Golden Lion Shiki plummeted from an altitude of a thousand meters, the sea below rushing up to meet him. Just as he was about to crash into the waves, his eyes snapped open. The Float-Float Fruit's power activated, stabilizing him mid-air. He gasped, blood trickling from his forehead, still reeling from the previous explosion.
"That was a Conqueror's Haki... bomb?" Shiki muttered, his expression one of disbelief. He had never witnessed such a thing—an explosion made purely from Conqueror's Haki, a technique he had never even heard of.
His eyes remained locked on the figure descending slowly from the sky—the man in white, Edie, who looked utterly unbothered, his clothes fluttering gently in the wind. The two hovered dozens of meters above the sea, staring at each other.
"Isn't it fascinating?" Edie spoke, his tone almost playful. He opened his palm, and once again, a red, crackling bird of energy formed. "Conqueror's Haki is just another form of energy. And energy... well, it can take any shape we want."
Golden Lion couldn't hide his amazement. "To train your Haki to that level is incredible!"
But Edie chuckled lightly, shaking his head as if amused. "Training? Who said anything about training?" With a wave of his hand, the energy bird dissolved back into nothingness.
Shiki's eyes narrowed in suspicion. Innate ability? Impossible. He suspected Edie was trying to deceive him. "You're not fooling me. Mastering such a skill without practice? Unless it's some Devil Fruit..."
"Think deeper, Golden Lion." Edie's smile remained, though now it seemed more mocking. "Humans are different from monkeys because they can think complexly. Perhaps you should try it sometime?"
Shiki's face twitched, feeling the subtle insult. Was this scientist seriously mocking him, the infamous Golden Lion?
"Jiehahaha! So, after all that thinking, you decided to lure me to Beehive Island. Then tell me," Shiki's tone shifted to something more serious, "What conclusion did you arrive at?"
Edie's calm smile persisted, though it was starting to feel unsettling to Shiki. "You put out a bounty on me. You're clearly looking for me. Well, I'm here now. What do you want?"
Golden Lion wasn't a fool. From the reaction of the Marines, it was clear that the World Government didn't want him anywhere near this scientist. And if the government didn't want something, that only made Shiki more eager to defy them. But why had Edie placed a bounty on him in the first place? The two had no prior history or grudges.
Edie's response was blunt. "During the Valley of the Gods incident, Rocks D. Xebec was defeated. You took his body, didn't you? Tell me where it is. You dropped an island into my territory today, but I'll let that slide if you answer."
Shiki let out a bark of laughter. "Rocks' body? So that's what you're after." His grin widened, an attempt to reclaim some control of the situation. "Even I've heard of your reputation, Edie. A scientist more brilliant than Vegapunk, they say. In the underworld, people call you the Creator! You've cloned the greatest men of the sea—Roger, Whitebeard, Kaido, even Sengoku."
Edie smiled, but with a slight dismissiveness. "Creator? I haven't earned that title yet. They're just obedient clones, nothing more."
"Hmph!" Golden Lion snorted, irritated by Edie's nonchalance. "So, you want to clone Rocks, the Overlord of the seas. Is that it?"
"Isn't it obvious?" Edie replied, not even bothering to hide his intentions.
Shiki's eyes glinted with a wild idea. "Jiehahahaha! Edie, what do you say? Let's join forces! With your cloning technology and my strength, we could destroy the World Government!"
Edie sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose. "Are you serious? Is your brain still functioning like a monkey's?"
Shiki's smile froze. Anyone else would've been killed on the spot for such an insult. But Edie... Shiki couldn't even bring himself to argue. The man had a point.
Recovering from the jab, Shiki added more seriously, "But you do realize that Rocks has been dead for over 20 years. What do you think is left of him now?"
"Only bones," Edie replied, unfazed.
Shiki's face darkened. "Wait, are you saying you can bring someone back from just bones?!"
Edie remained silent, though his expression suggested more than words could. He had successfully cloned Roger from just remnants, but Rocks had been dead far longer, making it uncertain.
Shiki was visibly shaken. "Cloning someone who's been dead for over 20 years... What kind of monster are you?!"
Taking a deep breath, Shiki continued solemnly. "Yes, I took Rocks' body, but something unexpected happened. Rocks... he wasn't completely dead."
Edie's eyebrows raised slightly, intrigued.
Shiki sighed. "He was dying, but not quite dead yet. We barely made it to an uninhabited island in West Blue, but things went downhill fast. There was internal strife."
Edie smirked knowingly. "Let me guess—John and Ochoku started fighting over Rocks' hidden treasures?"
Golden Lion's expression soured. "Yeah. And even though Rocks was on the brink of death, John still couldn't beat him. Rocks killed him."
"And what about you?" Edie asked, curious.
"I was too injured to fight. Then the Marines showed up—Kong himself was leading them. We all had to flee. Rocks couldn't escape. He was killed by Kong."
"So his body ended up with the Marines," Edie mused aloud.
"Maybe," Shiki replied, uncertain.
Edie fell silent, his mind spinning with possibilities. Rocks' body might be at Marineford. But would such a historical incident, buried by the World Government, be documented anywhere?
"Jiehahahaha!" Shiki laughed again. "What now, Edie? Even you can't change the past, right?"
Edie's thoughts shifted. Toki's Time-Time Fruit could only send people to the future. He had even created a time ring, using her blood, but it too only allowed travel to the future. The past remained out of reach... unless he could awaken it.
But even then, Edie knew it was a Paramecia, not a Zoan so he doesn't have a way of forcibly awakening it. Awakening might not yield the results he needed anyways. For now, his only path forward was through the Marines.
Edie's voice remained calm as he addressed the Golden Lion, "Shiki, you attacked Marineford eight years ago and were defeated by Sengoku and Garp. After all this time, don't you still thirst for revenge?"
Shiki narrowed his eyes, suspicion creeping into his voice. "What are you getting at?"
"Exactly what I said," Edie replied, his tone unwavering. "You'll assault Marineford again, but this time, let's shift the tide. I need to access the Marineford database in person, and you'll help me by drawing their attention."
Shiki's mouth curled into a sneer. "You expect me to attack Marineford alone? Are you mad? That's a suicide mission."
Edie waved off his concern. "You won't be alone. I'll send two of the Earthly Branches to assist you."
Shiki raised an eyebrow but still shook his head. "You control so many clones, and yet you're only sending two? This plan seems reckless. Besides, why should I risk my life for you?"
Edie's eyes gleamed coldly. "You dropped an island on The Hive today."
Shiki laughed uproariously, "Jiehahahaha! Come on, it was just a little gift—I knew it wouldn't cause any real damage."
But his laughter faded as he noticed movement from the distance. Two Earthly Branches were soaring toward them, their presence commanding. Realizing Edie's seriousness, Shiki's mood shifted. "Fine, I'll do it. This will be a good start to our partnership."
He wasn't entirely lying—Marineford had always been a target for revenge, and if Edie's clones provided him with enough support, perhaps he stood a chance.
As they spoke, Chen Long and the others landed, encircling the Golden Lion in a display of calculated power.
"Lord Heavenly Father!" they greeted Edie.
Edie nodded calmly. "This is a guest. Treat him well." He turned and began flying back toward the hive. "Come, Shiki."
Shiki cursed under his breath, "You sly b*****d... didn't offer me anything, yet you've roped me into this suicide mission. At least with two Earthly Branches, there's a chance I'll survive."
Soon, they arrived at the Hive Research Institute, entering a large room filled with high-tech equipment. Shiki's eyes widened as he noticed the massive screen on the wall, displaying real-time footage of Marineford.
"You're spying on Navy Headquarters?" Shiki asked in disbelief, his eyes scanning the six split screens showing various activities throughout Marineford.
The warships stationed in the port... the intelligence operations within the General Staff... even the Fleet Admiral's office was visible.
He spotted Kizaru sipping tea while reviewing reports on Fisher Tiger's movements in one of the screens.
Shiki couldn't help but mutter, "How…?"
Edie sipped his coffee casually. "Don't be too surprised. It's just a simple trick."
He gestured toward the screen. "Once you confirm the perfect opportunity for the raid, move in immediately."
Shiki, now fully invested in the plan, crossed his arms. "Alright, but what's in it for me? I don't need money. I've found an island with a rare, magical plant on it..."
Edie raised an eyebrow. "Are you offering to sponsor my institute?"
Shiki's face darkened. "No money! I'm doing you a favor, and you expect me to pay for the privilege? What kind of deal is that?"
Edie merely smiled, already having an idea about the plant Shiki was talking about. "Fine. In return, I'll find a way to restore your legs and remove that wheel from your head."
Shiki's eyes glinted with interest. "Now you're talking." The two men began to discuss long-term cooperation, both realizing the potential of their combined strengths.
Two days later, the opportunity Edie had been waiting for arrived. With Marineford unaware of the coming storm, the raid on Naval Headquarters was set into motion.
As the Golden Lion and the Earthly Branches soared toward Marineford, a new wave of chaos prepared to engulf the world once again.