94. Golden Lion Shiki, The Cross Guild Takes Over Wano

"Wait, what?"

Kizaru's attention snapped to Fleet Admiral Sengoku's booming voice.

Then, the voice on the other end of the phone bug suddenly vanished.

The operator of the bug closed his eyes, signalling the end of the call.

But even after the call ended, Kizaru couldn't shake off his inner turmoil. He could hear his own heart pounding in his chest.

Kaido defeated?

On the same day, two of the Four Emperors were defeated. This, coupled with Whitebeard's death and the brief peace after the Summit War, left only Red-Haired Shanks as a reigning Emperor.

Who could have possibly beaten Kaido?

Wasn't Kaido battling the remnants of Whitebeard's crew? Weren't the Beast Pirates dominating the seas every day?

How did the situation change so suddenly?

It couldn't have been the Whitebeard remnants' victory. Kizaru was certain of that.

Marco the Phoenix was formidable, and Fire Fist Ace had potential, but captains like Diamond Jozu and Flower Sword Vista could only hold their ground against an Admiral for so long. Alone, they couldn't defeat Kaido.

Some other formidable force must have entered the New World unnoticed.

And what about the last one?

Is Golden Lion Shiki striking Marineford?

In the age of legends, he stood as a powerhouse alongside Whitebeard and Gol D. Roger. After escaping Impel Down twenty years ago, he vanished. Everyone presumed he died in obscurity, so why would he appear in Marineford now?

What plans were brewing in that Shiki's heart?

His understanding of the changing times rivalled Whitebeards. His sudden appearance in these turbulent times hinted at a deeper conspiracy.

"This is giving me a headache."

Kizaru rubbed his head wearily, speaking in his usual lazy tone, "Why am I bothering with all this? It's not my job. I'm just an Admiral. Let the Fleet Admiral handle it."

The surrounding Marines, accustomed to Kizaru's demeanour, remained composed despite his seemingly rebellious words.

"What should we do now, Admiral Kizaru?" asked a Marine who also heard Sengoku's message.

"What else? We return," Kizaru replied, slipping his hands into his pockets. "The New World is too dangerous. Let's head back to headquarters and have some tea."

"Yes, sir," the Marine saluted respectfully.

At Marineford, the Naval Headquarters, colossal ships loomed overhead, casting shadows over the area. Several massive warships accompanied them.

"Ah, Sengoku, it's been a while," greeted a man standing on the bow of a grand pirate ship. He wore an orange-yellow striped kimono, his golden hair cascading like a lion's mane.

He was like a lion in both appearance and demeanour, exuding a fearless aura that could conquer the world.

"Golden Lion Shiki."

Sengoku gazed at the man hovering in the sky and clasped his hands together.

A golden light began to emanate from his body.

"No need to rush into transformation. I'm not here for a fight. Just came to say hello to an old friend," Golden Lion Shiki said, puffing on his cigar with a relaxed smile.

His demeanour was as calming as soaking in a hot spring, far removed from the tense atmosphere of Naval Headquarters.

"And with that hefty body of yours, you couldn't lay a finger on me anyway," he added.

"What brings you here at this time?" Sengoku asked, his expression sour.

Garp was right. Against Golden Lion Shiki's abilities, he stood at a considerable disadvantage. His transformed state, while formidable, couldn't utilize techniques like Moonwalk and posed no threat to Shiki's Fuwa Fuwa no Mi Fruit powers.

Too bad Garp wasn't here in the New World. Shiki wouldn't dare to be so audacious if he were.

"What purpose? Isn't it always clear? Seems like I've been away too long. Even old friends like you forget my goals," Shiki chuckled. "My aim has always been to rule the seas, to become the sole king."

Even without the release of Haki, his voice carried a commanding presence, befitting of one who sought to dominate the world.

"And another thing," Shiki's expression turned sinister. "I heard that Newgate guy blabbering about a 'new era' during the Summit War. He and Roger are always spewing nonsense. What's this 'new era' they speak of? Just a game played by kids in their sea sandbox."

"I see you're still as unhinged as ever," Sengoku retorted, his face grave.

Shiki's resolve hadn't wavered in the slightest during his two-decade absence. If anything, he seemed even more unhinged, reminiscent of his lone assault on Marineford twenty years prior.

These relics from the old era, like Shiki, were terrifying in their own right. Each possessed the power to unsettle the entire world.

"Enough with the pleasantries," Shiki declared. "This is just a small gift, Sengoku. Next time we meet, I'll give you something grand."

With a flick of his hand, several massive warships were sent hurtling towards Marineford below, causing the ground to tremble upon impact.

The Naval Headquarters, freshly repaired from previous attacks, was once again reduced to rubble by Shiki's onslaught.

As flames engulfed the sky and the roar of beasts filled the air, Sengoku knew that Shiki's departure signalled trouble for the New World.

Floating above the Red Line to the New World was a feat only Golden Lion could achieve, thanks to the abilities of his Fuwa Fuwa no Mi Fruit.

The threat posed by Golden Lion to the World Government surpassed even that of Whitebeard, as he could launch a fatal attack on Mariejois at any moment.

"That bastard. What's his game this time? And what has he been up to for the past twenty years?" Sengoku pondered, his expression grim, as he watched Shiki's ship vanish into the clouds.

Twenty years

It marked the entire era of the Great Pirate Age, and during that time, Shiki disappeared. This schemer and opportunist, distinct from Roger and Whitebeard, emerged after two decades of dormancy like a ticking time bomb. No one knew when it would detonate or what kind of impact it would have.

"Straw Hat Pirates, Cross Guild, Four Emperors, Shiki," Sengoku mused, feeling a headache unlike any he had experienced even during the legendary days of Roger.

The New World was in chaos. Legends from both old and new eras emerged one after the other, blurring the boundaries of history.

"We need to quickly elect a new Fleet Admiral and deploy Yonko and Admirals to maintain order at sea," Sengoku decided firmly. The Marines couldn't afford to proceed slowly; they needed to act swiftly to bring order amidst the chaos, regardless of differing ideologies within their ranks.

Meanwhile, in the New World, Katakuri catapulted Luffy out of the Seducing Woods.

"Straw Hat, can I ask you something?" Katakuri inquired as Luffy and his crew prepared to depart. "It's not about road poneglyphs, historical texts, treasures, or territories. Then why are you fighting us? What do you seek?"

Luffy replied nonchalantly, "It's because Big Mom threatens Fish-Man Island. I won't let you have your way with my friends and allies there. As for territory? Pirates like us seek freedom, not territory. I'm the man who's going to find One Piece, and One Piece means being the freest man on the seas."

Katakuri pondered Luffy's words as the Sunny sailed away. "Freedom… pirates don't need territory," he murmured, realizing the simplicity of their pursuit compared to the complexities of his own responsibilities.

In Wano's Flower Capital, Kurozumi Orochi bowed before Bullet. These monsters had swiftly defeated the Beast Pirates and seized control of Wano.

"This feels familiar. I'm back," Moria remarked, recalling his past battles with Kaido in Wano. Despite his defeat then, he had now achieved revenge, albeit not entirely through his own efforts.

Observing Wano from a high vantage point, Byrnndi World spoke, "Kozuki Oden," his tone filled with contemplation.

Bullet hadn't personally encountered Kozuki Oden. By the time Oden joined the Roger Pirates, Bullet had already parted ways with them. Honestly, he wasn't impressed by Oden despite the high praise he received from Whitebeard and Roger. To Bullet, Oden seemed like a failure, even defeated by Kaido.

"By the way, do you know about Kozuki Oden?" Bullet asked Kurozumi Orochi, his disdain for Oden evident.

Kurozumi Orochi, skilled in flattery and manipulation, detected Bullet's disdain and breathed a sigh of relief. He recounted the events of eighteen years ago in Wano, detailing Oden's actions.

"What? Orochi, what a fool," Byrnndi World burst into laughter at the story. "I haven't laughed like this in ages."

While Bullet had maintained a relaxed demeanour, he now wore a grim expression. "Are you kidding me? This is what Whitebeard and Roger valued?"

Hawkeye remained aloof, uninterested in the conversation and more focused on his sake.

"Pitiful," Buggy's usually jovial expression turned melancholic. He had a fond memory of Oden from their time on the Roger Pirates.

"A powerless fool," Crocodile scoffed.

But when the insults towards Oden grew more intense, a samurai named Kushiro couldn't bear it any longer. He stood up, outraged by the foreigners' disrespect towards Master Oden.

"Kushiro, you?" Orochi was taken aback. Kushiro was one of his strongest warriors, and he couldn't believe he was defending Oden.

"What's the matter? Even a samurai has courage. Do you disagree with what we're saying?" World taunted, a cruel smile on his face.

Kushiro retorted loudly, defending Oden's honour and loyalty to Wano. But his defence only elicited more scorn from the others.

"A villain who makes my stomach turn," Crocodile sneered. "Everything wrong with Wano can be traced back to Oden's foolishness."

Despite Kushiro's passionate defence, the others remained convinced of Oden's folly.

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