Enraged Sengoku

"Of course..."

Watching the arrogant and unruly Golden Lion Shiki before him, Yaen quietly rested one hand on his Zanpakutō, his expression matter-of-fact as he spoke.

"As a man of the sea, how could one not have a dream?"

Golden Lion Shiki looked down at Yaen from his high vantage point and said, "Speak."

"That would naturally be to become the World's Strongest..."

At this point, even with Yaen's thick skin, he couldn't help but feel a slight sense of embarrassment.

At this moment, whether it was Golden Lion Shiki or the many Marines aboard the warship, all felt a strong sense of curiosity, waiting for Yaen's grand ambition.

World's Strongest...

A title prefixed with "World's Strongest" was bound to be something extraordinary!

Under the gaze of everyone, Yaen slowly uttered the second half of his sentence. "The husband of the World's Strongest... woman!"

As soon as these words were spoken, the entire warship fell silent in an instant, with only the sound of waves crashing against the hull remaining.

???

Golden Lion Shiki, the many Marines.

Immediately, Golden Lion Shiki tilted his head, letting out a strange sound. "Huh?"

Even with Golden Lion Shiki's vast experience, having roamed the seas for decades and witnessed countless heroes, he suspected he had misheard.

"What kind of bullshit dream is that?" Golden Lion Shiki cursed, slightly losing his composure.

Yaen shrugged and said matter-of-factly.

"As a man with a great deal of self-awareness, I am deeply aware that with my abilities, I cannot conquer the world. Therefore, I intend to conquer the World's Strongest woman, and thereby conquer the world."

Golden Lion Shiki retorted without hesitation in an arrogant tone. "Bullshit! As a man, even if you want to conquer the world, you must seize it with your own power!"

Yaen shook his head and said with a tone of slight sighing, "You don't understand the beauty of it."

"Hmph~"

Golden Lion Shiki let out a sound of extreme disdain from his nostrils, then touched his palm to the warship.

Float-Float Fruit, activate!

In an instant, the entire warship, forged from steel, seemed to lose all its weight as it lifted off the surface of the sea, rapidly floating toward the sky.

"Kid, don't say I didn't give you a chance. Join my Flying Pirate Group, and I'll spare these Marines' lives. I'll give you a few days to consider, otherwise, I'll throw you and these Marines into the sea one by one."

Golden Lion Shiki cast a sidelong glance at the many Marines behind him who were watching him with bated breath, then continued.

"Now, you Marines, stop being an eyesore to me. Get into the ship's cabin immediately, all of you."

Despite the fear in their hearts regarding Golden Lion Shiki's order, the many Marines maintained a final shred of pride as Marines and did not retreat.

Seeing this, Yaen waved his hand and said.

"Go, Ensign Hope. Take the soldiers and retreat into the cabin. When facing an irresistible enemy, preserving your lives is the best choice for upholding justice in the future."

Upon hearing this, Hope could not help but speak up. "Lord Yaen, at least let me stay by your side to protect you."

Yaen barked sharply, "Don't be ridiculous. One must act according to their ability and understand the gap between the enemy and oneself before taking action. Now, obey the order!"

"Yes!"

The many Marines replied in unison, then retreated in an orderly fashion back into the cabin.

Watching this scene, Golden Lion Shiki felt a bit more curious about Yaen. He glanced at Yaen's civilian-like attire and asked.

"You brat are actually the commander of this warship? What is your rank?"

"I barely managed to become one... a Marine Captain," Yaen replied.

Golden Lion Shiki swept his gaze over the seemingly harmless-looking Yaen once more and gave a perfunctory response.

A Marine Captain?

In terms of strength, a Marine of this level was not even worth a glance from Golden Lion Shiki; he was nothing more than a minnow among minnows.

Immediately, Golden Lion sat down, plunged the famous swords "Kutou" and "Oto" he was holding into the deck, and began to treat his wounds while speaking.

"Kid Yaen, think carefully about whether you want to use your intellect to board my ship and go on to create a brand new era."

Meanwhile, having rushed to the top level of the Great Underwater Prison, Impel Down, Vice Warden Magellan, who was guarding the final line of defense, watched the warship slowly rising into the air, his eyes revealing a hint of gloom.

"Damn it..."

Magellan cursed in anger, then spoke to the jailers beside him.

"Quickly, report this matter to the Warden, who is currently suppressing the other rioting prisoners on the sixth level, and also... to Marine Headquarters."

"What?!"

After Yaen had left, Fleet Admiral Sengoku had stayed in his empty home for a moment before returning to his office. Now, upon hearing the news that Golden Lion Shiki had escaped from the Great Underwater Prison, Impel Down, he could not help but lose his composure.

"What on earth is going on? Isn't Golden Lion Shiki imprisoned in the lowest level of Impel Down, shackled by Seastone chains? How could he possibly have escaped?" Fleet Admiral Sengoku demanded.

The messenger puffed out his chest and replied, rapid and clear.

"Reporting to the Fleet Admiral, according to the report from Vice Warden Magellan, Golden Lion Shiki severed his own legs to break free from his restraints. Afterward, he used the powers of the Float-Float Fruit to release a large number of prisoners, inciting chaos."

"Although all the jailers have managed to temporarily stabilize the situation at Impel Down by giving it their all, Golden Lion Shiki still managed to escape despite layer upon layer of obstruction. After forcibly opening the Gate of Justice, he hijacked a warship and took off into the sky..."

"Wait..."

Fleet Admiral Sengoku's expression suddenly shifted. He asked, "What did you just say? Say it again!"

The messenger was suddenly startled by the terrifying look on Fleet Admiral Sengoku's face. He felt an invisible aura radiating from the Fleet Admiral, so intense that it felt as if his heart had skipped a beat.

Gulp...

The messenger swallowed hard and forced himself to remain calm. "After Golden Lion Shiki opened the Gate of Justice, he hijacked a warship!"

BOOM!!

In an instant, the entire outer wall of the office was pulverized by a single strike from Fleet Admiral Sengoku.

Under the messenger's incredulous gaze, Fleet Admiral Sengoku—who was always resolute and steady, the very pillar of the Navy—had eyes rimmed with red, his glasses fogged with a layer of mist.

Sengoku... Fleet Admiral Sengoku... is crying?

The messenger watched this scene in utter shock, nearly convinced that his eyes were playing tricks on him.

"Shiki, you bastard! I will tear you to pieces!"

Fleet Admiral Sengoku roared in a loss of composure, then immediately charged out through the shattered wall, heading straight for the office of Vice Admiral Borsalino.