Chapter 167: Pirate Admiral Golden Lion Shiki
Chapter 167: Pirate Admiral Golden Lion Shiki
The golden light engulfed Kaido's massive kilometer-long figure, illuminating the entire sea.
As the light faded, the golden Buddha form of Sengoku stood tall at the bow of the navy ship, gazing solemnly at the turbulent waters below.
"Let's go! Head to Punk Hazard immediately!" Sengoku commanded the navy soldiers, his expression grim.
Without even bothering to confirm Kaido's condition, Sengoku focused on his mission: stopping Charlotte.
Unfortunately for him, he was already too late.
---
Arriving at Punk Hazard, Sengoku's expression darkened as he surveyed the devastated island and the empty port.
"Damn it!" he muttered.
Grabbing the Den Den Mushi, Sengoku quickly made a report to Navy Marshal Kong.
"Moshi Moshi! This is Sengoku. Charlotte has already escaped. He's taken a large number of scientists and confidential data. However, Vegapunk has been successfully rescued."
Kong, at Marine Headquarters, let out a sigh of relief upon hearing this.
"As long as Vegapunk is safe. Escort him to Marijoa immediately. Leave Charlotte for now," Kong instructed firmly.
"Understood!" Sengoku replied, ending the call.
Onboard the warship, Sengoku approached a man dressed in white with glasses and an unusually large head.
"Dr. Vegapunk, we're escorting you to Marijoa. There, further arrangements will be made for your safety," Sengoku said politely.
Vegapunk chuckled nonchalantly, waving a hand. "Woohahaha! Alright, let's go! There's still so much work to be done!"
Sengoku felt slightly reassured by Vegapunk's calm demeanor.
The warship sailed away from Punk Hazard, leaving behind a ruined island as evidence of the chaos Charlotte had caused.
Meanwhile, news of the incident quickly spread across the world, elevating Charlotte's reputation even further.
---
Golden Lion Shiki sat upon a throne made of gold, holding the latest bounty notice in his hand.
"Hahahaha! What's this kid Charlotte up to now? His bounty just keeps climbing!" Shiki exclaimed, laughing loudly.
"Boss Shiki, should we investigate?" asked a perceptive subordinate.
"Of course! Go find out what he's done this time. At this rate, he'll catch up to me soon," Shiki said with a grin, though there was a hint of curiosity in his eyes.
With Sengoku occupied elsewhere, Shiki sensed an opportunity. "Finally, we can make a big move!"
---
Back on Kami Island, Charlotte's fleet had returned after over two months at sea.
Reflecting on the journey, Charlotte found it surprisingly easy. They spent most of the time sailing, with only brief stops at the ancient town, a skirmish with Green Pepper, and the successful raid on Punk Hazard.
"It almost feels unreal," Charlotte murmured, reclining on a beach chair. "Is it supposed to be this easy?"
His musings were interrupted by the sight of his bustling island.
Charlotte immediately tasked Ivan, the island's steward, with clearing a port for the ship's transformation.
Thanks to his "encouragement" at sea, the scientists had already come up with several plans for the ship's modifications.
After reviewing the proposals, Charlotte narrowed it down to two feasible options:
1. Electric-Powered Ships – Proposed by Vinsmoke Judge and Caesar Clown, this design aimed to use electricity as the primary power source. Charlotte found this idea promising and approved it immediately, providing full support for its development.
2. Human-Powered Ships – This plan involved a mechanism similar to a pedal system, allowing crew members to power the ship manually. Though less efficient, it was kept as a backup option.
Charlotte also briefly explained the concept of steam engines to the scientists, using a boiling kettle as a demonstration. While most of the scientists were baffled, Judge and Caesar appeared intrigued.
Still, Charlotte prioritized the electric-powered design over the steam engine. He envisioned using the Thunder Fruit from Sky Island to provide an endless supply of electricity in the future.
For now, though, speed was his main concern. A slow ship made it too risky to venture into the first half of the Grand Line, where the Navy Headquarters would respond quickly to any disturbance.
Charlotte decided to bide his time on Kami Island, allowing the ship transformation to proceed while reducing the Navy's focus on him.
---
Meanwhile, Navy Admiral Zephyr was growing increasingly frustrated. After rushing back to the New World to hunt Charlotte, he discovered that the pirate had retreated to his island. Zephyr didn't dare venture too deep into the New World, where powerful pirate alliances awaited.
The current situation in the New World was tense but balanced.
Whitebeard dominated the second half of the New World.
Captain John and Silver Axe controlled the waters near Beehive Island.
Big Mom ruled over Totland, closer to the first half of the Grand Line.
Charlotte maintained a stronghold on Kami Island, at the center of the New World.
In the first half of the New World, however, Golden Lion Shiki reigned supreme.
Shiki had inherited Rocks' ambition and was burning, killing, and looting wherever he went. His strategy was simple: recruit or destroy. Any pirate entering the New World who crossed paths with Shiki was forced to join him or face annihilation.
This ruthless approach earned Shiki the title of Pirate Admiral, and his influence spread far and wide.
Nations feared him. Admirals kept a close watch on his every move.
Shiki, the leader of the Flying Pirates, was a man whose bounty reflected his status: 2.36 billion berries.
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