Shiki stood frozen, as if struck by lightning, his face pale.
He staggered back, a wave of unfamiliar dread crashing over him, making his scalp crawl.
He had fought countless battles throughout his life, clashed with powerful foes, and suffered more wounds than he could count.
He'd been scorched by fire, had bones broken, been poisoned, and endured internal damage... but never had he experienced an injury as bizarre and horrifying as this.
The human head—vital, delicate, the nerve center of the entire body, influencing not just the body but personality, will, and emotion.
And now… a broken ship's steering wheel was deeply embedded in his skull!
For a moment, Shiki had no idea what to do.
What was even stranger was that, despite his head being nearly pierced through, the bleeding was surprisingly minimal.
Other than sharp stabs of pain and waves of dizziness, he didn't feel much else.
Instinctively, he reached up toward the steering wheel. But the moment his fingers brushed it, he recoiled like he'd been shocked.
No—he couldn't pull it out.
That steering wheel was bizarrely and "perfectly" lodged in his skull, held in place by some twisted balance. That strange equilibrium... was the only reason he was still alive.
If he pulled it out… Shiki didn't even want to imagine the consequences.
...
A thunderous explosion of cannon fire snapped him back to reality. Several shells detonated around the wreckage, sending water columns spraying into the air.
The cold sea spray jolted him fully awake.
He shuddered and cast a resentful glance at the chaos surrounding the Roger Pirates in the distance. Gritting his teeth so hard it was a wonder they didn't crack, he forced himself to move.
"We have to retreat..."
Without hesitation, Shiki made the call.
With a ship's steering wheel stuck in his head and his condition deteriorating fast, staying here meant certain death at the hands of the Marines.
Garp and Sengoku—legends from his own era—were both here, along with those three monstrous brats and ten heavily armed warships loaded with over ten thousand elite troops... This lineup wasn't just for Roger. It was meant for both of them!
But just as Shiki prepared to take to the sky—
Whoosh!!
Two blinding streaks of light—one black, one white—sliced through the air with impossible speed and crushing force.
Under the surge of a violent magnetic field, the two blades—wreathed in spiraling Armament Haki—sent shockwaves rippling through the air, tearing long grooves across the ocean's surface.
"Damn Marine brat!! You again!!!"
Shiki's pupils contracted. He roared in fury.
Gripping both swords, he covered them in pitch-black Haki and slashed out with all his might!
Clang!
A piercing clash rang out. A violent gust erupted, blowing Shiki's golden mane backward.
Enma let out a fierce hum as it was knocked away.
"I'm not letting you walk away from this!!"
Shiki roared and surged forward.
Holding his blades in a strange stance, his body low and hair wild, from afar he looked like a lion about to strike.
"Oni Shishi Nitoryu: Zanpa!!"
Swish!
He lunged. A flash of gold streaked through the air.
The twin Meito, Oto and Kogarashi, crossed mid-air, their blades crashing against the tip of Kariumi in a powerful, precise strike!
Boom!!
A deafening blast erupted. Shockwaves screamed skyward, sending towering waves soaring.
Crack... crack...
A hairline fracture appeared at the tip of Kariumi, spreading fast until it webbed across the entire blade!
"You think you can kill me with that half-baked swordsmanship!?"
Shiki's bloodshot eyes blazed with killing intent. He locked onto the tall figure on the Marine flagship.
With a furious roar, he brought his crossed blades down!
CLANG!
Kariumi—a 50 Skillful Grade Blade—shattered into countless fragments!
Sparks exploded, lighting up Shiki's twisted, ferocious face.
But that wasn't the end.
After destroying Kariumi, Shiki's two Meito unleashed a storm of slashing energy.
Twin golden arcs of sword aura tore across the sea, screaming toward Daren on the flagship.
With Shiki's peerless dual-sword technique, a direct hit would slice the entire warship into pieces!
A suffocating pressure rolled in, lifting Daren's cloak.
But Daren only narrowed his eyes, unmoved by the incoming destruction, a trail of smoke escaping his lips as his arms remained crossed.
Because two figures had stepped forward—right in front of him.
Sengoku's braided beard whipped in the wind as his towering form glowed with radiant golden light.
Sakazuki's entire right arm had morphed into blazing magma, black smoke billowing around him.
Without a word, both men hurled their fists forward, in perfect unison, grim determination etched into their faces.
"Impact Wave!"
"Great Eruption!"
Brilliant golden light radiated from the Buddha, mingling with the searing red magma, blending into a breathtaking, overwhelming burst of color.
BOOM!!
BOOM!!
Explosive shockwaves surged into the sky, tearing through the incoming sword slashes.
Thick black smoke billowed upward, completely engulfing the warships' line of sight.
Watching this unfold, Shiki's lips curled into a twisted, mocking grin.
"Jihahahaha!! That's enough fun for today!"
He let out a wild, manic laugh and leapt into the air.
But just then...
The pitch-black sky above suddenly lit up with a blinding glow.
"Can't let you leave just yet, Shiki..."
A laid-back, smug voice echoed faintly from the sky.
Countless golden particles of light gathered in the sky, forming a tall, radiant figure.
Borsalino spread his arms with a half-smile, fingers delicately posed, his entire body bathed in shimmering brilliance.
"Yasakani no Magatama."
A storm of golden light bullets rained down like a hurricane, pouring toward Shiki in a relentless barrage.
"This damn yellow monkey!!"
Shiki cursed through gritted teeth, weaving through the air as he dodged Borsalino's sweeping lightstorm.
Rumble...
The glowing bullets slammed into the sea and the floating pirate wreckage, erupting into bursts of searing flame.
But Borsalino's interference was enough—the Marine fleet had already cut through the smoke and stormed into the battlefield!
"Don't bother trying to run, Shiki. This storm... was crafted just for you."
Daren smirked coldly.
A storm worth thirty billion Belly.
What!?
Amid the rolling smoke and roaring fire, Shiki's mind was rocked by the words.
His eyes instantly reddened with bloodshot fury. He snapped his head toward the arrogant Vice Admiral, glaring with disbelief.
"This... This is impossible!!"
There's no one in the entire sea who could manipulate weather like this!
Even if someone could, creating a sea storm of that magnitude? Unthinkable!
Daren exhaled slowly, smoke drifting from his lips as he sneered.
"You think you're the only one who can call for backup?"
...
(40 Chapters Ahead)
p@treon com / PinkSnake