Boom!
Kaito's muscles tightened, His aura surged wildly, shaking the air itself.
Shiki's expression changed in an instant. His figure shot backward like a launched arrow, crashing through the trees in the distance.
Creaaak! Crack!
The ground beneath him split as his twin swords, Sakura Ten and Oto Ten, bit deep into the earth in a desperate attempt to halt his retreat. But the force behind Kaito's blow was unstoppable.
Two deep grooves tore through the soil as Shiki was sent hurtling backward, smashing through countless trees before finally crashing to the ground with a thunderous boom!
A cloud of dust rose, and from within it, Shiki floated upward, his expression dark and filled with fury. He glared coldly at Kaito in the distance.
"Brat… you've just signed your death sentence! You've succeeded in angering me!" Shiki roared, his golden mane whipping wildly in the air.
He rose higher, hovering effortlessly. With a sharp motion, his legs slashed downward in rapid succession.
Hum!
The air trembled as waves of sword energy burst forth—two massive crescent-shaped slashes screaming toward Kaito with unstoppable force.
Kaito's eyes glowed scarlet. The three tomoe in his eyes spun rapidly before merging into a curved sickle.
A dark blue aura erupted around him, forming a skeletal giant that enclosed him completely.
Crack! Crack!
The twin slashes collided with the massive skeleton, filling the air with shrill metallic shrieks as energy clashed violently.
Golden Lion Shiki—veteran powerhouse, former member of the Rocks Pirates, was not a foe to be underestimated.
He wasn't just a Devil Fruit user; he was also a master swordsman of terrifying power.
Blinding sword light filled the air, illuminating the battlefield. Yet, no matter how ferocious his attacks became, the skeletal defense before him stood unbroken.
As the seconds passed, the sword energy faded into nothing.
A faint scent of burnt air lingered. Two shallow cuts marred the dark blue skeleton's surface, but that was all.
"As expected of a legend," Kaito murmured calmly, his scarlet eyes gleaming. "Your strength is impressive, Golden Lion."
The eerie blue aura pulsed around him, his spectral armor completely intact.
Shiki took a long drag of his cigar before exhaling a plume of smoke, his expression a mix of shock and disbelief.
"To think you could block my slash so easily… What is that blue skeleton? Its defense is absurd!"
His attacks could slice through a mountain without effort—yet this?
The realization made his stomach twist.
"In that case…" Shiki sneered. "Let's see how you handle this!"
He thrust both hands forward. A strange, invisible force erupted around him.
The sky darkened, the ground cracked and heaved, and a furious storm whipped across the island.
The earth shuddered violently as seawater rushed in from every direction.
Within moments, the terrain had collapsed into a massive crater, five meters deep, like the impact site of a meteor.
Floating high above, Shiki's face turned cold as he clenched his hand.
Whoooosh!
The sea of rubble and water churned upward, swirling rapidly to encircle him.
The debris condensed, taking the form of a colossal lion's head that loomed over the island, blotting out the moonlight.
Rooaaar!
Its mighty roar echoed across the night sky, shaking the heavens.
The very air trembled beneath its presence.
On nearby islands, beasts and birds dropped to the ground instinctively, bowing under its overwhelming pressure.
It was night—most civilians were asleep.
But the sudden roar ripped through the silence, shattering any thought of rest.
Marine Base – East Blue, Division 16
"Colonel! Colonel! Something's wrong! Look to the sky!" a panicked sailor shouted as he burst into the office.
Colonel Gnier scowled, clearly annoyed. "What's with the screaming? The sky can't be that interesting."
He grumbled under his breath.
"These new recruits… their nerves are worse than jellyfish. I'll need to toughen them up soon."
The sailor stammered, trembling. "Th-The sky… there's a giant lion's head! It's… it's swallowing the moon!"
"That's not funny!" Gnier snapped. "Do you think the Marines exist to spread jokes?"
Still fuming, he stormed outside, intending to scold the recruit further—only for his words to die in his throat.
His eyes widened in horror.
High above, a massive lion's head dominated the night sky, its open jaws devouring the moonlight itself.
The image was unmistakably real.
"Quick! Get the Den Den Mushi! Record this—now!" Gnier barked.
"We're sending this to Smoker-san immediately! He'll report it to Marine Headquarters!"
He moved fast, clutching the video Den Den Mushi as he stared at the sky, sweat beading on his forehead.
He didn't know if the headquarters could see it clearly from that far, but it didn't matter.
His duty was to report—and let the higher-ups panic.
Across East Blue, silence fell.
Every eye turned skyward—fear, awe, and disbelief frozen on their faces.
Even from the distant seas, faint traces of the colossal lion could be seen.
Back on the floating island, Shiki stared at the massive lion head behind him, satisfaction curling across his lips.
His gaze dropped toward Kaito below.
"Jiehahahaha! Farewell, boy! In your next life, choose a more suitable opponent!"
He swung his arm down sharply.
[Lion's Majesty: Earth Coiling!]
Hum!
The enormous lion's head descended like a falling meteor, its shadow swallowing the land below.
The air grew heavy, the atmosphere thick with destructive power.
The pressure was suffocating, but Kaito's expression remained calm.
As the crushing force bore down, his scarlet eyes spun faster, chakra flaring.
The blue skeleton surrounding him flared brilliantly.
Bones thickened, joints expanded, and layers of armor formed—his Susanoo had evolved again.
Blue light flooded the battlefield as a towering armored warrior rose, twin blazing swords forming in its hands.
Shiki sneered from above. "Hmph. Just another parlor trick."
With a thought, he increased the speed of the falling lion once more.
The night sky seemed to collapse as destruction hurtled downward.
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I'll be dropping a 50% discount code for my Patreon membership on the 15th, in celebration of the upcoming Christmas season.
The code will be active from that day until the end of the month.
Stay tuned