Somewhere in the New World.
A pirate ship larger even than the war-beast warships was slowly sailing across the sea.
If anyone saw the pirate flag fluttering in the wind, they would know.
This was the currently flourishing Flying Pirates.
Unlike the Flying Pirates of old, Golden Lion Shiki did not go on another great recruiting spree to swell his ranks.
Instead, he chose, in a manner similar to Whitebeard, to absorb other pirate crews as members of his pirate fleet.
The new Flying Pirates under Golden Lion maintained the principle of "only keeping the strong"; the members were those great pirates who had been brought out from Impel Down.
At this moment, those great pirates were on deck, staring listlessly at the calm, windless sea.
"Tsk tsk tsk, even though we escaped from Impel Down, it's still unbelievably boring."
Catarina Devon leaned on the rail, a bottle of liquor in hand. She tipped her head back, drained more than half the bottle, and didn't care at all about the liquor spilling from the corner of her mouth.
"Bored, are you? Why don't you play with me then?" Shiryu, a cigar clenched between his teeth, said with a sinister smile. "It just so happens I haven't killed anyone in a while… Even the blood of an ally can get me excited."
"Hee hee hee hee, are you two about to fight?"
Vasco Shot watched the two, hands clapping excitedly like a drunk who loves to see a spectacle.
But in truth he had his huge jug of sake ready…
Prepared to interfere in the fight at any moment.
"You ruffians really do love to slaughter each other, nya!" "Corrupt King" Avalo Pizarro put on an air of managerial authority. "When Golden Lion isn't here, you all should listen to me!"
"Pfft! You look so small… it's hilarious."
Sanjuan Wolf, who had been following alongside the pirate ship, mercilessly mocked these people who looked insignificant in his eyes.
Although none of them had much affection for one another, they didn't actually start a full-on fight.
Even the normally indiscriminate Rain Shiryu restrained his urges…
Only because three people rescued from Impel Down by Golden Lion like them hadn't said a single word.
"Patrick Redfield."
"'World Destroyer' Byrnndi World."
"'Demon's Heir' Douglas Bullet."
The three of them all stared fixedly at the great door before them, as if waiting for someone to appear.
After a short while, a series of footsteps came from inside the cabin.
The next moment, the cabin door was slowly pushed open.
Long golden hair reached down to the floor like the regal mane of a lion.
A ship's wheel protruded from the top of his head, stuck straight in the middle.
The legs that should have been cut off during his prison escape were now fully restored, and Sakazuki and Kubu were slung at his waist.
It was the captain of the Flying Pirates, the Grand Admiral of the Golden Lion pirate fleet…
"Golden Lion" Shiki.
"What are you all gathered here for? Planning to kill me and take my place?" Shiki raised his head and wore a domineering smile. "Then are you ready to die?"
"No, we were only curious." Patrick Redfield lifted his crimson brow. "You just received a transmission from the World Government… am I right?"
"Mm, that's right." Golden Lion admitted without hesitation. "You all know how I escaped from Impel Down… I cut off my own legs."
"Then I went once more into the New World to look for a way to return to my peak…"
"But a few years ago, under the influence of this thing, my mind began to fall into chaos more and more often." Shiki said, tapping the ship's wheel deeply embedded in his head. "And it was at that time the Five Elders found me, and through Vegapunk's technology, healed me as much as possible… not only restoring my legs but also reducing the influence of this thing to the minimum."
If Michael were here, he would certainly nod in agreement.
Among the countless technologies Vegapunk researched, two complemented each other as medical inventions.
"Artificial organs" and "stem cell transplants."
It was obvious that Golden Lion had been healed by those two technologies to a level infinitely close to his former peak.
At the same time, this explained why Golden Lion had mixed himself up with the World Government…
"So now you're a lapdog of the World Government?" Bullet snorted and looked at Golden Lion. "This isn't the Golden Lion I knew."
"A lapdog of the World Government? No, no, no — we're simply using each other as needed." Golden Lion shook his head. "As for now, I'm only returning a favor to the World Government."
"Returning a favor? Did you just agree to do something for the World Government?" Byrnndi World keenly picked up the keyword in Golden Lion's words. "It's not something like handling Whitebeard or Big Mom, is it?"
"No no no, compared to those, it's much simpler." Golden Lion smiled and shook his head. "We only need to go to Egghead, take control back from the Navy… and while we're at it, completely eliminate the people who met with Vegapunk privately."
"Vegapunk, Egghead? That means we're going straight up against the Navy's Admirals?" Shiryu frowned. "I don't think that's something that's 'much simpler'."
"You've been in Impel Down too long, you don't even know how the seas have changed." Golden Lion smiled. "Egghead now is no longer guarded by Admirals; instead it's defended by two elite Vice Admirals who have Logia-type abilities… though they should be strong, for us… they're not enough."
After saying this, Golden Lion reached out and patted the mast beside him.
The next moment, the pirate ship rose from the water and flew into the sky.
Sanjuan Wolf was also lifted into midair by the power of the Float-Float Fruit.
To be able to manipulate living things meant… the Float-Float Fruit had fully awakened.
"Since you lot aren't planning to mutiny today… we're heading to Egghead! Men!" Golden Lion laughed heartily like a true lion.
Only Bullet, following behind him, after a long while, asked one question.
"Golden Lion, what kind of obsession… would make you willing to cooperate with the World Government at all costs?"
"Ah ah, Bullet, your curiosity is as heavy as ever."
GoldenLion turned around; his eyes were full of anticipation.
"Of course it's Michael."
"Roger is dead."
"And he was the one who, at the last moment, stopped me from destroying Navy Headquarters… something even Sengoku and Garp couldn't do."
"So now, he is the only target I want to resolve."
"I heard he's become a man who can seriously wound an Admiral… I really, truly, look forward to our next meeting."
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