"Roldy … what's wrong with you?"
At the stern of the warship, Roldy sat on the railing, his long legs dangling over the vast, surging sea below.
Behind the Marine vessel, two merchant ships bearing the World Government flag followed closely. Numerous agents stood aboard them—along with several rough-looking men who clearly did not resemble ordinary sailors.
"Dragon… do you smell that?"
Roldy 's eyes remained fixed on those two ships.
His gaze wavered slightly.
An inexplicable discomfort lingered in his chest.
There was a scent in the wind.
Something that repulsed him.
Dragon's expression stiffened.
Of course he knew what those ships were carrying.
But he couldn't say it.
If he did—
Roldy would explode.
"Haha, what strange smell? Just the usual salty tang of the sea. You'll get used to it."
Dragon brushed it off casually, then tried to redirect his attention by mentioning that the ship's cook had prepared especially delicious meat today.
Under normal circumstances, Roldy —who ate seven meals a day—would already be halfway to the galley.
This time—
He didn't move.
His brow furrowed deeper.
His eyes sharpened.
Boom!
A cannonball suddenly slammed into one of the merchant ships.
Black smoke billowed skyward.
Flames clawed at the hull.
Even from this distance, screams and furious shouting could be heard.
"Enemy attack! All hands, prepare for combat!"
Dragon roared.
He raised his head sharply.
His left palm opened—
A mass of dark green wind spiraled violently within it.
Roldy followed his gaze upward—
And froze.
Floating in the sky were islands.
Small ones no larger than football fields.
Larger ones capable of housing entire towns.
Over a dozen islands drifted unnaturally in midair.
At the center of them—
A pirate ship hovered.
"Jihahaha! World Government! Celestial Dragons! I'm here!"
A wild, arrogant voice descended from the heavens.
The sea began to churn violently.
The two Marine warships leading the formation were torn apart by massive columns of water erupting skyward.
The wreckage merged with the waves—
Taking the shape of two enormous lion heads.
"Pirates!"
"It's the Golden Lion!"
"Second Division Commander of the Rocks Pirates—Shiki!"
Panic erupted aboard the Celestial Dragon's vessel.
These pampered agents had never faced true pirates.
Certainly not one of this caliber.
Their "pirate slaves" were nothing compared to this monster.
"Damn it!" shrieked Saint Nalmari, snot streaming down her face. "How dare he attack my ship?! Where's the Navy?! Call that Garp idiot and have him capture him! I want his limbs torn off! Turn him into a toilet!"
Her rage spiked further when she saw the burning ships in the distance.
"Why are you still standing there?! Save them!"
"Those ships carry the 'rabbits' for the World Nobles(Celestial Dragon)' Hunting Competition! If even one is missing, you'll all be executed!"
Her fury was less about the attack—
And more about humiliation.
Pirates daring to seize the nobles' "prey"?
Unacceptable.
"Jihahaha! Stupid swine should've stayed in their pens instead of spreading their stench across the seas!"
Shiki's grin was feral.
"Fire! Blast them to pieces!"
Everyone knew attacking Celestial Dragons meant Admiral pursuit.
For ordinary pirates—
That was a death sentence.
For him?
Admirals would hunt him regardless.
And truth be told—
He was itching for a clash with one.
"Lion's Might — Thousand Slices!"
Shiki drew the twin blades at his waist and swung them in rapid succession before sheathing them.
A heartbeat later—
Hundreds of slashes materialized in the sky.
The killing intent alone froze weaker men in place.
Shellfire and blade waves rained down indiscriminately upon the remaining three ships.
Even Saint Nalmari turned pale.
For the first time in her life—
She felt death looming.
"Gale — Wind Waltz!"
Dragon moved.
The green cyclone in his palm surged forward.
What began as a small vortex swelled within seconds into a towering pillar that reached the sky.
Wind and seawater twisted together, intercepting cannon fire.
But Shiki's blade waves were not so easily stopped.
Under everyone's watchful eyes—
The cyclone was cleaved apart.
The water lost cohesion and crashed down uselessly.
The killing intent remained.
"Roldy !!!"
Dragon shouted.
Roldy stood.
He reached into his coat and produced—
A handful of plain hard candies.
"Armament."
His Armament Haki coated them instantly.
Under its reinforcement, the candy hardened to near-diamond toughness.
He inhaled deeply.
The muscles of his right arm bulged grotesquely.
Then he hurled them with explosive force.
"Moa Moa— Twentyfold Scattershot!"
Enhanced by monstrous strength, Armament Haki, and twentyfold amplification—
The remaining blade waves were ground down.
Only a few survived.
Those sliced harmlessly into the sea, carving trenches across the water's surface.
Shiki watched his attack be neutralized.
Interest flickered in his eyes.
Then—
He focused on the two figures at the stern.
His expression froze.
Slowly—
His grin stretched wider.
And wider.
Until it seemed to split his face.
"Jihahaha! So it's you, Roldy ! Long time no see!"
"How about it? After all these years, changed your mind?"
"If you join me now, I'll give you ten insurances and six pensions! Thirty-six months of salary a year!"
Shiki's recruitment pitch had grown increasingly unhinged.
Meanwhile—
The Marines aboard the warship stared in stunned disbelief.
…Huh?!
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