That man had long golden hair, like burning flames, cascading down to the ground. Most strikingly, a giant ship's helm was embedded in his head, and his legs were replaced by two gleaming, cold famous swords, "cherry ten" and "Kareki."
He stood with his arms crossed, looking down imperiously, as if the entire sky was his territory, exuding an arrogant and oppressive aura like a majestic lion!
"Is that...?" Zoro's hand instantly went to his sword hilt, his body instinctively entering a battle stance.
Sanji forgot to take a drag from his cigarette, his expression extremely grim.
Just as everyone was shocked by this unimaginable sight, a flicker of understanding crossed Ron's eyes. He subtly curved his lips and calmly uttered a name:
"Golden Lion Shiki."
"Golden Lion?" Luffy tilted his head, looking confused. "Who's that? Is he strong?"
Robin, beside him, had a solemn expression. She slowly explained in her intellectual voice, each word heavily impacting everyone's hearts:
"Golden Lion Shiki is a legendary pirate who once roamed the Grand Line, on par with "Pirate King" Gol D. Roger and "Whitebeard" Edward Newgate!
He is the admiral of the Flying Pirate Fleet, possessing the Float-Float Fruit ability, which allows him to make any non-living object he touches defy gravity and fly in the air.
In Roger's era, he was a massive disaster capable of shaking the entire world..."
"On... on par with the Pirate King and Whitebeard?!"
Usopp and Chopper were already huddled together in fear, their teeth chattering wildly.
"A legendary pirate?! Why would a monster like that appear here?! Are we doomed?!"
Fear spread like a cold tide instantly.
Facing such an opponent, who only existed in epics and nightmares, even the fearless Luffy's expression became unprecedentedly serious.
Amidst this extremely tense atmosphere, Ron chuckled softly. He met the gaze of the aerial overlord, his eyes deep and calm, as if looking at a dusty piece of history.
"Indeed, he was a legend, a hero capable of overturning the world."
Ron's voice was not loud, but it carried a sense of detachment that saw through time. "But that is all 'past' now. No matter how brilliant a strong person is, he ultimately cannot withstand the passage of time."
He paused, his tone devoid of contempt, only a calm statement:
"Even the sharpest teeth will eventually be worn down by the long years.
Even the most glorious legend, in the river of time, will eventually turn into a handful of dust."
Just as the Straw Hat were stunned by the appearance of Golden Lion and the floating islands,
Shiki in the high sky also keenly noticed the massive ship cutting through the waves below.
The enormous hull, far exceeding contemporary technology, and its ancient yet imposing design, instantly coincided with a legendary name in his memory.
"Plu... Pluton?!"
"Gehahahahaha!!!" A wild and piercing laugh suddenly descended from the sky, even drowning out the roar of the sea wind.
Golden Lion's sharp eyes locked onto the pluto battleship below, glittering with immense greed and excitement.
"I've really stumbled upon an incredible treasure! Pluton... an Ancient Weapon in the hands of you snot-nosed brats?!"
His massive figure slowly descended, his iconic golden hair wildly fluttering in the wind like a lion's mane. The ship's helm embedded in his head and his two famous sword prosthetics reflected a cold gleam in the sunlight, bringing a suffocating sense of oppression.
He looked down at the pluto battleship, like a king surveying his lost and found treasure, his tone filled with an unquestionable possessiveness.
"Such world-destroying power, in your hands, is simply a waste! It's the greatest insult and squandering of it!"
His voice rolled like thunder, "Only I—Golden Lion Shiki—am worthy of possessing it! To use it to rule this vast sky and ocean!"
Before he finished speaking,
He suddenly spread his arms, carrying an incomparably arrogant Haki, and like a predatory eagle, he leaped down from the floating island, diving directly towards the deck of the pluto battleship!
The two famous swords, "cherry ten" and "Kareki," cut through the air with a sharp, cold gleam, their target directly the control of the pluto battleship!
"Hand it over to me!!!"
A massive shadow, accompanied by the legendary pirate's overwhelming aura, instantly enveloped the entire deck!
Facing Golden Lion Shiki's overwhelming arrogant aura and undisguised intent to plunder, Luffy was the first to explode!
"Gum-Gum—!" He roared, his rubber arm stretching back to its limit like a cannonball, his face filled with anger at being underestimated. "How dare you look down on my comrades and my ship! Giant Pistol!!"
A giant rubber fist tore through the air, smashing with astonishing force towards Golden Lion in mid-air!
"Gehahaha! Interesting, brat!" Golden Lion laughed loudly, not dodging or evading. He casually swung the famous sword "Kareki," imbued with powerful Haki!
Clang—!
With a deafening clang of metal, Luffy's heavy punch, powerful enough to shatter boulders, was actually blocked head-on. He was even sent flying back by the immense force from the sword, crashing heavily onto the deck!
"Luffy!" Nami and Usopp cried out in alarm.
"Cough!" Luffy quickly got up, wiped the corner of his mouth, and his eyes grew sharper. "Second Gear!"
Hiss—!
A large amount of steam instantly erupted from his body, his skin turned crimson, veins appeared like tattoos, and his aura suddenly surged!
"He's gotten faster!"
A flicker of surprise crossed Golden Lion's eyes, but it was immediately replaced by a more intense mockery. He watched Luffy, transformed into red steam, move rapidly across the deck at a speed difficult for the naked eye to catch, searching for an attack angle.
"But on this vast sea, speed alone isn't enough, brat!" Shiki laughed wildly, disdaining to engage in close-quarters combat.
He simply waved one hand, activating his Float-Float Fruit ability!
The next moment,
The sea surface beside the deck suddenly swelled. A massive amount of seawater, as if controlled by an invisible giant hand, instantly broke free from the shackles of gravity, transforming into an enormous, transparent hand that rapidly closed in on the fast-moving Luffy!
"Wh—?!" Luffy had no time to react and was instantly enveloped by the giant watery hand!
"Ugh ah—!" The moment he touched the seawater, the powerlessness of a Devil Fruit user instantly swept through his entire body. The steam on Luffy's body suddenly vanished, his skin returned to normal, and he struggled painfully in the water, his strength rapidly draining away.
"Luffy!!!" Chopper screamed in terror.
"Bastard! He's using seawater!" Sanji cursed, just about to rush forward.
But a figure was faster than him!
....
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