Handing It Over to You, Noah!

Boom!

Boom! Boom!

Amid exploding columns of spray, two figures clashed head-on!

"Get out of my way, you brat with a death wish!"

Shiki roared in fury, kicking aside the two blades coming at him. At the same time, his other leg, bearing Oto, swept toward Noah's waist.

But Noah dodged at once. With a slight turn of his wrists, he shed the force of Shiki's strike, then gave a low growl and slashed at him again!

Clang! Clang! Clang, clang, clang, clang!

Both were Great Swordmasters who fought with two swords, and their blades moved fast enough to dazzle the eye!

Sparks flew, while the ear-splitting clash of metal rang out without pause.

In just a few minutes, they had exchanged hundreds of blows.

Above them.

Several floating pirate ships emerged from behind the clouds, every deck packed with pirates.

They stared at the fierce battle below, first in surprise, then in mounting uncertainty.

"What's going on? Why hasn't Lord Shiki attacked Impel Down ahead of us like he planned?"

"Wasn't that old man Babulou already taken care of?"

"Someone else stopped him... Who's that kid? How is he holding his own against Lord Shiki's swordsmanship?"

On the sea, Aokiji had been watching the fight, ready to help the moment Noah began to lose ground. He noticed the pirate ships among the clouds too.

His brow furrowed, and his gaze turned grave.

Of course.

Even after all these years, the Shiki who had loved building vast forces and calling himself ruler of the seas still had no taste for fighting alone. He had brought an enormous force with him...

In midair.

"A Great Swordmaster in your early twenties. No wonder you made Headquarters Vice Admiral. Those old fools in the Navy aren't blind after all..."

Shiki looked down at