Chapter 81

As the execution date for Roger approached, the entire world waited with bated breath. The Marines had already begun securing Logue Town completely, but the sheer number of people flooding into the town made it difficult for them to maintain control. Unsavory figures with bounties in the millions also sneaked into the East Blue Sea to witness the final moments of the Pirate King.

"Are you absolutely sure that Shiki will attack Marineford, little brother?" Doffy, concealed beneath a dark cloak, questioned me as we savored a barbecue dish from a nearby stall.

"Trust me, Doffy. I wouldn't have told you the news if I wasn't sure," I confirmed. Despite my actions potentially altering this world from the original canon, certain events seemed inevitable, as if fate itself were guiding them.

"Hmm, so one of the Overlords of the New World will fall to the Marines right before the Pirate King's execution. It seems like the Marines won't be in as much of a pinch as you told me, Ross. Their prestige will skyrocket, suppressing the sea soon enough with two New World behemoths out of the picture," Doffy remarked casually as he tore through the meat.

Although I had informed my brother about the impending chaos, I kept certain details secret to preserve the legendary moment of the One Piece reveal by Roger. Soon enough, Doffy would understand why the Marines, despite taking down Roger and Shiki, would rapidly lose control of the seas after the advent of the Great Pirate Age.

"By the way, is your friend coming to meet you?" Doffy asked, narrowing his eyes as a Marine Vice Admiral and his squad passed through the streets to maintain order. Security was tight, indicating the seriousness of Roger's execution and the World Government's determination to assert dominance.

"You mean Mihawk? Yeah, I'm sure he'll make it. He's not the type to miss such a grand event," I chuckled, thinking of my friend with whom I had formed a blood bond.

Currently, only Doffy and I are in Logue Town. Knowing that chaos would erupt once Roger announced the One Piece, Issho had traveled ahead to a secure island in the Grand Line, and we planned to catch up later. Lucci also desired to witness the event, but he wasn't yet strong enough. The upcoming brawl in Logue Town might be too much for him to handle.

"The Marine Killer, right? Your friend sure has quite the moniker. I'm eager to meet him," Doffy remarked as he casually tossed the bone into his mouth and started chewing.

The current Doffy was much steadier than his canon counterpart after experiencing a near-death experience; his view of the world had completely altered. Although his basic character still remained the same, he had become much more shrewd and cunning. The year he had dedicated to training made me realize that my brother was steadier than before, shedding most of his weaknesses in the past year of training.

If he were the old Doffy, he might have wanted to brazenly roam around Logue Town, exposing his identity. But now, he knew when to lurk in the shadows and when to strike. Death sure has a weird way of changing people.

"Doffy, if you're done eating, let's go and check out that weapons store. I need to see if I can find another blade," I said while lovingly caressing Kitetsu. In the past year, as I grew stronger, honing my Haki and lightning powers, it became more evident that Sandai Kitetsu, even though a black blade, was no longer able to handle the pressure.

Back in Marineford, the spirits of all the Marines were at an all-time high. With only a week until the execution of the Great Pirate King, this day was destined to be etched into Marine history. Many Marine powerhouses were personally going to witness Roger's execution.

"Poooof!" a marine smoked out as he sat on the watchtower, gazing at the calm sea as the sun settled. His shift was about to change. Soft footsteps approached. "Damn, bro, couldn't you wait until you were done with your shift?" the new Marine soldier questioned, laughing. Smoking while on duty was prohibited for low-level soldiers like themselves.

"Most of our superiors smoke. I'm sure they wouldn't mind a single cigarette. And even if they do find out, what's the worst they're going to do? Smite me?" The man remarked to his friend, who had come to relieve him. But then, the other Marine walked to the edge of the tower, observing something.

"What the hell are you looking at that you aren't even speaking?" the first Marine asked.

"There's something up in the sky," he replied, rubbing his eyes to ensure he wasn't mistaken. As they watched, the dot in the sky, with the moon as its backdrop, gradually drew closer and larger.

"What the hell is that?" Now even the other Marine walked to the edge, curious to examine what his friend had discovered. Suddenly, out of nowhere, a large flying slash descended from the sky. To their dismay, the two Marines realized it too late as the flying slash tore through the tower, severing even the Marines within it.

"Boom!!!" With a resounding explosion, the entire town of Marineford was made aware of the attack.

"You damn Marine bastards, hand over Roger to me!" Golden Lion Shiki's voice reverberated throughout the Marine HQ.

"That's Shiki, Golden Lion Shiki! What is he doing here in Marineford?" One of the rear admirals out on patrol remarked in shock and fear as the figure of the Golden Lion floated right above the headquarters.

Within moments, the entire HQ was on high alert as warning bells sounded, as if they were warning of the impending storm.

As the Marines began to mobilize, guns rang and cannons boomed as the entire perimeter defense of the Marine stronghold came to life. However, for Shiki, these were mere distractions, as he immediately spread out his Devil Fruit power and lifted a large battleship that lay anchored in the bay. With a resounding crash, he tossed it towards the cannons that kept firing ferociously, causing the entire section of cannons to crumble.

Shiki instantly descended into Marineford, wielding his two named blades, and started a rampage. He began cutting down on everyone he came across, guns and cannons seemingly ineffective against him due to his awakened Float Fruit powers.

"Hahahaha! Is this all you've got? And you Marines still have the audacity to tell the world that you captured Roger? Let me see today if the Marines are truly worthy of this achievement!" Shiki bellowed like a madman as he sent another Haki-clad flying slash, which cut down more than a dozen Marine troops who were trying to suppress him.

"Bastards! All you know is to boast! If you guys don't hand Roger over today, then I will raze Marineford to the ground!" Shiki bellowed as he beheaded yet another Marine soldier.

As Shiki's rampage continued through Marineford, the scene descended into chaos and carnage. Bodies piled up as Shiki's relentless attacks left a trail of destruction in his wake. Even high-ranking fighters, including a few Rear Admirals, fell prey to Shiki's onslaught, their once powerful defenses proving futile against the sheer force of his blades and devil fruit powers.

Amidst the chaos, screams and shouts echoed through the air as Marines desperately tried to fend off the golden lion's ferocious assault. "Stand your ground! Don't let him through!" shouted a Marine captain, his voice drowned out by the deafening sounds of battle.

But Shiki seemed unstoppable, his laughter mingling with the clash of swords and the roar of cannons. "You call yourselves Marines? Pathetic!" he taunted, his voice dripping with contempt as he effortlessly cut down anyone who dared to oppose him.

As Shiki carved a path of destruction, panic spread like wildfire among the Marines. "We can't hold him back! He's too powerful!" cried out a young Marine recruit, his face pale with fear as he watched his comrades fall around him.

In the midst of the chaos, a veteran vice admiral, known for his formidable strength, stepped forward to confront Shiki. "You've crossed the line, Shiki! Do you think you are still in the New World, surrounded by your Golden Fleet of Flying Pirates?" he declared, his voice thundering with authority as he faced off against the golden lion.

But Shiki only laughed in response, his eyes gleaming with madness. "You old fool! Do you think you can stop me? I'll crush anyone who stands in my way!" With a swift movement, he launched himself at the Vice Admiral, his blades slicing through the air with deadly precision.

"Busoshoku koka" The vice admiral immediately coated himself with a powerful layer of armament haki, at the same time, he also drew his sword, infusing it with his haki. With a loud clash, their swords met in a fierce battle.

The two clashed in a whirlwind of steel and power, each blow shaking the ground beneath them. "You'll pay for your crimes, Shiki!" roared the vice admiral , his sword raining down on the golden lion with unstoppable force.

But Shiki was undeterred, his laughter ringing out as he fought with unmatched ferocity. "I fear no one! Not even you Marine fools !" he spat, his eyes burning with defiance as he pushed back with a relentless barrage of attacks.

As the Vice Admiral led the charge, the other Marines rallied behind him, their weapons drawn as they attempted to encircle Shiki. However, the golden lion's relentless assault proved too much for them to handle.

With a swift and ferocious swing of his blade, Shiki cut through the air with deadly precision, severing the sword arm of the Vice Admiral in a single fluid motion. The sound of metal meeting flesh echoed through the chaos as the Vice Admiral staggered back, clutching his wounded arm in agony.

With a sinister laughter echoing through the chaos, Shiki dashed forward with lethal intent, his blades slashing in a downward arc. "Hahahaha, what a bunch of weaklings! If this is all you Marines have to offer, then it's better you guys be buried beneath the seas!"

The Vice Admiral, caught off guard by the overwhelming assault, raised his sword, coating himself in haki in a desperate attempt to defend against Shiki's onslaught. Despite his efforts, Shiki's blade cleaved through the Vice Admiral's defenses, leaving a trail of blood in its wake as it split the Vice Admiral in two.

"Lion's Descent!!!" But Shiki's assault didn't stop there. With a menacing grin, he summoned his devil fruit powers, causing a massive island to free fall towards Marine Headquarters. The entire Marine Force stood frozen in shock as the impending disaster loomed closer.

Amidst the chaos, two figures shot out of the Marine HQ like lightning bolts. Sengoku, the current Admiral, rushed straight towards Shiki, his determination evident in every stride. Meanwhile, Garp, the legendary Marine hero, propelled himself upwards using geppo, intercepting the incoming island with unparalleled speed and strength.

Shiki, his observation haki detecting the new arrivals, couldn't help but smile like a madman. "At last, someone worthy of my time," he remarked, his gaze fixated on Garp, who braced himself for the impending clash.

As Shiki prepared to unleash his fury upon Garp, his muscles tensed, and his conqueror's haki surged out, knocking aside many Marines who had surrounded him. Infusing his swords with armament haki, Shiki unleashed a devastating attack. "Lion's Majesty!"

But before Shiki's attack could reach its target, it was met with an equally powerful force. Sengoku, now in his zoan mode, unleashed a mighty blast known as "Sonic Fist," countering Shiki's assault with overwhelming strength and precision. The clash of two forces shook the very foundations of Marineford, signaling the beginning of an epic battle.

As Admiral Sengoku confronted Shiki on the ground, Admiral Garp soared high into the sky, his imposing figure shrouded in a veil of armament haki. With a primal roar, Garp unleashed the full force of his legendary strength, channeling his indomitable will into a devastating punch that defied the laws of physics. Despite the overwhelming size of the descending island, Garp's fist moved with unparalleled speed, creating a shockwave that rippled through the fabric of reality itself.

"Meteor Fist!!!"

As Garp's fist collided with the island, a deafening roar reverberated across Marineford. Time seemed to stand still as fissures erupted across the surface of the massive landmass, a testament to the sheer power behind Garp's strike. With a force beyond comprehension, the island shattered into countless fragments, each piece reduced to rubble under the unstoppable force of Garp's Fist.

"Garp, you coward, return Roger to me now! If he wants to die, then he should do so at my hands. Only I am worthy of taking his head!" Shiki's thunderous voice reverberated across Marineford, sending a chill down the spine of anyone who heard him.

With a primal roar, Garp descended from the skies like a free-falling meteor, his fists clenched with righteous fury. "Shiki, you bastard!" he bellowed, his voice echoing through the chaos of battle. As he landed, his fist squarely collided with Shiki's crossed swords, the clash of their conqueror's haki sending shockwaves of formless energy rippling throughout Marineford.

The sheer force of their collision shook the very foundations of the stronghold, with the ground trembling beneath their feet. Despite Shiki's formidable defense, Garp's relentless assault pressed forward, his determination unwavering in the face of adversity. As their clash continued, the air crackled with the intensity of their battle, each blow reverberating with the weight of their resolve.