154. The Sea Shook

The enormous Red Line stretches across the essential path to the Grand Line. If you aim to enter the Grand Line from East Blue, your options are either going through the entrance at Upside Down Mountain or navigating the Calm Belt and traversing the territory of the Sea Kings.

At that moment, a massive warship soared directly above the Red Line and entered the Grand Line!

"Wow!!! Are we actually flying?"

"It's really high up here. This is the first time I've seen the ocean from such a high point!"

"Is that the Red Line that Mr. Smoker mentioned? It looks really impressive even from up here at such a high altitude."

"Hey! Hey! Ace, are we heading to Naval Headquarters soon?"

The three brothers felt extremely excited as they experienced the sensation of soaring high in the sky for the first time. They were also filled with curiosity about everything around them. Running around the warship's deck, they eagerly stuck their heads out, exclaiming in amazement.

"Brother Atlas, this must be Shiki's power, isn't it?"

Smoker's abilities are quite unique. While his Smoke-Smoke Fruit allows his upper body to hover at a certain height above the ground, it's not exactly flying. Moreover, it's the first time he's witnessing the Red Line from this perspective.

"Ah, that's correct."

Atlas casually turned his gaze away from the three youngsters and responded indifferently.

It doesn't quite fall under the Float-Float Fruit's abilities. His power is superior to Shiki's! Additionally, he stumbled upon another aspect of his ability – the inanimate body controlled by his mental power maintains permanent control, similar to Shiki, provided he doesn't lose consciousness or perish himself.

...

At that very moment.

A piece of news that astonished countless individuals made its way into various newspapers and was distributed to all corners of the world by diligent news birds.

Out of nowhere, the sea trembled!

"The renowned captain of the Flying Pirates, Shiki the Golden Lion, who managed to escape from Impel Prison eight years ago, has unexpectedly resurfaced for the world to witness!!!"

"No way, are you kidding? How could someone like Shiki be beaten by a Marine youngster?"

"Two out of the three legendary pirates from the old era have perished. Is Whitebeard next in line?"

"The Marines stole the spotlight this time, and their reputation has significantly surged..."

Upon receiving the newspaper, countless pirates were initially in disbelief, but soon their expressions turned increasingly disheartened. The Marines were growing stronger, and the living space for pirates like them was shrinking.

Ordinary civilians are scurrying about. While many might not fully grasp the dread associated with Shiki, the news of the Marine eliminating the infamous pirate who once rivaled Roger is undoubtedly stirring excitement among them.

Sabaody Archipelago.

Grove 13, Shakky's Rip-off Bar.

A woman with short black hair, dressed in a top adorned with a spider pattern, diligently cleaned the dusty seats.

Rayleigh, with a mix of blond and gray hair, sits at the bar. Beside him rests a glass of aromatic spirits, and an open newspaper lies in front of him.

Shakky wiped the tables and chairs, her brow furrowed as she glanced at Rayleigh. "Did that young Marine really manage to take down Shiki?"

Disbelief tinged her tone. As a comrade who had sailed alongside, she was acutely aware of the formidable prowess of Shiki. How could someone of his caliber be defeated by a Marine barely in his twenties? (T/N: The Author guessed her identity, it may or may not be true 🤷‍♂️)

Rayleigh lifted the wine glass from the bar, took a sip, and felt the spiciness flow down his throat. He spoke slowly, "That's no ordinary Marine..."

"You mean... the Marine who caused you a bit of trouble the last time?"

"Yeah, but back then, he probably wasn't strong enough to take down Shiki. I didn't expect..."

Rayleigh appeared emotional.

The two of them had just returned to Sabaody from Amazon Lily. On one hand, they escorted the three Boa sisters to Amazon Lily. On the other hand, they received intelligence that the Marine stationed at the Sabaody Archipelago was Atlas.

To avoid that guy's daily harassment, Rayleigh swiftly packed up his belongings overnight and took Shakky to Amazon Lily. He had observed Atlas's demeanor, and if he was willing, he could surely uncover the whereabouts of their hiding place. Rayleigh knew that as long as Atlas tracked him down, peace would be hard to come by.

Shakky, being originally from Amazon Lily, could move around freely. Despite Rayleigh saving Hancock and the other two, he was not permitted to enter Nine Snakes Island. Consequently, he had to stay on an island near Amazon Lily. Fortunately, the island was abundant in resources, alleviating concerns about food and drink.

After patiently waiting for Atlas to depart from Sabaody, he received such news.

Rayleigh suddenly felt that the remainder of his life had become a bit challenging...

...

New World, aboard Moby Dick.

Marco stared at the newspaper with an expression of disbelief, seemingly struggling to accept this shocking fact for a moment.

"Gurarara~ What's going on? Marco!"

Whitebeard, seated on the throne beneath the mast, casually noticed Marco's expression and inquired.

"Shiki is dead!" Marco exclaimed, lifting the newspaper in his hand.

"Didn't he vanish after breaking out of Impel eight years ago? Could this be fake news spread by the Marines..."

"Wow~ That can't be true! That was the being who once rivaled our old man!"

"Who possesses the strength to defeat Shiki the Golden Lion? Is it the Marines?"

Upon hearing this startling news, the initial response from everyone in the Whitebeard Pirates was one of skepticism. Having followed Whitebeard for many years, many of them had witnessed the might of the Flying Pirates. The sudden demise of such a figure left them a bit surprised and finding it hard to accept.

"Shiki? Who is..."

A trace of melancholy crossed Whitebeard's face.

"Canos Atlas, that Marine scoundrel!"

Marco gritted his teeth, yet at the same time, he felt a twinge of relief. Luckily, Vista arrived in time; otherwise, he...

Contemplating this, Marco couldn't help but shudder.

"Guararara, is it that Marine again? He's grown up so fast."

...

Whitebeard still recalls that time eight years ago.

Shiki, who had recently broken out of the underwater prison, came seeking him out.

"Gurarara, I didn't expect you to manage an escape from Impel Down, Shiki!"

Whitebeard was slightly taken aback, yet he couldn't help but feel a tinge of sorrow upon seeing Shiki with his legs replaced by prosthetic limbs.

"Shihahaha! Those things don't matter now, Newgate. Join me, and together we'll conquer the world!"

"Forget it, that's not my dream!"

Whitebeard shook his head and declined.

"To get entangled in such tedious emotions!"

...

"I'm still aging, after all..."

Whitebeard seemed to be reminiscing about the wild and flamboyant lion from the past.

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