Beneath the giant skull fortress of Hive Island, in the pirate plaza overlooking the bustling port of Loki—
A massive shadow swept across the sky.
An airborne warship slowly descended from the clouds, its metal hull glinting beneath the sun. The pirates gathered below stiffened one by one, expressions shifting from confusion to shock, then to panic.
"Wait… that's— Is that the Sky Fleet of the Aradragon Crew?!"
"It's over! Souta Kiryuu is coming for us!"
"Why?! Wasn't he the one who rallied pirates to drive the Navy out of the New World?!"
"Damn it— is this because we didn't join the assault on G-14 Naval Fortress? Are they here to make an example of us?!"
"Cowards! Or… listen— maybe this is a chance! If we submit now, maybe we can join his crew!"
"No kidding. After the Great Golden Lion era of sky pirate fleets ended, who would've thought we'd get another chance!"
"If we get accepted into Souta Kiryuu's Sky Fleet, we'll be rich! That's way better than rotting here on Hive Island!"
The plaza erupted into chaos—
Some trembling.
Some thrilled.
Some already scrambling to escape.
Up on top of the skull fortress—
"Captain, we need to move you to safety. Now."
One of the three chief officers, Camus Bidan—the long-faced man capable of transforming into a Mythical Pegasus—spoke urgently. His wings gleamed, ready to fly at a moment's notice.
"That's right, Captain. We can't fight the Aradragon Crew."
The skinny man beside him, dark demon-like wings tucked close, looked grim.
This was Hiro Yul, the Teleport-Teleport Fruit user—able to teleport himself and others with frightening speed.
And the towering, stone-faced Amuro Rei, user of the Strength-Strength Fruit, stood silently. If Waji ordered it, he would fight Souta Kiryuu himself.
Waji's eyes were cold, dark markings pulsing across his skin.
He stared up at the descending sky fleet, jaw tight.
He had once sailed beside the Golden Lion.
He knew the power of the Float-Float Fruit well.
He had once ridden sky-ships like this.
The fact that Souta Kiryuu now wielded the very power that once belonged to the legendary Golden Lion—
It infuriated him.
If Waji's crew had obtained that fruit, they could have become Emperors of the Sea themselves.
And on top of that—
Souta Kiryuu possessed the Azure Dragon transformation, the same mythical power as Kaido.
All the advantages… all the opportunities… were handed to Souta.
The sky crackled with amplified sound as Souta Kiryuu's voice echoed across Hive Island, carried by loudspeaker Transponder Snails:
"Pirates of Hive Island—hear me."
"You refused to stand with your fellow pirates to drive the Navy from the New World."
"I, Souta Kiryuu, will enact judgment on behalf of every pirate who fights for freedom."
"Resist— and you will not be spared."
The response from the island was immediate:
"Spare us! Who are you to represent the New World?! You're not even a pirate!"
"We're pirates—free men! We answer to NO ONE!"
"Don't hide behind noble excuses! You're just like the World Government—just another tyrant!"
Insults, curses, shouting.
Some of them understood instantly what this meant:
Today, Hive Island would face the same fate as the defeated Warlords—
Submit.
Or be captured—and destroyed.
"Hmph. To insult my man…
Turn to stone."
BOA HANCOCK, the Pirate Empress, snapped her arm forward.
"Captive's Arrow!"
A massive heart-shaped aura formed, then split into a swarm of sparkling pink arrows raining down upon the island.
"HEH-HEH-HEH! I've wanted to tear this pirate playground apart for a LONG time!"
MORIA cackled, releasing an entire ship full of corpses.
"RISE, MY ZOMBIE ARMY!"
Black shadows flooded the island.
"Kill them."
Souta Kiryuu's voice held no emotion.
If Waji would not surrender immediately—
then there would be no mercy.
"I heard the pirates on this island like kidnapping civilians from both allied and non-allied nations," said Bonney, perched on Kuma's shoulder. "No need to hold back. These are not innocent soldiers."
"I know."
Kuma raised his paw.
"Ursus Shock."
A massive shockwave struck the skull fortress—
and in the same instant, Kuma and Bonney teleported directly into the battlefield.
"You bastards! You dare attack first?!"
Waji roared—
But there was no turning back now.
"Did you contact Whitebeard!? Did the info reach Naval HQ!? Are those useless Marines coming or not?!"
He already knew the truth:
Hive Island could not withstand Souta Kiryuu.
"Captain—let's retreat while we still can!"
Hiro Yul and Camus were already shaking.
Above them—Seraphim soared into the air, luminous wings burning.
If those things caught them—
Even teleportation and flight might not be enough to escape.
"Fine—WE LEAVE. NOW!"
Waji grabbed his officers. Hiro teleported them into the air. Camus shifted fully into Pegasus form, wings beating hard as they fled.
But—
"Teleportation Fruit, huh? Not bad."
Souta Kiryuu's voice cut across the sky.
"Kuma! Seraphim! Bring them back."
Souta's body burst into scales—
and he became a titanic Azure Dragon, streaking across the sky.
Kuma and the Seraphim used the Paw-Paw Fruit to teleport after them in pursuit.
The chase began.
Gravity crushed downward.
"Gravity Wave!"
Shockwaves fractured the air.
"Tremor Burst!"
The Seraphim wielding the Gravity Fruit and Tremor-Tremor Fruit unleashed overwhelming power.
Camus's wings buckled—
Hiro's teleport jumps faltered.
"That's Kaido's dragon body— and Whitebeard's power— and gravity too?!"
Waji's eyes sharpened.
If they didn't fight now—
they would die.
The markings across his body ignited.
The ancient eagle tattoo on his shoulder peeled free, becoming a living spirit of savage wings and hunger.
His legs, arms, and back tattoos pulsed—
totemic beasts awakening with him.
"Curse of Weakening!"
Waji hurled the curse behind them—
The eagle spirit screeching as it dove straight toward Souta Kiryuu and his pursuing forces.