Chapter 86 Pretending To Be Golden Lion

"Protecting the weak has always been your way, hasn't it, Whitebeard? But today, that so-called strength of yours will only chain you down."

Shiki's voice carried a mocking tone, but his aura was anything but playful. His presence alone seemed to warp the air, suffocating the members of the Whitebeard Pirates who surrounded him. Yet, standing at the center of this storm was Whitebeard himself, his massive frame unyielding like a mountain.

With the Moby Dick still rising under the effects of the Lion Fruit, Whitebeard's crew braced themselves against the shifting deck. The younger pirates, despite their loyalty, could not suppress the unease growing in their hearts. After all, this wasn't just some imposter—they were staring down an opponent who possessed terrifying power that rivaled, if not surpassed, the legends of the original Golden Lion.

Whitebeard's narrowed eyes locked on Shiki. "It doesn't matter who you claim to be. On my ship, your life belongs to me." His voice was calm yet carried a thunderous weight, as if daring the intruder to continue his assault.

Shiki grinned wildly, as if reveling in Whitebeard's declaration. "Let's see if you can make good on that claim!"

In an instant, Shiki vanished once again, moving at an impossible speed. Before anyone could react, his figure reappeared, descending upon Whitebeard like a storm. His blades, Sakura Ten and Kiku, glinted ominously as he aimed a fierce dual slash toward Whitebeard.

The collision was monumental.

*Boom!*

Whitebeard's naginata met Shiki's twin swords in a clash that sent shockwaves rippling through the air. The sheer force of their blows caused the sea beneath the Moby Dick to churn violently, as if the ocean itself recoiled from the intensity of their duel.

"You've got some strength behind those arms," Whitebeard admitted, pushing back against Shiki's blades with ease. "But strength alone isn't enough to face me, brat!"

The white halo of the Tremor-Tremor Fruit pulsed around Whitebeard's weapon, its devastating energy expanding outward in a shockwave that forced Shiki to leap back. The deck beneath their feet groaned under the strain, large cracks splitting the wood as if the ship were about to tear apart.

"Still protecting your precious crew, Whitebeard?" Shiki sneered, his feet hovering just above the ground. "That weakness will cost you everything!"

Whitebeard's sharp eyes tracked Shiki's every move. "Weakness? You call loyalty weakness? That's why you'll never be anything more than a shadow of what you once were, Shiki—or whatever you are now!"

Shiki's grin faltered, if only for a moment, but he quickly masked it with laughter. "Say whatever you like. In the end, strength determines everything. Let me show you how meaningless your so-called loyalty really is!"

As Shiki raised his swords, the surrounding debris from the shattered deck began to rise into the air, twisting and spinning violently under the Lion Fruit's influence. The Moby Dick, now floating high above the sea, became a battlefield suspended in midair, where even gravity seemed to bow to Shiki's will.

"Prepare yourself, Whitebeard!" Shiki roared, channeling his Reiatsu and Haki into his swords. The air around him shimmered as he unleashed a devastating attack. "*Lion Slash Tempest!*"

The attack cleaved through the air, a massive golden energy wave roaring toward Whitebeard with unstoppable momentum. Its sheer size and power left no room for escape.

But Whitebeard did not move an inch.

Bracing his feet firmly on the splintered deck, he swung his naginata with all his might. The power of the Tremor-Tremor Fruit erupted from the blade, meeting Shiki's attack head-on.

The resulting explosion was cataclysmic.

The shockwave spread out in every direction, tearing apart the sky and sea alike. The Moby Dick shuddered violently, and the surrounding pirates were forced to cling to whatever they could to avoid being flung overboard. Even the heavens seemed to split as thunderclouds gathered, lightning crackling ominously overhead.

When the dust settled, Shiki hovered in the air, a wicked grin still plastered across his face despite the blood dripping from the corner of his mouth. Whitebeard stood unwavering, his massive frame casting a long shadow over the deck.

"You're strong, I'll give you that," Whitebeard admitted, his voice steady as ever. "But if you think this is enough to break me or my crew, you're more foolish than I thought."

Shiki's grin widened. "We'll see about that, old man. The fun's just beginning!"

The battle was far from over, and the tension in the air was palpable. Whitebeard's crew could only watch in awe and horror as their beloved pops prepared to face a foe whose power seemed otherworldly. But one thing was certain: neither Whitebeard nor Shiki would back down until the other was utterly defeated.