Zephyr's pulverizer whirred to life, screeching like grinding metal. Across from him, Golden Lion Shiki raised a hand, his Float-Float Fruit power igniting the air. The sea surged beneath their feet, waves rolling as if the ocean itself shared their anger.
The Moby Dick swayed dangerously.
"These two…" Ashveil muttered, a shadow of irritation crossing his face. "How dare they ignore me completely."
The next instant, golden energy erupted from him like a storm. The Conqueror's Haki within Thorne Ashveil's body exploded outward, unseen yet unstoppable, pressing down on both Zephyr and Shiki with overwhelming force.
Shiki's eyes widened. "Not again!"
That suffocating pressure—he remembered it too well from the day before. It was the same golden Conqueror's Haki that had left him broken and humiliated. He had sworn never to feel it again, but now… here it was, worse than ever.
Zephyr felt his knees weaken. Years on the Grand Line, countless battles, and yet never had he faced such crushing dominance. Even the legendary pirates of old hadn't made him feel so powerless.
"This… this isn't just Haki," he thought, gritting his teeth as sweat rolled down his temple.
Then came the sound of impact.
Boom! Boom!
Golden Lion Shiki screamed as he was slammed out of the sky, crashing into the Moby Dick's deck with bone-rattling force, leaving a crater in his wake. Zephyr fared no better; his iron arm hit the ground as if struck by a mountain, the weight of Ashveil's will forcing him through the deck until wood splintered beneath him. Ain and Binz tried to move, but even they froze under the invisible force.
When the golden energy finally faded, the only sound left was the soft groan of the ship's hull.
Ashveil dusted his hands and exhaled calmly. "Finally quiet."
The silence was deafening. Everyone on deck stared, hearts pounding. The sheer might he displayed left even veterans like Whitebeard's commanders speechless.
Golden Lion Shiki—one of the most feared pirates in history.
Black Arm Zephyr—a former admiral of Marineford.
And both had been flattened in seconds.
Doflamingo adjusted his sunglasses, disbelief flickering behind his grin. "Terrifying…"
Shiki was the first to move, dragging himself out of the splintered deck. Zephyr followed, groaning as he stood. Neither dared meet Ashveil's eyes.
"I don't care what grudges you two have," Ashveil said coldly. "In our territory, don't make a scene."
The two nodded at once, like scolded schoolboys.
Around them, murmurs rippled. The strength Ashveil displayed wasn't just frightening—it was absolute.
Shiki broke into awkward laughter, rubbing the back of his neck. "Hahaha… Zephyr and I were just having a little warm-up, right Zephyr?"
Zephyr caught on quickly and forced a grin. "That's right! Just old friends sparring a bit, haha!"
Whitebeard let out his iconic laugh. "Gurararara! You two haven't changed at all."
Even so, everyone knew the truth—they weren't equals in that moment. Ashveil's power had silenced them both completely.
Then, as if trying to change the subject, Shiki snapped his fingers. "Ah, right! Ashveil, I brought you a gift. I think you'll like this one."
At the word gift, Ashveil raised an eyebrow. His irritation dimmed slightly. "Show me."
Shiki grinned, pointing up at the floating island hovering overhead. "The gift's up there! That entire sky island is my creation. For twenty years, I've bred the strongest creatures the world's ever seen. They've fought endlessly, evolving beyond imagination. Not even standard Armament or Conqueror's Haki can bring them down!"
As he spoke, the island lowered, and a terrifying wave of auras burst forth—beasts roaring, air trembling under their power.
Doflamingo whistled softly. "What monsters… Each one's like a Devil Fruit user."
Whitebeard's expression hardened. "Your ambition hasn't changed, Shiki. Still dreaming of ruling the world?"
Zephyr's eyes darkened as well. "Even after all this time… still the same Golden Lion."
But Ashveil simply crossed his arms, unimpressed. "They're loud."
The statement stunned everyone.
Shiki blinked, lost for words. "Loud? These beasts are a world-class army! You could crush the Marines with them!"
Ashveil sighed. "I'm not starting a zoo, Shiki."
The Golden Lion froze, expression twitching. No one had ever dismissed his creations so casually.
Zephyr, however, nearly laughed. He had been worried Shiki's "gift" might overshadow his own, but clearly, that wasn't a problem.
He clapped his hands, and Ain and Binz moved forward, carrying several large sacks. When they opened them, the deck gleamed with the shine of gold and silver.
"These treasures were taken from the worst pirates on the Grand Line," Zephyr said, watching Ashveil's reaction carefully.
But Ashveil looked indifferent, uninterested in the piles of riches. Behind him, Marco and Ace were already hauling the loot toward Whitebeard's vault with broad smiles.
Zephyr cleared his throat, trying again. "These treasures are just a token of respect. What I really came with is information—vital intelligence from Marineford."
The word intelligence caught everyone's attention.
"This concerns the Whitebeard Pirates," Zephyr continued, lowering his voice, "and especially you, Ashveil."
The sea breeze stilled. All eyes turned to Zephyr, waiting for what he would say next.
______
Advanced chapters are available on patron
Become patrons to gain access
Patreon.com/Zphyr