it's him."
Every crew member froze, eyes scanning the horizon. Five black specks rapidly grew into five massive pirate ships, sails marked with a lion's head, eyes glaring like a predator's. The formation was tight, strategic, and unyielding—a fleet that carried the air of absolute confidence.
At the bow of the lead ship stood a figure whose very presence radiated ambition and menace. Golden hair flowed like a blazing lion's mane, wild and untamed, and he wielded two legendary swords, Sakura Ten and Kareki. The grin on his face could only be described as predatory, the smile of someone who believed himself above the sea itself.
Golden Lion Shiki.
Another maritime overlord, a living legend, rivaling even Roger and Whitebeard.
Kyle crossed his arms, a mix of disbelief and amusement curling in his thoughts. Here he comes. The Pirate King's number one fan, the golden-haired loser! Shouting about world domination now… in a few years, he'll be begging Roger to join his crew. Storming Marineford, single-handedly demanding justice… his story is so tragic and heroic it could make a man weep. Tsundere, meta, all rolled into one.
Shiki's aura radiated unchecked arrogance, a violent contrast to the man he would become in history's eyes. If this were a movie, Kyle thought, it would win every award for tragic romance.
Roger appeared on deck at that moment, ambling casually, half a bottle of wine in hand. He grinned as his gaze fell on the approaching fleet.
"Oh? More guests?" Roger's voice was cheerful, almost teasing. "Quite a show!"
Shiki's roar answered before anyone else could speak.
"Gyahahahaha! Roger! I finally found you! Stop your boring adventure games! Your crew, your treasures, will become the foundation of my world domination! I'll step on your corpse and take this sea as my own!"
He laughed wildly, filled with the arrogance of youth and unchecked ambition. Roger, however, merely took a long swig of wine, casually tossing the empty bottle into the sea.
"What a noisy fellow, Lionhead." He drew Ace, his signature sword, and grinned. "Want to be King? Then prove it!"
"All hands, prepare for battle!" Rayleigh's deep voice cut through the tension. Weapons were drawn, crew members brimming with fighting spirit. The Roger Pirates never knew the meaning of retreat, even when vastly outnumbered.
Shiki plunged his twin swords into the deck, slamming downward with a force that rippled through the air.
"Lion's Might: Earth Scroll!"
Invisible waves of power spread outward, causing the sea around Shiki's fleet to churn violently. Then, as if summoned by magic, five giant lions of water leapt forward, crashing toward the Oro Jackson.
Ellio's eyes widened. "A Devil Fruit… controlling the sea?"
Kyle stepped forward, hands spread, eyes blazing with focus. "Tidal Roar Ripple!"
He unleashed his technique. Invisible ripples surged from the Oro Jackson, colliding with the water lions. There was no explosive clash, just the quiet but absolute power of will and Haki.
The five enormous lions disintegrated mid-air, reforming into a torrent of water that crashed harmlessly into the sea, sending monstrous waves outward. Kyle smirked. Little lions… practice more.
Shiki's grin faltered, curiosity flashing in his eyes. "Interesting… but the game has only just begun."
He pressed his hands to the deck. The entire sea trembled, and then the unthinkable happened.
"Gyahahaha! True supremacy is mine! Float!"
The five pirate ships, along with nearby islands, slowly lifted into the air, defying gravity. A fleet that had dominated the sea now ruled the sky.
"Roger! See this? This sky is mine!" Shiki bellowed, standing proudly at the bow. The Oro Jackson looked tiny below the looming, floating ships, dwarfed by their size and power.
Ellio whispered, trembling. "The ship… it's flying…"
Roger laughed, throwing back his head. "This is troublesome, but… oh, I love it." His eyes burned with excitement, not fear.
Jabba muttered under his breath, rotating his wrists. "Hard to fight in the sky… but not impossible."
A calm voice broke through the tension. Kyle stepped to the bow, closing his eyes. His golden pupils receded, replaced by a perception deeper than sight. He felt the sea itself, listening to its movements.
Rayleigh saw immediately, shouting orders: "Hold the rails! Secure yourselves!"
Shiki, witnessing this, smirked arrogantly. "Preparing to surrender, Roger? Kneel and I might spare you—"
He stopped abruptly. The sea beneath him was rising—not as waves, not as tides—but like an invisible hand lifting it from the ocean floor. A towering, slanting wall of blue water surged skyward.
Kyle opened his eyes. "Tidal Roar Ripple: Skyfall!"
The giant sea wall roared like a beast, surpassing the height of Shiki's flying fleet. The Oro Jackson rode the crest, propelled with momentum that could crush ships.
"What—?!" Shiki's laughter froze. He had never imagined an attack from sea to sky.
He pushed his Float-Float Fruit to its limits. Three of the five floating ships, including two heavily damaged, retreated at impossible speed, disappearing into the horizon. Waves crashed, ships toppled, and hundreds of Golden Lion Pirates floundered in the water.
The Oro Jackson returned to calm waters, the sea gradually settling as if nothing had occurred.
Silence fell over the deck. Ellio and the other newcomers stood stunned, mouths agape, processing what they had witnessed.
It was over. The legendary Golden Lion Shiki, who had terrorized the South Sea with an entire fleet, had been bested… temporarily.
Roger landed lightly on the deck, sheathing Ace. "Tch… boring," he muttered, surveying the aftermath. "Runs faster than a seabird."
He grinned at the crew struggling in the water. "Alright! Don't just stand there! Haul these guys up. Keep the valuable ones. Tie up the worthless and dump them at the nearest Marine base. Then… PARTY!"
A roar of excitement erupted from the crew. "Oh oh oh oh oh!"
The Oro Jackson was alive with energy, a blend of triumph, chaos, and laughter. Another day, another impossible adventure, in the world of legends.
Ãdvåñçé çhàptêr àvàilàble óñ pàtreøn (Gk31)