Shiki's strength, reputation, and battle achievements were all enough to etch his name into history…
Or rather, to leave behind a legacy of infamy that would stink for centuries.
Not only did he launch a surprise attack on the Marine Headquarters, battling Sengoku and Garp—the Marine's two strongest fighters—to the point of turning the world upside down, but now, in the last twenty minutes of his life, he had briefly surpassed Whitebeard, the world's strongest man.
For someone like him, awakening his Devil Fruit… was hardly surprising.
To be precise…
If Shiki couldn't awaken his Paramecia-type Float-Float Fruit, that would be the real shocker.
Don't underestimate the Rocks Pirates!
Their crew was packed with prodigies—that was no joke!
And now, through his Observation Haki, Michael could clearly sense that even the seawater surrounding Egghead had already fallen under Shiki's control.
The Float-Float Fruit made him akin to a deity manipulating the weather, allowing him to artificially create massive rising sea currents with his ability.
Countless streams of seawater surged into the sky, rushing toward Shiki's floating archipelago.
The currents raged wildly, unrestrained.
As if reflecting Shiki's innermost emotions at this very moment.
Unbridled joy, excitement…
And delight.
"Hey! Michael!" Shiki wiped away the blood that once again gushed from his head, covering half his face.
"I'm about to die… So, in these last moments, I'll use everything I have left to create the greatest crisis you've ever faced! One wrong move… and you're dead!"
"Yeah, yeah, spare me the theatrics… You were already on borrowed time, and now you're wasting it on threats?" Michael bared his teeth—whether in a grin or a snarl was unclear.
"You crazy old lion… Don't worry! I won't dodge a single hit! If I do… I'll be your damn pet!"
"Ahahahaha! Compared to the version of you I met back when you were a Marine, your temper's gotten real nasty!"
"My temper's always been bad."
"Same here!"
With those final words, Shiki poured all his focus into manipulating his Devil Fruit's power.
The entire floating island trembled violently before splitting apart.
Rocks and soil that formed the island were torn up, shattered, and then fused together…
In an instant, they coalesced into the shape of a lion's head—
Massive as a mountain.
The clouds in the sky and the swirling sands of Egghead were also under Shiki's command, forming another enormous lion's head.
Its flowing mane was a fusion of wind and clouds, concealing within it a terrifying force capable of shredding anyone to pieces…
A storm of razor-sharp sand and thunderclouds brimming with nature's fury.
And finally, the seemingly endless seawater, too, was shaped into the form of a lion's head under Shiki's control.
Michael looked around, scanning his surroundings.Couldn't help but sigh...
If Shiki had attacked Marine Headquarters with his current abilities back then...
The Marine Headquarters would probably have relocated by now.
Even Michael could feel the surrounding air being continuously drained by Shiki...
Yet, he showed no trace of panic.
In his eyes...
There was only admiration and appreciation.
Regardless of what kind of person Shiki was.
The awakened Float-Float Fruit...
Truly lived up to its reputation as a "natural disaster."
Thinking this, Michael couldn't help but inwardly complain...
These old monsters' Paramecia-type Devil Fruits were each more outrageous and absurd than the last.
Compared to those mediocre Paramecia users out at sea who couldn't accomplish anything and were never satisfied with what they had...
The difference was simply too vast.
Only a few Paramecia Devil Fruit users from the SWORD Classified Special Forces and the Charlotte Family's Paramecia users were somewhat noteworthy...
But even if they were all trapped together, they probably still wouldn't be a match for the Shiki before him.
"Shiki, even on the brink of death, you can still wield your Devil Fruit powers to such an extent... If only you weren't a villainous pirate through and through..."
"Spare me your judgments... I was born to be wicked!" Shiki scoffed, curling his lips disdainfully.
"And... did you think this was all? No, Michael, there's more..."
Shiki shook his head as he spoke.
Blood poured from his head like a fountain—he couldn't even wipe it away anymore.
His entire face resembled a blood-soaked demon...
With one final motion, he stretched out his hand.
Within Egghead, several warehouses storing metal materials were instantly ripped from the ground and hurled into the sky.
They shattered instantly.
Under Shiki's manipulation, the metals emitted countless grating screeches.
A grotesquely twisted greatsword—bearing faint traces of Oto and Kogarashi—materialized beside him.
Even after compressing the vast quantities of metal from multiple warehouses, the blade still spanned over a dozen meters.
Shiki's expression suggested dissatisfaction with the sword's form...
Or perhaps his skull simply hurt too much.
He raised his hand and slammed it down fiercely.
The Conqueror's Haki capable of shaking heaven and earth erupted from his entire being.
Then, it surged toward the colossal metal greatsword.
The black lightning rending the sky around them bore witness...
This was Conqueror's Haki Coating.
A full-force, life-draining Conqueror's Haki Coating.
"Michael!"
"Take this!"
"This is everything I have! My life! My final Lion's Roar!"
"Lion's Roar·True·Imperial Earth Roll!"
A majestic lion-shaped mountain.
Ethereal yet deadly sandstorm-cloud lions.
A sea-spanning leviathan of a lion.
And...
That twisted metal greatsword, infused with every ounce of Shiki's Conqueror's Haki and life force!
All surged toward Michael!
Like... the wrath of heaven itself.
Michael's expression remained unchanged, but the liquid Holy Light operating at full capacity around him proved he'd never been more serious.
Shiki should have had over ten minutes left to live, but now, he'd poured every second into fueling his Devil Fruit powers and Conqueror's Haki.
The extreme exertion had officially begun his countdown to death.
Yet on Shiki's face...
There was no fear of dying.
No longing for life.
Only the exhilaration and joy of surpassing his peak...
And...
Regret.
So Michael would give his all to end this old lion completely.
Let him die by the sword, not by fading life.
This old lion deserved to die without regrets!
In an instant, liquid Holy Light surged from Michael into Morning Star like rivers rushing to the sea.
For that moment, Michael seemed to return to his original form.
Accompanying it was Conqueror's Haki potent enough to rival Shiki's.
"I hadn't named this move yet..."
Michael watched Shiki charging toward him, a satisfied smile curling his lips.
"But now, it has a name."
"Paradise Lost·Golden Lion!"
The moment Shiki heard these words, he was first surprised, then revealed an incomparably proud smile.
"That... is truly a great name!"
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