The heavy rain continued as the black sphere rose slowly into the sky.
Even the seasoned Flying Pirates sensed a looming crisis emanating from it, a force beyond their comprehension.
But nothing shocked them more than the headless body sprawled across the deck—their captain, Golden Lion Shiki, who had been leaping across the battlefield only moments before.
"Captain Shiki!"
It was unclear who shouted first.
A wave of pirates surged onto the deck, struggling to process the impossible.
The Golden Lion had died in an instant, yet there was no time to dwell on disbelief.
High above, the black sphere had merged with the dense clouds.
A terrifying gravitational force erupted from it, instantly drawing in the surrounding storm clouds.
The rain ceased abruptly, replaced by a blinding sunlight.
The pirates below squinted, astonished, as the sphere expanded, swelling into a black sun that dominated the sky.
Someone muttered in fear, "What… is that?"
Before they could react further, the sea churned violently again.
Water columns shot skyward, all pulled inexorably toward the black sun.
Every ship and pirate of the Flying Pirates was drawn upward, helpless against the overwhelming gravitational pull.
Bodies flailed, desperately struggling, but all were swept into the sky.
Ship fragments tore through them midair, killing many instantly.
Countless pieces of wreckage and pirates clung to the sphere, a horrifying mosaic of bodies and debris.
From below, it looked as if a colony of ants had been glued together.
Finally, seawater enveloped everything, forming a colossal, unmistakable orb that hung above the Aed Wall.
The sea returned to calm, and if not for the monstrous sphere, no one could have imagined the ferocious battle that had just raged here.
The Flying Pirates had been utterly annihilated.
Lloyd returned to the Navy ship, his presence immediately freezing every soldier in place.
Eyes widened, jaws dropped; even Sengoku and Garp were momentarily speechless.
The source of their shock was obvious—the bloody head Lloyd carried in his hand.
Despite the disheveled hair and blood, there was no mistaking it: Golden Lion Shiki.
After a long moment, Sengoku regained his composure, though disbelief lingered in his expression.
Step by step, he approached Lloyd and spoke in a low voice, "Lloyd… is this… Shiki? Golden Lion Shiki?"
Lloyd's lips curved into a faint, unreadable smile.
He tilted the head to face Sengoku.
Even in death, Golden Lion's eyes glared with a trace of defiance.
Sengoku could not respond, overwhelmed by shock.
Garp rushed forward, scrutinizing the head with incredulity.
"Unbelievable… Shiki is really dead!"
The Navy ship erupted with murmurs and cheers.
The Golden Lion, in his prime, whose strength had once reached legendary heights, was gone.
Sengoku inhaled deeply, steadying himself.
"Lloyd… did Roger kill him, or…?"
He already suspected the answer.
The condition of the body suggested otherwise; Roger was not so merciless.
Lloyd casually dropped the head to the deck.
"I killed him. Lucky for me, he fell into my hands."
He recounted the events in detail.
Sengoku listened, stunned, glancing at the lifeless Golden Lion, whose eyes were frozen wide in death.
Words failed him.
How could a man of such strength and reputation meet such a humiliating end?
Roger had escaped unscathed, aided by the storm's strong winds.
Golden Lion, by contrast, had been struck by the natural disaster, lost most of his crew, and, in his arrogance, rendered himself vulnerable in midair—before encountering Lloyd, an opportunist who dealt death with surgical precision.
Garp exhaled in relief.
Roger had survived, giving the Navy a renewed chance to pursue him.
Yet the news of Shiki's death spread excitement throughout the ranks.
The soldiers erupted into cheers, their spirits soaring.
Sengoku, finally regaining control of his emotions, patted Lloyd's shoulder.
"Well done, Lloyd! Your presence made all the difference."
He had personally slain Golden Lion Shiki, a feat few could imagine.
Sengoku's admiration deepened; if he were the Fleet Admiral now, Lloyd's performance would demand an immediate promotion.
Considering Lloyd's talent, Sengoku knew he had grown tremendously over the past year.
Killing Golden Lion from amidst his formidable subordinates was no easy task; only someone of exceptional skill could achieve it.
Sengoku asked casually, "Lloyd, there must still be surviving members of the Flying Pirates, right?
They're dangerous.
Which way did they flee?
Let's use this chance to eliminate them completely."
Lloyd's reply was calm and confident.
"No need to pursue, Admiral Sengoku.
They've all been taken care of.
We can proceed directly to Aed Wall and verify the results of the battle."
Sengoku was momentarily shocked but, recognizing Lloyd's unmatched efficiency, did not question further.
He signaled the ship to continue toward the Aed Wall.
By the time they arrived, the sea had returned to serenity.
Navy personnel scanned the waters, expecting wreckage or corpses, but saw only the calm waves.
Just as doubt began to settle in, Lloyd pointed toward the sky…