A storm of sand, rocks, and debris rained down under the wrath of the Golden Lion, completely surrounding Luffy and the others, black and oppressive, ready to crush them.
Faced with such a wide-scale attack, Robin—the strongest guardian of the Starry Sky Pirates—immediately crossed her hands in an X-shape.
Rapid purple flames began to rise from her wrists.
But Luffy suddenly reached out, stopping Robin just as she was about to activate her ability.
A smile, as confident and arrogant as the Golden Lion himself, spread across Luffy's face. He whispered softly,
"Nami, go greet this legendary pirate."
"Got it!"
Nami, originally standing behind the group, immediately responded, her lithe figure vanishing in a blur.
A violent gale suddenly surged toward the Golden Lion.
Leaping into the air, Nami raised her pale arms, palms aimed directly at the floating Golden Lion.
Seeing this, Shiki laughed arrogantly.
"Kyahahahaha!"
"Little girl, does your pirate crew plan to use you as a gift to beg for mercy!?"
Even though the three strongest members of the Starry Sky Pirates hadn't moved, making the former great pirate feel a twinge of humiliation, he knew his own abilities.
Now in his old age, his body was far from what it had been a decade ago.
Even he, once a man who never feared the Yonko, dared not gauge his current strength.
Because he was afraid.
Afraid that he himself would become the weakling he had always despised.
Hiss!
A teal-green magical circle suddenly bloomed in Nami's palm, dazzling in brilliance.
The air around them surged, and the wild wind pressure obeyed her as if it were her own guardian, lining up at her sides.
The enormous lion made of sand and soil surged toward Nami.
But she grinned suddenly, responding to Shiki's provocation:
"A gift for mercy?"
"On the contrary!"
"The Starry Sky Pirates only need me to handle you!!!"
Whoosh!
The air beside Nami, manipulated by her magical power, instantly transformed.
Two enormous wind blades, forged from terrifying pressure, hovered at her sides.
The front of each blade hummed with an oppressive aura, radiating lethal force that left no doubt about its destructive power.
Nami's eyes shone with confidence as she focused on the massive lion formed from sand and debris, raising her arms.
A beam of light shot from her eyes as her arms swung down!
Two terrifying slashes struck—one after the other, perfectly staggered.
"Kyahahahaha!!!"
Floating midair, the Golden Lion laughed wildly.
The massive lion made of sand showed no fear. It opened its gaping mouth, dark as a black hole, aiming to devour everything in its path.
BOOM!!!
The magical Dragon-Slaying energy clashed instantly with Shiki's Devil Fruit power.
The tip of the Heavenly Blade sliced violently through the wind pressure, cutting open half of the lion's head.
But the defiant beast roared, snapping its sharp teeth.
The magic pierced through, scattering the air into invisible waves, whipping up a violent gale that slammed into the surrounding forest.
Just as the lion prepared another strike, another blade rose.
The chaotic wind vanished in an instant.
For a brief moment, the sky went silent.
A smooth vertical cut appeared in the center of the soil-lion.
The gray-yellow beast became a precarious sculpture.
Moments later, it collapsed with a thunderous crash, rocks and soil scattering to both sides.
Shiki's face grew serious, his narrow eyes filled with shock.
Not because of Nami's strength.
But because, from the aura of her attack, it was clear that this little girl was only mid-tier in the Starry Sky Pirates' rankings.
Complex emotions surged within the veteran pirate.
It seemed the seas had produced yet another remarkable figure.
Whitebeard, Garp, Sengoku…
Are you all the same as me now?
A sense of fading glory radiated from Shiki's body.
The sun blazed overhead, yet he was no longer the man he once was.
He patted the empty pocket of his loose coat—regret gnawed at him.
In a scene this grand, not smoking a cigar feels wrong…
...
"Nami's gotten stronger."
Below the clouds, Robin gazed up at the proud figure of Nami, smiling sweetly.
She remembered their first meeting, when Nami had thrown a tantrum because of Luffy.
Somewhere along the way, the pampered little princess had faded away.
In her place was a reliable navigator, a powerful mage…
A cherished companion.
Luffy smiled up at the sky.
Now, Nami's stats were clearly visible to him:
Nami
Stamina: 1820
Strength: 1750
Agility: 1800
Mental Power: 2000
Although Nami's talent lay mainly in sensing weather changes, in a crew where everyone had grown stronger, her power naturally became a topic of discussion.
A stronger Nami would never allow herself to fall behind.
In fact, no member of the Starry Sky Pirates would allow such a thing.
Now Luffy had reached Yonko-level strength, and Zoro and Sanji could handle themselves independently.
Together, they could defeat a Yonko—it wasn't strange.
But "Yonko" isn't just about the captain's strength—it includes the power of their entire crew.
A typical Yonko crew: one Yonko-level captain, three top-tier lieutenants, and a dozen or more fighters with bounties over 500 million.
Countless minor fighters were mere cannon fodder; even in the Red-Haired Pirates, a 94-million bounty pirate was just a runner.
Compared to the Yonko, the Starry Sky Pirates…
Luffy's strength had reached Yonko level—not necessarily the strongest, but certainly not the weakest.
Zoro and Sanji had long surpassed top-tier lieutenants and were on track to reach Yonko-level soon.
When that happens, the Starry Sky Pirates would amaze the world.
Brook and Robin still had some way to go to reach lieutenant level.
Nami's power exceeded most 500-million-bounty pirates, yet she was still far from lieutenant strength.
Koby had improved dramatically in just months, nearly rivaling Nami in strength and able to hold his own.
Chopper's journey had only just begun. Though evolved, he remained weaker compared to the enemies the Starry Sky crew faced.
Usopp…
He wasn't even considered in Luffy's calculations.
Even with enhanced stats surpassing 500-million-bounty pirates, in training, evolved Chopper could defeat him with ease.
Though Luffy's crew didn't underestimate Usopp—they knew that in a true life-or-death fight, no one could guarantee victory against him.
In short, the crew had no shortage of elite fighters.
But in terms of overall power compared to the Yonko, they still had a long way to go.
I wonder what the "Paradise Emperor" Shiki mentioned is…
That, they would only learn after the battle....
High above, Nami suddenly halted.
The wind pressure swirled around her, floating like threads in the air.
Magical light shot from her bright eyes.
A void magic circle appeared before her.
Shiki laughed again.
"Little girl!"
"Let me show you the true power of the seas!!!"
Whoosh…
The awakened Paramecia Float-Float Fruit activated instantly.
The circulating water around the floating islands froze.
Then, an endless surge of water flew toward Shiki.
It formed a magnificent blue lion in the sky.
Believing Nami's abilities were merely Devil Fruit powers, Shiki intended to punish her with raw sea power.
But against this adorable Dragon-Slaying mage…
His plan was doomed to fail.
...
On the ground, watching the battle, Luffy suddenly said,
"Koby, next, it's your turn!"
Though seemingly out of nowhere, his words made Koby clench his fists immediately, responding with complete focus:
"Yes, Captain Luffy!"
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Completed version available on P@treon(.)com/Veltoria