The Clownish Golden Lion

After boarding the Marine warship, Jon did not stay with Borsalino but instead entered the cabin, taking his position beside the massive iron cage where Golden Lion Shiki was being held.

Inside the cage, Shiki was shackled at all four limbs, bound by chains attached to the cage walls, suspending him midair.

The restraints were all Seastone shackles, completely suppressing his Float-Float Fruit (Fuwa Fuwa no Mi) abilities. On top of that, he had gone without food for a while, leaving him physically drained and weak.

Despite this, the Marines remained cautious. They assigned Borsalino and Jon—the infamous "Yellow-Green Duo"—to oversee the transport. Jon was ordered to monitor Shiki closely, ready to act at the slightest sign of resistance. Under no circumstances could they allow him an opportunity to escape.

As the warship set sail, Jon instructed the other Marines to stay outside, leaving him alone with Shiki.

The once-mighty pirate now looked disheveled, his long golden hair wild and unkempt. He no longer carried the imposing presence he once had. If one didn't know better, they would never believe that this ragged man was the legendary Golden Lion Shiki—one of the most feared pirates of the New World.

From the moment they set sail, Shiki had been eerily silent.

Ten minutes passed.

Fifteen.

Not a single word from him.

If it weren't for his breathing, Jon might have thought he was already dead.

Since Shiki wasn't talking, Jon wasn't about to start a conversation either. They had no common ground, after all.

However, just when Jon thought the entire trip would be peaceful, Shiki suddenly spoke.

"Oi, brat."

Jon looked up at him. "I thought you were going to stay quiet the whole way."

"What, you don't feel like chatting? Well, too bad. I want to talk."

Shiki stretched his neck, his sharp gaze locking onto Jon with an arrogant smirk.

Jon was speechless. Shiki was supposed to be one of the greatest pirates of his time, yet here he was, acting like a complete clown—just like Roger.

"You're the brat with the plant-controlling Devil Fruit, right?"

Jon smirked. "You got sharp eyes for an old man."

"I've seen a lot of Devil Fruit abilities that control plants, but I've never seen one on the scale of yours. Not bad, kid. There aren't many in the Marines worth my attention, but a few of you brats have promise. Where the hell did you even come from?"

Jon shrugged. "Guess you just don't get out enough."

Shiki scoffed. "Hah! You got some guts, brat. If I wasn't chained up, would you still dare to talk big?"

Jon smirked. "You do realize you're the one in chains, right? No use bragging about the past. If you've got something useful to say, say it. Otherwise, enjoy the silence. Not many people will be willing to talk to you once you're locked up in Impel Down."

Shiki snorted.

Then, after a pause, he suddenly growled in frustration.

"What pisses me off is this—Roger gets captured, and you Marines put on a whole damn show with a public execution! But me? You're just throwing me into prison?! What the hell is that?! Are you saying I'm not as important as that bastard?!"

Hearing this, Jon nearly burst out laughing.

Of all the things Shiki could be mad about, it was this?

"Maybe you're just not that big of a deal."

Shiki's veins bulged. "THE HELL I'M NOT! I was already ruling the seas before that bastard even made a name for himself! You Marines are a bunch of blind idiots!"

Jon finally understood why Shiki was being treated differently.

Publicly executing Gol D. Roger was a monumental event, one that would shake the entire world. But Shiki? He was powerful, yes, but he simply didn't carry the same weight as the Pirate King.

And besides, the World Government didn't want to kill Shiki—doing so would only cause his Float-Float Fruit to reincarnate somewhere else, potentially ending up in the hands of another dangerous pirate. Instead, they preferred to keep him locked up while also extracting any valuable information he might have about hidden treasures or secret locations.

Jon smirked. "Like I said, this is just how it is. You were strong back in the day, but now Roger is the Pirate King. His reputation overshadows yours, whether you like it or not."

Shiki grumbled but didn't respond.

Several minutes of silence passed.

Then, out of nowhere, Shiki spoke again.

"Oi, brat."

Jon sighed. "What now?"

Shiki narrowed his eyes. "I've heard a lot about this Impel Down place. They say it's an inescapable fortress—no one's ever broken out before. That true?"

Jon shrugged. "I've never been there, but from what I know, yeah. No one has ever escaped."

Shiki grinned.

"Well then, I guess I'll be the first."

Hearing this, Jon's expression turned strange.

If it were anyone else, he'd laugh it off.

But this was Shiki—and Jon knew for a fact that he would escape.

"Maybe," Jon said vaguely.

—

Before long, the warship arrived at Impel Down, the infamous deep-sea prison of the World Government.

As Jon and Borsalino escorted Shiki off the ship, they were met by a group of uniformed guards.

Leading them was a towering figure covered in black armor-like skin, his bat-like wings spread wide. His presence alone radiated authority.

"I am the Deputy Warden of Impel Down—Magellan."

The man introduced himself in a deep, commanding voice.

Borsalino nodded with rare seriousness. "I am Rear Admiral Borsalino, tasked with delivering the prisoner."

Not long ago, Borsalino had officially been promoted to Rear Admiral.

Jon studied Magellan curiously.

He knew that this man would one day become the Warden of Impel Down, wielding the terrifying powers of the Venom-Venom Fruit (Doku Doku no Mi). He was destined to be one of the most formidable figures within the Marines.

Magellan examined the shackled Shiki, his face darkening.

"Golden Lion…?"

Even he was visibly shaken.

The legendary pirate had finally been captured.

Jon handed over the transfer documents. "Orders from above—he is to be placed in Level Six: Eternal Hell, complete isolation. No visitors, no interaction."

Magellan nodded grimly.

"Understood."

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