An hour later, Vane bid farewell to the Golden Lion. Before leaving, he exchanged Den Den Mushi contact information with him.
At this point, Vane had successfully established a cooperative relationship with the Golden Lion. The reason Golden Lion agreed was twofold — Vane's strength and potential were undeniable, and their goals aligned. Golden Lion sought to overthrow the World Government, and Vane wanted not only that but also the complete annihilation of the Celestial Dragons at Mary Geoise. Golden Lion didn't doubt him for a second, because he knew Vane already had three Celestial Dragon lives on his hands. There was no need to question his resolve.
And so, their alliance was forged. In a sense, it was Vane calling the shots now.
"Old man," Vane smirked, "you're halfway to the grave already. If you put up a good fight alongside me, maybe I'll reward you with a few extra decades."
"Few more decades?" Golden Lion frowned, not quite grasping his meaning.
"You'll find out soon enough," Vane replied cryptically.
The Life-Life Fruit, or rather the Life Domain Ability as it was now known, granted Vane power over lifespan itself. As for the Golden Lion, his cooperation was crucial. Why would Vane extend an old pirate's life unless it benefited him? Lifespan was the one thing those aging lords craved most — they had wealth, power, and influence, yet their time slipped away. Eventually, even the mightiest would be buried beneath the earth.
This was why the Ope Ope no Mi, famed for its Immortality Operation, commanded such an exorbitant price — even comparable to the bounty on Whitebeard's head. But while the Ope Ope no Mi could grant eternal life through a forbidden technique, Vane's power wasn't limited to that — it was true, unrestricted control over life itself.
"So, he gave in to you?" Esdeath asked, glancing toward the floating island where the Golden Lion had disappeared.
"More or less. It's a working relationship for now. It'll take time to truly make him submit."
Vane grinned.
Kalifa spoke up. "That old man was one of the strongest pirates from the previous era. He stormed Marineford alone back then. It took Admiral Sengoku and Vice Admiral Garp together to bring him down. At the time, those two were the Navy's top brass — alongside the three Admirals, they formed the five strongest fighters in the Navy."
Esdeath raised an eyebrow. "So that golden-haired fossil is one of the most dangerous men alive?"
"Exactly," Kalifa nodded.
"Congrats, Vane, you've added another powerhouse to your faction," Esdeath smirked.
Kalifa corrected her. "It's not just a brick in your foundation — he's a pillar. That old man's strength is monstrous."
"Oi, glasses girl, you trying to pick a fight with me again?" Esdeath teased.
"You're the one who wore glasses! I don't wear them anymore!"
"I'll never forget how silly you looked back then. Don't worry — you'll always be glasses girl to me."
"Why you…!"
…
Three days later.
On one of his floating islands, Golden Lion Shiki lounged on a worn sofa, flipping through a newspaper.
"I didn't realize how cut off I've been. Stuck up here in the sky, completely blind to the outside world."
His eyes narrowed as he read.
"I didn't expect that kid to be this ruthless."
He was referring to Vane. On his way past a small island earlier, Shiki had picked up a discarded newspaper — its news already a few days old. The headlines spoke of Vane's battle with Big Mom. Big Mom had been utterly defeated and driven to madness. And Vane's bounty had soared to two billion Berries.
Two billion. That was the bounty of a true monster.
"Newgate was, what, five billion?" Shiki muttered. "And Roger was around five and a half, if I recall. Either way, this kid's catching up fast."
He let out a grim chuckle.
"This boy's terrifying."
Raising his head, Shiki let out a roaring laugh.
"Sengoku, Garp, World Government… let's see how you worms deal with this!"
His wild laughter echoed across the floating island, sending shivers down the spines of his men.
The Golden Lion had no intention of hiding anymore.
Two days later, the world reeled from yet another shock — news of a formal alliance between Vane and the Golden Lion.
Though Vane himself hadn't made any announcement, Shiki had broadcast it to the world. Despite Vane's growing power and reputation, Shiki's influence as a legendary pirate still commanded greater fear and respect. As one of the three pirate legends of the old era, alongside Whitebeard and Roger, Shiki's name had long been spoken in hushed tones. Having vanished for twenty years, his resurgence was monumental.
Now, with both men joining forces and plotting something unspeakable, the mere thought sent a chill through every corner of the world. A pirate from the new era and a legend from the old — their combined might was immeasurable. The danger they posed together was beyond comprehension.
"Damn it, Shiki… we should've let you rot away in obscurity!"
At Marineford, Fleet Admiral Sengoku slammed a fist against the table, trembling with fury. Beside him, Garp scowled darkly. Both men had fought against Shiki during that battle that had laid waste to half of Marineford.
No one understood Shiki's terrifying strength better than they did.
"They've allied… this is worse than Vane defeating Big Mom and being dubbed a 'Fifth Emperor.' If anyone doubted his status before, this alliance with Shiki erases those doubts," Sengoku growled.
Vice Admiral Tsuru sighed heavily. "This complicates everything. But there's little we can do."
The worst part was, they had no idea where Vane was hiding now. The New World was vast and treacherous. Even for the Navy, entering it was never a simple matter.
And Sengoku, a pragmatist compared to radicals like Akainu, was cautious of sending forces blindly. Akainu would have charged in already, casualties be damned, so long as evil was eradicated.
"We can't just sit on our hands," Sengoku muttered. "That bastard Shiki may be old and battered, but he's still a monster. If he's got a flying island, raising Marineford itself wouldn't be beyond him. If he moves, the consequences will be catastrophic."
His words fell heavy upon the room.
The Golden Lion Shiki — the scourge of the seas — had returned.
Meanwhile, across the New World, Whitebeard was one of the few not shocked by the Golden Lion's reappearance. Shiki had once visited the Moby Dick after escaping Impel Down, telling Whitebeard he planned to go into seclusion.
The memory of Shiki's missing legs still lingered.
"I didn't think you had it in you, Shiki," Whitebeard chuckled.
"Dad," Marco asked, "how powerful is this Vane guy, if he could get Shiki to join him?"
"I don't know," Whitebeard replied with a rumbling laugh. "But I've got a feeling we'll be seeing Shiki soon. When we do, we'll ask him ourselves."
News of the alliance between Golden Lion Shiki and Rhett Vane sent ripples through the world. Whether it was the Four Emperors, Marineford, the World Government, or the Revolutionary Army — all were shaken by the implications.
The tides of the world were shifting once again.
---
Thanks for the Power stones.