"Jihahahaha! I was planning to find a few more Sky Islands and bring back some manpower. After all, if too many people in the Blue Sea suddenly go missing, it would attract the Navy's and the World Government's attention. The plan has only just begun—I don't want them suspecting anything yet. But who'd have thought I'd run into Burs first? That bastard really thought he could betray me and keep breathing on this sea? What I hate most in this world… is betrayal! This—" Shiki the Golden Lion grinned wickedly, gesturing toward the severed head at his feet, "—is what happens to those who betray me!"
As he spoke, a suffocating aura radiated from his body—like a storm of killing intent crashing through the hall. Every pirate present broke into cold sweat, their faces pale and rigid.
Those with guilty hearts felt their souls tremble. The pressure was so intense that they swore Shiki could see straight through them—that he had brought Burs's head here just to warn them.
"B-but, Boss Shiki," one of the division captains stammered, "I heard that after Burs left the Flying Sky Pirates, he joined the Grey Nation. That group's no joke lately. Their captain, the Dragon King Rosinante, is said to be powerful enough to fight the Fleet Admiral Sengoku to a standstill!"
"Hmph! You think I'm afraid of some brat?" Shiki sneered, his sharp eyes gleaming with contempt. "Fighting Sengoku, forcing Kaido to retreat—bah! Who knows if those stories are even true? And even if they are—so what? When I ruled these seas, that whelp was still running around in diapers! You think I would fear him?"
No sooner had his words echoed through the sky than a deafening CRACK of thunder split the air above the floating island.
Shiki's instincts flared. He shot a glare upward just as a colossal bolt of lightning—blinding and furious—came crashing down toward him!
With a snarl, he stomped on the air beneath his feet, launching himself upward. A shimmering arc of energy sliced outward from his twin swords. The golden slash met the thunderbolt head-on in a cataclysmic explosion that illuminated the heavens.
For a few tense moments, the light and sound of battle shook the air—but then, Shiki's attack split the lightning itself! The thunder shattered apart, dispersing into ribbons of crackling blue energy as Shiki's slash carved a glowing wound through the sky.
"Ran away, huh?" Shiki muttered, grinning as he scanned the clouds above. "So this is a declaration of war? How amusing."
"Lightning… that strong can't be natural! It must be the work of a Devil Fruit user!"
"Boss, I've heard that the Grey Nation has a 'God of Thunder'—a Logia user of the Goro Goro no Mi, the most powerful lightning fruit. That attack just now—it had to be from Enel, the Thunder God!" someone exclaimed.
"Hmph! Thunder God, my ass," Shiki scoffed. "All I see is someone good at running away. If he dares to come back, I'll twist his head off next time!"
"But Boss," another pirate said hesitantly, "since the Grey Nation knows we're here, it's only a matter of time before they attack. Shouldn't we relocate while we can?"
"Relocate?" Shiki's eyes narrowed dangerously. "You think I'm the kind of man who runs from a fight? That attack just now—it wasn't just a threat. It was a challenge! You want me to turn tail after someone throws down a war banner at my feet?"
His gaze locked onto the trembling pirate, and the man instantly broke into a cold sweat, lowering his head in silence.
"I'll stay right here," Shiki said with a cruel grin. "If that brat wants revenge for his subordinate, then let's see if he's got the guts to come claim it! Jihahahaha!"
As one of the few remaining legends of the old era—a man who once fought Roger and Whitebeard as an equal—Shiki had every reason for his arrogance. Unless monsters like Garp and Sengoku joined forces again, few in this world could even dream of challenging him. And here, in the boundless skies—his own domain—even they might not prevail.
Why would he fear some upstart from the new age?
…
Sky Island – Birka
Using Bins' wormhole ability, Rosinante and his crew stepped effortlessly back onto the clouds of Birka.
"So this is the Sky Island, huh? Fuffuffuffu… What a wondrous world. If I hadn't seen it myself, I'd have never believed it—a whole land floating ten thousand meters above the sea. Truly a miracle of the heavens!" Doflamingo said, gazing down at the vast expanse of white below.
"It's actually more a miracle of the ocean," Robin corrected gently. "Sky Islands form because of seastone. The mineral's special crystalline structure interacts with water vapor, altering its density. That's what creates the Sea Clouds and Island Clouds we're standing on."
"I see… Seastone, huh? Such a fascinating mineral," Doflamingo mused. "Oi, Rosinante—how about we gather a team of scientists and study seastone properly one of these days?"
Rosinante smirked. "Good idea. I'll leave that to you."
"…Forget I said anything," Doflamingo sighed, rolling his eyes. He was long used to Rosinante's habit of delegating everything with that infuriatingly calm smile.
"Have you found the Golden Lion's position yet? And when will Jack and the others arrive?" Rosinante asked.
"The four major divisions have already assembled and are heading toward Sky Island," Bins reported. "They'll arrive in a few days. As for the Golden Lion's exact location—I've already sent Enel to track him. It shouldn't take long to get confirmation."
"Dinessa too, huh? How's she been lately?" Rosinante asked.
"Still the same," Binss said with a faint smile. "Not very sociable, but better than when she first came. Enel often challenges her to fights. He always loses, of course, but oddly enough, they seem to get along. They went together to track Shiki this time."
Rosinante blinked. "Enel and Dinessa… get along?" He looked genuinely surprised. The image of those two personalities cooperating was something his mind refused to process.
"What about Moria?" he asked next.
"No signs of surrender," Bins replied seriously. "He's still defiant. Even after being locked in the Black Cell, he refuses to submit."
"Oh? That's unexpected," Rosinante mused. "To think there's still that kind of fire left in him."
"Fuffuffu, of course! He was once hailed as the great hero of the West Blue—not the kind to kneel easily," Doflamingo said with a grin.
"That's exactly why I'm intrigued," Rosinante said. "A Moria like that might just be worth recruiting. Come on—let's go see him. I'll give him one last chance. And if he still refuses…"
He smiled faintly, his golden eyes gleaming beneath his coat's collar.
"…then he'll make a fine subject for my next experiment."