Chapter 87: Golden Lion Shiki!

The bounty on Golden Lion Shiki, issued by The Hive, sent shockwaves throughout the world. The promise of 100 million beli just for providing credible clues ignited a frenzy among bounty hunters, pirates, and other opportunists. Even Naval Headquarters couldn't ignore the stir it created.

In the Fleet Admiral's office, the atmosphere was tense.

"A bounty on Shiki… what's Edie playing at now?" Sengoku's expression was grim, his frustration palpable. Only a short time ago, a Celestial Dragon had been kidnapped by Edie. Though the situation had been resolved quietly, without making it to the news, Edie had stayed active and unpredictable. And now, a massive bounty was issued for the notorious Golden Lion Shiki.

"I suspect Edie is after Shiki's bloodline factor," said Vice Admiral Tsuru, her tone filled with concern. "If Edie gets his hands on Shiki's DNA, he could create even more dangerous clones…"

Sengoku inhaled deeply, his voice steady but troubled. "We can't let Edie gain more power. We have to protect Shiki from falling into his hands."

The irony of the statement wasn't lost on them. Protecting a pirate—and one as dangerous as Shiki—from the Marines' usual enemies felt absurd. Even Tsuru shook her head. "We don't even know where Shiki is. If we did, we would have captured him long ago and thrown him back into Impel Down."

Sengoku's mind raced. "We need to announce a new bounty on Shiki. Make it clear that whoever informs the Marines first will receive a 500 million beli reward."

Tsuru was taken aback. "Wouldn't that provoke the Hive? We need to consider how they'll respond."

"We can't just sit idly by while Edie's power continues to grow unchecked!" Sengoku replied, his voice hardening with resolve.

The Marines wasted no time. In response to Edie's bounty, the Navy announced their counter-offer: 500 million beli for information leading to the Golden Lion's capture. Along with this announcement came a stark warning: Golden Lion Shiki, if you dare show yourself, the Marines will capture you immediately.

This direct challenge, a rare display of intimidation, sparked curiosity and confusion worldwide. Why were the Marines, who had let Shiki remain hidden for so long, suddenly so interested in his whereabouts?

The Golden Lion Shiki was no ordinary pirate. Once as feared and respected as Gol D. Roger and Whitebeard, Shiki had earned his place in history. After Roger's surrender, Shiki famously attacked Marineford single-handedly, leaving destruction in his wake before being defeated by Garp and Sengoku. His eventual imprisonment in Impel Down didn't stop him. He became the first person to ever escape from the underwater prison, sawing off his own legs to do so.

For the past eight years, Shiki had vanished, leaving the seas in peace. But now, with both Edie and the Marines hunting him, the once-legendary pirate was being dragged back into the spotlight.

High in the Grand Line, an island floated within the clouds, shrouded in mystery. Inside a hidden research facility, Golden Lion Shiki lounged while a doctor in a white coat approached him with the latest news, the sound of his awkward gait filling the air.

"Captain Shiki, here are the newspapers from the past two days," the doctor said, handing over the stack. Shiki skimmed through the headlines, his eyes narrowing. Suddenly, in a fit of rage, he ripped the paper to shreds.

"Damn Marines! Don't get so cocky!" he growled.

The doctor chuckled, baring his white teeth. "Captain, I don't know why The Hive put a bounty on you, but the Marines followed suit almost immediately. It seems the Hive started this mess."

Shiki scoffed, his expression one of complete disdain. "I'm not some young hot-blooded pirate anymore. I'm not about to go running to the Hive just because they put out a bounty on me."

The doctor, unfazed, offered a mischievous grin. "Captain, that scientist they have, Edie, is rumored to be smarter than Vegapunk himself. With his knowledge, we could advance our research by leaps and bounds."

Shiki paused, mulling it over. Then a devious glint appeared in his eye. "You've got a point there… maybe I should pay the Hive a visit after all."

With a roar of laughter that echoed across the sky, Shiki slammed his fists together, energized by the idea. "Jiehahahahaha! Let's see how Edie likes a little surprise!"

Fourteen days later, high above Beehive Island, the Golden Lion hovered, his gaze cold and calculating as he observed the island below.

"Jiehâââââhaha… this island has had quite a few owners," he muttered. "Rocks, Ochoku, and now Edie… Let me give this new owner a warm welcome."

With a smirk, Shiki raised his hand and brought it down in a sweeping motion. From the clouds above, a massive black shape emerged, hurtling towards the island with alarming speed. An entire island—one that Shiki had brought with him—plummeted from the sky, catching fire as it tore through the atmosphere.

On the ground, panic erupted as the massive landmass descended.

"Meteorite?!"

"No… it's an entire island!"

"An island is falling!!"

Chaos ensued as the people of Beehive Island ran for cover, their voices full of terror.

Inside the research institute, Momousagi stood by a window, her expression sharp with concern as she stared at the sky. "A Sky Island falling? No, that's not it… this is something else."

On the northern coast, Hancock and Yamato were sparring when the shadow from above caught their attention. They stopped, gazing up in unison.

"Hancock, what's that?" Yamato asked, bewildered.

Hancock frowned, her voice dripping with sarcasm. "Looks like some nasty person dressed like a golden chicken decided to drop an island on us."

Elsewhere, inside the Kozuki residence, Toki was teaching her daughter Hiyori the piano. The young girl's eyes widened as she caught sight of the fiery object hurtling toward the island. "Mom, is that a meteorite?"

Toki, ever composed, smiled softly and reassured her daughter. "Don't worry, Hiyori. Even if the sky falls, Mr. Edie will be there to hold it up. Now, let's continue with this note…"

With calm certainty, Toki focused on her daughter's lessons, completely undisturbed by the chaos brewing outside.

At the same time, atop the research institute's rooftop, several figures swiftly converged in the air.

Chenlong, Zishu, Weiyang, Wuma, Shenhou, Chou, and Haizhu—the Seven Earthly Branches—gathered and looked up at the rapidly descending island above Beehive Island.

"Who's the degenerate tossing their trash at us?" Zishu grumbled, unsheathing his saber. "I wouldn't care if it landed anywhere else, but if it hits the research institute… Heavenly Father will be furious."

Chenlong immediately stopped him. "Hold on. Are you planning to cut this entire falling island into pieces and then clean up the mess?"

Weiyang's body swelled, transforming into a giant golden Buddha in an instant. "Relax. This island isn't that large—its diameter is less than 1,500 meters. I'll smash it all in one shot!"

Wuma clenched his right fist, his bulging biceps tightening. "Don't let even a grain of sand reach Beehive Island."

Haizhu crossed her arms, chuckling. "Boys, show me what you've got."

Chou crouched low, his body tense as Conqueror's Haki surged around him, quickly gathering into his iron-clad fist.

With their combined power, the Seven Earthly Branches launched their attack.

"Air Shock!"

Wuma's punch shattered the atmosphere itself, sending shockwaves that tore the falling island into massive chunks.

"Shock Wave!"

Weiyang's Buddha palm descended with overwhelming force, smashing the debris into smaller fragments.

Then, one after another, more devastating techniques followed.

"Boro Breath!"

"Two-Sword Style: Togen Totsuka!"

"Divine Departure!"

"Galaxy Impact!"

"Mother's Misery!"

With a burst of colorful, destructive energy, the island that had plummeted from the sky was completely obliterated, reduced to mere dust in a magnificent explosion. The spectacle painted the sky with rainbow-like lights, a mesmerizing display of raw power. The island had never even gotten close—dissipating at five hundred meters above the Hive.

High above, Golden Lion Shiki watched in disbelief, his mouth agape. What was meant to be a bold statement—a gift—had been pulverized in an instant. Shiki's shock turned to a bitter laugh.

"Those monsters…" he muttered, beads of sweat forming on his brow. "Jiehahahaha! These are the rumored Earthly Branches? With that kind of strength, they could easily destroy the world! Jiehahahaha!"

His laughter grew wilder, echoing through the sky. But then, without warning, a chilling voice pierced through his laughter, sending shivers down his spine.

"Why are you laughing so loudly?"

Shiki froze. His instincts screamed danger as he bolted forward, turning around mid-air. His eyes widened in shock. How had someone gotten so close without him sensing it?

He stared in disbelief at the man floating behind him, dressed in pristine white, a calm, calculating look on his face.

"You... you're the rumored scientist, Edie! How are you flying? Do you also have the Float-Float Fruit like me?" Shiki demanded, his voice tinged with fear and confusion.

Edie, hands in his pockets, smirked. "What makes you think I need a Devil Fruit to do this?"

Shiki's eyes narrowed. "Are you saying you're not using a Devil Fruit ability?"

Edie shrugged nonchalantly. "The knowledge of the world is vast. Even a simple news bird can fly. Why would I need Devil Fruit powers to achieve something as basic as this?"

Shiki, frustrated, barked back, "Don't give me that nonsense! The news bird has wings! You don't have any wings, yet you're standing in mid-air. How can you explain that?"

Edie's grin widened. "What makes you so sure I don't have wings?"

"Ahh!?" Shiki fumed. He had had enough of Edie's cryptic responses. With a snarl, he launched into his attack. "Lion Frenzy!"

He kicked out a barrage of air slashes, each one racing toward Edie. Yet, as the slashes approached, they shattered against an invisible barrier just thirty centimeters from Edie, disintegrating into harmless fragments.

Golden Lion was stunned. "What... what is this?"

Edie chuckled softly, drawing his right hand from his pocket. A ball of red, crackling energy formed in his palm, shifting and shaping itself into the figure of a bird. The energy was alive, pulsing with power.

"Your understanding of wings is too narrow," Edie said, his voice calm. "Why must wings look like wings? Once you understand the essence of flight, you can soar freely—just like this."

With a casual flick of his hand, the red bird soared toward Shiki, graceful yet deadly.

Golden Lion's eyes widened. His senses screamed danger—this was no ordinary energy. "A bomb!" he realized, his voice caught in his throat.

Panicked, Shiki turned and fled at full speed, pushing his flying abilities to their limit. But it was too late. The red bird caught up to him, and a blinding light engulfed the sky.

BOOM!!!

A fiery explosion lit up the heavens, resembling a miniature red sun born thousands of meters above Beehive Island.