"Yahahaha! Old man, the only reason I didn't crush you before… was because I didn't have the time!"
Lightning split the skies as the thunder god Enel materialized from a storm of blinding light, his golden staff crackling with power. Standing high atop the towering structure of the Lionhead Fortress, he looked down with wild arrogance at Shiki the Golden Lion and the captains of his Sky Pirates.
"You really thought we wouldn't find your little floating nest?" Enel sneered, laughter echoing through the thunder.
With a flick of his golden staff, dozens of massive lightning bolts crashed down in unison, raining divine fury upon Shiki's fleet of ornate skyships.
"Brat, you're courting death!"
With a roar, Shiki blurred into motion, his twin swords unleashing twin golden arcs of sword aura in an 'X' that sliced straight toward Enel.
"You've gotten old, Shiki!" Enel grinned with mockery gleaming in his dull, lazy eyes.
"One Hundred Million Volts—Thunder Dragon!"
He thrust his arm forward. A colossal golden dragon of pure lightning erupted from the sky, roaring as it collided head-on with Shiki's twin slashes.
BOOOOOM!
The resulting explosion sent shockwaves rippling across the sky, shaking the massive Lionhead Island ship violently. The air around it warped, and the following fleet of golden skyships reeled under the shockwave, still reeling from the earlier lightning strikes.
"Hahaha! It's Lord Enel—the Thunder God himself!!"
On Lorenz Island below, Bartolomeo was practically dancing, waving his arms with tears of excitement. He completely forgot about his battle with Eustass Kid and Killer, gazing up at the storm-filled heavens.
"Enel alone dares to fight Shiki the Golden Lion head-on… just how strong is the Kiryuu Pirates?!" exclaimed Van Augur, normally calm and stoic, but now visibly stirred.
Nearby, Avaro Pizarro, Doc Q, and Burgess all stared skyward in awe at the massive clash of thunder and steel.
Even though Enel's bounty ranked below the top monsters of the world—below Souta Kiryuu the God-Slayer, Bartholomew Kuma the Tyrant, and Boa Hancock the Pirate Empress—his power was still legendary.
And yet, within the Kiryuu Pirates, he wasn't even in the top five.
"It's Lord Kiryuu! I can see him! I'm crying, I'm seriously crying!"
When the explosion cleared and the silhouette of a crimson dragon appeared soaring amidst the storm clouds, Bartolomeo's eyes filled with tears. He bit his sleeve like a child meeting his idol.
"Lord Kiryuu himself… has come!" gasped Pizarro, clenching his fists.
They hadn't even reached Gaya Island yet, and already the heavens had opened up before them. Could this be their trial?
As everyone's attention was drawn to the sky—where Shiki and Souta Kiryuu faced off—Killer grabbed Kid by the collar and began dragging him away.
"Go! Kid, stop being reckless!" he hissed under his breath, his tone urgent.
Kid's eyes burned with fury, his fists clenched so tight his knuckles went white. He wanted revenge, but the situation was hopeless.
If Bartolomeo's crew truly belonged to Souta Kiryuu… then there was no winning this fight.
"You bastards… just wait for me!!" Kid growled, glaring at his enemies with bloodshot eyes. Even if they joined the Kiryuu Pirates, he would never forget this humiliation.
From that moment on, he vowed that Souta Kiryuu himself would be his enemy.
"Bartolomeo! Pizarro! Kid's escaping—stop him!"
Van Augur's sharp eyes spotted the two figures slipping away through the chaos. If Shiki was no longer a threat, then their true mission remained: to hunt the Kid Pirates.
Only by crushing the newest Supernova could they prove their worth to Souta Kiryuu.
Bang! Bang! Bang!
Van Augur fired three precise shots, forcing Kid and Killer to dive for cover.
"What?! You're not getting away!" Bartolomeo yelled, his face twisted with rage. "You're gifts for Lord Kiryuu himself!"
His excitement at witnessing the crimson dragon had been abruptly replaced by fury. Today, he would stand upon the fallen body of a Supernova and claim his place among Kiryuu's elite.
"Don't even think about running—Sound Cannon!"
Pizarro raised his arms and unleashed a roaring shockwave that blasted toward Kid and Killer, shattering the ground in their path.
Five of them charged together, surrounding the two fugitives. Now that Souta Kiryuu had descended in person, they had to prove their loyalty with blood and victory.
The island erupted once more into chaos.
Dozens of pirates and bounty hunters, sensing opportunity, turned greedy eyes toward Kid and Killer. This was their chance—to offer a trophy, and perhaps earn a place among Kiryuu's terrifying ranks.
In moments, the battlefield became a storm of smoke, screams, and steel. The circle tightened. Escape was no longer possible.
Above the Clouds
Meanwhile, Barrett had arrived at the Lionhead Fortress right after Enel, launching himself into the sky like a cannonball.
He landed with an earth-shattering crash, immediately joining the fray against Shiki. The once-mighty "Lion King" who had driven even the Roger Pirates to the brink was now a broken old man with two wooden legs—but Barrett didn't care.
He wanted to beat Shiki head-on.
"Ehahahaha! Enel! If you don't move, I'll hit you too!" Barrett roared, his body exploding with Armament Haki so dense it warped the air. His next attack encompassed both Shiki and Enel in its destructive radius.
Though they'd fought countless sparring matches on Sky Island, Barrett never truly considered any of them—Enel, Law, or Moria—as real allies.
He had joined the Kiryuu Pirates for one reason only: to grow stronger—and to one day strike directly at Marine Headquarters and the Five Elders of Mariejois.
"Tch. Fine by me!" Enel snarled, sparks dancing around him. He was as proud as any god; aside from Souta Kiryuu, he bowed to no one.
Without hesitation, he unleashed another storm of lightning that engulfed both Barrett and Shiki.
A massive three-way battle erupted above the clouds, shaking the heavens. The Lionhead Fortress itself groaned and tilted under the sheer force of their power.
Behind them, the enormous crimson dragon approached, watching with a faint, amused smile. Souta Kiryuu didn't intervene—he merely observed, allowing his subordinates to fight to their hearts' content.
"Go," Kiryuu commanded coolly. "Take everything they have."
As his vast form descended upon the Lionhead Fortress, the Pirate Empress and Bonney leapt from his back, ready for war.
"Listen up, Sky Pirates!" Bonney shouted, her voice echoing through the fortress. "If any of you bastards ate the Devil Fruit from Demon Island—get your asses out here! I'll beat you so bad your parents won't recognize you!"
Her declaration was met not by words—but by a thunderous roar.
Dozens of monstrous beasts, eyes glowing red, charged toward her in a frenzy.
"Damn! So many freaks!" Bonney cursed, her body expanding into a towering giant. She swung her colossal fist, smashing a black-and-white bear the size of a house into the deck.
"Slave Arrow!"
Beside her, Boa Hancock formed a glowing pink heart with her hands, pulling it back like a bowstring. She released, and thousands of shimmering arrows filled the sky, raining down on the oncoming beasts like a deadly, beautiful storm.
The assault began. The Kiryuu Pirates had descended.
And the skies themselves trembled.
...
Hey everyone! Want to read ahead and unlock up to 100 early-access chapters? 📖Plus, enjoy even more exclusive novels! Join my Patreon now and dive into the adventure!
patreon.com/Rawink00