The people in the world of One Piece are mostly a bit twisted in their minds.
Even if they can't win, they'll still fight stubbornly. For the sake of some nonsense about a man's integrity and a strong person's honor, when facing an enemy alone, they always fight fiercely until the very end.
Shin doesn't know if Kaido is that kind of person, but he certainly isn't. Facing Kaido, who had revealed his strongest hybrid form, Shin didn't hesitate to flee in Barbatos.
What a joke! Was he going to stay and seek death? Barbatos had already blown off all its equipment and shed a layer of its skin just fighting Kaido in his Dragon form. If he stayed to brawl with Kaido now, he was afraid he'd be flattened into a meat patty!
Moreover, Kaido transforming into his hybrid form was somewhat expected—this form is powerful in a fight, but probably not good for escaping.
You've seen a dragon soar through the clouds, but a dragon-human's speed through the clouds is probably not as fast as a dragon's. Zoan Devil Fruit users' state changes also come at a cost; the hybrid form has the strongest power, but the amplified characteristics of the animal form will inevitably decrease.
Shin turned and ran without hesitation, which directly stunned Kaido, who had been brewing a Thunder Bagua, intending to turn Barbatos into scrap metal.
"Don't run, brat, get over here!!!"
An enraged Kaido's Thunder Bagua, filled with fury, hit nothing. The incredibly powerful lightning-clad club's punch, like a cannon blast, just struck empty air, infuriating Kaido to the extreme.
As everyone knows, people can do things they normally wouldn't dare to do when extremely angry, and Kaido, when extremely angry—
Well, he always seemed this crazy, but this time, he was probably even crazier.
Kaido, completely reckless, chased Shin like a madman, and Shin, emboldened, flew directly towards Mary Geoise.
His losses this time were too great; he had to get some evaluation points to stop the bleeding, and that persistent bastard Kaido probably couldn't be shaken off easily.
Since that's the case, he might as well lead him to Mary Geoise and let the Admirals and World Nobles deal with him!
Of course, this move would be extremely dangerous. To put it bluntly, it would be gambling with his own life.
If Imu didn't make a move, it would be fine, but if he did, Shin would likely be left behind. However, Kaido probably wouldn't warrant the World Noble King making a move.
But if Kaido attacked Mary Geoise, Shin could bet that the three Admirals would all take action.
Perhaps Garp would even come along, and then it wouldn't be so easy for Shin to escape.
After all, Kizaru's straight-line flight speed completely surpasses Kaido's; it's unlikely he'd outpace Barbatos, which was constantly changing course at full speed, but he could definitely keep up.
So, he had to play a timing game. As soon as Kaido rampaged through Mary Geoise, Kizaru would be the first to arrive to handle it.
As long as that PPAP-ing slacker monkey and Kaido clashed, he'd immediately turn and run. Although still dangerous, there would at least be a chance to turn the tables.
Thinking this, Shin immediately increased Barbatos's speed to its maximum, flying towards Mary Geoise at the top of the clouds!
Kaido, like a persistent ghost, transformed into a blue dragon and chased after him, roaring and shouting with rolling, tumultuous waves.
But just as Shin ascended to the highest layer of the clouds, before him, suddenly appeared several 'islands' floating in the sky.
Like parting the clouds to see the clear sky, what appeared before Shin was a 'continent' whose total area exceeded tens of thousands of kilometers, with several colossal islands floating in mid-air.
This was a place entirely different from the sky islands suspended in the White-White Sea. Its sheer size was unknown multiples larger than any sky island, and more importantly, this landmass had no support whatsoever, no bubbles, no anchors.
There weren't many 'sky islands' in the world of One Piece. Most relied on coated bubbles and rising currents to be thrust into the high sky, but among these rising islands, absolutely none resembled the massive island chain before Shin.
Several colossal islands linked together, rivers and ocean currents flowed naturally, supported by an invisible force. The rising ocean formed rainbows in this world above the white clouds, like a floating milky way.
Such a beautiful yet unnatural wonder-sky island, there was only one place in the entire world of One Piece that possessed it.
"Shiki the Golden Lion! It's Shiki the Golden Lion!!!!"
"STRONG WORLD!!! This is the island above the East Blue from the movie!"
"Are we going to fight Shiki now? 66666!!!"
The chaotic and fleeting bullet comments clearly identified the massive island chain. In fact, it was indeed easy to identify. In the entire world of One Piece, besides Shiki the Golden Lion's 'Fuwa Fuwa no Mi' (Float-Float Fruit), who else would have such an ability?
Shin's current visit to the East Blue was precisely to find traces of Shiki.
In his original plan, Shiki was an indispensable part. As a famous great pirate of the previous era, his Devil Fruit ability was powerful, and he was well-known. Most importantly—he was very weak.
Although his defeat to Luffy was largely due to the theatrical version of Luffy's power surge, it was clear that Shiki's strength had greatly diminished as a pirate overlord who once contended with Whitebeard and Roger.
The ship's rudder stuck in his head during the Marineford War, having to cut off his legs and replace them with swords to escape Impel Down as a great swordsman, coupled with his old age—under this triple weakening, his strength was naturally not what it once was.
His mind being warped was a certainty. His reason for causing trouble in the movie was also foolish: to retaliate against the World Government by secretly creating a bunch of useless, monstrous beasts for decades to destroy the East Blue, a symbol of peace that had humiliated Roger. How could a pirate overlord say such foolish things?
Shin hadn't expected to encounter Shiki's island above the Red Line. Judging by the direction, it should be sailing towards the East Blue.
It seemed he was indeed 'lucky' to have stumbled upon the time point where the movie's story takes place.
It didn't matter if it was or wasn't. Kaido, behind Shin, was already catching up furiously. Shin narrowed his eyes, sneered, and decided to change his plan.
Leading Kaido to Mary Geoise had too many uncertainties. Since he happened to run into Shiki, then...
You two 'old friends' should have a good reunion.
Shin piloted Barbatos into the massive island before him. And just then, the effects of the drug slowly wore off. A strong sense of palpitation surged through Shin's heart, making his eyes widen. He lost control of the mobile suit for a moment.
Barbatos plunged into one of the islands as if it had lost gravity in mid-air. Shin, with his last ounce of will, forcibly extended its thrusters a few seconds before impact, barely managing to land and crashing through a large portion of trees before coming to a stop.
"Hah, hah, hah!"
He clutched his chest tightly, gasping for breath, his eyes bulging like a fish's, sweat pouring down.
"Ah ah ah ah, is it monsters again? What kind of monsters this time!!!"
A screaming voice entered Shin's ears. He slowly turned his head, and what his left scope captured was a familiar figure.
A straw hat, red shirt, short denim shorts, and sandals. Beside him were a chibi-sized human-reindeer, a black-haired older sister, a three-sword-style seaweed-head swordsman, a black-suited, cigarette-smoking chef, a pervert who only wore underwear on his lower half, and an afro-haired skeleton.
It was the man who would become the Pirate King, and his joyful companions.
"Brat, get out here!!!!!"
The furious Kaido watched helplessly as Shin disappeared into the massive sky island. By the time he flew up with great effort, there was no trace of him. Kaido, whose mind was now completely filled with rage and killing intent, didn't bother to consider why an island would be floating in the sky.
"If you don't come out, I'll tear this island apart!!!"
The enraged Kaido roared, launching an attack on the island before him.
...
A vast, empty Ancient-style palace, with cold snow drifting from the sky.
Everything on this island seemed very strange. All four seasons coexisted in every corner of the island, as did many buildings of various styles.
And within this cold island palace, where snow drifted, a natural greenhouse completely out of place with its surroundings had been built.
Inside the greenhouse filled with tropical plants, a beautiful girl with long orange hair swam in a pool. Dressed in a black and white bikini, she displayed an impressive figure.
"Hoo~~~~"
After flipping and swimming like a mermaid, the girl surfaced, wiping the water from her body with a towel. Her charming face was filled with worry.
Just then, a strange, joyful music began to play. The girl turned her head to see three strangely dressed figures dancing peculiar steps on the descending staircase.
The person on the left wore strange shoes, and their moving feet made odd, fart-like sounds. Their face was extremely pale, with a blue afro, wearing a white lab coat, and a yellow polka-dotted scarf. They smiled like an idiot.
The one in the middle had long golden hair, but a bald head with half a ship's rudder stuck in it. He floated in the air, smoking a cigar, a man as majestic as a lion, but currently dancing the same strange steps.
And the one on the far right was a gorilla in a suit, looking even more comical and foolish.
Nami watched the three of them with a mix of helplessness and hostility. These three guys had just abducted her here.
Puff puff puff puff~~~ The blue-haired man's footsteps sounded like a series of farts. The old golden-haired man in the middle, full of vigor, complained,
"Dr. Indigo, can't you do something about your footsteps? Every time, it sounds like you're farting!"
The man called Indigo gesticulated wildly, his fart-like shoes seemingly expressing something. The golden-haired old man, chewing on a cigar, looked annoyed.
"What do you want to say?"
"I have something to show you!" Dr. Indigo suddenly said.
"So you can talk!!!!"
In this scene, akin to a comedy duo's straight man and funny man, the gorilla in the suit beside them laughed and clapped. The golden-haired old man widened his eyes and shouted,
"Mommy?"
"How is that not a gorilla!" Dr. Indigo slapped the golden-haired old man hard on the head.
"But aren't I also a gorilla?" The golden-haired old man rubbed his head, confused.
"Aren't you a lion!"
"Oh, I'm the Golden Lion." He clapped his hands, looking suddenly enlightened, then smiled foolishly.
This scene was comical, bizarre, and idiotic, especially to anyone who knew this golden-haired old man.
He once had many resounding titles: Pirate King, Sky Captain, Fleet Admiral. In an era before the Four Emperors, he was a sea hero who stood alongside Whitebeard and Roger.
Shiki the Golden Lion.
He was old, as old as Whitebeard, but he was in a worse state than Whitebeard. He was crippled, he was insane, and now he was like a comical fool—without any dignity befitting a former sea hero.
Nami was abducted by him because he valued her navigation skills and wanted her to join him. Nami, utterly helpless, could only feign compliance, waiting for her companions to rescue her.
"Little darling, do you really not want to join us? It'll be a lot of fun."
Shiki, as always, invited Nami, only to be met with a roll of the eye and indifference from the "Cat Burglar." But Shiki didn't care, laughing heartily; he had all the time in the world.
But just then, Shiki's expression abruptly changed.
A familiar and even more powerful Conqueror's Haki than he remembered swept across the entire "STRONG WORLD," followed by a thunderous roar.
"Get out here!!!!!"
-----
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