Chrollo stared up at the gargantuan island hovering in the sky, his expression darkening.
Is my "jinx" luck acting up again? Can I not even have a life of my own?!
He squinted, rubbing his chin as he analyzed the falling landmass. A memory clicked. He slapped his forehead.
"How could I forget him? Dammit! Characters from the movies really shouldn't be showing up to mess with the main timeline—"
It made perfect sense. In the East Blue, a giant island falling from the sky could only be the work of one man: Golden Lion Shiki.
Dracule Shiki—user of the Float-Float Fruit. He's a "Floating Man" who can fly himself and any non-living object he touches. Known as the "Pirate Admiral," he was a legendary pirate who once stood on equal footing with Gol D. Roger and "Whitebeard" Edward Newgate. He was also the first man in history to escape Impel Down.
During this period, Shiki was consumed by a desire for revenge against the World Government. He and his second-in-command, Dr. Indigo, had spent over twenty years on the floating islands of Merveille studying "IQ"—a plant extract that causes animals and plants to evolve into berserk monsters. His plan? To unleash these mutated beasts upon the East Blue to show the world his wrath.
Ugh—what are the odds of running into a legend like him while I'm just trying to eat?
Chrollo felt a headache coming on. But then... a spark of inspiration hit. Maybe this wasn't bad luck.
To escape Impel Down, Shiki had cut off his own legs. Add to that the steering wheel permanently lodged in his skull, and his power was a shadow of its former self. In the movies, a pre-timeskip Gear Third Luffy managed to beat him! Right now, he was just an old man past his prime.
This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity!
If he successfully hunted a pirate who was once the rival of Roger and Whitebeard, how much Prestige would that net him? It was almost unimaginable.
With those points, he could buy out the entire Bandit's Point Shop. Moreover, the Float-Float Fruit was incredibly versatile. If he stole it, the Black Whale would become a true flying fortress. He could hunt anyone, anywhere, at any time.
Chrollo's eyes lit up. His resolve hardened.
"I have to take down the Golden Lion. No matter the cost."
"Troupe! Assemble!"
At his command, shadows flickered across the deck as the members of the Phantom Troupe appeared instantly by his side. Without wasting a breath, Chrollo crouched down and activated [4-Dimensional Mansion]. A glowing, two-meter square appeared on the floor beneath them.
"Everyone inside. We're moving out!"
One by one, the members leaped into the portal. Only Chrollo and Nami remained.
"You're still here?"
"..." Nami glared at him, looking beyond annoyed.
"I feel like I'm forgetting something..." Chrollo said, looking puzzled.
Nami practically roared, "YOU ARE! Shrink the Black Whale, you idiot! All my money is on that ship!!!" She pointed frantically at the cruise ship docked next to the Baratie.
"Oh, right," Chrollo rubbed his head. "My bad. Got a little caught up in the moment."
He raised his hand. A blur of white fabric—the [Fun Fun Cloth]—swept across the air. In an instant, the gargantuan Black Whale vanished.
Nami looked back at the Baratie. A flash of guilt crossed her face. She looked at Chrollo. "Can't we save them, too? If that island hits, everyone will die..."
Chrollo nodded. "Don't worry. I'll figure it out. Get inside."
Nami gave him a worried look but eventually jumped into the square portal.
---
Chrollo stood alone on the deck, looking up at the sky with a predatory grin.
Could he win?
In recent years, as his Nen abilities evolved and reached the point where he could stack multiple powers at once, he had become nearly invincible on the Black Whale. Whether it was the Zodiacs, the Kakin Princes, Hisoka, Kurapika, or even Ging Freecss—none could truly stand against a Chrollo who wielded dozens of refined abilities.
He had grown used to letting his Troupe members handle the fighting. By granting them specific combinations of powers, he could ensure victory against almost any foe under his careful orchestration. Honestly, life had become a bit boring.
So, was he happy to be in the world of One Piece?
"Heh," Chrollo looked up and let out a savage laugh. "Of course I am! Finally... I get to challenge real monsters again!"
Because he hadn't gone all-out in so long, even Chrollo wasn't entirely sure of his own current ceiling.
"But I... have never stopped getting stronger."
Chrollo dropped into a low crouch. The muscles in his legs bulged and coiled, compressing with the terrifying tension of a predator.
CRACK—!
The deck beneath him shattered. The force of his take-off was so great the entire Baratie tilted into the water.
WHOOSH—!
Chrollo shot into the sky like a railgun projectile. With a thunderous sonic boom, he vanished from sight.
Pop! Pop! Pop!
Breaking the sound barrier, he moved with terrifying speed. He used his newly acquired [Moonwalk], his feet kicking the air with enough force to sound like firecrackers, as he rocketed straight toward the falling landmass.
As he closed the distance, Chrollo fully released his suppressed Nen. A terrifying storm of aura exploded from his body, forming a literal black cloud of pressure around him.
In the world of Hunter x Hunter, the Royal Guard Youpi had an aura capacity of roughly units. Chrollo's current output was an astonishing !
He was wielding a power greater than that of the ultimate Chimera Ants.
"Only pure output can suppress everything!"
The falling landmass was likely just a fragment of Shiki's floating fortress, Strong World, that had broken off. Something like that wasn't enough to crush him.
Vrummm—
The white cloth in his hand expanded until it was massive, stretching out to cover the entire underside of the island fragment.
[Fun Fun Cloth: Maximum Output]
"I don't care if you're a giant island or a Golden Lion," Chrollo's gaze was arrogant. "Get in the bag!"
Fwoosh—!
The cloth wrapped around the bottom of the fragment. In a flash, the island that had been large enough to swallow the Baratie disappeared entirely, as if it had never existed.
The sky instantly cleared. The sea below remained eerily calm.
---
On the deck of the Baratie, people were collapsed on the floor, weeping with relief.
Zeff and Sanji remained standing, their jaws clenched as they exchanged a look of pure shock.
"It's... it's gone? just like that?!"
Sanji couldn't believe his eyes. An island falling from the sky was a literal act of god—a natural disaster. And yet, that guest who had been slurping stinky noodles just... took care of it?
Zeff stared at the empty sky for a long time before finally nodding, a complex expression on his face. "Those people... they must be from the Grand Line."
He turned to Sanji, his voice heavy with significance. "Look closely, brat. That... is the power of the peak of the Grand Line! Only monsters like that have a chance of surviving against the horrors at the end of the sea."
Sanji nodded, his face pale with terror. He thought to himself: Note to self—do NOT go to sea until I'm that strong. I don't care who asks!
Then, a thought hit him. He screamed, "CRAP! Zeff-old-man! They didn't pay the bill!!!"
---
Chrollo, unaware of the chaos below, continued his ascent.
Pop! Pop! Pop!
He kicked the air, Moonwalking toward the massive floating island of Strong World hidden high within the clouds.
"Golden Lion... wait for me!!!"
---
Chrollo is hunting a legend!