Year 1519 of the Sea Calendar.
Above a stretch of the Grand Line, massive islands floated impossibly high in the sky, suspended more than ten thousand meters above the sea. The sight alone was enough to make anyone lose their composure.
Standing at the edge, Riden stared down at the endless ocean, his eyes blazing with a terrifying fire of revenge.
After crossing into this world, he had become a Celestial Dragon—a so-called World Noble. At first, he believed he could enjoy the privileges that came with such a lofty status. But reality was cruel. He had been cast aside by the World Government, abandoned as one of their outcasts.
And worse still, he had been captured by none other than the legendary pirate, Shiki the Golden Lion, Governor of the Flying Pirates. Dragged to their floating fortress, Riden was reduced to nothing more than a servant, a slave forced to carry out menial tasks.
For a Celestial Dragon—someone who thrived on enslaving others—to become a slave himself was the greatest of ironies.
It wasn't only Shiki who humiliated him. Even the nameless small-time pirates, the underlings not even worthy of mention in the original tale, delighted in mocking him. They seemed to relish the thrill of stepping on a fallen World Noble.
"Oi, oi. Celestial Dragon brat."
A drunken pirate staggered over, sneering at him. "The banquet's over. Governor Shiki wants you to clean up the mess. You hear me?"
Riden drew in a long breath. His gaze toward the pirate glittered with restrained killing intent.
But here—ten thousand meters in the sky, deep inside Shiki's territory—he knew all too well what would happen if he acted rashly.
Though he bore the identity of a Celestial Dragon, Riden understood from the very beginning that status alone was meaningless. Strength was what truly mattered. After years of training, his power was comparable to that of a Marine Major, perhaps even a little greater.
Killing ordinary pirates was easy. But killing them here would only seal his own fate.
Suppressing his rage, Riden turned toward the banquet hall. Just then, a cold, mechanical voice echoed in his mind, halting his steps.
[Inheritance System awakening. Binding host…]
[Congratulations, host. Inheritance System successfully bound.]
Riden froze. Then his pupils shrank as excitement surged uncontrollably within him.
At last, his cheat system had awakened!
Struggling to calm himself, he whispered: "System… can you help me escape this situation?"
[The Inheritance System allows the host to inherit the powers of the dead. To escape your predicament, you must still rely on your own strength.]
Riden frowned. With the strength of a Marine Major, escaping on the sea wouldn't be too difficult.
But here, in the Flying Pirates' floating fortress, there was no room for escape.
He pressed on: "What do you mean by inheriting the powers of the dead?"
[When the host touches the corpse of the deceased, you may inherit the powers they possessed in life—including martial arts, swordsmanship, Haki, and even Devil Fruit abilities.]
Riden's eyes widened.
To claim the strength of the dead? Such a power was heaven-defying.
Still, he quickly asked: "But Devil Fruit powers vanish when the user dies. Can I really inherit those as well?"
[Yes. As long as you touch the body, you may inherit every ability they once possessed.]
By the time the voice faded, Riden had reached the banquet hall. His breath slowed. A dangerous plan began to take shape in his mind.
He pushed the door open. At the head of the table slumped a man, drunk beyond reason.
Golden mane-like hair, a ship's rudder embedded in his skull, a striped robe of orange and yellow, and two great swords tied to his thighs—his very presence declared his identity.
One of the three legendary pirates. Governor of the Flying Pirates. The man who had once cornered the Pirate King, Roger.
Shiki the Golden Lion.
Looking at the unconscious man, Riden's heart pounded.
If he remained Shiki's prisoner, he would never leave this sky fortress alive. Even with the system, he would never have the freedom to grow stronger.
He could bide his time and wait for Shiki's death, but Riden had no intention of wasting decades.
He had already chosen—he would seize Shiki's power. The question was: how?
"No choice. I have to gamble everything."
This was the perfect chance. Shiki was weaker than in his prime, his Haki dulled by the rudder buried in his skull.
But even now, Shiki was a force to rival any under an Admiral, feared across the seas for his Devil Fruit powers.
Yet Riden knew Shiki's greatest weakness—the rudder itself.
It had fused with his brain. If it were violently torn free, his brain would die instantly. Not even the monstrous bodies of this world could survive brain death.
The next moment, Riden struck. His blade pierced Shiki's throat.
The Golden Lion's eyes flew open, pain flooding his gaze as his hand clutched at the wound.
Before he could react, Riden seized the rudder in his head with both hands. Muscles straining with all his strength, he wrenched it free.
Shiki stared at him in disbelief. The legendary pirate—the Governor of the Flying Pirates—could never have imagined that a mere child would know his fatal weakness.
And so, one of the great legends of the seas fell. Shiki the Golden Lion, undone not by a fleet or a Navy Admiral… but by a boy he had once enslaved.
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New novel!
200 Power Stones: 3+Chapter
100 Collection: 1+Chapter