Shiki, Say Something

Upon hearing this, Yaen fell into brief thought. He soon recalled the Marines who had appeared on the uppermost level of Impel Down and realized that Impel Down had most likely witnessed "Golden Lion" Shiki hijacking a warship and reported the matter to Marine Headquarters.

What puzzled Yaen, however, was that if that were the case, Fleet Admiral Sengoku had contacted him far too slowly. Yaen had already dealt with "Golden Lion" Shiki by now.

Meanwhile, at Marine Headquarters, Marineford.

Fleet Admiral Sengoku carefully held the Den Den Mushi in his hands. Vice Admiral Tsuru and Vice Admiral Borsalino stood beside him.

Originally, Fleet Admiral Sengoku had been prepared to set sail alongside Vice Admiral Borsalino to hunt down "Golden Lion" Shiki.

However, Vice Admiral Tsuru, who had rushed over upon hearing the news, stopped him. She refused to let Sengoku, as the Fleet Admiral of the Marines, leave Marineford so rashly.

Fleet Admiral Sengoku had always taken Vice Admiral Tsuru's advice, but this time, his attitude was unusually firm. He and Vice Admiral Tsuru had even fallen into a rare disagreement.

Until Vice Admiral Tsuru asked Fleet Admiral Sengoku whether he had tried contacting Yaen through a Den Den Mushi.

Yet to everyone's surprise, Yaen was the one who answered the Den Den Mushi, and he sounded as if he had just woken up, somewhat languid.

"Huh? Old Man, you mean 'Golden Lion' Shiki?"

Yaen's casual, conversational tone came through the Den Den Mushi.

In fact, Yaen had assumed that Fleet Admiral Sengoku was alone in his office, had heard the news about the warship, and was calling through the Den Den Mushi to confirm the situation.

How could he have imagined that the ever-wise and composed Fleet Admiral Sengoku, because he knew "Golden Lion" Shiki too well, had instinctively concluded that Yaen and every Marine Soldier aboard the warship were dead, plunging into furious grief?

"That's right, 'Golden Lion' Shiki. Where is he now? Tell him to come speak to me." Fleet Admiral Sengoku said at once.

"Him..."

Yaen glanced at "Golden Lion" Shiki in the distance, lying in the palm of Black Rope Heavenly Punishment Myo-o, his voice gradually weakening, and answered.

"Mm, it's not very convenient right now."

Fleet Admiral Sengoku's face immediately darkened, as though he had guessed something.

Fleet Admiral Sengoku knew very well that "Golden Lion" Shiki was a pirate of immense ambition and cunning, yet he also possessed a lion's tendency toward rage and impulsiveness.

Since Yaen was still alive, did that mean "Golden Lion" Shiki had decided to use Yaen as leverage against him?

"Yaen, has Shiki already learned your identity and your relationship with me?" Fleet Admiral Sengoku asked.

"He didn't know before, but he just found out," Yaen answered truthfully.

At that moment, Fleet Admiral Sengoku could already vaguely picture "Golden Lion" Shiki sitting nearby with a vicious grin, watching Yaen from not far away and occasionally flashing an amused smile, like a cat toying with a mouse.

Perhaps Vice Admiral Tsuru and Vice Admiral Borsalino, standing beside him, had come to much the same conclusion.

None of them had expected that the Great Pirate who had once stormed Marine Headquarters, Marineford, alone—"Golden Lion" Shiki—was already on the verge of death.

Fleet Admiral Sengoku immediately roared into the Den Den Mushi.

"Shiki, you bastard, whatever you have to say, say it now!"

Meanwhile, "Golden Lion" Shiki, who had been carried far away, heard the familiar voice from the Den Den Mushi and the mocking words that sounded as though Sengoku was telling him to leave his last words.

At that moment, "Golden Lion" Shiki, who appeared to have exhausted all strength and was on the verge of bleeding dry, somehow flushed red with rage and bellowed.

"Sengoku, don't get too smug, you bastard! I'll... I'll kill your son right now..."

However, "Golden Lion" Shiki's weak voice could barely reach Yaen and could not travel into the Den Den Mushi at all.

Then, "Golden Lion" Shiki struggled with all his might, yet still failed to get up. He could only glare viciously at Yaen.

"Old Man, what are you doing?"

After Fleet Admiral Sengoku roared at him like that, Yaen covered his ears and asked.

When he heard nothing from "Golden Lion" Shiki for a long while, but instead heard Yaen answering with what sounded like dissatisfaction, Fleet Admiral Sengoku's heart sank. Forcing himself to remain calm, he called out loudly.

"Yaen, don't worry. Don't put too much pressure on yourself. That bastard Shiki won't be able to harm a single hair on your head..."

"Golden Lion" Shiki.

At that moment, "Golden Lion" Shiki felt that he had suffered an unprecedented humiliation, and the rage in his heart had reached its limit.

If he had been defeated in an all-out battle by a rising star of the sea, then even if that opponent were a Marine, "Golden Lion" Shiki would have accepted it wholeheartedly.

Yet what enraged "Golden Lion" Shiki beyond measure was that this rising star was actually the son of his old rival, Fleet Admiral Sengoku.

I was captured by that bastard Sengoku and thrown into Impel Down. After finally escaping by cutting off my own legs, I never imagined I would lose my life at the hands of that bastard Sengoku's son.

How could the ever-proud "Golden Lion" Shiki possibly endure that?

Especially when that bastard Sengoku was still mocking him?

Was he saying that if his son fought at his normal level, then I wasn't even capable of harming a single hair on his son's head?

What made him even angrier was that "Golden Lion" Shiki knew he truly had not caused Yaen the slightest injury.

Then Fleet Admiral Sengoku continued loudly.

"'Golden Lion' Shiki, if you still have even a shred of a pirate's backbone, then come to Marineford right now and see whether you can withstand one of my punches."

"AAAAARGH!!!"

"Golden Lion" Shiki coughed up the last few mouthfuls of blood in fury, then completely drew his final breath.

Yaen.

"Hey, Shiki, you bastard, stop picking on the younger generation! Say something!" Fleet Admiral Sengoku's voice continued to ring out.

"Old Man, could you stop for a moment and let me say something?"

Yaen did his best to move the Den Den Mushi farther away, helplessness written across his face. "The 'Golden Lion' Shiki you mentioned has already left. He's gone. Stop shouting."

"Ah?! He left?!"

Fleet Admiral Sengoku's voice was full of disbelief. He had clearly not expected this outcome and hurriedly asked, "Where did he go?"

"How would I know exactly where he went?" Yaen rolled his eyes and answered.

Hearing this, Fleet Admiral Sengoku, Vice Admiral Tsuru, and Vice Admiral Borsalino exchanged glances. After a brief stunned pause, they asked solemnly, "Yaen, are you sure you're not joking?"

Yaen swore without hesitation, "If I said even half a lie just now, then you and I, Old Man, will both stay single for the rest of our lives."