A colossal shadow fell from above, casting the entire Nine Dragons ship into darkness.
Whiteflame looked up slowly.
Soaring in the sky was a vessel as large as a floating island.
At its prow, a massive golden lion's head.
And flying atop the mast—an unmistakable pirate flag, bearing a lion with flowing golden mane and crossed swords.
"Golden Lion…"
Whiteflame narrowed his eyes.
Even across this vast ocean, he could instantly recognize the legendary symbol—this wasn't some illusion.
The flying ship above belonged to none other than Shiki the Golden Lion, the fearsome pirate who once rivaled Gol D. Roger himself for supremacy.
A man of myth, long thought gone from this world.
"Is that… an island? In the sky?!"
Rebecca's jaw dropped in disbelief.
To her young eyes, this sight was like something from a fairy tale. She had never heard the name Shiki—his exploits belonged to a time long before she was born.
"That's not an island," Baby-5 said, squinting. "There's a pirate flag up there…"
She smiled faintly. "Flying… Feels nostalgic, honestly. Kinda miss it."
Having once patrolled the skies with Buffalo, aerial travel was nothing new to her.
But even she had never seen anything like this.
"It's him," Monet muttered suddenly, her face losing all color.
The moment she saw the flag, buried memories surged forth.
The name hit her like a bolt of lightning.
Golden Lion Shiki.
"Turn the ship around—now! We need to get out of here!"
Monet's voice was uncharacteristically frantic.
"What's wrong?" Rebecca asked, confused. "Is that guy really that dangerous?"
"Golden Lion… The name sounds kinda familiar." Baby-5 waved her hand dismissively. "Don't worry. With Whiteflame here, I don't care if it's a lion, a tiger, or a dragon—we'll crush them."
"You're all underestimating him!"
Monet's tone turned cold and sharp.
"That man once stood on equal footing with the Pirate King, Gol D. Roger."
"Even the Marines feared him. He's a living legend—an apex predator from an era when monsters ruled the seas!"
"The Pirate King?! Are you serious?!"
Rebecca and Baby-5 both gasped.
Even a child knew of Roger's legend.
To have competed with the man who conquered the Grand Line—that alone placed Shiki on a whole different level of terror.
"You've probably never heard the stories. Most haven't."
"I only found out by chance. But Shiki... he's more terrifying than any of us imagined."
"Over 20 years ago, he tried to ally with Roger to conquer the world. Roger refused. That rejection led to one of the most cataclysmic pirate battles in history—the Battle of Edd War."
"If not for a sudden storm that saved Roger's crew, the Pirate King title may have gone to Shiki instead."
"And that wasn't the end."
"Not long after, for reasons unknown, Shiki stormed Marineford alone, where he fought Garp and Sengoku for three whole days."
"The battle left Marineford half-destroyed before he was finally defeated and imprisoned in Impel Down's Level 6—Eternal Hell."
"But his legend didn't end there."
"Shiki cut off his own legs to escape."
"He's the only man in history to break out of Impel Down single-handedly."
"After that, he disappeared. For over a decade, not a word. No sightings. People thought he was dead…"
"But now... he's back."
Rebecca and Baby-5 stared wide-eyed. The weight of the legend hit them like a tidal wave.
This man… was no ordinary pirate.
He was a relic of a nightmare era—and now, that nightmare was descending upon them.
"You understand now?" Monet said grimly. "That man is far beyond anything we're prepared to face."
"If he targets us—we won't even have the chance to scream."
But before she could finish—
Clink. Clink.
The sound of two metallic taps echoed from behind.
Then a deep, raspy voice, full of mocking amusement:
"Didn't think anyone still remembered me after all these years…"
"But since you do, and since you're so frightened, I suppose I'll let you live—for now."
The three women froze.
Slowly, they turned.
There stood a tall man with a wild golden mane that spilled down like a lion's.
His beard, eyebrows, and hair were all the same golden hue.
On his head, a ship's steering wheel was embedded—his infamous war scar.
Two swords replaced his missing legs.
He wore a traditional orange-yellow patterned robe, and a cigar smoldered at his lips.
And even without speaking, the overwhelming aura of a king poured from him like fire.
"G-Golden Lion…"
Rebecca and Baby-5 both staggered back, hiding behind Whiteflame.
Even Monet moved away instinctively, pulling distance from the monster she had just described.
Whiteflame, however, remained perfectly still.
He took a calm drag of his cigarette and exhaled slowly.
"Golden Lion. To what do I owe the visit… to my ship?"
Shiki looked around lazily, then locked eyes with Whiteflame.
"Nothing much."
"Just that… your pirate flag up there? Kinda pissed me off."
SHRIP—
In one swift movement, a razor-thin blade of air cut through the sky.
The Nine Dragons' pirate flag was sliced clean in half, fluttering to the deck in tattered ribbons.
A Relic Left Behind by History
"Hey! What the hell are you doing?!"
"That's my man's pirate flag, you bastard!"
Rebecca and Baby-5 both shouted furiously, their faces flushed with rage.
"Oh?"
Shiki raised a brow and blew out a puff of smoke.
"And what if it was?"
"When something offends me, I destroy it. That's how it's always been."
His eyes drifted lazily over the women before settling on Whiteflame again.
"You're the captain, right?"
"Let me ask you something—why a dragon on your flag?"
His tone darkened the moment he said that word.
"Dragon."
Just that single word seemed to ignite something within him.
The tension thickened instantly.
All three women tensed up, hearts pounding.
Shiki wasn't here to talk. He was testing the waters—and ready to drown anyone who failed.
But Whiteflame didn't flinch.
He exhaled another smoke ring, then replied coolly:
"Do I owe you an explanation?"
[To be continued...]
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