"Well, let's get started, Teach. No one will bother us here."
On the other side of Mock Town, Ace stood facing Blackbeard, who had been pushed back hundreds of meters by his fire fist and slammed into a wall.
"Zehahaha! Ace, do you think you can beat me?" Blackbeard stood up, black smoke rising from his body. His expression was fierce as his injuries quickly healed. "If I hadn't wanted to get away from Golden Lion, there's no way your punch would have hit me."
"Is this also the Dark-Dark Fruit power that guy mentioned?" Ace narrowed his eyes seriously. "Teach, was this fruit really worth killing your brother who sailed with you for so many years?"
"You'll soon find out whether it was worth it or not," Blackbeard replied. "Ace, I'm very angry now. You picked a bad time to show up. Black Hole!"
Blackbeard's eyes narrowed as he opened his right hand toward Ace. A spinning black vortex formed in his palm.
Ace immediately felt his body being pulled toward Blackbeard by a powerful force.
'Damn, this is the power that guy warned me about,' Ace thought. 'I can't let him succeed!'
Ace gritted his teeth, aligned his body toward Blackbeard, and launched a flaming fist.
Meanwhile, elsewhere in town...
"Nojiko, what should we do?" Vivi took Nojiko's hand, looking worried. "Ikki and Nami seem to be fighting some powerful enemies. Should we go help them?"
Even from a distance, Vivi could see the darkness spreading throughout Mock Town and feel the earthquake that had just occurred.
"That flying man is Golden Lion Shiki, if I'm not mistaken," Robin said with a slight frown. "He's a legendary pirate who almost defeated Roger, the Pirate King. I didn't expect to meet such dangerous people in Mock Town."
She looked at Nojiko, knowing her Observation Haki was stronger and could provide better insight.
"We should... stay here for now," Nojiko said as the red light in her eyes faded when she withdrew her Observation Haki. "That guy is incredibly powerful. He can fly and control the ground to fight. We haven't learned Moonwalk yet, so going there might only cause problems for Ikki and Nami. If they get in trouble, I'll go alone to heal them. You two wait here."
A look of determination flashed in her eyes.
Hearing this, Vivi frowned and was about to speak when Robin put a hand on her shoulder and shook her head.
Vivi pressed her lips together. She understood Robin's meaning and knew she might not be able to help—she might even make things worse. Still, it was hard to accept standing by while Ikki and Nami fought.
"Let's work together, Vivi," Nojiko smiled. "Even without power-boosting medicine, we need to train harder. Let's start by learning Moonwalk."
Vivi nodded firmly.
"4.8 billion Berries bounty?" Ikki said, impressed. "That's an amazing number. I just wonder if you're still strong enough to deserve such a bounty, Golden Lion. By the way, I should thank you for bringing two famous swords to me."
Ikki lowered Tensa Zangetsu slightly, using his Future Sight Observation Haki to analyze Shiki and anticipate his next attack. At the same time, his eyes focused on the two legendary swords, "Oto" and "Kogarashi," embedded in Shiki's legs.
In the original timeline, Golden Lion was defeated by the Straw Hat Pirates. Ikki thought this wasn't just because of Luffy's protagonist aura but because Shiki himself had weakened. People in the pirate world either get stronger through constant fighting or maintain their peak through regular training, like Marine Hero Garp. But those who neglect training gradually decline in strength, as happened with Gecko Moria.
Ikki knew Shiki had been conducting experiments for years, which meant less time for fighting and training. The current Golden Lion was definitely not as strong as before. This was why Ikki dared to face him.
"You'll soon find out whether you have this strength or not," Shiki said. "After I deal with you, I'll take care of those two."
Golden Lion smiled, looking at the flames and black mist rising in the distance with appreciation in his eyes. This made Ikki suspect that Shiki really wanted to recruit Blackbeard and Ace rather than them.
Ikki stepped on Moonwalk while taking a slashing stance.
"I heard you once attacked Marine Headquarters over Roger's execution, right Golden Lion?"
"You even know about that, kid?" Shiki looked at Ikki with interest, finding him increasingly strange.
"I have good information sources," Ikki smiled slightly. "Making a scene at Marine Headquarters for Roger, facing Marine Hero Garp and Fleet Admiral Sengoku—that shows real loyalty to Roger. Since you're so interested in Roger, why don't I share something with you?"
Shiki raised his eyebrows. "Kid, are you scared? Trying to distract me with words?"
"No, you misunderstand," Ikki shook his head. "I just noticed you seem more interested in Blackbeard and Ace over there, so I wanted to give you some information. That young man with the Whitebeard mark on his back is named Portgas D. Ace. Portgas is his mother's surname. If he used his father's name, he'd be Gol D. Ace. Golden Lion, you understand what I mean? That kid is Pirate King Roger's son!"
As Ikki finished speaking, Shiki's calm expression suddenly changed to shock as he looked toward Ace and Blackbeard.
"What? Roger had a son? And he joined Whitebeard's crew? Kid, how do you know this?"
Golden Lion turned back to Ikki, only to find him charging forward.
"Thunder Breathing, Seventh Form: Flaming Thunder God!"
Ikki shouted, unleashing a lightning-fast slash that invisible to the naked eye, forming a golden thunder dragon that headed straight for Shiki's head.
"So fast!" Shiki raised his eyebrows and immediately lifted one of the swords on his feet to block.
CLANG!
A loud metallic clash rang out as Ikki and Shiki froze in midair.
"Boy, are you trying to trick me?" Shiki asked with a fierce smile, thinking Ikki had mentioned Roger's son just to distract him. Even if Ace really was Roger's son, Shiki couldn't understand why he would join the Whitebeard Pirates.
"I just wanted you to have fewer regrets before you die," Ikki smirked as powerful black energy burst from Tensa Zangetsu.
"Getsuga Tenshō!"
With one slash, the close-range Getsuga Tenshō was too fast for even Shiki with his Float-Float Fruit to dodge. He was blasted toward the horizon by the massive black crescent.
At the same time, Nami narrowed her eyes and raised Gonryōmaru.
BOOM!
A tremendous roar came from the sky as golden lightning bolts struck down, enveloping Shiki who had been launched upward by the Getsuga Tenshō.
The combined energy of the Getsuga and lightning caused a huge explosion on contact.
Ikki narrowed his eyes slightly, using Observation Haki to track Shiki. Though the power of their two Bankai attacks was impressive, Ikki didn't believe it would defeat Golden Lion.
Sure enough, with a powerful burst of energy, Shiki emerged from the violent explosion, his body blackened by Armament Haki. His clothes were damaged in many places, and his body showed traces of blood.
"Phew... that's a relief," Ikki lowered Tensa Zangetsu slightly, looking calmly at the angry Shiki.
"Relief? Boy, how can you feel relieved after making me angry?" The corners of Shiki's mouth twisted as his aura spread, making the entire island of Mock Town tremble.
Ikki glanced at the shaking island below, knowing this was Shiki using his Float-Float Fruit powers. 'We can't let him keep using his ability,' Ikki thought. 'If the battle moves to the air, it will put Nami at a disadvantage.'
While thinking this, Ikki said with a smile, "Of course I'm relieved. That last slash is one I'm quite proud of. Even though I didn't use full power, if you weren't injured already, I'd be in trouble. Once I break through your Armament Haki, my attacks will do much more damage."
Without waiting for Shiki's response, Ikki stepped on Moonwalk, wielding the jet-black Tensa Zangetsu as he charged straight at Golden Lion.
At the same time, Nami took a deep breath and used her Bankai to summon the largest thunderbolt yet to strike Shiki.
As the battle intensified, the entire island and surrounding area began to shake.
In the distance, Blackbeard, who had been toying with Ace using his abilities, looked over at Ikki and Shiki fighting fiercely in the sky.
His eyes burned with hatred and wariness.
"That guy is so strong..." Blackbeard muttered fiercely. "But even if you defeat Golden Lion, I'll kill you someday!"
At sea, far from Mock Town, a Marine warship sailed quickly toward Jaya Island.
On the water near the ship, a tall middle-aged man riding a bicycle on ice approached the vessel.
"Admiral Aokiji, you're finally here," a Marine officer greeted as the man jumped from the ice onto the deck.
"Yes," Aokiji nodded slightly. "Where is Vice Admiral Tsuru, and how is Gion doing now?"
Aokiji had recently accepted this temporary escort mission from Fleet Admiral Sengoku.
"Please follow me," the Marine officer said, turning toward the warship's infirmary.
Aokiji followed closely, and they soon arrived at the infirmary door. After bringing Aokiji there, the officer returned to his post.
"Vice Admiral Tsuru, how is Gion's condition?" Admiral Aokiji asked as he entered the room.
Aokiji frowned when he saw the Demon Mark covering half of Gion's face. When he first received Sengoku's call saying Gion was extremely weak and possibly dying due to something called the "Demon Mark," he hadn't believed it. But seeing Gion's actual condition, he had no choice but to accept the truth.
Gion's hair had turned completely gray, and she seemed too weak to even open her eyes. She lay on the bed with a ventilator, her feverish face covered in sweat.
Tsuru was wiping the sweat from Gion's face with a worried expression.
"She's been unconscious for half an hour," Tsuru said without looking back. "The Demon Mark is affecting Gion more severely than we thought. Although her appearance hasn't changed much except for her hair, her body is deteriorating rapidly inside. Aokiji, we need to find that man quickly."
Aokiji nodded, understanding the seriousness of the situation. This was the first time he'd heard panic in Tsuru's voice.
"We're heading to Jaya Island," Aokiji said. "Since Ikki left Alabasta, his next stop should be Jaya. We should meet him soon. Don't worry, Vice Admiral Tsuru."
Tsuru nodded, but before she could respond, the nearby Den Den Mushi began ringing.
Aokiji glanced at Tsuru, who showed no intention of answering, so he went over and picked up.
"Hello, this is Aokiji."
"Kuzan, have you arrived?" Sengoku's voice came through.
"Just got here, Fleet Admiral Sengoku."
"Good! How is Gion's condition?"
"Not... good."
"I see..." After a brief silence, Sengoku continued, "Kuzan, I've received news that Ikki has been spotted in Mock Town on Jaya Island."
Hearing this, both Aokiji and Tsuru perked up with hope.
But Sengoku's next words made them frown.
"However, Ikki is currently in conflict with Golden Lion Shiki on that island. The latest intelligence shows they're still fighting in the sky. It seems to be a stalemate."
"Golden Lion? Why is he there?" Tsuru stood up and took the Den Den Mushi from Aokiji with a frown. "And why is Ikki fighting him? Wait, does Ikki want to take the two legendary swords from Golden Lion?"
Tsuru thought of Gion's sword, Konpira, which Ikki had taken.
"Perhaps," Sengoku replied. "But our intelligence officer in Mock Town was caught in the battle's aftermath. We've lost contact. Tsuru, Aokiji, your ship is now closest to Mock Town. I need you to get there as quickly as possible to resolve the situation between Ikki and Golden Lion. Though Ikki is powerful, Golden Lion is a legendary pirate. If Ikki loses..."
Sengoku didn't finish his sentence, but Tsuru understood his meaning. If Ikki was defeated and killed by Golden Lion, Gion's life might be lost as well.
"I understand, Sengoku. We'll rush to Mock Town at top speed. I believe in Ikki—he won't lose so easily."
Tsuru's order was quickly relayed to every Marine on the warship. Their target was the legendary pirate Golden Lion, and their destination was Mock Town.
"Ikki, you must hold on," Tsuru said, standing on the deck and looking toward Mock Town. "If not for yourself, then for Gion."
Meanwhile, in Mock Town...
"Damn it, why won't this guy go down?" Nami's forehead was covered in sweat as she gritted her teeth, wanting to release another thunderbolt to help Ikki.
But severe energy loss left her unable to gather even a shred of strength. Gonryōmaru, which had been in its powerful Bankai form, had returned to its sealed state.
"Nami, are you okay?" Nojiko reached Nami and pulled her up from the shaking ground, standing on the one-eyed manta ray transformed from her released Minazuki.
Behind Nojiko were Vivi and Robin.
"I'm fine, just out of energy," Nami said, looking worriedly at the sky where Ikki was still fighting Golden Lion. "But Ikki..."
"You did your best, Nami," Nojiko reassured her. "Now we need to trust our captain. The blonde man's speed has slowed down a lot—our captain will definitely defeat him. It's too dangerous here. That man's ability affects the entire town and island. Let's get to a safe place first, or we might distract Ikki."
Nojiko guided the manta ray toward the Traveler, their ship. Nami knew she could no longer help Ikki, so she nodded and agreed to Nojiko's suggestion.
"Come on, Ikki," Nami whispered, looking up at the sky with deep concern. "You must come back safely."
"Getsuga Tenshō!" With a sharp shout, Ikki swung another massive black crescent toward Golden Lion.
Shiki widened his eyes and tried to dodge, but found that his escape angle was almost completely blocked by the huge Getsuga Tenshō. There was only a tiny space below to escape through.
'I can't take this attack head-on,' Shiki thought, remembering the damage from Ikki's previous Getsuga Tenshō. He gritted his teeth and suddenly released his control over the surrounding rocks, using all his Float-Float Fruit power on himself to make his body drop rapidly.
He narrowly escaped Ikki's Getsuga Tenshō, but the next moment, fear flashed across his eyes.
Within his sight, a black blade wrapped in scorching flames was striking with explosive momentum and laser-like speed.
Golden Lion, having just dodged the Getsuga Tenshō, had no time to evade this second attack.
SLASH!
Blood sprayed as Shiki felt a sharp pain in his chest. Looking down, he saw that the black blade wrapped in flames had pierced his heart.
"Sun Breathing, First Form: Dance!"
Only then did Ikki's cold voice reach Golden Lion's ears.
"Cough... I never expected to lose to you and that orange-haired girl!" Golden Lion smiled bitterly, feeling the black blade that could crush his heart at any moment.
He gave up struggling and looked at Ikki, as if trying to memorize his face.
"To be honest, I couldn't have defeated you without my friends' help," Ikki said calmly, sensing Shiki's fading life force. "Even though you've neglected your training, a legendary pirate is still a legendary pirate."
He felt relieved that the battle was finally over.
"I never expected someone like you to be a bounty hunter," Shiki said. "Well, it seems this era belongs to the young after all. But... can you tell me, is Ace really Roger's son?"
Golden Lion coughed up blood, still concerned about Roger even in his final moments.
"I didn't lie before," Ikki nodded. "Fire Fist Ace is Roger's son."
The man was dying anyway, so Ikki had no reason to hide the truth.
"Shihahaha! I'm... about to die, you shouldn't lie to me," Shiki laughed weakly. "Roger... you bastard, you actually left a son in this world. But there really is... your..."
With those final words, Golden Lion fell unconscious.
At the same time, the system's voice sounded in Ikki's mind.
[Ding! Congratulations to Host for defeating 'Golden Lion Shiki, Swordsman of the Mountain-Cutting Realm', obtaining 'Shiki's Dual Sword Style', and gaining permission to challenge 'Swordsman of the Mountain-Cutting Realm, Shiki'.]
[You can now take Golden Lion's legendary swords 'Oto' and 'Kogarashi'.]
'So it really was Mountain-Cutting Realm swordsmanship,' Ikki thought. 'I wonder if your sword skill declined with your overall strength, or if you had only trained to the Mountain-Cutting level to begin with.'
Ikki shook his head, turned his blade and shattered Golden Lion's heart, ending his life completely.
After glancing toward where the flames and black mist had disappeared from Mock Town, Ikki thought for a moment before deciding to rush back to Nami and the others.
Having used too much energy, he could no longer sense Blackbeard's or Ace's auras with his Observation Haki. Though keeping Blackbeard alive might affect the future, Ikki's priority was confirming his crew's safety.
At the coast of Mock Town, few ships remained in what had once been a bustling port. Many people had fled, but a small three-masted sailboat with a crossed-swords symbol on its sail still waited at the dock.
"He's coming!" Nojiko smiled, suddenly looking up at the sky.
Seeing her reaction, Robin, Vivi, and the others quickly raised their heads and followed Nojiko's gaze.
Sure enough, they saw Ikki descending from the sky using Moonwalk, carrying Golden Lion's body.
"Everyone, I'm back," Ikki smiled at them as he tossed Shiki's body onto a corner of the deck, then landed in front of Nojiko.
However, due to exhaustion, his legs gave way as soon as he touched the deck. Nojiko quickly caught him in her arms.
"Ikki, are you okay?" she asked with concern. "I'll heal your wounds right away."
Seeing the blood soaking through Ikki's clothes, Nojiko's heart ached. It was time to use her Shikai's healing ability.
Ikki didn't stop her. Golden Lion had been incredibly strong, and even with Nami's help and their two Bankai, he hadn't escaped without injuries.
"Don't worry, none of my wounds are fatal," Ikki assured them. "But it might not be safe here. Everyone, sail the Explorer to the other side of Jaya Island. Let's find the descendants of that braggart Noland to confirm the Sky Island boarding location."
Ikki smiled at everyone on deck before being enveloped by the one-eyed manta ray formed by Nojiko's released Minazuki.
It was Ikki's first time experiencing Minazuki's treatment method of being swallowed by the manta ray. Though a bit uncomfortable, he couldn't complain if it meant recovering quickly.
"I can't believe Ikki actually defeated him," Robin said with awe. "Golden Lion Shiki, the man who nearly drove Pirate King Roger to despair. I imagine it won't be long before Ikki's name spreads throughout the world."
She turned to Nami. "And yours too, of course."
"I just stood there using my Bankai's power," Nami shook her head modestly. "In the end, it was Gonryōmaru that helped Ikki. Robin, if your Zanpakutō reaches its full power too, you might be even more helpful."
"Let's not talk about that now," Nami added. "Let's get the ship away quickly before anything else happens."
Nami ran toward the helm while Vivi and Robin nodded, jumped to the masts, and lowered the sails.
Soon, the Explorer was sailing toward the other side of Jaya Island with the sea breeze at its back.
Ten minutes after the Explorer departed, Blackbeard emerged in a cloud of dark mist, holding the unconscious Ace in his hand.
"That man actually defeated Golden Lion!" Blackbeard muttered, looking into the distance with growing hatred in his eyes.
Aboard the Explorer...
"Ikki, are you okay?" Robin and the others asked with concern as he emerged from the one-eyed manta ray.
"Don't worry, Nojiko's healing ability is very powerful," Ikki nodded reassuringly. "My wounds are fully healed, though my strength hasn't completely returned yet."
"That's a relief," Vivi said. "By the way, what are you going to do with Golden Lion's body? I've already taken photos for the bounty."
By now, she had learned about Shiki's enormous bounty from Nami and hadn't neglected to document his defeat.
"He... wait, where are the swords from his legs?" Ikki frowned, looking at Golden Lion's body.
"I already removed the two swords from his legs. I thought you might want them," Robin said from behind Ikki.
Ikki turned to see Robin holding 'Oto' and 'Kogarashi', the legendary swords that had been embedded in Golden Lion's legs.
"Thank you, Robin," Ikki smiled, taking the swords. "These swords are in excellent condition. I like them very much."
Ikki immediately chose to upload the two swords to his system.
[Ding! Host has uploaded the 21 Great Grade Swords 'Oto' and 'Kogarashi' and received a total of 6 lottery chances.]
Ikki felt even happier hearing the system's voice in his mind. He almost wanted to thank Golden Lion for coming all this way to deliver these treasures to him, even if the incident had affected the criminals in Mock Town.
'System, use all six draws!' Ikki commanded after calming himself.
[Drawing... Congratulations to Host for winning C-level nutritional potion x10, B-level nutritional potion x1.]
[Congratulations to Host for obtaining Zanpakutō 'Katen Kyōkotsu'!]
'I got Katen Kyōkotsu Zanpakutō?'
Ikki's eyes widened in surprise as he immediately took out the newly acquired Katen Kyōkotsu from his system space.
At the moment, the Shikai form of Katen Kyōkotsu resembled the two great swords "Oto" and "Kogarashi" he had taken from Golden Lion.
'Since Katen Kyōkotsu has two blades, do I now have two powerful swords? And the system even provided scabbards?'
After drawing both "Oto" and "Kogarashi" to examine them, Ikki nodded with satisfaction.
'Katen Kyōkotsu has a truly unusual power,' he thought. 'Without someone smart and calm to wield it, this Zanpakutō might not reach its full potential. It's too bad Robin is already bound to Senbonzakura, or she would be perfect for these blades.'
Ikki turned his head and glanced at Robin, who responded with a smile.
'The Advanced Conqueror's Awakening Potion is also a good reward. Too bad there aren't any S-level nutritional potions. For now, the only way to improve my Life Force is through training and fighting.'
Ikki shook his head, took out the Advanced Conqueror's Awakening Potion from his personal space, and drank it in one gulp.
[Ding! Congratulations Host, your Conqueror's Haki has awakened to an advanced level. Your Conqueror's Haki can now directly damage physical objects.]
[Your attributes have been updated, please check.]
[Host: Ikki]
[Age: 25 years old]
[Weapon: Zangetsu]
[Life Force: 30766]
[Swordsmanship Realm: Mountain-Cutting Realm]
[Abilities: Intermediate Armament Haki, Advanced Observation Haki (Future Sight), Advanced Conqueror's Haki, Conqueror's Infusion, Transparent World, Innate Demon Mark]
[Swordsmanship schools: Breathing Techniques, Zoro's Three Sword Style, Tashigi's One Sword Style, Shiki's Dual Sword Style...]
[Items: E-level nutritional potion x4, D-level nutritional potion x4, C-level nutritional potion x16, B-level nutritional potion x10, A-level nutritional potion, 500 points of Life Force boosting potion x1, Intermediate Observation Haki fragment x1]
'Fighting Golden Lion added some Life Force points too. Not bad,' Ikki thought before closing his attribute panel.
"Ikki, have you finished modifying those two swords?" Vivi asked curiously.
Having seen "Oto" and "Kogarashi" disappear and reappear, Vivi, now a veteran crew member, had her suspicions.
"Yes, from now on these two swords will be called Katen Kyōkotsu," Ikki smiled and nodded.
"Two swords? Do you plan to give both to one person?" Vivi asked in surprise.
"These two blades are a pair. They can only show their true power when used together," Ikki explained.
"Can you show us what kind of abilities they have?" Nami asked with equal curiosity.
"Haha, there's no rush. We'll wait until new crew members join us," Ikki laughed. "I'll demonstrate these swords' capabilities to the new members and all of you then. As for now..."
Ikki looked down at the sticky residue from the manta ray healing still on his body.
"I'd better take a shower first. Nami, would you like to join? You must have used a lot of energy in the battle. The hot springs can help you recover faster. After we've regained our strength, we'll set off for Sky Island."
Hearing this, Nami crossed her arms. "Together, Ikki? If you give me 1 million Berries, I might agree."
"Fine, one million it is. Your price keeps going up, doesn't it?" Ikki shook his head, placing his hand on Nami's shoulder and guiding her toward the cabin. The Berries on the ship belonged to everyone anyway, so he didn't mind if Nami kept a little extra in her private vault.
"Hey, don't touch me! The goo on your body is getting on mine," Nami complained with a pout.
Ikki just smiled and hugged her tightly, making Nami squeal and squirm.
"They get along so well," Nojiko shook her head, looking at Golden Lion's body beside her before kicking it off the deck.
The once-mighty Golden Lion Shiki couldn't escape the fate of becoming fish food.
Aboard the Traveler, in the bathhouse...
[Name: Shiki]
[Age: 25 years old]
[Weapons: Oto, Kogarashi]
[Life Force: 30000, S level]
[Swordsmanship Style: Shiki's Dual Sword Style]
[Swordsmanship Realm: Mountain-Cutting Realm]
[Abilities: Intermediate Armament Haki, Intermediate Observation Haki, Float-Float Fruit]
'A 25-year-old version of Golden Lion?' Ikki thought, examining the attributes of the "Mountain-Cutting Realm Swordsman Shiki" challenge he'd unlocked. 'Fortunately, Golden Lion is in this weakened state. Nojiko only needs to train for a while to defeat him and improve her swordsmanship to unlock her Bankai.'
"Ikki, the Explorer has been anchored," Nojiko called from the bathhouse door. "Should we rest here today and set off tomorrow?"
Ikki looked up to see Nojiko, Vivi, and Robin entering the bathhouse. The three women sat down near him.
"No, let's leave today," Ikki decided. "Our battle may have attracted unwanted attention. It would be fine if friendly people came to investigate, but terrible if unfriendly ones did. If you want to rest, let's wait until we reach Sky Island. There's a self-proclaimed 'God' in that place, but as long as we don't provoke him, he won't bother us."
"But your body..." Nojiko glanced at Ikki worriedly.
"Don't worry," he reassured her. "You don't know how effective these hot springs are. Though fighting Golden Lion used a lot of my energy, resting here for two or three hours will restore me to peak condition. After I recover, we'll sail overnight. The battles with Golden Lion and Blackbeard have already delayed us. Nami and Robin are eager to see the treasure and historical monuments as soon as possible."
As he spoke, Ikki smiled and glanced at Robin sitting behind him and Nami soaking in the water with a towel over her face.
"The historical monuments aren't going anywhere. I'm not in a hurry," Robin smiled.
"That said, Ikki is right. Both of us are recovering quickly, so there's no problem if we sail overnight," Nami removed the towel from her face, her tone revealing unconcealed excitement.
"See? We have people who are quite eager to go," Ikki smiled, reaching into his personal system space to retrieve the "Basic Armament Haki Awakening Potion" and handed it to Robin.
"Ikki, what is this?" she asked.
"A potion that will help you awaken Armament Haki," Ikki explained. "Though it only gives you basic mastery, it will at least let you harm enemies with elemental abilities. After you take it, every crew member on our ship will have Armament Haki."
He added, "I'm sorry. I originally wanted you to finish off Golden Lion and possibly unlock your Zanpakutō's Shikai at the same time. But he was too dangerous—I couldn't guarantee I'd just knock him out rather than kill him."
Robin shook her head. "I'm just glad you came back safely, Ikki. As for my Zanpakutō's Shikai, I'll have many opportunities in the future."
Robin knew that while finding a specific Devil Fruit in this sea might be rare, the chances of encountering enemies with Devil Fruit powers weren't small. She would have plenty of chances to unlock Senbonzakura's Shikai.
Ikki smiled and nodded as Robin took the Basic Armament Haki Awakening Potion. He then turned to Nojiko and Vivi, taking out all five bottles of A-grade nutritional potions he had just received from the system.
"Nojiko, take these three bottles of nutritional potions. If you use them well over the next three days, your Life Force will reach S-level. When that happens, spending some time training with me will help you unlock your Bankai. You're almost ready to challenge the 'Golden Lion Shiki Shadow.'"
As he spoke, Ikki pushed the other two bottles of A-grade Nutritional Potion toward Vivi. He took out the "Mountain-Cutting Realm Swordsman Shiki Challenge Permission" card from his personal space and handed it to Nojiko.
"Do I have to... fight that guy's sword shadow?" Nojiko clutched the challenge permission card in her hand, feeling slightly worried.
"Don't worry. Even though it's his swordsman shadow, the young Shiki probably didn't have the strength he had when I fought him," Ikki reassured her. "You can view a simulation of his swordsmanship first. Once you're confident you can defeat him, challenge him in the Sword Enlightenment Room."
He turned to Vivi. "And Vivi, while these two bottles of nutritional potions won't get you to S-level Life Force, they'll bring you close quickly. Don't neglect your training."
Vivi nodded firmly. "I understand, Ikki. I'm going to train right now."
She stood up, said goodbye to Nami and the others, and headed straight for the gym.
Robin followed suit, remembering she still had two bottles of B-level nutritional potions she hadn't used yet.
"What about you? Aren't you going to train?" Ikki glanced at Nojiko behind him.
"Hehe, being here is training for me," she smiled. "After all, you asked me to activate my Demon Mark. If I don't spend time with you, I won't be able to activate my innate Demon Mark, and that would be a shame, wouldn't it?"
Nojiko removed her shoes and slipped into the pool, settling next to Ikki.
When Nami saw this, she immediately pouted.
Ikki didn't mind Nojiko's behavior. He closed his eyes and continued enjoying the healing properties of the hot spring water.
A few hours later, when everyone was ready, Ikki personally took control of the one-eyed manta ray formed by Nojiko's Minazuki.
He directed the Explorer straight upward from the area where the knock-up stream was located. They quickly disappeared from the sight of nearby onlookers.
"Using this method to reach Sky Island!" Cricket Montblanc, the descendant of the great explorer Noland, watched as Ikki and the others vanished from view. "A man who can trigger such a battle shouldn't be underestimated," he sighed. "Hopefully they can find the City of Gold."
"Ikki, you mentioned before that there are gods on Sky Island," Nami approached Ikki as he guided the Traveler upward with the manta ray. "If we arrive like this, won't that god be angry and attack us?"
"Why are you asking this now?" Ikki glanced at Nami with a smile.
"Don't worry, we'll probably have a conflict with that guy anyway."
"A conflict? But he's a God, Ikki! Can't we live peacefully with him?"
"Peaceful coexistence isn't possible. You want gold, and Robin wants historical monuments. Either of those will lead to conflict with him," Ikki explained. "But don't worry—even though he calls himself a god, he's just a person who ate the Rumble-Rumble Fruit."
"Rumble-Rumble Fruit?" Nami blinked. "Is that the Devil Fruit that Blackbeard mentioned?"
"That's right—a Logia-type fruit that controls lightning," Ikki nodded, placing his hand on Nami's shoulder. "Though he controls lightning too, I don't think he can compare to your Gonryōmaru."
Nami looked down at Gonryōmaru at her waist. After using its Bankai form, she believed what Ikki said. Her fear of facing a "god" completely disappeared.
"If I'd known he was just a Devil Fruit user, I wouldn't have worried so much," Nami patted her chest, giving Ikki a reproachful look.
"No more talking—we're almost there," Ikki smiled, increasing the manta ray's flight speed.
With his Advanced Observation Haki's enhanced perception, Ikki chose not to land on Sky Island gradually. Instead, he took the Traveler directly to Enel's location.
Soon, Enel, who had been resting, opened his eyes and looked toward Ikki and the others.
"More people from the Blue Sea?" he mused. "Coming directly to God's sanctuary? What arrogant Blue Sea dwellers."
Enel sneered, pointing his golden staff at the sky. Seconds later, a thunderous roar echoed as a massive lightning bolt encompassing the entire Traveler fell from above.
"Here it comes," Ikki smirked, preparing to intercept the lightning.
But Nami drew her sword first, swinging a sharp golden thunder strike that cut Enel's lightning pillar in two. The broken lightning passed harmlessly on both sides of the Traveler and fell toward the Blue Sea.
"Hmm?" Enel's eyes widened slightly. "You cut through my divine punishment? Interesting... it seems there are some remarkable Blue Sea people this time. Perhaps I should let them participate in God's Trial."
With that thought, Enel calmly returned to his position, using his powers to inform his four priests to welcome Ikki and the others.
But while Enel could sense Ikki's location, Ikki could also sense his. Ignoring everyone else on Sky Island, Ikki accelerated the manta ray directly toward Enel.
"Coming straight to me? Interesting. Let's see what kind of Blue Sea dwellers have arrived this time," Enel smiled coldly.
"Ikki, was that thunder just now the power of the god you mentioned?" Vivi asked nervously, glancing with amazement at Nami, who had casually cut through lightning with her sword.
"Yes, and there he is," Ikki nodded slightly. With a thought, he brought the manta ray to a stop in the square where Enel waited.
In addition to Enel, his four appointed priests were also present in the square.
"What disrespectful Blue Sea dwellers, coming here directly!" Ohm, one of the four priests, rushed forward waving his sword. "Do you know who stands before you?"
Ikki transformed the manta ray back into a regular Minazuki and returned it to Nojiko.
Without hesitation, Nojiko slashed at the charging Ohm. Her Iron-Cutting Realm swordsmanship easily cut through Ohm's blade and left a long gash across his body.
"Impossible! Ohm defeated?" The other three priests, who had been about to attack, froze in shock as they saw Ohm collapse in a pool of blood. "With just one move? How? Ohm's blade is harder than ordinary iron. How could it be cut so easily?"
"Well... you defeated my strongest priest?" Enel raised an eyebrow, his interest piqued. "And that woman who cut through my lightning earlier... Hahaha, you're quite intriguing."
When he noticed the other three priests had stopped advancing, his face darkened. "Cowards are not qualified to be priests."
With a cold snort, Enel sent three lightning bolts toward the remaining priests. They didn't even have time to react before being struck down by the powerful electric shocks.
After doing this, Enel turned his attention back to Ikki and his crew.
"You people are skilled! Submit to me and become my priests," he commanded. "I'll forgive your trespass into the forbidden area this time."