Shiki didn't expect things to go like this.
When his swords were pinned down by Akainu's molten grip and he was forced to let go, Shiki—the infamous Golden Lion—was hit hard by a wave of reality. His legendary twin blades, Oto and Kogarashi, had fallen… and now some greenhorn recruit was holding them.
How could he possibly endure such disgrace?
He'd crossed half the Grand Line to get to Kara Island, all for the sake of claiming the mythical sword Sakura Tokuguru—a blade said to resonate with Gravity-based Devil Fruits. With that weapon and his own Fuwa Fuwa no Mi, Shiki believed he could dominate any battlefield.
But now?
Not only had he failed to retrieve Sakura Tokuguru, he'd lost both of his own swords.
And worse… they were in the hands of a rookie Marine with gravity powers!
Shiki's blood boiled as he struggled to contain the fury twisting inside him.
Still, he wasn't the type to panic. He'd faced legends and monsters alike and lived to tell the tale. He wasn't about to turn tail just because Sengoku, Zephyr, and Akainu were breathing down his neck. No—he was already planning how to get his swords back.
He glared down at the rookie Marine wielding his blades.
"…Hey, you. Yeah, you," he growled. "I remember your face."
But before he could act, a beam of blinding golden light shot down from the sky like divine judgment.
A flash. A hum.
And then—BOOM—the laser exploded inches from where Shiki had been floating moments before.
He'd barely dodged it.
From above, a smug voice echoed:
> "Oh-ho-ho… You dodged my laser? You really are worthy of the name Phantom Lion."
A glowing figure slowly descended like a star falling from the heavens, bathing the battlefield in warm, golden light.
Sailors on the ground cheered.
> "It's Kizaru! Vice Admiral Borsalino is here!"
Shiki clicked his tongue.
This wasn't going well.
He hadn't cared much for names like "Akainu" or "Kizaru." To a man like him, those were just minor players, small fish swimming in big waters. But he wasn't stupid either—he'd done his homework. He'd read reports, watched bounties rise, and remembered the faces of those who could one day challenge him.
Now three of those names—Akainu, Kyle, and Kizaru—were right in front of him.
> Lava. Gravity. Light.
One could melt ships into slag, one could crush islands with invisible force, and the third could move at the speed of photons.
It was like fate had dropped the strongest Marine prospects into one battle.
And now, they were surrounding him.
> "Is this... some new initiative from the Marines?" Shiki muttered, eyes narrowing. "Are they grooming monsters?"
Down below, the atmosphere among the Marines shifted. Sengoku and Zephyr exchanged glances, their postures relaxing slightly. Even Kyle could feel the tide turning.
With Kizaru's arrival, the odds had drastically shifted.
Was this their chance to finally end the legend of the Golden Lion?
But just as that thought crossed his mind—
The temperature plummeted.
Breath turned to mist. Trees and grass froze in place. The soil cracked under the sudden frost.
Then, out of the cold haze, a familiar figure strolled forward casually.
Vice Admiral Kuzan—Aokiji—had arrived.
> "Yo," he muttered, barely glancing around. "Did I miss the fun?"
More cheers erupted from the Marines.
> "Kuzan's here! The Marines are unstoppable now!!"
Shiki's face twitched. He was still floating above, but the pressure below was immense.
He was now facing:
The Gravity Rookie with his own swords in hand,
Akainu, wielding the magma of hell itself,
Kizaru, faster than light,
Aokiji, who could freeze the sea in an instant,
And finally, Sengoku the Buddha, alongside Zephyr the Black Arm.
Even for the Golden Lion, this was too much.
He clenched his teeth, staring one last time at Sakura Tokuguru, which now shimmered faintly in Kyle's grip.
> "…I'm not interested anymore," he growled.
With a final scoff, Shiki turned and blasted toward the sky in retreat, his golden mane whipping behind him like a lion disappearing into the clouds.
---
Kizaru squinted up lazily, hand shielding his eyes.
> "Yo-yo-yo… is that lion ghost running away? Should I go zap him real quick?"
Aokiji emerged from the ice beside him, yawning.
> "Bit awkward. Did I come too late again?"
Back on the ground, Sengoku and Zephyr didn't chase. They just sighed.
> "Let him go," Zephyr said, folding his arms.
> "If Shiki really wants to escape, even the Devil can't catch him," Sengoku added.
A few of the Marines, still trembling, started to grumble:
> "If those two had shown up a few minutes earlier, we wouldn't have been nearly wiped out…"
> "Seriously… Three seconds on the field, one move each, then vanish again?"
But even so, this moment would go down in Marine history.
For the first time ever… the Golden Lion had been forced to retreat.
---
Later, as Sengoku barked orders to begin cleanup, he and Zephyr both approached Kyle at once.
> "Recruit Kyle," Sengoku said with rare softness, "carry out your next mission."
> "Eat!" Zephyr added, clapping him on the back with a grin.
Kyle blinked.
"…Yes, sir?"
At that moment, Kizaru turned his glowing gaze toward him.
[DING! You have received 3000 Attention from Kizaru Borsalino.]
Kyle straightened up, still holding the two golden blades.
He had no idea what the future held…
But he was no longer just a rookie.