"Damn it—!"
That single moment of hesitation—
Was fatal.
Before Shiki the Golden Lion could even react—
Mahoraga was already in front of him.
No sound.
No warning.
It simply arrived.
The massive figure loomed over him like an omen of death itself.
The pale, bone-like body reflected nothing.
No emotion.
No hesitation.
Only inevitability.
Its arm rose.
The Curse-Subduing Sword lifted high into the air.
The blade was cold—
So cold that even the rain seemed to avoid it.
In its reflection—
Shiki saw his own face.
For the first time—
Not rage.
Not madness.
But shock.
"—Slash."
The sound was quiet.
Too quiet.
Then—
A line appeared.
From shoulder…
To abdomen.
And in the next instant—
BOOM.
Blood erupted.
A grotesque wound split his body open, flesh tearing apart as if reality itself had been cut.
Shiki's body froze.
Pain—
Came a moment later.
Not sharp.
Not sudden.
But overwhelming.
Like a tsunami crashing down on his consciousness.
His vision went dark.
His knees nearly gave out.
"…This… power…"
His voice trembled.
"…is insane…"
For the first time in decades—
True fear surfaced.
No…
I can't fall here…
If I fall—
I die.
Instinct took over.
He bit down hard on his tongue.
Blood flooded his mouth.
Pain snapped his mind back into focus—
Barely.
With a desperate burst of strength—
He kicked off the ground.
His body shot backward.
At the same time—
His ability activated.
He rose into the air—
Unsteady.
Shaking.
Below him—
Mahoraga moved.
One step.
Just one—
And the ground beneath it shattered.
It was about to pursue.
To finish it.
But then—
"Enough."
Shamrock's voice rang out calmly from behind.
"Come back."
A pause.
"He's just a minor character."
Flat.
Indifferent.
As if deciding whether to step on an ant.
Mahoraga stopped instantly.
No hesitation.
No resistance.
Absolute obedience.
Above—
Shiki heard every word.
For a moment—
He froze.
"…Minor… character?"
Veins bulged across his forehead.
His lips trembled.
"MINOR CHARACTER?!!"
Humiliation.
Rage.
They exploded together.
"YOU DAMNED BRAT—!!"
But before he could even finish—
"Cough—!!"
A mouthful of blood burst from his throat.
His vision flickered violently.
Darkness crept in from the edges.
His body was already at its limit.
No matter how furious he was—
He didn't dare stay.
Not even for a second longer.
He forced out the last of his strength—
And rose higher.
Into the clouds.
Retreating.
For the first time—
The man who once rivaled Gol D. Roger—
Was fleeing.
Below—
Shamrock watched calmly.
No pursuit.
No urgency.
Just quiet observation.
As if everything had gone exactly as expected.
After a moment—
He turned his gaze.
Mahoraga stood beside him.
Silent.
Still.
Like a weapon waiting for its next command.
"You too."
"Come back."
The words had barely left his lips—
Mahoraga sank.
Its massive body dissolved into the shadows beneath Shamrock's feet.
Gone.
As if it had never existed.
Only the shattered battlefield remained—
And the lingering terror it had left behind.
Just as Shamrock was about to turn and leave—
Two figures had already appeared behind him.
Silently.
Without warning.
Monkey D. Garp and Sengoku.
Garp's gaze swept across the battlefield.
The ruined ground.
The shattered buildings.
The scattered corpses of Marine soldiers.
His expression darkened instantly.
Veins bulged across his forehead.
His fists clenched so tightly that faint cracking sounds echoed from his knuckles.
"…Where is that Golden Lion bastard?"
His voice was low.
But the fury within it was unmistakable.
Sengoku stepped forward.
Half a step ahead.
Subtly placing himself between Garp and the Divine Knight before them.
His gaze locked onto Shamrock.
Sharp.
Measuring.
Yet his tone remained controlled.
Polite.
"…Excuse me."
"Where is Golden Lion now?"
Shamrock glanced at them.
Calm.
Indifferent.
"I drove him away."
Silence.
Then—
"Pfft—"
"Hahahahaha!!"
Garp burst into laughter.
Loud.
Unrestrained.
It echoed through the ruined battlefield like thunder.
"Golden Lion?"
"Driven away by you?"
His grin widened.
Almost mocking.
"The same guy who fought me for days without a clear winner?"
"You expect me to believe that?"
"Sengoku, this kid's got jokes!"
"Garp," Sengoku snapped quietly, his tone sharp, warning him to restrain himself.
But—
Even he couldn't completely hide the flicker of doubt in his eyes.
He knew Shiki.
Knew his strength.
Knew how terrifying he truly was.
For someone like that to be driven off by a boy—
It sounded absurd.
Their disbelief was obvious.
Unhidden.
And Shamrock saw all of it.
But—
He didn't care.
He had no interest in proving himself.
No interest in arguing.
Just wasn't in the mood to recreate a classic "Young Master" Scene from those CN Novels he read.
"…Hmph."
Without another word—
He looked away.
His cloak shifted lightly in the wind as he turned—
And walked past them.
As if they didn't matter.
As if nothing that had just happened—
Was worth mentioning.
Garp's laughter slowly faded.
His eyes narrowed slightly as he watched Shamrock's back.
"…That kid…"
Something about him—
Didn't sit right.
Sengoku remained silent.
But his gaze lingered.
Heavy.
Thoughtful.
The battlefield fell quiet once more.
When Shamrock returned to the World Government vessel—
The atmosphere had changed.
Subtly.
But unmistakably.
The Special Agents still bowed.
Still showed respect.
But now—
There was something else in their eyes.
Awe.
Real.
Undeniable.
From the crow's nest—
They had seen everything.
The clash.
The swordsmanship.
The overwhelming pressure.
And finally—
That white monster.
A being they couldn't comprehend.
From their perspective—
This young Celestial Dragon had first matched a legendary pirate head-on—
Then summoned something beyond understanding—
And forced that same legend to retreat.
As for what that creature was—
No one dared ask.
Out here—
On this vast sea—
Any power that defied logic could be explained in four words:
Devil Fruit ability.
Whether it was true—
Didn't matter.
It was enough.
A Special Agent stepped forward.
His posture straighter than before.
His voice more solemn.
"Lord Shamrock…"
"…Shall we set sail immediately?"
The question lingered in the air.
And for the first time—
It carried not just obedience—
But respect earned through fear.