Furious Sengoku

"Of course..."

Looking at the arrogant and unruly "Golden Lion" Shiki before him, Yaen quietly placed one hand on his Zanpakutō, yet spoke with an expression of complete propriety.

"As men of the sea, how can we possibly be without dreams?"

The "Golden Lion" Shiki looked down at Yaen from above and said, "Speak."

"Then naturally, it is to become the World's Strongest..."

At this point, even Yaen, thick-skinned as he was, could not help feeling slightly embarrassed.

At that moment, both the "Golden Lion" Shiki and the numerous Marines aboard the warship were intensely curious, waiting for Yaen to declare his grand ambition.

The World's Strongest...

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

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

As soon as those words left his mouth, the entire warship fell silent. Only the sound of waves striking the vessel remained.

???

The "Golden Lion" Shiki and the numerous Marines.

Then the "Golden Lion" Shiki tilted his head to one side and made a strange sound. "Huh?"

Even with the "Golden Lion" Shiki's extensive knowledge, decades of experience roaming the seas, and encounters with countless heroes, he began to wonder whether he had misheard.

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

Yaen shrugged and said matter-of-factly, "As a man with a keen sense of self-awareness, I clearly understand that I can't conquer the world with my abilities. So, I plan to conquer the World's Strongest woman, thereby conquering the world."

The "Golden Lion" Shiki immediately retorted in his typically arrogant tone, "Bullshit! Even if a man wants to conquer the world, he must rely on his own strength to seize it!"

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

"Tch~"

The "Golden Lion" Shiki let out a sound of utter disdain through his nostrils, then placed his palm against the warship.

The Float-Float Fruit activated!

In an instant, the steel-built warship seemed to lose all its weight, lifting away from the sea and rapidly floating into the sky.

"Brat, don't say I never gave you a chance. Join my 'Flying Pirate Group,' and I'll spare these Marines. I'll give you a few days to think it over. Otherwise, I'll throw you and these pirates into the sea one by one."

The "Golden Lion" Shiki glanced at the numerous Marines behind him, who were watching him with weapons at the ready, then continued.

"Now, you Marines, stop getting in my way. Get into the cabins right now!"

Although the Marines feared the "Golden Lion" Shiki's command, they still retained the last shred of pride expected of Marines and refused to retreat.

Seeing this, Yaen waved his hand and said, "Go, Second Lieutenant Hope. Take the soldiers into the cabins. When facing an enemy you cannot hope to resist, preserving your lives is the best way to uphold justice in the future."

Hope could not help speaking up. "Lord Yaen, at least let me stay by your side and protect you."

Yaen shouted sternly, "Don't be ridiculous. You must act within your capabilities. Understand the difference between the enemy and us before taking action. Now, obey the order!"

"Yes!"

The Marines answered in unison, then slowly and orderly withdrew into the cabins.

Watching this, the "Golden Lion" Shiki grew even more curious about Yaen. He glanced at Yaen's civilian-like clothes and asked, "You're actually the commander of this warship? What's your rank?"

"I barely managed to obtain it... Marine Captain," Yaen replied.

The "Golden Lion" Shiki looked over Yaen, who appeared harmless to both man and beast, and answered perfunctorily.

A Marine Captain?

In terms of strength, a Marine of this level was not even worthy of the "Golden Lion" Shiki's notice. He was nothing more than the lowest of the low.

The "Golden Lion" then sat down, planted the famous swords "Withered Wood" and "Cherry Ten," which he held in his hands, into the deck, and treated his wounds as he spoke.

"Brat Yaen, think it over carefully. Decide whether you want to use your wits to board my ship, then go create an entirely new era."

At the same time, Magellan, the deputy warden guarding the final line of defense on the uppermost level of the underwater prison, Impel Down, hurriedly arrived and looked at the warship slowly rising into the sky. A gloomy look surfaced in his eyes.

"Damn it..."

Magellan cursed, then said to the jailer beside him, "Quick, report this to the warden, who is suppressing the remaining rioting prisoners on the sixth level, and... to Marine Headquarters."

"What?!"

After Yaen left, Fleet Admiral Sengoku had remained in his empty home for a while before returning to his office. Now, upon hearing the news that the "Golden Lion" Shiki had escaped from the underwater prison, Impel Down, his expression changed drastically.

"What exactly happened? Wasn't the 'Golden Lion' Shiki imprisoned on the lowest level of Impel Down and shackled with Seastone chains? How could he possibly have escaped?" Fleet Admiral Sengoku demanded.

The messenger straightened his chest and answered quickly and clearly, "Reporting to the Fleet Admiral, according to Deputy Warden Magellan's report, the 'Golden Lion' Shiki cut off both his own legs and broke free of his restraints. He then used the power of the 'Float-Float Fruit' to release a large number of prisoners, causing chaos."

"Although all the jailers gave their utmost and temporarily stabilized the situation in Impel Down, the 'Golden Lion' Shiki still escaped through layer upon layer of obstructions. After forcibly opening the Gate of Justice, he hijacked a warship and fled into the sky..."

"Wait..."

Fleet Admiral Sengoku's expression suddenly changed. "What did you just say? Say it again!"

The messenger was suddenly frightened by Fleet Admiral Sengoku's terrifying expression. He felt an invisible aura emanating from Fleet Admiral Sengoku, so powerful that even his heart seemed to stop.

"Gulp..."

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

Boom!!

In an instant, the wall along the outer edge of the entire office was blasted into powder by Fleet Admiral Sengoku's strike.

Under the messenger's incredulous gaze, Fleet Admiral Sengoku, who had always been resolute and composed, like the pillar supporting the heavens of the Marines, had reddened eyes, and a layer of moisture had gathered over his glasses.

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

The messenger was utterly shocked as he watched the scene, nearly believing his eyes had deceived him.

"Shiki, you bastard! I'll tear you apart!"

Fleet Admiral Sengoku roared in a complete loss of composure, then charged out through the shattered wall and headed straight for Vice Admiral Borsalino's office.