Not far from illo Isnd, a massive ship hovered high in the sky ohat would make any experienced pirate or Mariremble in reition. If anyone saw the distinctive fg it flew, they'd immediately excim, "Golden Lion!!"

  Yes, this airship was her than the fgship of Golden Lion Shiki's infamous fleet. Over the past few years, Shiki had bee one of the most notorious pirates, his reputation s to unparalleled heights.

  "Captain—no, Admiral! We've cracked the Marine's unication signals from illo Isnd and intercepted critical intel!" A pirate, dressed in shabby but practical clothing, rushed to Shiki's side, his voice excited yet filled with awe.

  Shiki's sharp eyes lit up, and a powerful, almost tangible pressure radiated from him. This wasn't just his queror's Haki; it was the natural aura of a man who had stood at the pinnacle of the pirate world for decades. His very presence screamed dominand and.

  After all, who was Shiki? He was the Golden Lion, a pirate whose name had made evero heroes retreat in fear. His pride and aura were overwhelming, even when not sciously unleashed. The sheer force of it nearly made the young pirate kneel on the spot.

  "Oh? Finally cracked it, huh? What are those bastards up to? Who's leading the operation? Is it ected to that old dog John?" Shiki asked, his voice carrying a anding edge.

  The young pirate swallowed hard, steadying himself uhe weight of Shiki's presence. He couldn't help but feel that with a leader like this, the Golden Lio could one day rival the glory of the Rocks Pirates, perhaps even domihe seas like never before. He quickly pushed those thoughts aside and got to the point.

  "Yes, Captain, it's reted to John. The Marines pleted their mission and are preparing to return to base. The fleet's being led by her than Admiral Sengoku!"

  "Sengoku?!" Shiki's eyes widened briefly before a wicked, fident smile spread across his face. "Jiehahahahaha! Sengoku? In the New World? Well, isn't this my lucky day!"

  The reason why Golden Lion Shiki was feared across the seas wasn't just his ruthlessness, it was the overwhelming power of his Devil Fruit. His Float-Float Fruit ability made him a mena naval battles. At this moment, not even Whitebeard, the so-called stro man in the world, had as mufluence as Shiki. Some even believed Shiki's fruit was the stro Paramecia Devil Fruit ience.

  When it came to sea warfare, Shiki's dominance of the skies gave him an insurmountable edge. He didn't o engage in a direct battle with Sengoku. All he had to do was drop heavy objects from the sky onto the Marine fleet, crushing their ships one by one.

  And Sengoku? Even as a user of the legendary Zoan-type Devil Fruit, he was still bound by the sea's curse. Once his ship went under, even Sengoku would be powerless to stop Shiki's onsught.

  Normally, the whereabouts of Marine Admirals like Sengoku were kept top secret. The New World was vast, and the odds of running into Sengoku on a random day were slim. But now? Shiki felt like fate had handed him a golden opportunity. He had inally e to hunt dotain John, who had slipped through his fingers. But if he could destroy Sengoku and the Marine fleet, it would be a devastating blow to the Wover, ohat could shake the seas to their core.

  "Jiehahahaha! Today's the day Marine learns who really rules the New World!" Shiki ughed maniacally, his eyes gleaming with excitement. "Prepare for battle! Sengoku's mine, and so is that traitor Joh's wipe them out!"

  The young pirate, barely able to tain his excitement at Shiki's bold decration, saluted enthusiastically. "Yes, Captain—no, Admiral Shiki! I'll rey your orders at once!"

  With Shiki's and, the massive airship began to accelerate, powered by Shiki's abilities. Meanwhile, Sengoku and his fleet sailed onward, pletely unaware that one of the most feared predators of the sea was closing in on them.

  Unbeknownst to them, Golden Lion Shiki had set his sights on them, ready to unch a full-scale assault. The John Pirates were already finished John himself was nothing more than a corpse. Sengoku hadn't even bothered asking him about the so-called legendary treasure; John's demise had been swift and unceremonious. But Shiki? Shiki was hunting for blood.

  On one of the warships, Cudius and his group were making the best of their situation, now traveling uhe prote of the Marines after their ship had beeroyed.

  "Though the Buster Call was unpretedly halted, the mission was still a plete success. The John Pirates have been pletely eradicated. The Five Elders are pleased with our efforts," Sengoku said with a satisfied smile. "And, of course, Yhness pyed a key role in this. Without your assistance, John might've mao slip away."

  Cudius, reing in a chair, smiled casually. "Is that so? I hought I'd be the subject of praise from the Five Elders. What did they have to say?"

  "They ended you briefly. Of course, John's death and the success of the mission will be in tomorrow's papers at the test. I wouldn't be surprised if your name shows up in the headlines as well," Sengoku replied with a grin.

  In the past, Cudius would've shied away from such attention. Back then, he was just another Celestial Dragon, using his le to intimidate and manipute. The st thing he wanted was to be in the public eye, where unwatention could cause plications. But now things were different. Cudius had pns—ambitions. And for those pns to succeed, he needed subordinates, people who would work for him. He couldn't do everything alone.

  But attrag the right people wasn't easy, especially when they saw him only as a spoiled, entitled Celestial Dragon. The likes of Crocodile, for example, weren't impressed by les. Cudius had gotten lucky with Crocodile, but he couldn't rely on luck every time. If he wao recruit powerful individuals, he needed something more something that inspired respebsp;

  Reputation.

  Without it, Cudius was just another noble. But with a reputation for power and ambition, people might begin to see him as a figure worth following.

  Just as Cudius was about to respond, the sound of on fire echoed across the ship. The sharp bre of arms followed immediately after, filling the air with tension.

  Sengoku's rexed demeanor vanished in an instant. His face turned serious as the arm bred a sound that only went off when the fleet entered a powerful enemy. Given that this was a Buster Call fleet, and Sengoku himself resent, that could only meahing: they had run into one of the most dangerous adversaries on the seas.

  "Yhness, it seems we may be in trouble. Please, stay safe. I'm going to iigate," Sengoku said, his voice urgent.

  Before Cudius could respond, a deafening crash echoed outside. He turo look out the window and saw a massive sailing ship fall from the sky, crashing into the sea nearby and sending waves crashing against the warships.

  "What the hell?" Cudius muttered.

  Sengoku froze in pce for a moment, his face darkening with realization. Gritting his teeth, he muttered, "Damn it... it's him. Golden Lion Shiki!"

  High in the sky, a figure floated above the fleet his presenmistakable, his aura anding. His long golden hair blew in the wind, a cigar hanging loosely from his lips. He wore a golden coat draped over his shoulders, exuding the swagger of a man who had ruled the seas for decades. Two famous swords hung from his waist, and before he even spoke, his overwhelming aura bhe entire fleet.

  "Jiehahahahahaha! Sengoku! My old friend! Long time no see! Why don't you e out and say hello?" Shiki's voied across the battlefield as he hovered in the air, his ughter eg through the sky.

  Sengoku stepped out from the , his expression te posed. His body radiated authority and power, the very image of justiate. He stared up at Shiki, his eyes narrowing. "Golden Lion, don't get too full of yourself!"

  Shiki ughed maniacally. "Jiehahaha! I was right! Sengoku, you're here! This is perfect! Today's the day I send you to the bottom of the sea!"

  Cudius leaned out of the window, gazing up at the figure floating above the fleet. Even he couldn't help but feel a sense of awe. "So that's Golden Lion Shiki..." he murmured to himself. "No wohey call him one of the pirate overlords. His presence alone is worlds apart from someone like John..."