At the periphery of Merveille, cannon fire thundered and battle cries echoed incessantly. The once-thriving indigenous village had been razed to the ground. In this stretch of East Blue sky, local pirates fought desperately to defend their homeland against unfamiliar invaders.
While the ground forces remained locked in fierce combat, the aerial battle above proved equally spectacular.
In William's grip, the silk cord wrapping Wado Ichimonji's hilt had long since incinerated. Under temperatures exceeding a thousand degrees, the legendary blade continuously emitted wisps of white vapor. Each swing generated heat waves so intense they visibly distorted the surrounding air.
Golden Lion Shiki's foot-mounted blades—"Oto" (Cherry Blossom) and "Kogarashi" (Withered Tree)—repeatedly clashed with Wado Ichimonji, causing Shiki to feel an uncomfortable warmth radiating through his legs.
In his [Overheat] state, William's entire body glowed crimson. The immense internal pressure exacted a heavy toll, contorting his features into a fierce grimace.
With every movement, William released concentrated bursts of superheated steam. The thermal waves not only made proximity unbearable for anyone nearby but propelled him through the air like a jet fighter. His attacks generated sonic booms, each strike delivering devastating force.
BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!
The two figures repeatedly collided and separated in mid-air. Each impact produced thunderous explosions and metallic clangs that echoed across the sky. Their battle carried them progressively higher, gradually drawing them away from Merveille Island.
The casual confidence that had initially marked Shiki's expression had completely vanished, replaced by grave concentration befitting a confrontation with a formidable opponent.
William delivered another powerful slash. Shiki raised his leg to block with one of his swords, but William immediately followed with a punch aimed directly at Shiki's chest. Shiki managed to catch William's fist with his open palm.
BOOM!
William's fist erupted in an explosive release of heat and pressure, sending Shiki tumbling backward through the air.
Lowering his hand, Shiki observed a faint wisp of white vapor rising from his palm. Yet despite directly absorbing William's superheated steam explosion, his hand remained remarkably uninjured.
This demonstrated the power of Haki—the other dominant force in this world alongside Devil Fruits.
Unlike Conqueror's Haki, Shiki had employed Armament Haki to defend against William's attack. When activated, this technique formed an invisible armor that enhanced defense, transformed the user's body into a weapon, and even enabled contact with the physical forms of Logia-type Devil Fruit users.
Though Shiki had successfully blocked William's attack, his expression betrayed significant strain. His eye twitched involuntarily while veins bulged prominently across his forehead.
Haki represents the "power of will"—an ability intrinsically linked to determination and consciousness, comparable to presence or intimidation.
Shiki's predicament stemmed from the ship's rudder that had impaled his skull years ago. In his prime, he had dismissed this injury as inconsequential. But now, at over seventy years old, the consequences had become increasingly apparent. According to the original timeline, merely seven years later, he would struggle against Straw Hat Luffy and his crew—relative novices at the time—becoming disoriented during close combat.
Even now, each time Shiki employed Haki, he experienced constriction at the base of his skull. The blood flow in his brain seemed simultaneously obstructed and dangerously accelerated, like a faucet alternating between blockage and full release.
In White Pine Town, Shiki had briefly demonstrated his Conqueror's Haki, yet even that momentary display had left his eyes bloodshot. Now, engaged in prolonged combat with William, repeatedly utilizing Haki while enduring direct clashes, Shiki's breathing had grown increasingly labored.
William faced his own challenges while maintaining [Overheat]. He needed to continuously employ Life Return to contain the steam within his body while simultaneously withstanding enormous internal pressure. This placed tremendous strain on both his mind and physical endurance. However, youth provided William a crucial advantage—in a battle of stamina and attrition, he held the upper hand.
Shiki recognized this reality. Before William's reserves depleted, his own strength would likely falter first.
Though reluctant to acknowledge this disadvantage, Shiki began attempting to increase distance between them, planning to leverage his Float-Float Fruit abilities for ranged attacks.
William, however, refused to allow this strategic retreat. He pursued Shiki relentlessly, their aerial chase quickly carrying them beyond Merveille's boundaries.
Meanwhile, in the indigenous village, Buggy and his chief strategist Cabaji had gradually drifted away from the battlefield's center. Unlike the volunteer forces from across East Blue, they hadn't joined willingly and consequently lacked motivation to fight to the death.
After using his Chop-Chop Fruit to unexpectedly impale an enemy wielding a curved blade, Buggy retreated with Cabaji behind a massive boulder, momentarily catching his breath.
Cabaji wiped cold sweat from his brow and, gazing at the aerial duel above, remarked with involuntary awe: "This battle defies comprehension—those two are monsters!"
Though initially astonished himself, Buggy now affected nonchalance. "This? This is nothing special."
Cabaji didn't contradict him. Instead, he cautiously peered around the boulder to survey the battlefield behind them, asking anxiously: "Can William win? If he loses, how do we escape? Should we consider surrendering to Shiki?"
To ensure his forces fought with absolute commitment—and to prevent Shiki from destroying valuable transportation—William had ordered all airships to depart after deploying troops. This strategic decision eliminated any possibility for Buggy and Cabaji to commandeer an aircraft and flee.
"That ruthless bastard William," Buggy seethed, grinding his teeth in frustration. After mentally comparing Shiki and William, however, he reluctantly acknowledged: "Shiki is brutal and merciless. Submitting to him would be worse than remaining under William's command. Besides, considering the extensive damage William has inflicted on Shiki's base, if William falls, Shiki won't show us any mercy either."
"Then what options do we have?" Cabaji asked anxiously. Having witnessed Shiki's cruelty when he hurled his own subordinates along with an entire floating island at their enemies, Cabaji recognized the truth in Buggy's assessment. "They're battling in the sky—we can't possibly assist."
"Pray. Pray for a massive storm," Buggy responded, pressing his palms together and shaking them fervently. Then, in a voice barely audible even to himself, he muttered: "I escaped from Shiki once before. I refuse to die in some insignificant corner of the East Blue after all these years."
William pursued Shiki relentlessly. The two figures weaved through the archipelago surrounding Merveille. As William rounded one particular island, an enormous, grotesquely formed bird suddenly lunged at him, beak extended for a killing strike.
Without hesitation, William cleaved the creature in two with a single slash. His blade, enhanced by superheated steam, instantly vaporized the bird's blood, creating a crimson mist in mid-air.
Emerging through this bloody haze with a ferocious expression, William taunted: "I've brought my forces to face you, Shiki! Why are you running scared?"
"SILENCE!"
Shiki roared furiously, unleashing an invisible shockwave. A nearby small island instantly disintegrated, its fragments hurtling toward William.
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