Yemu looked at Shiki as well. From his gaze, Yemu could tell that, at least for now, Shiki did not seem to have any desire to fight.
Since that was the case, Yemu did not mind chatting with this former legend of the sea. But he did not answer directly. Instead, he asked a question in return.
"Shiki-san, do you believe this world has a Child of Destiny?"
"A Child of Destiny?"
Those words left Shiki somewhat stunned.
"Are you talking about Roger?"
"No."
Yemu shook his head.
"Although Roger was indeed someone favored by this world, he wasn't the person this world was waiting for. Otherwise, he wouldn't have stopped at becoming the Pirate King, and he wouldn't have turned himself in to the Marines."
That answer made Shiki frown.
"Then are you talking about yourself?"
"No. Of course not. Although, from another perspective, I may count as one of the answers to all the problems in this troubled world, I am definitely not the Child of Destiny."
After hearing Yemu's answer, Shiki asked another question.
"What exactly is this Child of Destiny you're talking about?"
"The Child of Destiny? You can think of him as the protagonist of this world's story. The person this world is truly waiting for. He will be loved by everyone, and people will gather around him as he changes the world. Anyone who stands in his way, no matter how powerful, no matter how unreasonable it seems, will be defeated by him. Even you."
As Yemu spoke, Shiki's expression grew uglier and uglier.
"Are you sure such a person really exists in this world? And are you sure you're not talking about yourself?"
"Unfortunately, no. As I said earlier, I may be somewhat similar, but I'm not the person I'm talking about. You can understand it as me having seen a distant future, which is why I have these thoughts."
"The future!"
Shiki froze.
"How is that possible? Even the strongest Observation Haki can only foresee the near future."
"Why wouldn't it be possible? In this world, even something as incredible as Devil Fruits exists. So why would predicting the future be impossible?"
Although Yemu said that, judging from Shiki's expression, he still did not really believe it.
Seeing this, Yemu thought for a moment and continued.
"It looks like we won't be fighting right away, so let's talk properly. Shiki-san, do you know Wano Country?"
"Wano Country? You mean that country of samurai?"
"That's right."
"I remember Newgate's Second Division Commander, Kozuki Oden, the one Roger took away, was a samurai from Wano Country."
"That's right. Then, Shiki-san, did you know that the wife of that samurai named Kozuki Oden, a woman named Kozuki Toki, came from eight hundred years ago?"
"!!!"
At that moment, Shiki was truly shaken.
Coming from eight hundred years ago sounded impossible no matter how he thought about it. But Yemu spoke with such certainty that Shiki could not help doubting himself.
Then Yemu gave an explanation with clear reasoning.
"Because she ate the Toki Toki no Mi. It allows her to send a chosen target, or herself, through time and space, achieving time travel."
"…The Toki Toki no Mi. A Devil Fruit that unbelievable actually exists?"
Even Shiki, who had always been extremely composed, could not control himself at that moment. His expression turned extremely ugly.
"Of course. That is what makes this world so incredible. Just as Rocks once said, this world is a place where nothing makes sense, yet everything is perfectly reasonable. That is the power of Devil Fruits."
At this point, Yemu asked the final question.
"So, why do you think Kozuki Toki had to travel to this era?"
Shiki answered without even needing to think.
"She knew the Child of Destiny would be born in this era?"
"That's right."
Yemu confirmed his answer, then thought for a moment and looked toward the East Blue.
"If nothing changes, the Child of Destiny of this world will be born very soon."
At that moment, Shiki suddenly seemed to think of something.
"Are you talking about Roger's son?"
"Roger's son? No."
Yemu smiled and asked in return.
"Roger's son is no Child of Destiny, Shiki-san. You still don't understand what a Child of Destiny is. The so-called Child of Destiny is someone whom everyone in this world must make way for if they stand in front of him. That includes Roger's son, Whitebeard, Charlotte Linlin, Kaidou, and even the world rulers high above in the Holy Land Mary Geoise."
"And of course, you too, Shiki-san."
"Me. So my future would also end in defeat at the hands of that Child of Destiny?"
"That's right. If I hadn't appeared, then in the near future, you, Shiki-san, standing in the Child of Destiny's path, would become a stepping stone for him to make his name in this world."
Shiki's expression instantly darkened.
A stepping stone.
Those words carried a distinct sense of humiliation.
"Of course, losing to the Child of Destiny isn't exactly something shameful. But rather than leaving this sea in such a miserable way, Shiki-san, wouldn't it be better to have a final curtain here with me, one worthy of the legendary great pirate Shiki the Golden Lion?"
In an instant, the entire world fell silent.
Only the sudden howl of the cold wind swept across the ice.
That was the terrifying aura radiating from the great pirate Shiki the Golden Lion.
At this point, there seemed to be no need to continue talking. But in the end, Shiki still asked one last question.
"Then what about you? What exactly are you?"
"Me… My birth was something of an accident. But don't misunderstand. I don't have any real malice toward the so-called Child of Destiny. At most, I'm just complaining a little. On the contrary, since I've come to this world, if I can bring it another answer besides the Child of Destiny, that wouldn't be bad either."
"That answer is the world you said you want to change?"
"That's right. I don't know whether this answer can serve as the answer to your first question, Shiki-san. Of course, an ideal without power is nothing more than a daydream. So the battle that comes next can be considered another answer as well."
As Yemu spoke, he looked toward Shiki.
"I will also give everything I have and show you absolute respect, Shiki-san. And I will let your will, together with the Fuwa Fuwa no Mi, witness the completion of the paradise I dream of."
As his words fell, a long silence followed.
Shiki looked up at the sky above, as if thinking about something.
After a while, he finally looked back down. His arrogant gaze had returned as he stared at Yemu.
"Is that so? Looks like you've got me all figured out."
"In that case, let me see just how dazzling a final curtain you can give me."
***
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