The Golden Lion had wielded the Sakura sword for barely an hour.
Yet it felt as light and balanced as if forged by the heavens themselves.
"As expected of the legendary twin swords," Shiki murmured. "Even sharper than the blade of peerless sharpness!"
A massive wave of cutting energy, infused with Haki, crashed down.
Sengoku and the others scrambled to defend, barely holding back the blow.
Once the attack was repelled, Sengoku closed in on Shiki and slammed a huge golden palm down toward his head.
"Shiki! Why have you come to the Northern Blue?" he demanded.
Shiki countered with a swift sword strike, laughing boldly.
"I'm a pirate! Come taste the power of these legendary swords I just acquired!"
After trading a few strikes, Shiki turned and headed toward Kara Island.
Thanks to his Devil Fruit, even someone as strong as the Golden Lion couldn't afford to fight recklessly at sea. The enemy was formidable, and one wrong move could send him to the ocean floor.
Sengoku led two fighters in pursuit, bellowing:
"Ho! Pirates don't get to call the shots in these waters!"
---
Back on the ship, the Marines gathered, eyes fixed on the aerial duel.
They knew better than to jump into a fight of this scale.
But witnessing Sengoku and Zephyr, an admiral and a legend, square off with the Golden Lion—seeing Sengoku even protect the ship—was invaluable experience.
And naturally, Kyle stood first in line.
He stationed himself at the bow, eyes locked on the battle above.
---
Before the ship could dock, a squad of Marines armed with all sorts of weapons rushed toward the Sengoku-Shiki fight.
Kara Island wasn't small.
The city occupied only a sliver of the land. Vast forests and reefs sprawled beyond—perfect terrain for a battle.
Explosions of dust from clashing blows stirred the undergrowth.
Sengoku was shielding Zephyr, who suddenly vanished in a cloud of dust.
"How fast!" Kyle gasped.
He watched a swirl of dust rise from the ground—Zephyr's figure gone.
Kyle knew that technique well: Shunpo in the pirate world, or "Sonic Step"—one of the Marine Corps' Six Styles.
Then Zephyr's voice rang out over the Golden Lion.
"Black Roar!"
In an instant, Zephyr's fist morphed into a black weapon, slamming hard into Shiki's face.
"Jiang!"—the sharp sound of impact echoed.
---
Shiki was no pushover.
Sensing Zephyr's approach, he blocked the black fist with both swords.
Despite deflecting the strike, the force sent the Golden Lion flying a short distance through the air.
Kyle thought about it: Shiki was a master swordsman, unrivaled in dual sword style. Later, he even used a sword kick.
But against Zephyr's fists—especially from an admiral nicknamed "Black Hand"—close combat was not Shiki's strength.
Zephyr, eyes never leaving the twin blades, asked in surprise:
"Sakura Tokugiku?"
"Hahaha! Zephyr, you know those legendary swords?" Shiki grinned proudly. "Just got my hands on them! Don't worry—I won't beheading you today!"
For sword masters like Shiki, swords like Sakura Tokugiku were priceless treasures.
To any sword lover, a legendary blade was like a cherished partner—something to treasure and never let go.
Unable to resist showing off, Shiki taunted Zephyr.
Zephyr wasn't a swordsman and only knew the name Sakura Tokugiku by reputation. He barely cared.
"To me, it's just a sharp knife with twenty-one moves," he scoffed.
"Hmph! Ignorant fool!" snapped the Golden Lion.
They clashed repeatedly in midair.
Though Shiki admitted he was weaker in hand-to-hand combat against Zephyr, he relied on his blades to keep the upper hand.
---
Zephyr became a Marine admiral without a Devil Fruit's aid. His unarmed combat was unmatched, and his advanced Haki earned him the nickname "Black Hand Zephyr."
His strength was undeniable.
Anyone who reached admiral rank was to be respected.
---
Shiki tried to use his hovering ability to keep distance, but within mere meters, a golden light engulfed him.
The attack came from none other than Admiral Sengoku.
Suddenly, flames of orange-red streaked with black erupted, twisting like a serpent as they surged toward Shiki.
Faced with attacks from both Sengoku and Akainu, Shiki wielded his dual swords defensively.
He knew today's fight would be fiercely contested.
What surprised him was Sengoku brought Zephyr along—three admirals matching his strength. Even a single fight wouldn't end quickly.
And now, Akainu—master of lava stealth attacks—joined the fray, adding immense power.
In such a situation, continuing the battle was futile. The battle would drag on until strength waned—no clear victory.
But Shiki remained confident.
"Looks like things aren't going my way!" he chuckled.
"But I'm not one to give up!"
"Ha-ha-ha-ha!"
"Marines, you'll pay dearly for testing me!"
A predatory grin stretched across Shiki's face.
His gaze suddenly locked on the approaching Marines.
Among them, one figure stood out—
Kyle.