145. The Location Of Shiki The Golden Lion

Gray and black particles wafted over the ocean, eliciting a collective exhale from the sailors aboard the warship. Despite growing accustomed to the Vice Admiral's formidable abilities, witnessing the capability to obliterate an entire island with a single strike still sent shivers down their spines.

Of course, the island in question is relatively small. Atlas, through its sustained and relentless barrage, is gradually eroding it away. Hence, the outcome is not particularly surprising.

All eyes turned skyward, as everyone sought to identify the origin of the impending threat.

Above their heads, there was nothing to be seen, and the elusive floating island remained absent from their line of sight.

A crimson glow illuminated Atlas's eyes, and his potent Observation Haki swiftly expanded upward, with the tendrils of perception continuing to extend.

He doubted that even with the awakened power of the Float-Float fruit, the reach would surpass the range of the island's descent. Given the extent of his Observation Haki, pinpointing the individual's location would be a straightforward task.

'Found it!'

Before long, islands suspended in the sky emerged within Atlas's Haki range, accompanied by a surge of intense life energy.

"Stay put, everyone. I'm off to have a chat with an old acquaintance!"

Atlas flashed a fierce grin, ensured everyone on the warship was settled, changed into fresh attire, and gracefully moved towards the floating island using Geppo.

"Old acquaintance? floating island in the sky... Could it be..."

Smoker mumbled to himself, and suddenly his entire body jolted as a suspicion involuntarily crept into his mind.

"Who could this 'old guy' be that Atlas is referring to?"

Ace perked up his ears, attentively catching Smoker's mumble, and asked with curiosity.

"Shiki the Golden Lion"

Smoker's expression turned serious. While he hadn't directly confronted this legendary pirate, he had heard tales of the man's terrifying exploits from seasoned Marines, particularly from a decade ago.

He infiltrated Naval Headquarters at Marineford all by himself, and the ensuing battle claimed countless Marine lives. Eventually, it took the combined efforts of Admiral Sengoku and Marine hero Garp to bring him down, albeit at the cost of nearly half of Marineford being destroyed.

"The individual once hailed as one of the three legendary pirates alongside Roger and Whitebeard, predating the Great Pirate Era..."

"Roger... Is he someone of that caliber?"

Ace tightened his fists in silence, not anticipating to stumble upon information about the legendary pirate mentioned in the same breath as Roger in this context.

"Huh~" Smoker expelled a smoke ring leisurely, cigar in hand, disbelief lingering on his face. "If luck had favored him more, perhaps Roger wouldn't have become the Pirate King. Back during the Battle of Edd War, an unexpected storm wrecked a significant portion of his fleet, providing the Roger Pirates the opportunity to slip away."

Atlas should be fine...

Smoker gazed with concern at the figure slowly fading into the sky.

...

Several massive floating islands are interconnected, forming a collage, with a palace erected on the largest island at the center.

Within the palace, the décor isn't excessively opulent. Dark red beams support a curtain adorned with a carved, yellow Golden Lion's head. Positioned in front is a capacious throne occupied by a man, cigar in mouth, and a helm atop his head. The man boasts long blond hair cascading like a waterfall to the ground, and a faintly rebellious smile graces his face.

"Vanished? Did it get obliterated?"

Sensing the island recently manipulated by his Devil Fruit ability abruptly vanish from his command, either torn asunder by an external force or plummeting into the depths of the sea.

Yet, as he sensed the formidable life force through Haki, Shiki erupted in a hearty laugh. "Looks like it's the former. This is getting interesting. I wonder if it's a Marine or a pirate!"

"Hey! Indigo, where have we ended up?"

Pfft~Pfft~Pfft~Pfft~

The words dropped.

Footsteps resembling farts echoed through the palace, heralding the arrival of a man donned in vibrant makeup resembling a clown. His exaggerated facial features, adorned with sunglasses perched atop his head, complemented his dark blue hair. The combination of his attire, including a white coat, emitted a distinctly humorous vibe.

"Master Shiki, we are currently situated in the East Blue."

Upon hearing this, the Golden Lion wore a pensive expression, then lifted his head and chuckled, "East Blue? The birthplace of that rascal Roger. I never anticipated another formidable figure to emerge. This is truly intriguing, Shihahaha!"

"Master Shiki, it appears to be the Marines?"

The onlookers below the palace lowered their observation scopes and shifted their attention towards Shiki to deliver their report.

"Marines? This is becoming increasingly interesting. How arrogant of a lone marine to attack me. Seems my reputation as the Flying Pirate has been forgotten/"

At the mention of the Marines, a flicker of hatred crossed Shiki's eyes. His gaze subconsciously shifted towards the prosthetic limbs adorned with 'Kogarashi ' and 'Oto,' triggering a dull ache in his heart.

"Master Shiki, shall we seize the initiative?"

"No, we'll wait for him here. And, Indigo, when will the drug crafted by IQ be ready?"

Shiki turned to Indigo, the white-faced clown, and inquired.

"Piropiropiro, it won't take long, Master Shiki. Once we truly unleash IQ, the entire world will cower before us, and the seas will echo with your name once more!"

Indigo burst into raucous laughter, his pale face contorted with fanaticism. He was so exhilarated that his entire body shook uncontrollably, causing a significant amount of makeup to fall from his face.

"Haha, when it happens, I'll smash East Blue. Everyone will know the Golden Lion is back, the same sea where Roger started!"

...

Geppo's speed remains impressively swift, especially with the enhanced physical prowess of Atlas's abilities.

Before long, a sizable floating island came into Atlas's view. It must be acknowledged that the Shiki's Float-Float Fruit is undeniably a power at a strategic level. It's no wonder the Marines have been unable to pin down this guy's location.

Utilizing the fruit's capability, he practically glides through the clouds, unseen by the naked eye. Combined with his remarkable agility, even the World Government's CP department struggles to gather intelligence on Shiki.

What astonished Atlas the most was Shiki's ability to draw a substantial amount of seawater, enveloping several islands. This fruit's power seems utterly illogical. It further demonstrates that individuals with formidable abilities are utterly unafraid of the sea. The supposed curse doesn't hinder them; instead, they can manipulate the curse of the sea itself.

People say there are no useless Devil Fruit, Only useless Devil Fruit users. That's bullshit. Some fruits are better than others. While it's important to build your own strong abilities, eating certain fruits can give you strong powers right away, giving you an advantage from the beginning.

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