"It should be safe up there by now, right?" Bon Kurei asked, feeling the ship finally settle into stillness.
Everyone else was curious too. The violent shaking had stopped, but none of them knew what conditions they'd find outside the obsidian shelter.
Marcus thought for a moment, then pulled out his diamond pickaxe and dug a small opening in the wall.
Instantly, a blast of scorching heat and thick smoke rushed through the gap, bringing with it the smell of burning air.
"Shit!" He hurriedly sealed the opening again.
The others stared in silence, processing just how devastating that explosion must have been. The heat alone had been intense enough to feel dangerous even through that tiny hole.
If that had been an A-level bomb... Wouldn't that be comparable to an atomic bomb? Marcus thought.
Everyone's eyes instinctively shifted to Clucky, the chicken perched innocently on a railing.
Clucky lifted his head proudly and puffed out his chest feathers.
"Cluck Cluck!"
Chopper translated automatically. "He says he IS the explosion!"
"Clucky!"
"And he says... someone is already bald."
The person being mocked, clearly Usopp based on the chicken's pointed stare, looked furious but couldn't figure out how to argue back. After all, Clucky's exploding eggs really were absurdly powerful, and compared to that raw destructive force, his own abilities seemed pretty damn insignificant.
"With power like that..." Robin said worriedly, "can Sanji really have survived?"
The mood sobered immediately.
Vivi closed her eyes, reaching out with her ability to sense people. "Sanji's fine. I can sense him, he's underwater, below the White Sea. The explosion didn't penetrate down there."
Several people let out breaths of relief.
They waited a full five minutes, letting the chaos above them settle. Nobody wanted to surface too early and get caught in secondary explosions or falling debris.
Finally, Marcus opened another small test hole. After confirming the temperature had dropped to survivable levels and the smoke had thinned considerably, he began dismantling the obsidian shelter, freeing the Going Merry.
A mushroom cloud still loomed in the sky, slowly dissipating but still impressive in scale. The air reeked of sulfur and burnt ozone, making everyone's eyes water. Ash drifted down.
Vivi called out to Sanji through her connection, and soon the cook surfaced from the White Sea, looking waterlogged and pissed off.
The moment his head broke the surface, he started shouting. "Usopp! Did you seriously forget I was out there?!"
"I didn't know the explosion would get that crazy!" Usopp protested as Sanji grabbed him by the collar. "C4 shouldn't have had the blast radius to reach you, but the damn chicken upgraded it! How was I supposed to predict that?!"
Sanji's angry expression softened slightly as he processed the explanation. "Yeah, alright, I guess that makes sense. Lucky I reacted fast and dove deep."
Still, Usopp received a solid knock on the head for the trouble. He sat there with a growing bump on his skull, but his spirit was completely undampened.
"But we took down a legendary pirate! A man who sailed in the same era as Gol D. Roger himself, Shiki the Golden Lion!" Usopp's voice grew louder and more dramatic with each word. "That makes me the Great Captain Usopp, defeater of legends!"
The others shook their heads. Was Shiki really gone, just like that? Taken out by a lucky explosion?
The smoke-filled sky continued to clear under a gentle breeze, revealing patches of blue. There was no sign of his silhouette anywhere. Even the sea surface had gone eerily calm, with no floating debris or bodies visible.
"And that big gorilla got taken care of too!" Usopp's nose tilted even higher as his confidence grew.
"This era's Supernovas really do possess some interesting abilities."
The unexpected voice made every member of the Straw Hat crew snap their heads around.
There stood Shiki, completely unharmed and looking amused, standing on the Merry's rear deck. In his hand, he held Scarlet by the scruff of its neck.
"What the—!"
"When did you—!"
"How is that possible?!" Usopp was in disbelief. "How could you survive that explosion?!"
Zoro's eyes immediately locked onto Shiki's legs, where two swords gleamed in place of his lost limbs.
"Oh? So that's your ability?" Shiki studied Usopp with curiosity. "Let me guess... the Pop-Pop Fruit? No, wait, Gladius has that one. The Boom-Boom Fruit then? No, that only lets the user explode parts of their own body. Then perhaps... a special weapon?"
Being examined like some kind of exotic specimen made Usopp's skin crawl. The way Shiki looked at him reminded him uncomfortably of how Sanji looked at pretty women.
"Your pirate crew has given me quite a few surprises today." Shiki's smile widened. "And since you possess abilities capable of impressing me, I'll be generous and offer you a choice. Submit to me and sail under my command. Don't worry, I'm not the type to needlessly split up promising crews. You'd remain together as the Straw Hats. That's special treatment I'm offering because I see potential in all of you."
This was standard practice among the old guard pirates when dealing with promising newcomers.
Whitebeard offered pirates he respected the chance to become his sons. Big Mom arranged political marriages with those she favored. Kaido recruited Zoan-type Devil Fruit users. Even Shanks, despite his small crew, occasionally accepted new members.
The difference was that most Supernovas had to be beaten into submission first. The fact that Shiki was extending this invitation before even fighting them, and promising not to dismantle their crew, was actually remarkably respectful by pirate standards.
When most Supernova crews joined established powers, they got torn apart. Captains might be kept if they were valuable enough, but the regular crew members were usually considered disposable. Some didn't even survive the "initiation beating." Compared to that brutal standard, this was practically a polite job offer.
But the Straw Hats' response was unanimous.
"We refuse!"
The temperature seemed to drop. Shiki set down Scarlet, and though his smile remained fixed on his face, something shifted in his presence.
"Shihahaha... I see. What a shame."
Shiki's gaze drifted first to Robin, then settled on Usopp. "You were curious how I survived without a scratch, weren't you? Allow me to demonstrate."
He raised one hand with almost lazy casualness.
In an instant, massive lion heads began forming from the cloud sea around the Going Merry, sculpted from the White Sea. Four enormous constructs took shape, each one easily larger than the ship.
"The cloud sea isn't the ocean, true. But it has the same effect on Devil Fruit users. So tell me, how many of you can withstand this?"
"Oh, right, you have that one special ability user who can create some kind of defense, don't you? Go ahead and try it. Let's see what happens."
He made a gesture, and the four cloud-lions opened their massive jaws. Though they made no sound, the killing intent radiating from them could be felt in the air. Sunlight vanished as the four enormous constructs closed in from all sides.
"Gum-Gum: Storm!"
"Three Sword Style: Three-Thousand Worlds!"
"Épaule Shoot!"
"Elegant Swan Dance!"
From four directions simultaneously, Luffy, Zoro, Sanji, and Bon Kurei launched their attacks. The precision was impressive, they'd all moved without needing to coordinate, instinctively covering all angles of assault.
But when their blows struck the cloud-lions, the constructs merely scattered slightly before reforming. The attacks passed through them like hitting fog.
Everyone froze.
"Not bad destructive power," Shiki commented, sounding impressed. "But these are formed from my ability. They have no physical body to destroy. Shihahaha, so what will you do now?"
His hands slowly came together in a closing motion, as if he were crushing the entire Merry within his palms.
At that exact moment, black walls erupted around the Going Merry. Obsidian blocks materialized in layers, forming a protective shell that completely enclosed the ship in darkness.
"Interesting ability. But you've essentially blinded yourself. Can't fight what you can't see."
As his hands clenched into fists, the cloud-lions lunged forward.
Boom!
Boom!
Boom!
The obsidian barrier held against Shiki's initial assault. The blocks displayed remarkable resistance under the continuous pressure.
This surprised Shiki a little, and then his eyes filled with curiosity.
He increased the force. The obsidian developed deeper fissures, spiderwebbing across its surface, then healed again within a second.
"Self-repairing? But how long can you keep that up? Your stamina must have limits."
He naturally assumed Marcus was actively using some ability to restore the blocks. It fit the pattern of Devil Fruit powers, constant manipulation requiring constant energy expenditure.
But when he applied force exceeding the obsidian's durability threshold, the block shattered as expected. He wasn't even surprised to find another layer of obsidian beneath the broken one, that was just predictable defensive layering
The lifelike cloud-lions shifted forms instantly, transforming from blunt crushing force into countless sharp blades that stabbed into the obsidian from multiple angles simultaneously.
The barrier Marcus had been somewhat proud of shattered like glass.
"Shihahahaha! Truly fascinating ability. You must be the 'Miracle Maker' of the Straw Hats, yes?"
Shiki's words dripped with appreciation, but his hands never stopped moving. Layer after layer of obsidian cages burst apart at incredible speed.
In moments, every defensive block had been demolished.
The Going Merry sat exposed and vulnerable.
Everyone aboard wore grim expressions. All eyes fixed on Shiki floating in the sky.
The aura of a legendary pirate left them momentarily paralyzed. Those formless cloud-attacks, even if they could break them temporarily, would just reform. It was pointless to fight the constructs themselves.
To win, they'd have to strike Shiki's body.
But only three crew members could attack at range or achieve even temporary aerial mobility: Marcus with his building abilities, Kira with her transformation, and Sanji who'd just demonstrated Geppo.
The others hadn't mastered that particular Rokushiki technique yet.
As for Nami, theoretically she could fly using her new abilities, but she couldn't even control her powers properly right now. Sending her up would just create more problems.
The Straw Hats maintained outward silence, but inside their mental communication network, arguments exploded.
Some advocated retreat. Others insisted on fighting. A few suggested pretending to cooperate while secretly escaping.
The chaotic clash of opinions made unified action impossible.
This was, without question, the strongest opponent the Straw Hats had ever encountered. Just one exchange had rattled them to their cores.
The Conqueror's Haki he'd released so casually, his reputation as a powerhouse from Roger's era, the abilities he'd demonstrated, everything confirmed the terrifying strength of the man before them.
Reality wasn't a shonen manga. Sometimes you faced enemies you simply couldn't beat.
Luffy stared up at Shiki, who raised one hand lazily, and countless water-blades formed from cloud sea materialized around the ship, all aimed directly at the crew.
"Planning to surrender?"
"Kira!" Luffy shouted suddenly.
Kira instantly transformed into a large bird, just big enough for a person to stand on her back.
Luffy leaped aboard.
"I'll be your opponent!"
Shiki glanced at him, one eyebrow raised. "You?"
His gaze even drifted toward Marcus. Everyone caught it, he considered Marcus the real threat among them.
Nobody could argue with that assessment. Marcus' strength had been proven repeatedly. That terrifying slash was still fresh in everyone's memory, and it hadn't been that long ago. Calling him the strongest fighter in the crew right now wouldn't be an exaggeration.
But Luffy said nothing. He simply stood on Kira's back as she lifted into the air.
"You can't even maintain flight on your own. What exactly do you plan to fight me with?"
Suddenly, a surge of Conqueror's Haki erupted from Shiki's body. Black lightning crackled outward in all directions.
In an instant, the crew members who'd never directly experienced Conqueror's Haki felt like hammers had slammed into their skulls. Their consciousness wavered, vision swimming.
"Is this... Conqueror's Haki?" Cold sweat poured down Vivi's forehead as she struggled to stay conscious.
Chopper simply collapsed onto the deck, his small body trembling. Every animal instinct screamed at him to run.
"I really must be getting old," Shiki remarked, studying the Straw Hats who remained conscious. "I can't even knock out a few rookie crew members anymore."
Though his words were self-mocking, his eyes showed clear appreciation for their resilience.
Luffy took the full brunt of the Conqueror's Haki. Sweat dripped from his forehead, his body tensed against the overwhelming pressure.
But his eyes remained steady.
Steam began rising from his body. But instead of the gradual buildup, it exploded outward all at once like a pressure cooker violently venting steam.
"I'm the man who's gonna become Pirate King! I don't care if you were a great pirate from Roger's era, I'll defeat you!"
The declaration made Shiki laugh. "Words mean nothing without the strength to back them up."
"Gum-Gum... JET Pistol!"
BANG!
Since mastering Life Return, his control over Gear Second had evolved considerably. He could reduce the strain on his body, making it sustainable for longer periods. But if it could be reduced, it could also be amplified, trading bodily damage for even greater power output.
Gear Second's core principle used his rubber physiology to turn his limbs into auxiliary hearts, accelerating blood flow throughout his body. Faster circulation meant faster metabolism, which translated to enhanced reflexes and movement speed.
But now, he wasn't just using the basic technique. He was using Life Return to massively accelerate the entire process beyond normal limits.
It was more damaging to his body than when he'd first developed Gear Second, back before he knew how to properly control it.
His skin, normally flushed red during Gear Second, began shifting to a deeper, more ominous color... purple-red, like a bruise.
The sonic boom of displaced air made Shiki's eyes widen slightly. In his Observation Haki, he naturally perceived everything, and simply tilted his body to the side, dodging the strike with minimal movement.
"Not bad speed."
With a wave, the countless cloud-forged blades hovering in the sky silently redirected, all targeting Luffy.
Luffy's gaze never wavered from Shiki. Armament Haki spread over his fists.
"Too immature."
The instant those words left Shiki's mouth, he'd already moved to dodge.
Only then did Luffy throw his second JET Pistol. Then another. And another.
A rapid-fire barrage of punches, each one faster than the last as Luffy pushed his Gear Second to its limits.
Shiki's expression of mild interest slowly faded into boredom.
"That's all you've got?"
He raised one hand and caught Luffy's incoming punch.
Fist met palm, both coated in black Armament Haki, seemingly evenly matched for a split second.
But then he quietly tightened his grip.
The Haki-coated fist began to twist and deform under the crushing pressure. Luffy's expression shifted from focused to agonized.
Seeing this, Shiki shook his head and released him, as if disappointed.
"This is your captain? He can't even recognize the gap between us."