One Piece: sign-in to Ryujin Jakka

With a single command from Garp, the three Navy battleships sailing at full speed turned abruptly, charging straight toward Roman.

Roman, naturally, sensed the presence of the Navy.

His gaze narrowed when he spotted the dog-headed warship among them. That was Garp's private ship—there was no mistaking it.

"Ship ahead! Stop immediately and cooperate with our inspection!"

Loudspeakers broadcast voices from the warships, the tone firm and pressing.

Roman pulled his cloak down, hiding his face further beneath its hood, and muttered.

"Now's not the time to entertain games with you."

Only two days remained until the sign-in deadline at Vermillion. According to Roman's calculations, the Golden Lion had likely already arrived on the island—maybe he'd even activated his Devil Fruit ability to make the island float in the sky!

He had no intention of wasting time on these Marine ships—not even on a living legend like Garp.

Roman's fingers curled around the hilt of his sword.

With a smooth motion, he drew Ryūjin Jakka.

"All creation turns to ash—Ryūjin Jakka!!"

With that incantation, the antique blade burst into scorching flames. The air distorted, rippling from the searing heat.

Then came the Reiatsu.

A spiritual force, dense and suffocating, surged outward, comparable to the might of Conqueror's Haki!

Every Marine's soldier who felt its presence collapsed, unconscious on the decks.

The skies turned dark.

Winds howled. Waves thundered across the sea.

Even Garp's pupils shrank in shock.

"His Conqueror's Haki… It's this powerful?!"

Roman didn't hesitate.

Just as Garp waddled in bafflement, with one sweeping slash of Ryūjin Jakka through the air, a storm of fire erupted.

The sea below exploded as if struck by a meteorite. Enormous waves rose, pushing Roman's ship forward at even greater speed while significantly slowing the Marine vessels.

A massive wall of fire surged up between Roman and the Marine waships—blazing across the ocean, stretching dozens of miles.

Erecting a make-shift barrier.

There was no way for Garp to pursue him—not without abandoning his fleet.

"Damn you!" Garp roared, shaking his fist the size of a boulder. "This bastard! Don't let me catch you, or I'll beat the hell out of you!"

But Roman was already sailing far into the distance, wind at his back, too far to hear the threat.

Garp's expression grew grim.

Even more concerning than the flames… was the direction Roman was headed.

It was the same direction the Golden Lion had gone!

Without hesitation, Garp pulled out a Den-Den Mushi and contacted Sengoku.

"Sengoku. I've run into that mysterious guy."

"The mysterious guy?! Did you catch him? Did you see his face?"

"No to both. He put up a fire barrier. But what's worse—he's headed in the same direction as the Golden Lion. I'm starting to think that with the prison break, the two are connected. If they join forces… We'll be facing a major threat on the seas."

Sengoku fell silent, his heart sinking.

"Understood. I'll lead reinforcements personally. Stall them, Garp. No matter what."

"Leave it to me!" Garp grinned. "Just make sure you get here fast!"

The call ended.

Looking out in the direction Roman had gone, Garp laughed loudly.

"Whoever you are… you're not escaping this time!"

Meanwhile, Roman knew nothing of the Marines' movements.

He studied the crude sea chart Olivia had drawn for him, calmly adjusting his route as he sailed.

Oddly enough, the closer the deadline came, the less anxious he became.

On the final day before the sign-in window closed, he finally spotted the floating island—Vermillion.

But just before he could step onto the island to complete the sign-in, a pungent, coppery scent hit his nose.

The smell of blood.

The smell was so thick and overpowering that Roman couldn't help a frown form on his face..

"So much blood… how many people would you have to kill to make the air reek of blood like this?"

He docked his ship and stepped onto the island. At that very moment, a familiar electronic voice rang out in his mind.

[Ding! Congratulations, Host. Sign-in successful. Reward obtained: Chinese Zodiac Talisman – Rooster Talisman!]

This talisman grants the user the ability to levitate and control objects midair with the power of their mind. It is functionally similar to the Golden Lion's Float-Float Fruit.

Roman retrieved the talisman from his system inventory.

Holding it in his hand, he focused on the thought of levitating.

A blue light shimmered over his body, then vanished.

The next moment, his body rose smoothly into the air.

"So this is what it feels like to float…"

Roman quickly mastered the talisman's usage and began moving through the sky.

He ascended higher—until the horrifying truth of the blood scent finally revealed itself.

Down below, nestled in the jungle, was the village of Vermillion.

Now reduced to a blood-soaked massacre.

Corpses littered the ground. Blood flowed in streams. It looked like a scene straight from hell.

Roman glided over the terrain, careful not to touch the ground, which was drenched in rivers of crimson blood.

Only sword marks—dozens of them—carved across the earth.

They led into the rainforest… toward a single man.

A blond, long-haired man with swords for legs.

He moved across the battlefield, sword auras slashing left and right, cutting down everything in his path.

Sword aura tore through the air.

Each slash claimed a new life.

"JIHAHAHAHA!! This world belongs to the strong! The weak deserve to be slaughtered! I've set my sights on this island—so all of you can just disappear now!!"

Golden Lion Shiki's bloodshot eyes were filled with madness.

Having imminently arrived from his escape from Impel Down, he had replaced his severed legs with two famous swords: Oto and Kogarashi, strapping them to his stumps as prosthetic limbs.

Still unused to his sword limbs, he was "warming up" by slaughtering the island's residents.

Using bloodshed to regain his skill as fast as possible.

And at the same time, this island…

It had IQ plants—an extremely rare resource.

He would kill everyone, seize the island, and use it as a stronghold to gather other pirates.

He could already see it—his name, Golden Lion Shiki, shaking the world once again.

But just then…

He suddenly turned his gaze toward the jungle in the distance.

His instinct screamed—someone was watching him.