Time went back to the morning, at the same time Taro woke up on the warship's lookout platform, on Thriller Bark Island in the Florian Triangle.
"Tyrant" Bartholomew Kuma once again answered the den den mushi.
"We just managed to confirm Crocodile's successor; having another vacancy among the Warlord of the Sea would be troublesome. Is he still breathing?"
Hearing the voice from the den den mushi, Kuma's expression didn't change a bit. "I don't know."
"If he's still alive, bring him to Mary Geoise. After he recovers, let him continue serving as a Warlord of the Sea. We'll deal with his defeat later."
Kuma replied flatly as before, "Hmm."
"Being defeated one after another like this, the Warlord of the Sea's prestige is almost gone. This news must not spread to the world. You understand what I mean, right?"
After a pause, the voice continued, "There must be no witnesses to Moria's defeat. The World Government issues a special mission: eliminate everyone, including the Straw Hat Pirates crew!"
"A trivial matter!" Kuma answered calmly, and then the den den mushi call ended... Time returns to the present, East Blue.
On Fleet Admiral Sengoku's flagship, Sengoku summoned Taro and Akainu for a discussion.
"The East Blue is so vast, and Shiki's ability allows entire islands to float in the sky. How can we possibly pinpoint his location?"
The dim lamplight illuminated Akainu's resolute face. Facing Sengoku's question, a fierce glint shone in his eyes. "We wait."
"Wait?" Sengoku was taken aback for a moment before saying, "You mean wait for him to launch an attack?"
Although Taro knew that waiting like this would inevitably mean someplace would get attacked, he didn't have a better solution for the time being and could only choose silence.
Sengoku sighed. "It seems that's the only way. I've already ordered all East Blue branch bases to closely monitor every island and report immediately if anything happens. I hope we can make it in time!"
Akainu didn't seem concerned and said coldly:
"As long as pirates exist for even a day, casualties are inevitable. All we need to do is defeat him as quickly as possible and prevent him from affecting our plans. Then all sacrifices will be worth it."
Taro couldn't be bothered with this cold-blooded guy and simply closed his eyes, pretending to sleep.
"Bree-bree-bree"
"Report, Fleet Admiral! A village on Goth Island is suspected to have been attacked by monsters!"
As soon as Sengoku picked up the den den mushi, the communications soldier on the other end shouted loudly.
Taro flipped himself up, lunged onto the table, and looked at the spread-out map, quickly finding the location of Goth Island.
"The fleet will proceed to Goth Island at full speed!" Sengoku commanded in a low voice.
"Yes!"
The communications soldier hung up the den den mushi. Immediately after, the two warships led by Sengoku and Akainu respectively, plus Taro's one ship, totaling five warships, began moving towards Goth Island.
Since the Golden Lion's location had been confirmed, the three of them all left the conference room and came onto the deck.
Taking advantage of the vast night, Taro, looking hesitant, finally spoke up: "Fleet Admiral, after Ace's arrest, even pirates like the Golden Lion are waiting for an opportunity. I think..."
Before Taro could even finish his sentence, Akainu grunted.
"What's there to fear about them waiting for an opportunity? I'm more afraid they won't show themselves. This time, we can wipe them all out in one go!"
Damn, Red Doggy, where do you get your confidence from?
Taro glanced at him, then looked at Sengoku, only to see Sengoku's face as still as water. "The plan cannot be changed. We just need to deal with the Golden Lion as quickly as possible."
"But there are still those lurking in the shadows, itching to make a move." Taro sighed and murmured softly.
Then followed a long silence; none of the three spoke again.
"Report! The village on Goth Island has been destroyed. The nearby observation ship sent a message just now but has since lost contact."
A Marine Soldier suddenly broke the silence, coming to report.
"How long until we reach Goth Island?" Sengoku asked gravely.
Taro looked at the distant sky and said softly, "No need to go to Goth Island. I think we've already found him."
Akainu and Sengoku looked up simultaneously. Under the bright Moonlight, a massive, dark shadow hung in mid-air, slowly drifting and climbing in altitude.
"What is that thing?!"
"My God, is it a storm cloud?"
The Marine Soldiers on the deck also noticed the huge shadow in the distance and cried out in alarm.
Without another word, Akainu leaped into the air. Half his body transformed into crimson magma, billowing thick smoke as he flew towards the shadow.
Taro glanced at Sengoku, wondering if he should take him along.
Sengoku understood Taro's meaning and shook his head first.
"You go ahead first. When we get closer, this old man has his own way of getting up there."
Since Sengoku said so, Taro no longer hesitated. With a sweep of his arms, he shot straight into the clouds.
Akainu stood with his arms crossed over his chest, his posture ramrod straight, on a hill at the edge of the floating island. Taro landed beside him and asked casually:
"What are you standing around for? Hurry up and go find Shiki!"
Akainu didn't speak, still staring straight ahead. Taro followed his line of sight and only then realized that the place he was standing was actually the very bottom of the floating island.
At the center of this island, even more smaller islands were floating.
Golden Lion Shiki, his Paramecia-type Float-Float Fruit was actually powerful enough to lift an entire archipelago!
Taro was dumbstruck.
At that moment, Sengoku also jumped onto the island. Taro didn't know how he got up, but now wasn't the time to think about that.
Sengoku also quickly scanned the area and then looked towards the very top of the floating islands.
"It should be right up there at the top. Let's go!"
After speaking, he leaped into the air first. With a few light steps under his feet, he landed on a small floating island. Repeating this several times, he kept ascending.
Taro and Akainu had it much easier, directly using their abilities to fly up.
From large prehistoric creatures like dinosaurs and mammoths to small ones like ants and beetles, more and more of the island's creatures noticed the three intruders, Taro and the others, and shrieked as they launched attacks.
However, these ferocious animals were no match for the three of them. The three effortlessly dealt with the pursuing monsters.
After reaching the highest floating island, Golden Lion Shiki's palace also appeared before their eyes. Taro also spotted Shiki's pirate ship in a similarly floating expanse of sea.
Taro was just about to suggest scouting ahead first, but before he could open his mouth, Akainu had already charged out, shouting loudly,
"Shiki, get out here, old man!"
Sengoku, with his hands in his pockets, followed closely behind.
Startled by Akainu's shout, Taro cursed under his breath and followed as well.
The "clang clang" sound of metal striking grew closer, and the figure of that man finally appeared.
Lion-like golden hair that reached the ground, a Mediterranean-style hairstyle with a ship's rudder embedded in his head, wearing typical attire from the previous world's island nation, using two swords tied to his legs as feet, walking with a gait like striking iron.
It was none other than the legendary pirate from the same era as the Pirate King Roger, the Golden Lion Shiki.
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