The dazzling white radiance—
Which had illuminated most of the Sabaody Archipelago—
Gradually faded.
Area 2—
One of the largest lawless zones—
Was gone.
As if it had been erased from the map.
From above—
The massive Yarukiman Mangrove tree of Area 2—
Had been severed cleanly at the waist.
Fortunately—
The earlier battle between Yuuki and Kizaru had driven most people away.
Those who remained—
Confident in their strength—
Were now nothing more than ashes.
Yuuki felt no guilt.
Those who thrived in lawless zones—
Rarely had clean hands.
He lowered his gaze.
Below—
On what had become a barren wasteland—
One small patch remained intact.
Three figures stood there.
Their presence—
Overwhelming.
Kizaru's face was pale.
His body swayed slightly.
His once-neat striped suit was gone—
Leaving only a scorched undershirt.
Both arms hung limply—
Charred—
Like dried, blackened wood.
"…Heh… I was this close to dying."
Kizaru forced a faint smile—
Looking at the two figures standing before him.
Aokiji.
Akainu.
He exhaled slowly.
To think—
He would nearly die—
By an ability so similar to his own.
Terrifying.
At that moment—
A memory surfaced.
A purple-haired man.
"Boy, you rely too much on your power!"
"Only Haki is absolute!"
"Do you hear me?!"
…Tch.
Kizaru glanced at Aokiji and Akainu—
Both raising their arms toward the sky.
Invisible shockwaves rippled from them.
Their coats of justice flapped violently.
Black-violet arcs of Armament Haki crackled across their bodies.
That old man…
Still as annoying as ever.
"You still alive?"
Aokiji asked calmly—
Though a trace of shock lingered in his eyes.
From their previous encounter—
Yuuki shouldn't have been this overwhelming.
Had he been holding back all along?
"…I won't die that easily."
Kizaru shook his head.
His tone turned serious.
"Be careful. That guy's… strange."
Yuuki looked at the three Admirals now gathered before him—
And immediately understood—
How seriously the World Government viewed the Magic Eye Crosses.
"…Tch."
"Sending all three Admirals for a 'small-time pirate' like me?"
He spoke in a mock-frightened tone—
Though his expression remained calm.
Aokiji exhaled faintly.
Cold air seeped from his body.
"I knew you'd be trouble…"
"But I didn't expect this much trouble this soon."
"What a headache."
"Take him down."
Akainu stepped forward.
His gaze burned with killing intent.
No hesitation.
No wasted words.
"Magma Fist!"
His arm transformed—
Molten magma surged—
And he punched upward.
A massive magma fist roared into the sky—
Then split—
Becoming a rain of volcanic projectiles.
Like meteors—
They fell.
At the same instant—
Aokiji moved.
His body dissolved into ice—
Reforming behind Yuuki in an instant.
His arms spread wide—
CRACK! CRACK!
A half-dome of ice formed—
Sealing Yuuki's escape.
Scorching heat—
Freezing cold—
A perfect pincer attack.
Yuuki's expression sharpened slightly.
Facing two Admirals at once—
Was no trivial matter.
In his assessment—
Akainu and Aokiji were even more dangerous than Kizaru.
Yet—
Yuuki didn't move.
Because—
Another presence had arrived.
"Zehahahaha!!"
A thunderous laugh echoed from above.
"You Marines are as irritating as ever!"
A crushing aura descended.
"Slash Wave!"
Two massive sword strikes fell from the sky.
One—
Split Akainu's magma rain apart midair.
The other—
Shattered Aokiji's ice barrier.
BOOM!!
Explosions rang across the sky.
Shockwaves carved deep scars into the ruined ground below.
Aokiji's expression changed.
He retreated instantly—
Landing beside Akainu.
Both looked up.
Above—
Clouds parted.
Floating islands descended—
Breaking through the sky.
A golden-haired figure dropped down—
Landing near Yuuki.
"Zehahaha!"
"You're Yuuki, right?"
"At last, a young pirate worth getting excited about."
"I am Golden Lion Shiki."
"You may not know the name—but that doesn't matter."
"What matters is—"
"I like you."
"Join my Flying Pirates."
"We'll crush the Marines… and the World Government together!"
His voice boomed across the battlefield.
The three Admirals—
Were visibly shocked.
"Golden Lion Shiki…?"
"He's still alive?"
Kizaru muttered, pale-faced.
Over twenty years ago—
Shiki had escaped Impel Down by severing his own legs—
Then vanished.
Everyone believed he was dead.
And yet—
Here he was.
"He's here for the Magic Eye Cross."
Aokiji said grimly.
Akainu stepped forward—
Magma erupting from his body.
"The sea has no place for relics like you!"
"You should've stayed buried!"
"Since you showed yourself—"
"This will be your grave!"
"You filth of the sea!"
"Meteor Volcano!!"
BOOM!!
Akainu's arms swelled—
Transforming into massive magma fists—
Launching upward in a relentless barrage.
Like a volcanic meteor storm—
The sky burned.
The surrounding area ignited—
Turning into a sea of fire.
The terrifying power of a Logia—
Was on full display.
Shiki sneered.
"Back in my day—even Sengoku didn't talk to me like that!"
"You brat!"
His legs—
Blades instead of limbs—
Moved.
"Lion: Thousand Slice Valley!"
Countless slashes erupted—
Even more devastating than before—
Clashing with the magma barrage.
BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!
Explosions echoed endlessly.
The already devastated Area 2—
Was further torn apart.
"I'm not interested in joining anyone."
Yuuki said calmly.
Watching Shiki—
He felt a trace of surprise.
Even in such a weakened state—
Shiki still possessed terrifying strength.
A true legend.
Then—
Yuuki moved.
A flicker—
And he vanished.
At the same moment—
A massive ice bird—
Formed where he had been.
"…Too slow."
Aokiji lowered his arm, frowning.
"He got away."
Kizaru stepped forward.
"With someone like Shiki appearing…"
"The pull of those Magic Eye Crosses is greater than we thought."
"They're scattered among his crew."
"We secure those first."
To restrain Yuuki—
At least two Admirals would be needed.
But right now—
That wasn't the priority.
If Shiki recovered fully—
The consequences would be catastrophic.
Meanwhile—
Akainu and Shiki's clash continued.
Even Shiki frowned slightly.
His body—
Wasn't what it used to be.
He rose higher into the air—
Creating distance.
Glancing at where Yuuki vanished—
He wasn't surprised by the refusal.
A man who created such chaos—
Would never submit easily.
"…Hmph."
"Once I get my hands on those crosses—"
"I'll come play with you again."
Shiki turned—
And flew toward another region.
Vanishing into the sky.
(End of Chapter)
Next Bonus Chapter at 5500 powerstones.