"Jihahaha! Bring it!"
Shiki's old ferocity surged. He laughed, holding nothing back. His swords blazed gold.
He rose like a carp swimming upstream, blades crossed, meeting the black light from above.
Fuwa Fuwa no Mi: Super Zanpō!
BOOM!
A golden slash, as massive as the black light, roared upward. A winged lion of pure force. It met Hakoku.
The moment they touched, a sphere of destruction—black and gold—expanded. Everything inside turned to dust.
The points of Shiki's swords pressed against Luffy's fist.
Haki on the blades. His fruit's power woven in. They held a small space between them. A vacuum where nothing existed.
At its center, a point of black light. Unstable. Destructive.
Neither moved.
The point bursts.
Energy exploded in all directions. Stronger than before.
RUMBLE!
The Sunny shook. Far away. The shock reached them.
"That's Luffy and Shiki!"
"We should help! It's Shiki!"
Usopp held the mast. His face was white.
Nami looked toward the blast. The black beam and the golden slash were gone. Only a storm of dust and energy remained.
The wind alone made the Sunny groan.
"Luffy!"
"Fighting like that..." Sanji's face was tight.
"The island could break." Robin held the railing. "We're going."
They were afraid. But no one said not to go.
Zoro's eyes swept the other islands. He saw shapes. Shiki's men.
He tied his bandanna. Smiled. White teeth. Wado in his mouth. Yubashiri and Sandai Kitetsu in his hands.
"We have our own job."
His voice was low. "Clear the path. No one bothers the captain."
He was the first mate. He knew what he had to do. Luffy would not want their help.
Their captain had his own fights.
The storm faded.
Luffy dropped from the sky. His form dropped. His breath was faster.
The clash had cost him. Energy. Haki.
On his forehead, a thin line of blood.
He had not touched Shiki's blades. But the edge had found him.
He knew this. From his dreams. Fighting Mihawk again and again. The sword did not need to touch you. The intent cut.
That was a great swordsman.
But before, Mihawk had left him torn. Now, just a scratch.
It healed fast. His body was strong. Life Return worked. Nika was not just rubber. A Mythical Zoan. Recovery was part of it.
A scratch was nothing.
Shiki emerged from the dust. His kimono torn. His hair wild. He looked rough. But not hurt.
"Old man. Is your legend overblown?"
Shiki's face twisted.
The words cut deeper than any sword. The boy stood there. Barely scratched. And he looked like this.
"Don't get cocky, brat!"
He came down like a golden bolt. His leg swung. Not many slashes. One slash. A kilometer long. It split the sky. Cut clouds. Coming for Luffy.
Super Zanpō!
Luffy felt something new. Not just Armament. Something else. Familiar. Strange.
"What is that?"
He moved. Did not take it.
"Jihaha! You don't know!"
Shiki's laugh was triumphant. "Haoshoku Haki Infusion! Coating your attacks with the Conqueror's will! The power of the true strong!"
He spread his arms.
"Only those at the very top can use it! There are only a handful in the world! Feel the difference, boy!"
->Support me with power stone
->for 100 Power Stones = 1 extra chapter
***
Dive deeper into the story with 30+ advance chapters, available now on Patreon!
patreon.com/CNBLUE
If you're enjoying the novel, please consider leaving a review. Your support is crucial and helps the story grow immensely. Thank you!