After arranging various affairs in Wano Country and resting for a day, Kai set sail once again.
Before searching for Golden Lion, the most important thing was naturally obtaining intelligence.
The vast ocean was boundless—searching randomly would make it nearly impossible to locate floating island clusters constantly moving at ten thousand meters altitude.
Fortunately, Kai had a good brother.
"Hello, Morgans?"
When it came to aerial intelligence, who could be clearer than Morgans, who controlled countless news delivery seagulls with information networks spanning every corner of the world?
"You're looking for Sky Island?"
Morgans somewhat surprised voice came through the Den Den Mushi, "Above Jaya Island in the Grand Line is where Sky Island is located."
"No, not Sky Island. Independent island clusters floating in the air."
Kai explained, "That old Golden Lion bastard stole a very important island from me. I must go 'talk' with him and get the island back."
"What? Really?!"
Morgans voice on the other end instantly rose eight octaves, showing more excitement than Kai, the actual victim.
This was Golden Lion Shiki!
The pirate emperor of the previous era, the only man to successfully escape from Impel Down to this day!
Beast Pirates were going to war with him?
This was absolutely tremendous breaking news!
"Wait for my good news!"
Morgans didn't even wait for Kai's response before hanging up.
He turned to his newspaper staff, shouting excitedly, "Quick! Quick! Quick! Immediately notify all messenger seagulls! Search with full effort for any island clusters floating in the air! Report any clues immediately!"
Big news was coming!
On the other end, Kai looked at the hastily disconnected, silent Den Den Mushi with mixed feelings.
Whenever anything related to "big news" was involved, Morgans initiative and efficiency were always reliable.
Just as Kai set this matter aside, preparing to order Rayquaza to first sail toward several predetermined search areas in the Grand Line, his Den Den Mushi suddenly rang again.
As soon as he answered, Morgans voice, excited to the point of distortion, came through like rapid-fire, "Found it! Kai-kun! Found Golden Lion's territory!"
Hm?
This was only twenty minutes.
Had Morgans' intelligence network become this powerful?
Just as Kai was shocked, Morgans proudly laughed, "Consider yourself lucky. Just three days ago, one of my employees encountered Golden Lion's subordinates while delivering news and sold them a newspaper. The location is—"
Morgans quickly reported precise sea coordinates.
But then he reminded, "However, my seagulls report those islands are still constantly moving. You must act quickly, or they might slip away elsewhere!"
"Thanks, Morgans! I'll remember this favor."
Kai's lips curved upward, "Prepare your best photographer and Video Den Den Mushi. I think you definitely wouldn't want to miss the upcoming 'exciting scenes.'"
"Naturally." Morgans laughed openly.
Hanging up the Den Den Mushi, Kai couldn't help feeling impressed.
Worthy of the News King—even Golden Lion floating in the sky had to contact his news delivery seagulls.
Thus unknowingly exposing his base's general location.
Those seemingly harmless news delivery seagulls were like a surveillance system spread across this world.
"No time to waste—let's go!"
Kai shot skyward, transforming into beast form and grabbing the large ship to take direct flight.
Who knew if Golden Lion might whimsically relocate quickly?
Meanwhile, Kozuki Hiyori on deck wasn't idle either.
She created auspicious clouds that steadily supported the ship's bottom, greatly reducing the vessel's overall weight and sharing Kai's enormous burden.
Combined together, Rayquaza was now racing toward Golden Lion's location at unprecedented speed.
After flying forward for three days, Rayquaza crossed the Red Line and successfully entered Grand Line waters.
"I see it!"
Violet, who had been using her Stare-Stare Fruit ability like human radar to scan the distant horizon, suddenly shouted loudly, "Ahead! There are island clusters floating in the air!"
Within minutes, those massive islands clearly appeared before everyone's eyes.
They were completely different from the well-known Sky Island.
Sky Island floated above the sky thanks to vast "White Sea" sea clouds.
Sky Island's essence was island clouds floating on sea clouds.
But the island cluster before Kai's eyes was composed of genuine rock, soil, and vegetation.
These islands' ability to defy physics and float in the sky naturally relied on unscientific Devil Fruit powers.
Just as Kai's group raced toward the floating island cluster ahead, on the highest and largest main island of that cluster, Golden Lion Shiki was satisfyingly inspecting his most prideful "masterpiece."
Years ago, after escaping Impel Down, he had accidentally found an island full of violent beasts.
Driven by curiosity, he successfully found the cause of the beasts' violence on the island.
A plant called IQ.
It could make beasts go berserk.
To get revenge against the World Government, Golden Lion decided to research this plant, mass-produce it, and create batches of fierce beasts.
Then release them into East Blue to destroy it!
"Roar!"
Below in a deliberately cleared vast area, a thirty-meter-tall gorilla with muscles like mountain ridges was wildly destroying everything.
Its eyes were blood-red, full of violent malice, with terrifying strength that could shatter boulders with casual swipes, leaving disaster-like devastation wherever it passed.
Golden Lion stood on a high observation platform, a thick cigar in his mouth, taking a satisfied deep puff and letting smoke slowly drift from his nostrils.
His signature golden hair danced in the wind like a lion's mane.
"Jihahahaha! This is the ultimate biological weapon I wanted!"
Golden Lion laughed wildly, his eyes flashing with madness and pride.
"Let me see how strong this treasure really is."
Golden Lion smiled at his nearby subordinate.
"Understood."
Beside him, a man with a snow-white painted face, exaggerated explosive blue hair, and circus clown appearance responded.
He quickly pressed several buttons on a strange remote control.
Buzz!
The massive iron gate at the field's edge opened!
The next moment, three equally red-eyed beasts radiating dangerous violent aura charged out like unbridled wild horses.
Respectively a terrifying octopus waving giant tentacles, a hippo with fierce tusks, and a scale-armored giant crocodile.
These three beasts mindlessly rushed toward the central giant gorilla!
"Roar!"
Facing the siege, the gorilla not only didn't retreat but was stirred to greater ferocity.
It released an earth-shaking roar, thick hind legs powerfully kicking the ground as it actively countercharged.
The next moment, something unexpected happened.
Facing three equally large, fierce mutant beasts, this gorilla displayed overwhelming power.
With simple, brutal punches and kicks, those seemingly powerful attacks were scattered, forcing the three beasts into retreat.
"Roar!" The gorilla's massive hand precisely gripped the crocodile's fang-filled upper and lower jaws.
Accompanied by a terrifying roar, its arm muscles horrifically bulged as it forcefully pried.
Crack.
A sickening, bone-snapping sound clearly rang out.
The crocodile's jaws were forcibly broken apart.
Not satisfied, the gorilla lifted the struggling crocodile high overhead, arms exploding with mountain-splitting power as it violently tore sideways.
Splash.
Blood rain mixed with organs poured down.
The crocodile was torn alive in half!
Normal animals would be terrified by this bloody violence, too frightened to approach.
But beasts completely stripped of reason by IQ serum, retaining only primitive killing desire, knew no fear.
The giant octopus seized this opportunity, countless thick tentacles wrapping around like giant pythons, tightly binding the gorilla's massive body, attempting to use its specialty crushing technique to directly pulverize the gorilla's bones.
However, such attacks seemed useless against this gorilla.
It only felt like skin tightness and slight discomfort.
Then its massive hands easily grabbed the octopus tentacles on its body, again exploding with jaw-dropping brute force as it yanked outward.
Squelch! Squelch!
The tough tentacles snapped like breaking thick ropes!
Using the same method, the octopus's main tentacles were successively torn off, leaving only a bare head constantly spurting blue blood.
Then the gorilla punched into the octopus's huge eye socket, cruelly stirring inside!
The octopus completely lost signs of life.
Finally, that seemingly thick-skinned, amazingly defensive giant hippo couldn't escape death.
It was pinned down by the violent gorilla, its large head receiving several pile-driver-like consecutive heavy strikes from those terrifying fists before completely going limp, losing all life signs.
Within minutes, only that blood-soaked giant gorilla remained in the field.
The very next second, having lost opponents, the violent gorilla suddenly raised its head, those blood-red eyes fixedly staring at Golden Lion and Indigo watching from the high platform!
Those eyes held undisguised, nearly boiling pure killing intent!
Ready to act on impulse!
This beast, completely unleashed by IQ serum, immediately released an earth-shaking roar, incredibly thick hind legs exploding with terrifying power as it leaped, actually jumping directly onto the steep rock wall, thick fingers digging deep into stone.
Now its massive body was only about ten meters from Golden Lion and Indigo's observation platform.
As if just one more leap could tear those two tiny humans to pieces.
But neither showed panic.
Indigo was even calmly taking notes, rapidly recording the gorilla's amazing jumping ability and aggression data.
Just as the gorilla was about to continue climbing the rock wall, Golden Lion merely snorted disdainfully, casually raising his hand and lightly waving toward the field below.
Rumble—
The seemingly ordinary rock field below suddenly came alive, shooting out several thick chains made of solid rock!
Under Golden Lion's Float-Float Fruit's precise control, these chains seemed to possess life and will, like lurking giant pythons suddenly attacking, shooting toward the gorilla on the rock wall at amazing speed!
The gorilla was completely unprepared for such attacks. Caught off guard, its limbs and neck were instantly firmly locked by cold rock chains.
"Roar!"
It released a roar of shock and rage, immediately struggling frantically, trying to use its crocodile-tearing brute strength to break free.
However, the moment it exerted force, those rock chains suddenly exploded with unimaginable power.
The chains tightened, easily dragging this behemoth down from the rock wall.
Like swinging a broken doll, they slammed it hard into the field center, then the chains tightened, firmly binding it to the ground. No matter how it roared and struggled, it could no longer move!
The previously invincible gorilla instantly became a wretched prisoner.
Golden Lion casually suppressed the gorilla's rebellion. Far from angry, he spread his arms and laughed triumphantly skyward, "Jihahahaha! See that, Indigo! This is the perfect subject for IQ serum's true use!"
"Indigo, mass-produce these beasts for me!"
But his response wasn't Indigo's agreement, but wild gesticulating.
"Bastard! What are you trying to say! Speak properly!" Golden Lion angrily shouted.
What was this guy gesticulating wildly about?
Who could understand this?
"And those broken shoes on your feet! Change them! They keep making squeaky noises like farting! So annoying!"
Golden Lion's brow furrowed tightly as he pointed at Indigo's strange-sounding shoes, shouting in unbearable frustration.
"This is my personality, Captain Shiki!"
Flying Pirate Fleet's chief scientist Indigo finally stopped gesticulating, righteously declaring this.
He even proudly stamped his feet, making the shoes squeak again.
"So you can talk!" Golden Lion shouted angrily.
"Ha! Ha! Ha! Ha!"
Strange, rhythmic laughter suddenly rang out.
Nearby, a gorilla in a pink suit clapped while laughing.
"Ah?"
Golden Lion's mouth dropped open in surprise, nearly dropping his cigar, his eyes full of panic, "M-Mom?"
Smack!
Indigo expertly slapped Golden Lion's face, loudly complaining, "It's obviously just a gorilla!"
Clearly, Golden Lion's hallucinations weren't a recent development.