"No. You join us."
"What?"
"You're interesting. But you need to change. There's a reason you never became Pirate King."
Luffy's voice was flat. "Nakama aren't things to trade. A man who thinks like that can't be king."
His words hit Shiki like a needle.
Shanks had taught Luffy what a pirate should be. Roger, too. From Shanks's stories. A king protected his nakama. Sailed free. Carried dreams.
Shiki was different. Recruitment was business. Nakama were bargaining chips.
He was interesting. He had the old generation's spirit. But on this, Luffy could not agree.
If Shiki wanted to join, he would have to change.
"You dare—" Shiki's veins bulged. "You're saying I'm less than Roger?!"
Luffy's words found a place Shiki had tried to forget.
Why had Roger refused him?
It was not about serving under him. It was an alliance. Like Rocks. He had never served anyone.
Why did Roger not see that? Why did this boy not see it?
"Prove it, brat! Even Rocks couldn't—"
He cut himself off. Rage took over.
"Shishi: Senkiretsu!"
His legs swung.
Hundreds of golden slashes. A storm of blades. Crisscrossing. No space to dodge. Each cut could split steel. Tear the earth.
A great swordsman. Even without legs. The mastery was there. The understanding.
The storm came. It could flatten a hill.
Luffy did not move.
He breathed.
His fist tightened. Haki gathered. Deep black. Crackling.
"Gomu Gomu no..."
He punched into the storm.
"Super Pistol!"
Haki exploded. A wave. Fanning out. Meeting the blades.
BOOM!
A white ring of force. The ground scoured three feet deep.
The remaining slashes shattered.
Wind pushed Luffy's hair. Pushed Shiki's mane.
Shiki's face was tight.
This boy. Garp's grandson. Not just a Devil Fruit user. His body was strong. His Haki was strong. A monster. Trained by Garp himself.
His Haki was not rookie Haki. It was dense. Deep.
How old was he?
"Did he start training Haki in the womb?"
His parents must have been something.
Shiki knew. No more of those fists. No more of that Haki.
He had felt enough.
Luffy moved.
Observation Haki open. The remaining slashes were clear. He slipped through the gaps. Closed in.
"Plus Gatling!"
Fists like rain. Haki-coated.
"You think I'll just stand here?!"
Shiki stamped his foot.
"Shishi I: Chimaki!"
The ground rose. Twisted. Lion heads made of earth and stone. Silent roars. One rose from below. Others from the sides.
CRACK!
Luffy was thrown up.
The lions closed in. To crush.
"Gomu Gomu no..."
He twisted in air. No ground to push from. His legs spun.
"Plus Whip!"
Stone shattered.
Dust filled the air.
Then through the dust—a giant foot. Black with Haki. Falling like a mountain.
"Giant's foot?!"
Shiki's eyes went wide. He laughed. There was weight in it.
"Your fruit is something, Straw Hat!"
His swords crossed. Haki on the blades. He caught the foot.
CLANG!
Like a temple bell. Sparks flew.
The force was more than he expected. Heavier than the giants of Elbaf.
He was thrown back. Feet carving grooves in stone.
The giant foot landed. The island shook. Cracks for hundreds of meters.
Dust rose like a wave.
Shiki stopped. His face was tight.
Stronger than a giant.
How far had this boy developed his fruit?
"Your power is fun, old man. But if you can't hit me, it's useless."
Luffy shrank back to normal. Dust still rising.
Shiki moved to counter.
A storm of black exploded from the dust.
Too fast.
Luffy came like black lightning. Gear Second Plus.
Shiki's Observation Haki flashed. He swung.
"Zanpō!"
A golden arc. Cutting Luffy's path.
Luffy did not stop. Haki boiled on his fist. Flowing.
"Five Times Release!"
BOOM!
They did not touch. The forces met. Pushed.
Haki and blade. Held for an instant.
Then it broke.
Luffy kicked the air. A trick like Geppo. In the end, it was just force applied.
He was in the zone now. Fist swelling again. Haki flowing like water. Like it was alive.
"One more."
His fist drew back. Rubber compressing.
"Gomu Gomu no... Hakoku!"
A beam of black light. Like a spear from heaven. Falling on Shiki.
The air screamed. The sky dimmed. Pure Haki. Raw force.
Shiki's eyes went wide.
"Hakoku! You know Hakoku?!"
He knew it. Rocks had taken them to Elbaf. Fought the king. Big Mom used it. In her Prime, no one wanted to take that hit.
Luffy's was smaller. Weaker.
But Shiki was not in his prime.
He would not retreat.
A legend did not retreat.
***
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