A single strike missed, yet the Golden Lion did not pause for even a moment.
His entire body continued shooting straight toward the sky above!
The nearest floating island suddenly disintegrated into countless dust particles, pieces peeling away from its original shape.
The orderly soil and rubble whirled violently, following the Golden Lion's steps as he soared upward.
Nami, the Sky Dragon, fixed her gaze on the ascending Golden Lion. Watching him surpass her and climb higher into the sky, she immediately swung her arms and gave chase!
This was a true battle in the skies!
...
Floating Island, Merveille.
After escaping from the prison of Impel Down, the Golden Lion happened upon the rare plant "IQ" on this island with his subordinate scientist Indigo.
This plant had the ability to accelerate animal evolution and grant special powers.
To fully study and control this precious biological material, Shiki used the powers of his Float-Float Fruit to lift the entire island from the sea and move it into the sky.
The native inhabitants were not so lucky.
They were used as living props for the IQ plants, brought into the high sky with no chance of escape.
Powerless, they were forced to obey Shiki, living in slavery, cultivating vast amounts of IQ plants under his oppression.
Even today, their tragic fate has not improved one bit.
A day that had begun calm turned suddenly into chaos: violent winds and torrential rain swept the island.
Dark skies churned above, clouds roiling.
The ordinary villagers, witnessing the unnatural weather caused by Nami and Shiki's battle, cowered in their homes, shivering in fear.
But this was only the beginning of their tragedy.
The violent wind pressure from the battle had scattered the floating island chain completely.
Shiki, brimming with combat intent, paid no mind to which piece of land he had displaced.
In his eyes, it was merely a weapon at his disposal.
And so, the poor villagers of Merveille Island could only watch the soil beneath their feet lift away…
Until they themselves were airborne!
"Ah!!!"
"Mom!!!"
"God!!! Save us!!!"
...
The cries of despair echoed continuously from the fragments of island disappearing beneath them.
"Hmm?"
Luffy, noticing the villagers' plight, averted his gaze from the battlefield above and whispered to Robin,
"Robin, save them."
"Understood, Luffy!"
Robin responded instantly, crossing her hands and bringing them together in a prayer-like gesture.
The villagers, standing on the last scraps of earth, could see the sea thousands of meters below through the cracks in the soil.
Their solid ground fading, these helpless lives—unable to be selected by the Float-Float Fruit—were plunged into despair.
The aura of death enveloped them.
And then—
An angel appeared.
As the bricks and earth trembled, moments from detachment, Robin descended, her four massive wings aflame with purple fire and pink petals.
"Grab my arms!"
Time was short; Robin had no chance to explain further.
As the villagers hesitated, wondering how to seize her, pale arms blossomed from her wings like flowers.
Panicked, the villagers grabbed onto the extended limbs.
In an instant, all the bricks vanished, leaving Robin like a living tree, her strange flesh-colored arms holding hundreds of villagers safely.
...
Thousands of meters above the ground, the soil of the floating island coalesced, forming a massive earth-colored lion larger than the Sky Dragon.
It stood opposed to Nami, who rode the furious winds, poised in the void.
Under the sky dome, Shiki watched the Sky Dragon, thinking of the Starry Sky Pirates yet to act, and laughed uproariously.
The ship's rudder embedded in his rooster-comb head vibrated with his arrogant laughter.
"Unbelievable… since Roger, the seas haven't seen such formidable newcomers…"
"To reach my head, you really had to find your way here!"
"Kyahahahaha…"
In truth, he had long suspected…
A crew like the Starry Sky Pirates, erased from the Marines' records and exuding unrivaled skill, then vanishing without a trace…
This proved they were pirates of great foresight.
They were hiding, preparing a world-shaking action to solidify their disputed dominance in the first half of the Grand Line.
Sometimes Shiki wondered: in this part of the Grand Line, there are few opportunities to grab the world's attention.
As an old man of the previous era, he might even be a target.
So when the Starry Sky Pirates landed on his turf, he was not overly surprised—it was as if he had planned it all along.
He wanted to see if these young pirates were truly worthy of inheriting the status he and Roger once held.
The Starry Sky Pirates proved stronger than he imagined.
A new era was dawning, and Shiki, a relic of the old, felt both admiration and melancholy.
"Kyahahaha…"
Shiki's laughter carried a tragic, almost heroic tone.
"Roger, was this what you intended back then?"
"I think I…"
"Now I… understand a little!"
"Ha!?"
From the massive jaws of the Sky Dragon, a puzzled voice called out. Nami looked at the radiant, heroic Shiki with some confusion.
"What are you talking about!?"
Shiki, standing atop his colossal lion, ignored her question, letting his roaring power erupt from the beast's mouth:
"Little girl!"
"Your strength… has earned my respect!"
"Let me open the overture of this sea for you!!!"
ROOOAAAR!!!
The soil-formed lion let out a thunderous roar, hurling countless massive rocks like meteors at Nami.
Nami's body surged upward. Her neck swelled with a pressure bubble, as if she were swallowing some terrifying force halfway.
Then, her dragon-shaped body lunged forward, releasing a massive torrent of air from her neck!
"So!"
"What are you saying?!"
Whoosh!!!
The raging winds surged violently, blocking the advancing rocks.
All the stones controlled by Shiki froze midair, unable to move.
Yet, as Nami unleashed her stormy winds, Shiki leapt over the staggered rocks with two named swords in hand.
His lithe form moved like a golden lightning bolt, arriving before Nami in the blink of an eye.
With a snap of his mouth open and a deafening rush through the air, he kicked a chilling strike.
"Lion's Thousand Slash Valley!!!"
In an instant, countless golden beams of sword energy flashed madly.
The chaotic winds above ceased immediately.
Hundreds of strikes capable of slicing islands descended upon the Sky Dragon Nami.
Her large body now appeared cumbersome.
Unable to dodge, Nami was engulfed by the torrential onslaught of sword energy!
Shiki's slashes collided with her pale form, BOOM! BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!
For a moment, the roaring clamor never ceased.
The golden sword energy covered everything, twisting the air, making it impossible to see Nami clearly.
Only a flicker of teal light passed through the distorted view.
Moments later, all hundreds of strikes shattered, and the sky returned to calm.
Nami's figure reappeared.
A layer of shimmering magical armor enveloped her completely.
But…
The mysterious armor was battered and covered with cracks.
Beneath the damage were deep wounds, visible to the bone.
Blood seeped from the Sky Dragon's pure white skin, falling from the sky.
The high-speed droplets struck the sea, splashing massive waves, staining the surrounding waters crimson.
=============
Completed version available on P@treon(.)com/Veltoria