The massive floating island came crashing down with the force of the heavens themselves, the air around it compressing from sheer pressure.
Doflamingo and his officers turned pale, barely able to muster their powers in time to face the incoming strike.
Under Shiki the Golden Lion's control, the island's rock and soil twisted and reshaped mid-air, morphing within seconds into a gigantic lion's head several dozen meters wide.
It was one of the Golden Lion's most devastating techniques—
"Lion's Majesty: Imperial Sweep!"
The Donquixote officers tensed.
Treboll lashed out first, spewing a torrent of sticky mucus that coalesced into a thick whip, striking straight at the lion's head.
Diamante unfurled his cloak, transforming it into a storm of razor-sharp blades that sliced through the air in glimmering arcs.
Pica stomped down, manipulating the surrounding stone into massive spikes that shot up toward the beast's flanks.
Vergo swung his bamboo staff, sending a sharp blue slash into the fray.
And Doflamingo himself unleashed his awakened String-String powers—dozens of transparent threads erupted from the ground, weaving into a massive web meant to bind the monstrous head.
The five attacks struck as one.
BOOOOM!!!
A deafening explosion ripped through the sky, a wave of golden energy bursting outward so violently that even the distant sea swelled into towering waves.
Through sheer coordination, the Donquixote family barely managed to hold back the Golden Lion's overwhelming assault—
but before they could catch their breath, the aftershock hit.
The burning wave of force tore through Diamante's blade storm and ripped open Doflamingo's web of strings.
There was no time to dodge.
The shockwave slammed into them like a meteor, sending the five crashing to the ground. Blood sprayed from their mouths as their scorched clothes smoked.
"Gyahahahaha! Brats! Die for me!"
Shiki's thunderous laughter rolled across the sky. He seized the opening, soaring down from above, his twin blades including Kogarashi—shining with golden fury.
Two crescent-shaped slashes of light tore through the air, screaming straight for Doflamingo.
His subordinates were already broken and bloodied; none of them could move in time.
Even Doflamingo himself, his body trembling from exhaustion, could only watch the golden blades close in—each large enough to cleave him clean in half.
For the first time, the self-proclaimed "Heavenly Demon," ruler of the underworld, felt the cold hand of despair.
"No…!"
He could already feel the biting chill of the approaching slashes—
—and then a flash of gold streaked before his eyes.
A tall figure stepped between him and death, wearing a dark coat traced with subtle patterns, golden hair gleaming in the sunlight.
Shiro.
His gaze was as sharp as a blade. His right hand went to the hilt at his waist—
shff!
In one smooth motion, he drew the Tetanus Blade, a silver gleam slicing through the air.
A single swing unleashed a pale slash so fast it left only an afterimage.
Shiro's strike met Shiki's twin golden slashes mid-air.
There was no explosion—only a soft shriiip, like silk tearing.
The Golden Lion's slashes dissolved instantly, vanishing like snow under the sun.
"G-Godfather…"
Doflamingo stared up, trembling. Despair gave way to awe and relief as he recognized the familiar back standing before him.
"Sorry to keep you waiting," Shiro said casually, reaching down to pull Doflamingo back to his feet. "Mihawk insisted on tagging along—wanted to see the show for himself. We might've taken the scenic route."
Doflamingo shook his head quickly. "As long as you're here, that's all that matters!"
He glared up at the floating Golden Lion, anger rekindled in his bloodshot eyes.
"Help me take that old bastard down! He dared to come for me—now he's going to pay!"
Shiro grinned, patting him on the shoulder. "No problem. You and your crew fall back. Mihawk and I will handle this one. Sit back and enjoy the show."
"Yes, Godfather!"
The battered officers obeyed without question, supporting one another as they staggered toward the ruins of the castle—though not without throwing Shiki a few venomous glares as they went.
"...You," Shiki growled, hovering in the air, eyes narrowing as recognition dawned. "You're that brat from the old Roger Pirates, aren't you? What the hell are you doing here?!"
Shiro smiled up at him, unbothered. "Good to see you again, Shiki the Golden Lion. If you really want to know, it's simple—Doflamingo's one of mine. Touch him, and you're picking a fight with me."
"Bastard!" Shiki's fury exploded, the air itself trembling. "You think you can tell me what to do?!"
His gaze dropped to the Tetanus Blade gleaming in Shiro's hand, and his teeth clenched. "You still owe me for stealing my 'Oto,' brat! Fine then—new grudges, old grudges—let's settle them all today!"
T/N: If you would like to read up to 20 chapters ahead for all my works, check out my P@treon: patreon.com/GhidorahWriter
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