The Sea is the Most Powerful
"Captain Shiki, mighty!"
"Captain Shiki, mighty!"
"Captain Shiki, mighty!"
Amid the deafening gunfire, countless pirates raised their weapons to the sky, their faces alight with excitement as they cheered.
A towering man with thick, golden hair resembling a lion's mane stood amidst them, a lit cigar clenched between his teeth. His expression radiated arrogance.
"Jihahahaha!" Shiki, the Golden Lion, roared with laughter. "Slaughter every last Marine on this island! Let them know that the Flying Pirates rule these seas! The Navy has no place here!"
At his command, his subordinates, crazed with bloodlust, charged toward the embattled Marine forces, who were fighting desperately to hold their ground.
If this stronghold fell, it wouldn't just deal a severe blow to the Marines' reputation—it would further erode their control over the New World.
This was his era. The era of the Golden Lion.
Shiki exhaled a plume of smoke, surveying the chaos with a smirk.
Back then, Captain Rocks had crushed the Navy's prestige beneath his heel.
That was a name that struck terror into the hearts of the world—Rocks D. Xebec.
And now, he—Shiki, the Golden Lion—was proving that the Marines still could not advance an inch in the New World.
Yet, as he observed the battle, a flicker of dissatisfaction crossed his face.
There were too few true powerhouses under his command.
This wouldn't do. Such weaklings couldn't support his grand ambition.
The resistance of the Marines? Insignificant. A mere nuisance.
The weak had no voice in this world. Their struggle was meaningless.
Shiki's forces were stationed closer to the Red Line than any other pirate crew in the New World, resulting in frequent clashes with the Navy. This was the law of the jungle—eliminating weak pirates was inevitable.
His gaze turned cold.
"There's no time to waste here!"
Leaping into the sky, he brandished his twin swords, Oto and Kogarashi, with a fierce swing.
"Lion's Threat: Chikairanbu!"
A devastating storm of slashes rained down upon the battlefield like petals scattered by the wind.
The island trembled violently. Deep fissures carved through the land. Rocks shattered. Dust and debris filled the air. The ground split apart as if the very earth itself was being torn asunder.
A Marine Rear Admiral standing amid the chaos watched the carnage unfold, his face twisted in despair.
This was Golden Lion Shiki.
A man whose strength could rival even the greatest legends. A monster among monsters.
The Rear Admiral's body was soon swallowed by the destruction.
And the onslaught did not cease—it continued relentlessly, tearing apart everything in its wake.
"Captain Shiki! Our own men are still down there!"
A high-ranking officer of the Flying Pirates, Poponiva, a user of the Quick Slice Devil Fruit, hesitated.
The sheer scale of Shiki's attack had indiscriminately decimated both Marines and his own crew.
"Jihahahaha!"
Golden Lion Shiki burst into wild laughter, exuding a sense of unrestrained arrogance.
He took the cigar from his mouth, exhaled a thick cloud of smoke, and said coolly:
"The Flying Pirates have no use for the weak. And I, Golden Lion Shiki, have no need for trash."
At those words, Poponiva fell silent.
The other officers, witnessing his silence, dared not speak further.
In mere moments, under the devastating assault of the Golden Lion, the Marine base had been wiped off the map, swallowed by the vast ocean.
Satisfied, Shiki turned back toward his fleet, leading the remnants of the Flying Pirates as they set sail, laden with spoils.
"Qiqiya! Any strong crews worth conquering on these seas?"
Shiki puffed his cigar as he turned to his navigator and intelligence officer, Qiqiya.
"Let me check!"
Qiqiya flipped through the intelligence reports she had gathered recently and paused at one entry.
"Captain Shiki, there's news of a mysterious swordsman who killed Nisqien. He was last seen in the Gourmet City, but his identity remains unknown."
Shiki narrowed his eyes. Nisqien had been a formidable fighter.
If this swordsman had slain him without exposing himself, he was worth investigating.
"Send men to track him down. Inform me the moment he's found."
Qiqiya nodded, noting the order.
"Anything else?"
Shiki wasn't satisfied with just one prospect. His fleet had too many weaklings—he needed more warriors of true strength.
Qiqiya hesitated before speaking again.
"Yes. There's a powerful fleet operating near Lati Island. They go by the name Hiberfield."
Shiki frowned. He had never heard of them.
"Lati Island? Hiberfield Fleet? Never heard of either."
It wasn't surprising. The world was vast, and countless islands and pirate crews rose and fell unnoticed.
But if this fleet had gained a reputation recently, it might be worth looking into.
"Are there any other noteworthy forces?"
There was a trace of disappointment in Shiki's tone.
Qiqiya knew better than to dismiss the fleet outright. The seas were full of hidden dangers, and anything that gained notoriety so quickly wasn't to be underestimated.
Still, against the monstrous man before her, even that fleet might not amount to much.
Shiki inhaled deeply from his cigar, then exhaled a ring of smoke.
The silence from Qiqiya made him think.
He needed stronger subordinates.
If this Hiberfield Fleet turned out to be weak, he would crush them and seize their resources.
Strength was all that mattered.
"Hiberfield, huh?"
Shiki murmured to himself.
He had time. What he lacked were warriors worthy of standing at his side.
"Jihahahaha! Fine then, let's see what they're made of!"
Raising his voice, he commanded:
"Prepare to set sail for Lati Island!"
---
Meanwhile, for an entire month, the Hiberfield Family had been in a frenzy.
Under the guidance of Ivan, their warriors had undergone intense training.
Even Charlotte, the leader, had acknowledged their dedication and passion.
The sea was the ultimate proving ground.
In line with this belief, Ivan had insisted on real combat experience.
Thus, patrols around Lati Island were established. Any pirates who sought to raid their waters met their end at the hands of the battle-hardened Hiberfield warriors.
Their fleet grew. Their coffers filled with stolen treasure.
The security of Lati Island improved drastically.
With the support of Warehouse King, trade and investments in the region flourished, transforming the island into a hub of prosperity.
Peace. Growth. Stability.
This island was no longer just a home—it was becoming a stronghold.
Charlotte, however, felt there was still something missing.
Perhaps more cultural elements from the ancient nation of Daxia?
He mused over it briefly before shaking his head.
There was no rush.
For now, his focus was on becoming stronger.
And so, Charlotte threw himself into training once more, never allowing himself a moment of complacency.
Because in this world...
Only the strongest survive.