One Piece: Scourge of the Seas

A sharp alarm echoed across the skies of Marineford.

At the very moment the alarm sounded, every Marine stationed at headquarters immediately entered combat readiness.

Their expressions were grave as they rushed at top speed to the outer perimeter of the base.

The first sight to greet them was the wreckage of a battleship scattered along the shoreline of the inner bay.

It appeared to have fallen directly from the sky, causing the entire vessel to break apart upon impact.

"What's going on?"

The Marines were utterly shocked at the sight of the fragmented battleship.

"Gyahahaha…!"

While the Marines were still reeling from the wreckage, a wild, arrogant laugh echoed from above.

The Marines instinctively looked up, following the sound, only to witness the most terrifying scene of their lives.

Nine massive battleships hung in the air, suspended in a twisted formation.

At the center of the levitating fleet was a colossal island ship, its hull lined with rows of wooden oars on either side, and its base formed of solid rock.

Like the battleships surrounding it, the island ship remained steadily afloat in the sky.

The man responsible for the laughter stood in mid-air at the bow of the island ship.

A wooden ship's helm was embedded in his head, while his wild golden mane, like a lion's, billowed in the wind.

Yet what truly drew attention were not the helm lodged in his skull, but the two long swords that had replaced his legs.

This man was none other than the infamous Golden Lion Shiki—the pirate who, twenty years ago, had severed his own legs to escape the legendary Impel Down prison.

"Gyahahaha!"

Shiki laughed heartily, arms crossed as he looked down at the Marines below—like a king surveying a swarm of ants.

"What… is happening here…?"

The Marines muttered in shock as they beheld the floating man.

"It's Golden Lion Shiki!!!"

A small handful of senior Marines quickly recognized the man hovering in the sky.

"That's the Golden Lion… one of the three great pirates alongside Pirate King Roger and Whitebeard Edward!"

"The first man to ever escape from Impel Down!"

"Twenty years ago, he nearly destroyed Marineford… Is he trying to pull the same trick again?"

Though the legend of Golden Lion Shiki had faded over the decades, most of the Marines present had only heard his name without ever seeing him in person.

Now, they were witnessing the legend firsthand.

Shock.

Fear.

Those were the only emotions coursing through the ranks of the Marines.

Garp, Sengoku, and Vice Admiral Tsuru emerged onto the base's upper balcony.

These three pillars of the previous era wore grim expressions.

It wasn't just Shiki's brazen display that troubled them—it was the ten warships he controlled like mere playthings.

The sight of warships suspended in mid-air was all too familiar.

Destroying battleships at will had always been Shiki's signature trick.

Time and again, they had been forced to watch helplessly as Shiki rained destruction from above.

The cost of a single battleship exceeded one hundred million beri. Losing one meant not only financial strain but a blow to the Navy's military strength.

Already displeased by the situation with Fire Fist Ace, Sengoku's face grew even darker.

"Garp… Sengoku…"

Shiki's piercing gaze locked onto his old foes, a cold sneer on his lips.

Amid the blaring alarms, their eyes met.

Even across the distance, they could feel each other's deep-seated hostility.

"Golden Lion Shiki…"

Garp's brows furrowed, his voice low and heavy. "You've been silent for twenty years… Have you come back to seek revenge on the world?"

Sengoku said nothing, his expression like that of an enraged Buddha as he glared up at the pirate.

Shiki possessed the powers of the Float-Float Fruit, allowing him to make both himself and any non-living object he touched float freely under his control.

Unless he willingly touched the ground, not even the might of Marineford's forces could touch him.

Twenty years ago, the only reason Shiki had been imprisoned was because he had chosen to fight to the death rather than retreat—facing both Garp and Sengoku, the Navy's greatest powers at the time.

Even then, half of Marineford had been reduced to rubble before Shiki was finally subdued.

Now, after two decades, this man had returned.

Under the watchful eyes of Sengoku, Garp, Tsuru, and countless Marines, Shiki slowly raised his right hand.

The moment they saw the gesture, Sengoku and the others could already foresee what would happen next.

"This is my 'welcome gift' after such a long separation."

A cold gleam flickered in Shiki's eyes as his raised hand swung down.

The nine battleships hovering above abruptly began plummeting toward Marineford.

Sailors still aboard the ships were flung out, screaming as they fell toward the ground.

On the ground, the Marines' faces twisted in panic as they scattered in all directions.

"Stay away from the bay!"

"Don't group together—spread out!"

"Evacuate! Evacuate!"

The officers barked frantic orders, trying to lead their men to safety.

Yet they all knew…

When those nine ships hit the ground, many of their comrades would be crushed in an instant.

"Damn you, Golden Lion…"

Curses filled the hearts of the scrambling Marines.

Above the chaos, Shiki's disdainful laughter echoed through the air.

But just as the warships were about to crash down, a massive purple wave surged upward—a gravitational force that caught the falling ships in mid-air.

It was Admiral Fujitora who had drawn his sword, revealing only a fraction of his monstrous strength.

"Hmm?"

The cacophony ceased.

All eyes turned to the towering ships, suspended less than twenty meters above the ground.

Then, as one, they looked toward the man in the purple cloak, his blade unsheathed.

"It's Admiral Fujitora!!!"

A wave of relieved cheers broke out among the Marines.

Despite the desperate situation, Fujitora's expression remained calm.

Blind eyes lifted toward Shiki, his voice steady.

"Even if I cannot 'pull' you down… stopping your little tricks is more than enough."

On the balcony, Garp, Sengoku, and Tsuru felt the weight on their shoulders ease.

Though Fujitora rarely flaunted his power, his strength rivaled even the Admirals themselves.

In this dire moment, he had proven to be even more reliable.

Above, Shiki's eyes narrowed as he appraised Fujitora.

For the first time in decades, he felt the presence of a true rival.

"When did the Marines gain such a man?!"

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