After Garp's "friendly sparring" and Whitebeard's "polite greeting," the Oro Jackson finally enjoyed a few days of genuine peace.
The aftermath of Kyle's duel with Newgate continued to ferment aboard the ship. Newer crew members like Elio still talked about that terrifying clash with awe shining in their eyes.
Kyle, meanwhile, sat alone in his cabin, carefully polishing his black-gold naginata, replaying every exchange from that fight in his mind.
Raw Haki.
Overwhelming strength.
A kind of power completely different from Devil Fruits.
"…Still not enough," Kyle murmured.
The Lions Appear
That day, the sky was cloudless and the sea perfectly calm.
"Fleet sighted! Five ships! Closing fast!" Dolinger shouted from the lookout.
"Five?" Gaban squinted toward the horizon. "Who's got the guts to show up with that kind of lineup?"
Rayleigh raised his binoculars. A moment later, a knowing smile crossed his face.
"So it's him."
Five massive pirate ships appeared, moving in a loose encirclement. Their sails bore a roaring lion emblem.
At the head of the lead ship stood a man with wild golden hair like a lion's mane, gripping two famous blades—Shiki the Golden Lion.
Kyle crossed his arms, inner commentary firing at full speed.
Ah yes, here he comes—the No.1 Roger fanboy.
Right now he's threatening murder, but in a few years he'll be begging Roger to rule the world together.
And after Roger dies? He'll storm Marineford alone crying for revenge.
The tsundere energy is unreal…
Roger walked out of the cabin, still holding half a bottle of booze.
"Oh? Another guest? That's quite the welcome."
Shiki's voice boomed across the waves.
"Jihahahaha! Roger! I finally found you!
Your crew, your treasure—they'll all become the foundation of my empire! I'll become the one true king of the seas by crushing you!"
Roger tossed the bottle into the ocean and drew Ace.
"You sure bark a lot for a housecat, Lion Head.
If you want to be king, show me you're worthy!"
Sky vs. Sea
Shiki slammed both hands onto his deck.
"Lion's Might: Earth Roll!"
The sea itself rose, tearing upward into five gigantic water lions that charged at the Oro Jackson.
Kyle stepped forward calmly.
"Tide Resonance."
The invisible waves shattered the lions, turning them back into crashing water.
Shiki grinned.
"Interesting… but now let's go higher!"
"Float!"
His fleet—ships and even chunks of islands—rose into the sky.
The five warships hovered like flying fortresses.
"The sky belongs to me now!" Shiki roared.
New crew members stared in horror.
"They're… flying…"
Roger just laughed.
"So flashy as always."
Kyle closed his eyes.
The sea answered him.
"Tide Resonance: Heaven-Tilting Wave!"
The ocean lifted into a colossal wall—and then became a sky-reaching tsunami.
The Oro Jackson rode that wave upward like a charging god.
Two of Shiki's ships were smashed brutally by the surge.
"WHAT?!" Shiki roared.
"Now!" Roger shouted.
"Divine Departure!"
The clash between Roger and Shiki split the sky.
Meanwhile, Rayleigh, Gaban, Kyle, and the others tore through Shiki's fleet.
The Golden Lion's aerial empire collapsed into chaos.
Shiki realized it.
He had lost.
"Next time, Roger… I'll bury you!"
He fled with his remaining ships.
Aftermath
The ocean fell silent.
Elio and the others stood frozen.
Roger cracked his neck.
"Well that was boring. He ran."
Then he grinned at the survivors in the water.
"Alright, scoop them up!
Sell the useful ones, dump the rest at a Marine base.
And then—party time!"
"OOOOHHHH!!!"
The Oro Jackson sailed on, undefeated, while somewhere far above, a blond lion nursed his wounded pride.
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