The weather at Marineford was dreary and miserable, with a steady downpour and a heavy blanket of clouds that hid any sign of sunlight.
Inside Admiral Sengoku's office, Diarmuid was in the middle of dropping a slice of lamb into a simmering pot.
That's right, it's shabu-shabu.
On a rainy day, that was the only logical choice. This was a new tradition he'd brought to Sengoku's office. He didn't have any special recipes for the broth, but in this world, just being able to enjoy shabu-shabu was a treat. Who cared if it wasn't authentic?
Before Diarmuid could fish out the slice of lamb, Gion snatched it with her chopsticks and put it into her own bowl. She shook her head with a satisfied hum, completely ignoring the angry glare Diarmuid was sending her.
Sengoku watched the two with a small smile, enjoying his own shabu-shabu. The food was delicious, and on a cold, rainy day like this, it really did warm one up. It was perfect.
"This rain won't stop. I wonder if it's going to turn into a storm," Diarmuid said, turning to look out the window.
Doberman and Momonga had just set off with a fleet to the East Blue. They were the third group. The second group, led by Sakazuki and Borsalino, had left a couple of days ago with Roger on board. The first group was led by Kuzan.
As for Diarmuid, he and Sengoku were going to be the last to depart. He still wasn't sure if Shiki would show up, and he was worried that Shiki would cause chaos at Marineford after everyone had already left. That would be a huge embarrassment for the Marines.
"It won't. They say it'll stop today," Sengoku said, shaking his head as he picked up a mushroom.
"That's good," Diarmuid replied with a nod.
"Why do you care about a storm anyway? How is a storm going to destroy Marineford?" Gion muttered, sneaking another piece of meat. She was glad she didn't have to sail with Momonga, Doberman, and Yamakaji. Otherwise, she'd miss out on this delicious shabu-shabu.
"No storm means a safe voyage," Diarmuid said with a smile.
Just then, his Observation Haki, which was always active, sensed something. He dropped his chopsticks, flipped over the sofa, and stood by the window, staring up at the sky above Marineford.
"What's wrong?" Sengoku asked, wiping his mouth and standing up quickly.
"Something's happening. Gion, contact Doberman and Momonga!" Diarmuid commanded immediately.
As his direct subordinate, Gion quickly followed the order and dialed the Den Den Mushi. But it rang and rang without an answer.
Both Gion and Sengoku's faces fell. Something was wrong. There was no reason for them not to answer a call from Headquarters, especially from their superior.
"Shiki," Diarmuid said softly.
The moment he spoke, several enormous ships suddenly fell from the clouds. Diarmuid's eyes narrowed. He recognized them as the naval ships that had just left the harbor. It looked like they had been attacked by Shiki, but he hadn't finished them off; he had simply carried them along. Many Marines on board were still clinging to the railings, desperately trying not to be flung off.
"He dared to mess with my men!" Diarmuid's eyes blazed with fury. He flung the window open, stomped his foot, and launched himself into the rain like a cannonball. He drew Nagasone Kotetsu from its sheath and swung it toward the sky. An invisible force of gravity instantly spread out, enveloping the battleships.
"Gravity Field: Weightless!" Diarmuid bellowed.
The falling ships were all immediately stabilized. Diarmuid then channeled his power, slowly righting the ships and gently setting them down in the harbor.
Momonga released his death grip on the railing, wiped the rain from his face, and said with a sigh of relief, "Thank goodness Vice Admiral Diarmuid was here. Otherwise, we would have been killed or severely injured!"
Doberman's face was filled with rage. "That cursed Shiki!" he swore. They had been sailing peacefully when Shiki suddenly flew them up into the air and brought them back to Marineford, dropping them from the clouds.
If Vice Admiral Diarmuid hadn't been here, they truly would have been killed or severely injured. All the regular Marines would have been crushed to death.
Sengoku was also stunned. What was going on? Had Shiki gone insane? He had been an Admiral for many years and had never seen anyone so arrogant!
At the same time, his Observation Haki spread out. While he couldn't see Shiki, he could feel his presence. Strangely enough, he was alone!
Golden Lion Shiki had actually come to Marineford alone, seemingly to take on Marine Headquarters. Who gave him the courage to do that? Had he always been this bold?
"It's Shiki, all right. Get ready to back up Diarmuid!" Sengoku said gravely. With that, he turned and walked out the door.
At the same time, Diarmuid landed on the ground. He looked up at the sky. The heavy clouds were still there, and he couldn't see Shiki's figure, but his Observation Haki was firmly locked on to a specific area in the clouds. Shiki was there.
Without Diarmuid needing to give an order, the alarms at Marineford blared, and a large number of Marines gathered behind him from all directions.
"Where's the enemy?"
"I can't see anyone!"
Hearing the noise behind him, Diarmuid raised a hand, and the chatter immediately ceased.
"Listen up! Marineford is on a Level 1 alert! The enemy is just one man: Golden Lion Shiki! All ranks below Rear Admiral are to maintain order and stay out of the fight! Disperse!" Diarmuid said grimly.
By rank alone, he didn't have the authority to put Marineford on a Level 1 alert. But in this emergency, no Marine was foolish enough to question him. As soon as Diarmuid finished, a Rear Admiral behind him saluted. "Understood, Vice Admiral!" With a rush, the Marines who had gathered quickly dispersed.
"Hiding in the shadows!" Diarmuid scoffed.
Without waiting for Shiki to make a move, Diarmuid focused his energy on his Nagasone Kotetsu. Armament Haki coated the blade, and the intense gravity he had gathered created a dense purple glow.
In a single breath, Diarmuid raised his sword and slashed at the heavy clouds above. The sharp slash left the blade and transformed into a giant tiger that tore into the clouds. A massive hole appeared, revealing the sun high in the sky. It was as if Diarmuid's single sword strike had banished the gloomy rain.
The sun shone down through the opening in the clouds, illuminating a domineering figure in the sky. He was floating there like a god, his long golden hair billowing in the wind without a care in the world. His face was grim, a clear sign of his burning rage. His eyes were as untamed as a lion's, and the pressure he exuded was enough to make many of the Marine officers below shiver.
The man, the figure, was none other than the great pirate whose name inspired fear across the seas, Golden Lion Shiki!
Shiki hung there in the air, staring down at Diarmuid. After a long pause, he slowly took the cigar from his mouth and exhaled a puff of smoke. The madness in his expression seemed to dissipate a little.
"I should have killed you in the North Blue, Diarmuid…" Shiki said softly.
Diarmuid was surprised that Shiki actually remembered him. He had thought Shiki was just asking for a name back then. But he showed no sign of shock. He simply placed Nagasone Kotetsu back into its sheath. "What's that new decoration on your head? Shiki, your taste is getting more unique by the day…"
Shiki's brow furrowed, and a killing intent flashed in his eyes. "You seem a lot more confident than the time you fled from me like a pathetic dog."
Just then, Sengoku and Gion walked up to Diarmuid's side. Sengoku looked at Shiki and got straight to the point. "Shiki, what are you doing here? Are you here to die?"
"Sengoku…" a vein throbbed on Shiki's forehead. His imposing figure slowly descended from the sky and landed on a cannon platform, still looking down at the Marines. "I don't care what you Marines did to capture Roger. He's a man I respect. No matter what, he will not die at the hands of you Marines. Sengoku, hand him over! If anyone is going to kill him, it should be me!" Shiki roared.
Sengoku raised his arm and rotated his shoulder, producing a series of cracking sounds from his neck. "As for the title of Pirate King, Shiki, Roger walked away from your battle at the Edd War as the victor," Sengoku said as he stretched.
"Pirate King???" Shiki's eyes filled with rage. "What the hell is a Pirate King? If Roger had lent me his strength and cooperated with me, even this world would have been ours to rule! We may not have gotten along, but he was born in the same era as me, and he's a man I respect. If he's here, bring him out! I will be the one to kill him!"
"Whether it takes ten years or twenty, this world will never fall into the hands of you bastards, Shiki," Diarmuid said, rotating his own shoulders slightly. He then took off his Justice coat and threw it aside. Gion, who was standing behind him, smartly caught it.
"Roger isn't here. You came to the wrong place. In one week, he will be executed at Loguetown, in the East Blue. That's right, his hometown. It's fitting, isn't it? To end where he began," Diarmuid said as he put his hand on the hilt of his Nagasone Kotetsu. The hole in the clouds was slowly closing, and the steady rain began to fall again, drenching his white short-sleeved shirt.
"Loguetown???" Shiki's eyes widened in surprise, which quickly turned into furious rage.
"Roger's death will surely crush the spirits of many pirates. The seas will be much better without bastards like you," Sengoku continued. At the same time, he also took off his own Justice coat and tossed it aside. It fell to the wet ground and was quickly soaked by the rain. This caused Sengoku's eyebrow to twitch slightly. Damn it, why don't you guys have the presence of mind that Gion has? That's an Admiral's coat! You should have caught it for me!
"The Pirate King… his legend is going to end in the weakest of all seas? Don't make me laugh! That's the greatest insult you could give that bastard!" Shiki roared, his eyes filled with fury.
"The weakest of all seas?" Diarmuid smiled and looked up at Shiki. "It may be the weakest, but the East Blue is also a symbol of peace. We will not let you interfere with the execution, Shiki!"
As soon as Diarmuid finished, Sengoku made the first move. He stomped his foot and charged at Shiki, throwing a punch!
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