Chapter 27: The Harvest and the Dog-Headed Ship Attacks!
The world was silent, save for the groans of the dying ocean below.
The unnatural arena of water, held aloft by the sheer force of will and Haki, began to collapse around the edges, sending cascades of seawater back into the void.
Looking at the dying Golden Lion before him, who was utterly incapable of resisting any further, Suzaku let out a long breath. His chest heaved, the golden flames adorning his body flickering and dimming as he released the intense focus required to maintain his form. His heart was filled with a complex mix of victory, exhaustion, and a lingering adrenaline that made his fingertips tingle.
"As expected, with my current strength, if I hadn't relied on the astonishing physical boost and regeneration from the Vermilion Bird Bloodline, it would have been impossible to fight Shiki to this extent..." he muttered, his voice barely audible over the wind.
He looked down at his hands. The skin was red, steaming slightly as the excessive heat dissipated.
"I had to forcibly drag the fight out until his old injuries relapsed and his stamina failed before I found an opportunity. For that Straw Hat to win against him later is completely plot armor!"
He couldn't help but chuckle bitterly, wiping a smudge of soot from his cheek.
"You think using a power level like Gear Three is enough to defeat this kind of monster? That's utterly impossible! He truly is the legend who once contended with Roger... Even half-dead and crippled, he was a mountain."
He shook his head, casting aside these distracting thoughts. The battle was over, but the harvest had just begun.
He reached into his pocket and pulled out a sleek black card inscribed with an arcane pentagram design—the [Covenant of Retrospection]. This was the unexpected reward obtained when Rem's bond leveled up; he hadn't expected it to come in handy so quickly.
He lightly tossed the card onto Shiki's slumped form. The card fluttered through the air like a leaf, landing gently on the old pirate's chest.
The moment it made contact, it transformed. The black card dissolved into particles of faint, ethereal light that seeped into Shiki's body, searching for the essence of his power.
Suzaku wasted no more words. He raised his hand and waved it.
WHOOSH!
A cluster of dazzling golden flames instantly consumed Shiki's body entirely. The terrifying heat burst forth, scorching the air until it twisted and deformed. It was a funeral pyre fit for a king, a final act of respect for a legend of the seas.
Before the flames completely incinerated everything, Suzaku moved with lightning speed. He extended his will, wrapping the two famous swords, "Oto" and "Kogarashi," in a protective layer of fire to shield them from the intense heat.
"Come here," he commanded.
The swords, freed from Shiki's legs, flew into his grasp. They felt heavy, weighted with history and blood.
After all, they were legendary blades, supreme grade swords that had tasted the blood of the world's strongest. It would be a shame to waste them. Even if he didn't use them, they would be excellent rewards for his capable subordinates in the future. Perhaps Rem could use a new weapon, or maybe a future recruit.
In the blink of an eye, Shiki's existence was completely erased. The flames dissipated, leaving no ashes behind, only the memory of a golden era.
Instead, floating in the air where the Golden Lion had been, was a uniquely shaped Devil Fruit.
It displayed an unnatural pale white color, and its skin was covered in spiral, whirlwind-like dark green patterns. Its overall shape was slightly strange, exuding a sense of ethereality and weightlessness, as if it were made of clouds rather than fruit flesh.
"Is this... the Float-Float Fruit (Fuwa Fuwa no Mi)?"
Suzaku reached out and grasped it. The fruit felt lighter than air in his hand, humming with a strange energy.
But before he could examine it closely—
RUMBLE!
A deep, terrifying vibration shook the world. The sound was low and resonant, like the earth grinding its teeth.
High above, the entire cluster of Sky Islands, deprived of the power that held them aloft, began to shake and tremble violently!
Having lost the sustainment of its user, the giant islands began to lose balance. The gravitational defiance that Shiki had imposed upon them vanished instantly.
CRACK! BOOM!
Massive rocks tumbled down from the heavens, crashing into the sea with apocalyptic splashes that sent waves towering hundreds of meters high. The floating archipelago was disintegrating, plummeting toward the sea below!
It seemed as though the sky itself was falling. Millions of tons of rock, dirt, and jungle vegetation would disintegrate and plummet toward the sea below at any moment!
"Tsk, no time for research!"
Suzaku acted decisively. He clutched the two famous swords in his left hand and tightly gripped the newly manifested Float-Float Fruit in his right.
BOOM!
With a sonic boom behind him, a pair of magnificent and blazing golden flame wings unfolded!
With a fierce flap of his wings, he transformed into a golden meteor tearing through the sky. He navigated the falling debris, dodging islands the size of mountains, weaving through the rain of boulders. He instantly swept past the continually collapsing Sky Islands at an astonishing speed.
He accurately landed on the deck of the Freedom, which was violently shaking from the turbulence caused by the falling landmasses. The ship pitched and rolled, groaning under the stress.
Just then, Nami slowly woke up, rubbing her throbbing temples. She was still groggy from the Conqueror's Haki knockout, her vision blurry.
"Ugh... what happened...?" she mumbled, trying to sit up.
"Nami, perfect timing!" Suzaku immediately called out, his voice urgent, cutting through her haze.
"Quickly take the helm! The tsunami caused by islands falling from the sky is no joke!"
"Islands... falling?" Nami blinked, then looked up. Her eyes widened in horror as she saw a continent descending upon them, blotting out the sun. "EEEEEEH?!"
"Lord Suzaku, congratulations on your triumphant return!"
Albedo had already stepped forward, a flush of excitement coloring her beautiful face. Her eyes were filled with adoration and worship, as if she were admiring a victorious deity. To her, the falling sky was merely a dramatic backdrop to his glory.
On the other side, Rem lowered her head, nervously clutching the corner of her skirt. Her voice was filled with self-reproach.
"Lord Suzaku... Rem is useless, Rem couldn't help at all..."
Looking at Suzaku's clothes, which were tattered and scorched from the fierce battle, her eyes dimmed with guilt. She saw the burns, the soot, and felt a pang of failure.
Suzaku smiled, reaching out to ruffle her blue short hair vigorously. "Don't overthink it. Keeping the ship safe was the biggest help. Without a ship, we'd be swimming."
Nami suppressed the shock in her heart, her survival instincts kicking in. She quickly ran toward the helm, grabbing the wheel with both hands.
"Hold on everyone! We're getting out of here!"
Just as she was maneuvering the Freedom, struggling to avoid the constantly falling island fragments and attempting to rush toward a relatively safe area, a cold voice rang out.
"Lord Suzaku, a large Marine warship has been spotted to the rear-right!"
Albedo had locked onto the distant threat immediately. Her eyes narrowed into slits. "Should I sink them?"
Suzaku looked back. Through the mist and falling debris, he saw a standard Marine warship cutting through the surging waves. Its figurehead was particularly striking—a giant dog's head holding a bone in its mouth.
Seeing that dog head, Suzaku's heart skipped a beat. He knew exactly whose ship that was.
"Garp..."
He frowned slightly.
He had just endured a fierce battle with the Golden Lion, suffering massive physical exhaustion. His Haki reserves were low, and his body ached. Now, the sea surface was like boiling porridge due to the falling islands, fraught with danger.
Entangling himself with the Marine Hero here was definitely not wise.
"No time to waste on them! Nami, hold the helm tight!"
Suzaku acted instantly. He rushed to the stern, letting out a low shout, and thrust his arms forward!
BOOM!
Blazing golden flames erupted from his palms. They weren't for attack, but propulsion. The fire violently impacted the sea surface behind the stern, acting like two furious jet engines!
The Freedom paused for a moment under the strain, the wood creaking loudly, then shot forward like an arrow released from a powerful bow. Its speed suddenly skyrocketed, the bow lifting out of the water as it skipped over the waves.
Aided by the propulsion of the towering waves behind it and Suzaku's fire, it frantically sped toward Reverse Mountain!
At this moment, on the deck of the dog-headed warship.
Vice Admiral Garp stood at the bow, munching on rice crackers. He noticed the pirate ship ahead with the strange flag and astonishing speed.
He had originally only been passing through the East Blue on a routine patrol, but was drawn by the apocalyptic scene in the distance and the merchant ship reports of a "world-shaking battle."
The islands floating and then falling instantly reminded him of his old opponent, Golden Lion Shiki!
"Did Shiki cause all that commotion? Was that guy defeated?"
Garp was deeply shaken, finding it unbelievable. He stopped chewing, a rare look of seriousness crossing his face. "Are you kidding me! How could anyone in the East Blue possibly take down that maniac?!"
Just as he was about to order the warship to proceed at full speed to investigate the falling islands, his deputy officer urgently reported:
"Vice Admiral Garp! We've spotted a suspicious vessel leaving the combat zone! The flag is completely unfamiliar! It's a burning bird!"
Garp strode to the bow, squinted, and immediately saw the familiar figure at the stern spewing flames.
It was the arrogant newcomer from the wanted posters! The one Sengoku had been yelling about!
"It's 'Vermilion Bird' Suzaku's crew!" A sharp, excited gleam flashed in Garp's eyes. He grinned, revealing his teeth. "Quick! Chase them down!"
However, the deputy officer reported with a grave expression, looking at the readings. "Vice Admiral Garp, their speed is too fast! Furthermore, the ship is using the propulsion from the waves caused by the falling islands to escape... I'm afraid we can't catch them!"
"Hahaha! That brat is quite capable!" Garp laughed instead of getting angry. He cracked his knuckles. "But since he ran right into me, there's no way I'm letting him go!"
With that, he abruptly grabbed a massive cannonball from the deck. It was larger than a man's head, heavy iron.
Pitch-black Armament Haki instantly covered his entire arm, his muscles bulging under his suit jacket.
"Take this! Fist Bone Meteor!"
He threw it.
The cannonball tore through the air like it had been fired from a railgun. It let out a mournful howl, moving with speed and power far exceeding that of a standard naval cannon. It flew straight toward the stern of the Freedom!
And this was only the beginning!
"Ammunition depot! Bring all the cannonballs up here!" Garp roared, laughing maniacally. "Let's see how fast you can run!"