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"Whoosh—" A massive black hawk flapped its wings, soaring higher and higher.
Its target wasn't the floating islands below but the main island at the very top.
To avoid drawing too much attention, the black hawk carrying Law, Cavendish, and Baud followed behind at a distance of two to three hundred meters.
"Jekahaha! Looks like these little guys are aiming straight for the 'King' himself…" Above on the King's Island, Shiki the Golden Lion floated in mid-air, gazing down at the enormous black hawk now less than a few hundred meters away from the main island. He burst into laughter.
"Boss, are you really going to let them onto the King's Island?"
A towering man, over three meters tall with a muscular frame that strained against his tight black suit, looked up and asked. His body was packed with exaggerated muscles, almost as if they were about to burst through the fabric, giving off an oppressive aura. A fearsome scar ran diagonally across his face, starting from his right eye, yet it hadn't blinded him.
This was Sarnor Boris, the "Violent Tiger," captain of the fifth division of the Flying Pirates!
"If they want to come up here, they'll have to prove they're worthy first…" Shiki laughed loudly, raising his right hand slightly.
"Whoosh—"
One of the colossal floating islands suddenly moved, flying directly toward the incoming black hawk and blocking its path above.
The immense wind pressure made it hard to keep one's eyes open. The speed of the moving island was no slower than the black hawk's.
"Trying to stop us from going straight up, huh?" Iji sneered, but he didn't seem particularly surprised.
His blood-red hair fluttered wildly as he stared directly upward at the distant golden figure now visible in the sky. His gaze burned with intense fighting spirit, and his fists clenched tightly as he began to gather strength.
"Hmph—" The black hawk flapped its wings violently once more, accelerating to bypass the approaching island.
"Boom—"
Suddenly, the massive island trembled.
"Roar—"
From the edge of the island, the earth churned and writhed, transforming into a gigantic lion's head. It charged straight at the black hawk, its terrifying maw snapping viciously toward them!
"What!?"
The sudden and horrifying transformation left Akin and Burn pale with shock.
"Hey, isn't this a bit overkill?" Meanwhile, Cavendish, Law, and the others trailing behind couldn't help but feel a chill run down their spines.
They had never expected such an attack method.
"Keep flying upward!" Iji calmly commanded, raising both fists.
In an instant, invisible Armament Haki enveloped and coiled around his arms, shimmering with a dark metallic sheen. His muscles tensed, veins bulging on his exposed arms. An unimaginable explosive power seemed to gather and brew within him, leaving even Akin and Burn beside him feeling uneasy.
"Hey, hey… Boss, you're not planning to take them out right here, are you?" One of the officers, seeing this, called out to Shiki. "If you do, what are we supposed to do next?"
"Jekahaha! My interest has been piqued—I want to see if these little guys have what it takes to get me excited…" Shiki took a drag from his cigar, baring his teeth in a wild grin. His overwhelming confidence radiated outward, exuding an untouchable aura.
"Roar—"
The massive lion's head was like a small mountain dozens of meters wide, vividly lifelike, exuding the majesty and ferocity of a true lion.
The giant hawk didn't hesitate to obey Iji's command, continuing to ascend without regard for the lion's head biting down from above. It acted as though it hadn't seen it at all.
Fifty meters… thirty meters… twenty meters…
"Morning Peacock—Meteor Strike!!!"
The pitch-black fists unleashed a ferocious barrage in the blink of an eye!
"Swish—swish—"
One after another, fist-shaped imprints shot forward at unimaginable speeds, rubbing against the air so intensely that they ignited into flames.
"Boom—boom—"
Countless crimson fist marks rained down continuously, striking the roaring lion's head. The scene resembled the majestic spread of a peacock's tail or the rising sun at dawn.
"Rumble—rumble—"
Debris flew everywhere as the enormous lion's head was shattered into pieces!
High above, dust filled the air, obscuring vision and making it impossible to see clearly.
"Hmm?"
Shiki, still puffing on his cigar, narrowed his eyes slightly, a faint smirk playing on his lips. "No wonder they dared to charge up here—they're no ordinary bunch…"
"Th-This… how is this possible!?"
"Such an attack couldn't stop them outright…"
"Unbelievable! Who exactly are these people!?"
Among his subordinates, aside from a few officers whose expressions changed slightly, the rest of the pirates stared wide-eyed, shocked into silence.
In their minds, Shiki's abilities were invincible.
These reckless fools who had come seeking death had somehow managed to withstand such an attack—it was utterly inconceivable.
"Whoo-hoo~"
Powerful shockwaves continued to rampage and sweep through the area, making it difficult to keep one's eyes open.
The massive black hawk broke through the obstruction, soaring past the moving island that had attempted to block their ascent.
"Gulp! No way…"
Hundreds of meters away, Cavendish, seated on another black hawk's back, couldn't help but swallow nervously. In disbelief, he muttered aloud, "That monster… he's actually this strong…"
"Indeed, quite formidable—but this clearly isn't his limit."
A lion's head as massive as a mountain had been obliterated completely.
If it had been him swinging those slashes, they probably wouldn't even have been enough to wedge between the lion's teeth.
"If he weren't strong, do you think someone like our lord would foolishly challenge the legendary pirate, Shiki the Golden Lion?"
Ignoring Law and the others, Baud gazed ahead at the crimson figure atop the soaring black hawk. His eyes gleamed with fervor, excitement, and admiration as he said, "It's said that this is a technique Lord Iji developed based on the Six Powers—Morning Peacock. Each punch travels so fast that it generates flames by friction with the air…"
"Shiki the Golden Lion—I've waited a long time for this day!!!"