"Jiehahahaha! Sherwin, you're finally back! How is it? My army of fierce beasts? Although our research direction had some issues, their strength is still quite good, isn't it? And little Haibara also said that as long as we spend two or three years, they can be adjusted back!"
As Sherwin and the others passed through the Daft-Green protective belt, Shiki rushed forward impatiently. His words were filled with an urgent desire for an alliance and deep envy toward Sherwin.
In just a few days, Shiki had already understood how vast the gap was between Haibara Meow and Indigo. Indigo himself even admitted that if Haibara Meow had joined this project from the start, it wouldn't have taken twenty years the requirements could have been met within ten.
Furthermore, besides Haibara Meow, there was Purah Meow, who was only slightly inferior in medicine. From what he overheard during the two Felyne conversations, this gap only existed because Purah Meow interests lay elsewhere...
Sherwin Dodo Advance, which made countless pirates drool with envy, was designed and built by her.
Not to mention there were Logia Felynes like Klee Meow and Shermie Meow, as well as Seijuro Meow and Link Meow, who were said to be able to spar with Hawkeye.
A gathering of such talented Felynes was something that could only be seen during the peak of his Flying Pirate Fleet years ago.
Because of this, the habitually proud "Golden Lion" had rarely lowered his head, trying every possible way to win Sherwin support.
For instance, right now...
Sherwin lowered his gaze, landing on Shiki legs.
The feet that originally had blades installed like Camille had now been replaced by wooden legs that suited his pirate status perfectly. The detached "Oto" and "Kogarashi" were now hanging at Shiki waist.
Seeing Sherwin notice his feet, Shiki laughed heroically once again.
"Jiehahahaha! Didn't I say before that I would give them to you?" Shiki unfastened his sabers and held them out in front of Sherwin with straightened arms. "As long as you agree to join forces with me, they are yours!"
"Sigh..."
Sherwin couldn't help but sigh. "You're showing so much sincerity that it makes me a little embarrassed to turn against you."
"...What do you mean by that?"
Shiki pulled back his smile and asked with a dark expression.
"Exactly what it sounds like..." Sherwin slowly drew the Longsword, pointing it at Shiki as he spoke frankly.
"I never intended to join forces with you from the start. Haibara was just interested in IQ, so we came to take a look. But seeing how enthusiastic you've been, I won't resort to any petty tricks."
"Then I've really been played by you..."
Shiki every word and movement radiated thick killing intent, and the gaze he directed at Sherwin seemed as if it were steeped in poison.
After all, before this, he truly believed there was a high probability Sherwin would join him. In Shiki eyes, the current situation was undoubtedly a betrayal.
While betrayal among pirates was common, it was precisely because of its prevalence that it was all the more unforgivable.
Moreover, Sherwin words practically declared that he had Shiki right where he wanted him. How could the proud "Golden Lion" ever swallow such an insult?
"Lion Majesty: Earth Bind!"
Without further nonsense, Shiki launched a direct attack on Sherwin. The earth beneath their feet surged, forming several massive lion heads that lunged at Sherwin with maws wide open.
"None of you interfere Shiki is mine. Everyone else, proceed according to plan."
Sherwin gave the Felynes their orders, then swung the Longsword toward the incoming lion heads and the hovering Shiki.
Hunter Style: Celestial Moon!
The massive earthen lion heads were easily sliced to pieces by the flying slashes. Several of these slashes even tore through the towering walls of earth, continuing their flight toward Shiki behind them.
"Lion: Thousand Slashes!"
Shiki swung "Kogarashi" and "Oto," unleashing his own volley of flying slashes. However, upon colliding with Sherwin attacks, they were instantly shattered, while Sherwin slashes showed no obvious signs of weakening.
"Damn it! If it weren't for this steering wheel in my head..."
After continuously throwing out dozens of slashes and finally even resorting to his unstable Armament Haki, Shiki barely managed to block Sherwin attack, though his expression was far from pleasant.
Actually, he had always known his strength had declined, but in the ten-plus years since his prison break, he had rarely clashed with other powerful figures, so he lacked a precise concept of exactly how much he had weakened.
Sherwin few flying slashes forced Shiki to face reality...
Even if his plan were to succeed without a hitch, the World Government would only need to dispatch a single Admiral for a decapitation strike, and he would be unable to stop them.
But even so...
"Taking my head won't be that easy! Lion Majesty: Earth Bound!"
Since his swordsmanship couldn't compare, he would fight using his fruit abilities!
As a great pirate who had experienced several ups and downs in life, Shiki naturally wouldn't admit defeat so easily. He activated his fruit ability once more while rapidly floating toward the high sky.
Hunter Style: Starry Sky, Moonlit Earth!
Sherwin repeated his old trick, once again slicing those lion heads made of earth into fragments. However, this time Shiki was prepared under his control, the shattered soil quickly regrouped, transforming back into massive lion heads that snapped at Sherwin.
At the same time, a large amount of masonry, armor, shields, and other sturdy objects flew out from the palace behind, surrounding Shiki to protect him.
Nevertheless, that first probing attack had already allowed Sherwin to gauge Shiki current strength level...
How should he put it? While he wasn't entirely sure of Gear 3 Luffy strength, excluding fruit abilities, Shiki was currently around the level of a three hundred million Berry pirate. Including fruit abilities, he was at about one billion.
He definitely couldn't beat Katakuri, but he would have no problem forcing a stalemate or even using tactics to defeat Jack the Drought.
In fact, Sherwin had always felt that the true strength of Shiki Float-Float Fruit didn't lie in one-on-one combat, but rather in its overall strategic layout. Couldn't he at least learn from Fujitora and play a hand of "justice from the heavens"?
Burying people with mud looks grand and intimidating, but its actual lethality is hard to describe. Not to mention, everyone in the One Piece world has the tenacity of a cockroach...
Even Crocodile, who plays with sand, knew he had to develop moves like Desert Spada!
What Sherwin wanted to complain about most was that in the movie, if you're going to bury someone, just bury them. Yet, you specifically left Luffy and the other heads exposed, as if you were terrified the Straw Hat Crew would suffocate in the dirt.
One can only say that for a guy who spent twenty years just to end up with an uncontrollable animal army, his logic is certainly unique.
Or was it the fault of that steering wheel?
While Sherwin mentally ridiculed Shiki various questionable operations, he ignored the lion heads pouncing at him from all directions. He raised the Longsword behind his head, assuming a charging stance toward Shiki in the sky...
"!!!"
Sensing danger, Shiki hurriedly pulled all his protective objects in front of him, but it was futile. This invisible force pierced directly through everything blocking Sherwin path, forcibly carving a circular void between Sherwin and Shiki.
"Puh-wa—!"
Shiki spat out a mouthful of blood, looking down at the identical void that had appeared in his own chest.
"Spear of Elbaf? That truly is... a nostalgic move..."
He had fought against the Giant race in the past, so he naturally recognized this move. Moreover, Charlotte Linlin, who was also in the Rocks Pirates, could use this technique as well.
But whether it was the Giants or the former BIG MOM, neither had been able to defeat him with this move. He never expected that he would fall so easily to it now.
"It truly frustrating... Roger..."
Muttering the name of his greatest former rival, Shiki breathed his last and plummeted from the sky.
Falling along with him were the clouds of earth that had risen from the ground, as well as...
These islands that had been suspended in the heavens.
"Roar—!!!"
Just then, a loud dragon roar echoed from below. Kaido Meow, having transformed into the Sakura Dragon, avoided the surrounding seawater and rose up, conjuring a massive amount of Flame Clouds to support the main island and halt its descent.
Previously, leading the Felynes to scout the entire island served a purpose beyond just mapping and completing the encyclopedia Sherwin also wanted Kaido Meow to confirm whether his abilities were sufficient to hold up this main island.
As for the other islands, since they were uninhabited and no IQ plants were being grown there, Sherwin naturally didn't bother with them.
Of course, there was still one most important matter to attend to right now.
Sherwin dashed quickly to the side of Shiki, who had fallen to the ground. Without pausing to pick up the nearby "Oto" and "Kogarashi," he drew his hunter knife and plunged it into Shiki abdomen...
Obtained [Steering Wheel]×1
Damn it!
...