All around, the sailors on the three warships stared upward in horror as a towering wall of water twenty meters high rushed toward them like an unstoppable beast.
Only the seasoned officers managed to keep their composure, faces set and eyes sharp. The younger, less experienced soldiers, however, were pale and trembling, voices cracking with panic.
"Help! If that hits us, we're done for!"
"Mom I don't want to die yet!"
"I knew I should've stayed behind a desk!"
Though the massive wave might not be instantly fatal, the sheer force of it could still inflict serious injuries and for the weaker recruits, being swept overboard meant one thing: becoming shark bait.
"Vice Admiral, what should we do?"
A frantic Rear Admiral turned toward Doberman, panic in his eyes.
Doberman raised his gaze to the oncoming water mountain, his expression grim. He drew his sword with a sharp metallic hiss and barked, "Tell every soldier to hold on tight! No one gets washed overboard!"
With that, he kicked off from the deck, propelling himself skyward with explosive strength.
"Shing!"
Three fierce slashes split through the air, tearing into the onrushing wall of water.
"Slash!"
"Slash!"
"Slash!"
The blades of energy ripped the tidal surge apart and then, with a shout that shook the heavens, he cried, "Sword Burst!"
A blinding wave of sword aura shot forward like lightning.
"BOOM!"
The water mountain exploded into a torrential downpour, raining heavily across the fleet.
But Doberman had only managed to neutralize the wave threatening his own ship. The other two warships weren't so lucky. As he turned back, both were swallowed whole by the raging sea.
Screams filled the air.
Dozens of sailors were hurled into the ocean, thrashing helplessly before being swept away by the waves.
Liam Ross, meanwhile, braced himself as the colossal wave crashed down. Using a little trick of his own, he managed to withstand the impact. The moment it subsided, he heard his commanding officer shouting orders.
"Rescue the men! Move!"
Liam grimaced. Having eaten a Devil Fruit, he wasn't about to dive into the ocean to save anyone he wasn't suicidal. Instead, he focused on helping the wounded still aboard.
As the storm began to settle, the soldiers' attention was suddenly drawn upward.
A shadow hung in the sky.
"G-Golden Lion!" one of the sailors stammered, trembling as he pointed upward. "It's the Golden Lion Shiki!"
The name sent chills through every Marine on board.
Liam froze.
Him again?
Not long ago, that same madman had attacked Marineford itself and now he was back. Did this guy have some kind of vendetta against the Navy?
Even Kaido wasn't this reckless.
Doberman landed back on the deck, eyes locked on the figure floating in the sky. His brow furrowed as he felt the man's overwhelming presence. Shiki was no ordinary pirate he was a legend. Once, he had faced both Garp and Sengoku together and still nearly won.
The Vice Admiral knew better than to overestimate himself.
Turning to a nearby officer, he whispered sharply, "Contact Marine Headquarters. Request immediate reinforcements."
Then he looked up again, voice hard as steel. "Golden Lion Shiki! You've attacked the Navy twice now. What is it you want?"
Shiki smirked, his expression one of pure disdain.
"Hmph. A mere Vice Admiral dares question me? If you don't want to die here, you'll answer my question obediently."
Doberman clenched his jaw but held his tongue. Against someone of Shiki's caliber, pride meant nothing.
"Fine," he said. "Ask your question."
Shiki reached into his coat and pulled out a crumpled sketch a portrait drawn with almost childlike incompetence.
"Do you know this man?"
Liam nearly coughed up blood. The drawing looked horrendous, yet somehow, he recognized himself instantly.
Seriously? Couldn't he have hired an artist?
The features were twisted, the proportions ridiculous. Maybe Shiki had drawn it himself just to insult him.
And wait he'd come all this way just to find him?
What, did he lose last time and now wants a rematch?
While Liam was busy processing that absurd thought, Doberman leaned closer to inspect the sketch. His eyes widened in realization.
"That's… the man who rescued the so-called Demon Child of Ohara!" he muttered. "You're saying he's with us?"
"Don't play dumb with me!" Shiki snapped, his voice sharp as a blade. "The day I escaped Marineford, this man appeared right after I left wearing a Navy uniform! You still want me to believe he's not yours?"
The air grew tense. The sea itself seemed to churn in rhythm with Shiki's fury.
Doberman frowned deeply. "Are you suggesting—"
"Enough!" Shiki's voice boomed like thunder. "Call Sengoku! Tell him to bring this man to me right now. Otherwise, every last one of you dies here today!"
Doberman hesitated for only a moment before snatching up his Den Den Mushi.
"Buru buru buru…"
The snailphone clicked to life.
"This is Sengoku. Doberman, report."
"Fleet Admiral! We've been attacked by Golden Lion Shiki!" Doberman said urgently. "He's demanding to see someone a man named Di Tian!"
Sengoku's snail face stiffened. "What nonsense is this? Shiki, you've got the wrong man! That individual isn't with us!"
Shiki laughed coldly, the sound echoing across the sea.
"Still lying, Sengoku? You think I'm that gullible? You send a high-level agent after me, then deny it when he wins? You've always called yourselves the defenders of justice, yet you play dirtier than pirates! Ha! Don't insult my intelligence!"
"You—!" Sengoku's voice roared through the receiver, clearly furious. "That man is a wanted criminal with a five-hundred-million bounty! The Navy doesn't ally with pirates!"
But Shiki only grinned wider, eyes glinting with malice.
"Spare me your righteous act, Sengoku. Whether he's your man or not, I want him. If he doesn't come to fight me in the next twenty minutes, I'll drown every last one of your men here!"
"Shiki, you wouldn't dare!"
"Try me."
Shiki's laughter rolled across the horizon, cruel and echoing, like the cry of a demon.
Then, without warning, he raised both legs each fitted with gleaming swords and swung them downward.
"Lion's Slash!"
Several arcs of golden sword energy sliced through the air, hurtling toward Liam's ship.
"Damn it!" Doberman's eyes widened.
Just as the deadly blades were about to hit, a blur of motion streaked through the sky
"Shing!"
A figure appeared above the warship, intercepting every single attack.
The clash lit up the sky.
And as the shockwave rippled across the sea, everyone stared upward hearts pounding, breath held wondering who had just stepped into the storm.
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