Looking at the confident Golden Lion Shiki hovering in the sky, Sengoku felt utterly exasperated. Damn it, did I forget to check the almanac before heading out this time?
First, they nearly wiped out the Celestial Dragons on Cornillo Island with a Buster Call. Then, if not for Claudius's timely reminder, the mission to eliminate Captain John would have likely failed. And just when Sengoku thought things had finally settled down, they bumped into Golden Lion Shiki on their way back?
Of all the people on the sea, the ones Sengoku most dreaded fighting were Shiki and Whitebeard.
It wasn't that they were necessarily stronger than other pirates like Roger or Kaido, but fighting them at sea was an absolute nightmare. Shiki ruled the skies with his floating powers, while Whitebeard could summon tsunamis with a single punch. Neither fight was one you wanted to have on the open ocean.
In contrast, Sengoku wouldn't be nearly as worried about running into Roger, Kaido, or Big Mom. But here, in the open waters, facing someone like Shiki, Sengoku knew he was in for a tough battle.
And to make matters worse, they had a Celestial Dragon on board. If Claudius got killed during the fight, even if Sengoku managed to defeat Shiki, it wouldn't matter there would be hell to pay when he got back to headquarters. That thought alone filled Sengoku with frustration.
Though he felt the weight of the situation, Sengoku Admiral didn't let it show. He met Shiki's arrogance head-on, shouting, "You think you're going to kill me here, Shiki? You really believe your own hype too much. You shouldn't have come. This time, you're not leaving. I've already reserved a nice, comfy cell for you in Impel Down!"
"Jihahahaha! Sengoku, your bark's gotten louder since we last met!" Shiki cackled, unsheathing his famous twin sabers, Kogarashi and Oto, the weapons that had accompanied him through countless battles.
Without any more chatter, Shiki swung his blades downward, slicing the air itself. The violent slash tore through the sky, a sharp force bearing down on Sengoku and his warship, as if Shiki intended to cleave both in two.
But Sengoku wasn't one to panic. If Shiki were easy to handle, he wouldn't be ruling the skies. Just as the slash was about to strike, Sengoku's body swelled up, his form transforming into a towering golden Buddha over five meters tall.
With a powerful growl, Sengoku raised his hand, releasing a shockwave that met Shiki's slash in midair. The energy from the shockwave and the slash collided, dispersing in a blast of power. But Sengoku didn't stop there his shockwave continued, shooting upward toward Shiki.
Shiki didn't flinch. With a sneer, he covered his free hand in Armament Haki, punching the air and neutralizing Sengoku's shockwave.
"Jihahahaha! Not bad, Sengoku!" Shiki laughed, his voice carrying through the wind.
Meanwhile, in the cabin below deck, Claudius watched the battle in awe. It was his first time seeing such a high-level clash, and the sheer intensity was overwhelming. This was nothing like reading about it in mangas back in his old life this was raw, terrifying power, and it was exhilarating to witness.
"So that's the power of the Mythical Zoan, huh? Admiral-level strength is really something else. And Shiki's Armament Haki it's the third stage, the external release. I used to think Shiki's Haki wasn't anything special, but it looks like the steering wheel stuck in his head really does start to affect him later on…"
Claudius's thoughts were racing as he analyzed the fight.
Back in the sky, Shiki snorted as he waved his hand, and from out of nowhere, a massive sailing ship came crashing down toward Sengoku's warship. Shiki, using his Fuwa Fuwa no Mi, had lifted the ship into the sky earlier, and now he hurled it as a weapon.
"These are the ships from the pirates I've killed. You love catching pirates so much, Sengoku? Well, here, have some!" Shiki taunted, sending the ship plummeting down.
On a nearby warship, another figure couldn't stay silent any longer. Tall, strong, and filled with fiery rage, this Marine was none other than Vice Admiral Sakazuki, known as the "Marine Mad Dog."
"Great Eruption!" Sakazuki roared, thrusting his fist upward. A massive blast of magma shot into the sky, obliterating the falling ship in an instant, turning it into a rain of smoldering debris.
But Sakazuki wasn't finished. His magma fist continued its ascent, now barreling toward Shiki, who was still laughing in midair.
"Bring it on!" Shiki yelled, unsheathing his second saber and sending a powerful slash toward the magma fist. The slash cleaved Sakazuki's attack in two, redirecting the molten magma away from him.
However, the two halves of the magma attack didn't just vanish they changed trajectory and hurtled toward another warship.
Sakazuki's face twisted in shock. "Awakening! He's awakened his Devil Fruit powers!"
"Surprised? I'm the Golden Lion!" Shiki grinned, brimming with confidence.
Before the magma could destroy the ship, a cold blast of freezing energy shot through the air. Two enormous ice pillars rose from the sea, catching the magma in mid-flight and freezing it solid before the magma could hit the warship. The frozen chunks of magma fell harmlessly into the ocean below.
Shiki's smile faded slightly as he recognized the new player. "That little brat Kuzan is here too? This could be troublesome."
With Kuzan on the battlefield, the sea was no longer a guaranteed advantage for Shiki. The Marine admiral could freeze the ocean, making it harder for Shiki to exploit the terrain. Shiki had come here with the goal of sinking the Marine fleet, but now that seemed far less likely.
Just as Shiki pondered his next move, a blinding golden light streaked through the sky, hurtling straight toward him. Shiki moved to dodge, but the light transformed into the form of a man none other than Borsalino, the future Marine Admiral Kizaru.
"Ever felt what it's like to be kicked at the speed of light?" Borsalino quipped as his foot shot toward Shiki.
Shiki, with his wealth of battle experience, didn't fall for Borsalino's theatrics. He caught Borsalino's ankle mid-air, smirking as he said, "A bit too soon to try kicking me, kid."
As Shiki raised his blade to sever Borsalino's leg, Sengoku's voice boomed from below. "Now! Everyone, attack!"
Sengoku, Kuzan, Sakazuki, and Borsalino all surged forward, using Geppo to launch themselves into the air. They closed in on Shiki, attempting to surround him.
Borsalino, managing to pull his leg free, drew his Sky Cloud Sword and slashed at Shiki. But Shiki still wore a smile on his face, unbothered by the Marine's combined assault.
With a slight movement of his fingers, Shiki summoned iron pillars from one of the floating ships. The iron beams shot toward the Marines with incredible speed, imbued with his own Haki, cutting through the air like missiles.
"Fighting me in the air, Sengoku? You've got some nerve!" Shiki laughed.
Sakazuki charged in first, his body transforming into magma. But even with his quick reflexes, several of the iron pillars struck him, forcing him to shift into his elemental form just in time. If not for his quick thinking, the Haki-infused iron would have severely injured him.
"Iron Lion!" Shiki roared, and the iron pillars merged into a massive iron beast, enveloping Sakazuki. The iron lion then plummeted toward the sea, with Sakazuki trapped inside.
Sakazuki, being a Devil Fruit user, was in serious danger of being drowned. Kuzan, recognizing the threat, immediately halted his attack on Shiki. He fired a wave of freezing energy toward the ocean, creating a massive ice sheet just as the iron lion hit the frozen surface.
The impact caused the iron lion to melt into a pool of molten iron, but Sakazuki re-emerged, standing tall on the ice.
Still, even on solid ground, Sakazuki knew he couldn't keep up with a sky battle. Gritting his teeth, he stayed back, ready to apply pressure from below.
Meanwhile, Claudius watched the aerial battle from the warship's cabin, feeling a mix of awe and excitement. "Incredible. One man is holding off an Admiral and three Vice Admirals, all without breaking a sweat. No wonder Shiki's one of the strongest pirates out there. He's as powerful as Whitebeard in his prime."
Nia nervously urged, "Your Highness, we should escape while the Marines are holding him off. This place is too dangerous!"
Claudius, however, wasn't interested in running. "Escape? Where to? Kuzan's already frozen the sea there's no moving the ship now. And besides, how often do you get to see a fight like this up close? I'm not about to run away with my tail between my legs!" Claudius said with a grin, his eyes locked on the chaotic battlefield in the sky.
Nia, still on edge, tried again. "But Your Highness—"
Claudius waved her off, his excitement undiminished. "Relax. This is a rare opportunity. How often do you get to witness the Golden Lion take on an Admiral and three Vice Admirals? And besides, I doubt there's a safer place on this frozen sea than right here."
Nia bit her lip, realizing that Claudius had made up his mind. Still, she couldn't shake the anxiety gnawing at her.
At that moment, another figure entered the room. It was Stussy, looking equally concerned but more composed. "Your Highness, I've already contacted Naval Headquarters and CP-0. They're mobilizing to send reinforcements as quickly as possible. Help is on the way."
Claudius chuckled, waving dismissively. "Help? At this rate, by the time they get here, it'll be too late. We'll either have won or—well, we'll be fish food. There's no point in pinning our hopes on anyone coming to the rescue."