As Fleet Admiral of the Marines, Sengoku knew very well that there was only one Navy warship that would appear in the whirlpool at this time!
That was the warship carrying Teffimoe Yaen!
And as for his old adversary, "Golden Lion" Shiki, Fleet Admiral Sengoku understood his personality even better: moody, unpredictable, and utterly ruthless.
After being imprisoned by the Marines for several years and sacrificing both legs to escape Impel Down, how much would "Golden Lion" Shiki hate the Marines?
It was entirely possible that, at the first encounter, if the conversation went badly, "Golden Lion" Shiki would slaughter every Marine aboard the entire warship.
Fleet Admiral Sengoku also knew very well that Yaen must have some secrets of his own. However, when facing a Great Pirate who was practically a living legend, one whom he and Vice Admiral Garp had only managed to capture by joining forces back then—
It's too soon...
It's still too soon for Yaen! Damn it!!!
While Fleet Admiral Sengoku cursed himself and "Golden Lion" Shiki in remorse and fury, Yaen looked at the Gate of Justice, which had already disappeared into the distance, and muttered.
"It's about time. It's not too early anymore."
"Hm? What are you talking about?"
Hearing the seemingly meaningful tone in Yaen's voice, "Golden Lion" Shiki frowned and asked.
"Nothing. I just calculated the time and distance. It should be enough."
Yaen removed the glasses from the bridge of his nose, secured them against his chest, and said, "Since I'm fighting a legendary Great Pirate, I have to get serious. Otherwise, I'll probably die in an instant."
"Oh?"
Hearing this, "Golden Lion" Shiki's expression gradually turned solemn. A cruel smile unconsciously surfaced at the corners of his mouth as he said,
"Yaen, you who planned to rely on a woman to conquer the world actually have the courage to challenge me?"
"Because I'm someone who knows his own limits..."
Yaen shrugged and calmly looked at "Golden Lion" Shiki before saying,
"I know very well that if I were only as strong as you, I would merely become a loser on the sea. That's why someone as weak as me needs to be protected at all times."
At once, "Golden Lion" Shiki's expression turned completely cold. He said, "Yaen, don't tell me you think your weak self is stronger than me?"
"Before I have any concrete evidence, I naturally wouldn't make such an irrational judgment without absolute confidence. However, I've carefully observed your injuries and condition during this time. There's a high probability that killing you won't be a problem, and even with a low probability, I can still retreat unscathed."
After a pause, Yaen looked at the gradually bared fangs of "Golden Lion" Shiki and said,
"But to avoid unnecessary trouble and prevent certain information from spreading, I'll do my best to kill you..."
The next instant, before Yaen could finish speaking, "Golden Lion" Shiki casually waved his hand. A terrifying golden Flying Slash swept horizontally toward Yaen.
"Wave Slash!"
"Whoosh!"
This time, Yaen didn't dare be careless in the slightest. Rather than dancing on the blade's edge like he had against Gion, he vanished from the spot in a flash.
"Boom!"
The side of the warship closest to Yaen was instantly sliced away by the golden Flying Slash, which also split apart the clouds behind the warship, leaving a passage that stretched beyond sight.
Slowly, Yaen stood in the sky above the warship as if he were walking on level ground. Looking calmly down at "Golden Lion" Shiki below, he praised him.
"How terrifying. As expected of a man who also bears the title of Great Swordsman. Anyone hit by a Flying Slash of this level would be finished."
At this moment, "Golden Lion" Shiki's expression grew solemn. He had originally looked down on Yaen to some extent.
That terrifying speed, along with the ability to walk through the air, was already beyond what an ordinary small fry could master.
And when "Golden Lion" Shiki unleashed his Flying Slash, it also caused a commotion among the Marines inside the warship's cabin.
Within Yaen's perception, Second Lieutenant Horton was already unable to resist the urge to peek outside from the cabin.
"It took me a great deal of effort to get you all into the cabin obediently. These secrets aren't suitable for you to see, so get a good sleep for now."
As Yaen murmured, a terrifying pressure instantly spread from his body, rapidly extending in every direction.
Heavy!
An incomparably heavy sensation instantly appeared in the hearts of everyone aboard the warship, leaving them with a powerlessness that was practically despair.
"Conqueror's Haki? No, it seems somewhat different."
Feeling that tangible, oppressive force, "Golden Lion" Shiki spoke uncertainly.
Of course, this wasn't Conqueror's Haki. It was the Reiatsu contained within Yaen's body—a Reiatsu that had reached the level of "nineteen carts."
Reiatsu was a power originating from the soul. The stronger and denser the soul, the more naturally it produced a pressure resembling gravity.
Those with weak souls and fragile wills, when faced with powerful Reiatsu, were like people gradually sinking into the deep sea. They could sense nothing but eternal darkness and despair, utterly powerless to fight back. Once Reiatsu reached a certain level, merely approaching it would instantly reduce them to nothingness.
Of course, Yaen's Reiatsu was still far from reaching a level practically equivalent to that of a black hole. However, forcibly suppressing the Marines' wills aboard the warship and knocking them unconscious was still entirely within his abilities.
Even the former Marine Headquarters Colonel Horton!
"Thud, thud, thud..."
The next moment, all the Marines inside the warship's cabin fell to the ground one after another, sinking into unconsciousness.
"Golden Lion" Shiki asked in confusion,
"What kind of power is this? A different kind of Conqueror's Haki? Or a Devil Fruit ability?"
"Guess."
Yaen smiled. Then he drew the Zanpakutō from his waist and held it upside down before his chest. He slowly released his grip and let it fall.
"Bankai: Senbonzakura Kageyoshi!"
In an instant, an almost endless Sea of Cherry Blossoms erupted from Yaen's position and surged in every direction.
From a distance, it looked as though a dreamlike, sky-shrouding Sea of Cherry Blossoms had appeared above the firmament.
"Go!"
With a thought from Yaen, the overwhelming cherry blossoms pounced on "Golden Lion" Shiki from all directions. He said,
"Shiki, just think of me as a Cherry Blossom Fruit user. I'll use these endless cherry blossoms to see you off on your voyage. Your journey ends here."
"Boom!"
As Yaen's voice fell, the overwhelming Sea of Cherry Blossoms crashed down heavily upon "Golden Lion" Shiki.
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