One Piece: King of the World

Chapter 41: Golden Lion Takes on Four!?

Chapter 41: Chapter 41: Golden Lion Takes on Four!?

Looking at the confident Golden Lion Shiki hovering in the sky, Sengoku felt utterly exasperated. Damn it, did I forget to check the almanac before heading out this time?

First, they nearly wiped out the Celestial Dragons on Cornillo Island with a Buster Call. Then, if not for Claudius's timely reminder, the mission to eliminate Captain John would have likely failed. And just when Sengoku thought things had finally settled down, they bumped into Golden Lion Shiki on their way back?

Of all the people on the sea, the ones Sengoku most dreaded fighting were Shiki and Whitebeard.

It wasn't that they were necessarily stronger than other pirates like Roger or Kaido, but fighting them at sea was an absolute nightmare. Shiki ruled the skies with his floating powers, while Whitebeard could summon tsunamis with a single punch. Neither fight was one you wanted to have on the open ocean.

In contrast, Sengoku wouldn't be nearly as worried about running into Roger, Kaido, or Big Mom. But here, in the open waters, facing someone like Shiki, Sengoku knew he was in for a tough battle.

And to make matters worse, they had a Celestial Dragon on board. If Claudius got killed during the fight, even if Sengoku managed to defeat Shiki, it wouldn't matter there would be hell to pay when he got back to headquarters. That thought alone filled Sengoku with frustration.

Though he felt the weight of the situation, Sengoku Admiral didn't let it show. He met Shiki's arrogance head-on, shouting, "You think you're going to kill me here, Shiki? You really believe your own hype too much. You shouldn't have come. This time, you're not leaving. I've already reserved a nice, comfy cell for you in Impel Down!"

"Jihahahaha! Sengoku, your bark's gotten louder since we last met!" Shiki cackled, unsheathing his famous twin sabers, Kogarashi and Oto, the weapons that had accompanied him through countless battles.

Without any more chatter, Shiki swung his blades downward, slicing the air itself. The violent slash tore through the sky, a sharp force bearing down on Sengoku and his warship, as if Shiki intended to cleave both in two.

But Sengoku wasn't one to panic. If Shiki were easy to handle, he wouldn't be ruling the skies. Just as the slash was about to strike, Sengoku's body swelled up, his form transforming into a towering golden Buddha over five meters tall.

With a powerful growl, Sengoku raised his hand, releasing a shockwave that met Shiki's slash in midair. The energy from the shockwave and the slash collided, dispersing in a blast of power. But Sengoku didn't stop there his shockwave continued, shooting upward toward Shiki.

Shiki didn't flinch. With a sneer, he covered his free hand in Armament Haki, punching the air and neutralizing Sengoku's shockwave.

"Jihahahaha! Not bad, Sengoku!" Shiki laughed, his voice carrying through the wind.

Meanwhile, in the cabin below deck, Claudius watched the battle in awe. It was his first time seeing such a high-level clash, and the sheer intensity was overwhelming. This was nothing like reading about it in mangas back in his old life this was raw, terrifying power, and it was exhilarating to witness.

"So that's the power of the Mythical Zoan, huh? Admiral-level strength is really something else. And Shiki's Armament Haki it's the third stage, the external release. I used to think Shiki's Haki wasn't anything special, but it looks like the steering wheel stuck in his head really does start to affect him later on..."

Claudius's thoughts were racing as he analyzed the fight.

Borsalino, managing to pull his leg free, drew his Sky Cloud Sword and slashed at Shiki. But Shiki still wore a smile on his face, unbothered by the Marine's combined assault.

With a slight movement of his fingers, Shiki summoned iron pillars from one of the floating ships. The iron beams shot toward the Marines with incredible speed, imbued with his own Haki, cutting through the air like missiles.

"Fighting me in the air, Sengoku? You've got some nerve!" Shiki laughed.

Sakazuki charged in first, his body transforming into magma. But even with his quick reflexes, several of the iron pillars struck him, forcing him to shift into his elemental form just in time. If not for his quick thinking, the Haki-infused iron would have severely injured him.

"Iron Lion!" Shiki roared, and the iron pillars merged into a massive iron beast, enveloping Sakazuki. The iron lion then plummeted toward the sea, with Sakazuki trapped inside.

Sakazuki, being a Devil Fruit user, was in serious danger of being drowned. Kuzan, recognizing the threat, immediately halted his attack on Shiki. He fired a wave of freezing energy toward the ocean, creating a massive ice sheet just as the iron lion hit the frozen surface.

The impact caused the iron lion to melt into a pool of molten iron, but Sakazuki re-emerged, standing tall on the ice.

Still, even on solid ground, Sakazuki knew he couldn't keep up with a sky battle. Gritting his teeth, he stayed back, ready to apply pressure from below.

Meanwhile, Claudius watched the aerial battle from the warship's cabin, feeling a mix of awe and excitement. "Incredible. One man is holding off an Admiral and three Vice Admirals, all without breaking a sweat. No wonder Shiki's one of the strongest pirates out there. He's as powerful as Whitebeard in his prime."

Nia nervously urged, "Your Highness, we should escape while the Marines are holding him off. This place is too dangerous!"

Claudius, however, wasn't interested in running. "Escape? Where to? Kuzan's already frozen the sea there's no moving the ship now. And besides, how often do you get to see a fight like this up close? I'm not about to run away with my tail between my legs!" Claudius said with a grin, his eyes locked on the chaotic battlefield in the sky.

Nia, still on edge, tried again. "But Your Highness—"

Claudius waved her off, his excitement undiminished. "Relax. This is a rare opportunity. How often do you get to witness the Golden Lion take on an Admiral and three Vice Admirals? And besides, I doubt there's a safer place on this frozen sea than right here."

Nia bit her lip, realizing that Claudius had made up his mind. Still, she couldn't shake the anxiety gnawing at her.

At that moment, another figure entered the room. It was Stussy, looking equally concerned but more composed. "Your Highness, I've already contacted Naval Headquarters and CP-0. They're mobilizing to send reinforcements as quickly as possible. Help is on the way."

Claudius chuckled, waving dismissively. "Help? At this rate, by the time they get here, it'll be too late. We'll either have won or—well, we'll be fish food. There's no point in pinning our hopes on anyone coming to the rescue."