Throne Of Supreme

Chapter 227: Golden Lion

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Robin was surprised and asked, "Is that a pirate ship? Why is it flying in the air?"

Aoki glanced at the ship and replied, "It's a Devil Fruit ability."

In this world, most supernatural phenomena could be traced back to the mysterious powers of Devil Fruits.

The flying pirate ship gradually slowed its speed. Standing at its bow was a tall, old man with thick, long golden hair. He had no legs, only two long swords in their place, exuding an aura of dominance that seemed to look down on the entire world.

However, the sight of a ship's rudder embedded in his head added an odd, almost comical element, severely undermining his otherwise imposing demeanor.

"Who is he?" Robin asked.

Aoki responded, "A great pirate who was once as famous as Roger and Whitebeard—the captain of the Flying Pirates, Shiki the Golden Lion!"

"Shiki?" Robin murmured, the name unfamiliar to her.

However, she was very familiar with the name Roger.

Someone described as being as famous as the Pirate King himself needed no further introduction.

"Aoki, what should we do now?" Robin asked.

Aoki's gaze remained fixed on the ship. "Since we've crossed paths, of course..."

[Ding Dong!]

[Mission Received: Bury the Legend]

[Mission: Bury the Legend

The most fitting place for legends of the past is their grave.]

[Objective: Kill the Golden Lion Shiki.

Rewards: 5,000 experience points, a mysterious tree species.]

It was a rare mission that rewarded physical items.

A strange tree species? The name seemed odd. However, based on Aoki's past experience, physical rewards from missions didn't always enhance combat ability but were often invaluable in other ways.

And the 5,000 experience points? That alone made this mission enticing.

"Hmm?" Robin turned her gaze to Aoki.

"Naturally, it's to test this senior pirate's current strength," Aoki said with a faint smile.

Robin immediately grasped his intent. "Are you confident?"

"I'll give it my all."

Aoki didn't elaborate further.

In the future, Shiki would struggle against Gear Third Luffy. But that was over a decade away. Right now, it was hard to say how much strength Shiki still retained. After all, it had only been eight years since he caused an uproar at Marineford.

"Robin, head to the other dimension first!"

"Alright," she replied, albeit reluctantly.

The thought of being unable to help and possibly becoming a burden left Robin frustrated.

As the enormous pirate ship came to a halt about twenty meters away from Aoki, the Golden Lion stood at the bow, arms crossed over his chest, his gaze locked on Aoki.

"Ha-ha-ha-ha! You can fly. That makes you a perfect fit for my Flying Pirates. Interested in joining us?"

His plan was to use IQ to breed violent animals and regain control of the world. But if the opportunity arose to recruit capable people, he wouldn't mind expanding his crew.

"Not interested!" Aoki shot back without hesitation.

"Oh? So direct?" Shiki tilted his head, his single eye narrowing as he scrutinized Aoki. "You might not know who I am. I am—"

Aoki interrupted him. "Shiki the Golden Lion, former admiral of the Flying Pirates, and the first criminal to escape from Impel Down. I know exactly who you are, but it seems you don't know who I am."

Shiki's eyes narrowed further. "Oh? Then who are you?"

Aoki smirked. "I'm the one who's going to kill you."

His gaze sharpened as he carefully observed the Golden Lion.

Despite Shiki's intimidating presence, Aoki could see the cracks. The rudder stuck in his head made him look absurd.

Roger's death must have been a devastating blow to him, and the loss of his legs only compounded his despair.

The dual impact on his mind and body had left the once-mighty pirate—who could rival Whitebeard and Roger—a shadow of his former self.

Though Shiki still carried his ambitions, his spirit had clearly withered, much like Crocodile's had after his defeat.

The Golden Lion had placed his hopes on IQ, but it wasn't as practical or ambitious as Crocodile's plan. At the very least, Pluto—a weapon associated with Crocodile's goal—was incredibly powerful, earning the title of a God-tier entity.

The similarity between the two was their shared self-doubt and reliance on external solutions.

However, there was a critical difference.

Crocodile was still young. After being defeated by Luffy, he was awakened from his self-imposed limitations and quickly regained his peak form.

The Golden Lion, on the other hand, was old. He had suffered far more devastating blows—both physically and mentally. Unable to recover, his strength continued to decline over the years. Eventually, he was defeated by a Luffy who hadn't even mastered Haki, tarnishing the once-legendary name of Shiki the Golden Lion.

"Kill me? Hahahaha! You don't know how high the sky is or how deep the earth goes!" Shiki sneered disdainfully.

Aoki's gaze remained steady. "You think I don't? Why not try and find out for yourself?"

The Golden Lion's eyes narrowed as his right leg moved in a flash, the long sword beneath it shrouded in the dark sheen of Armament Haki.

"Slash!"

A sharp arc of sword energy tore through the air and shot toward Aoki in an instant.

Aoki's eyes flickered with interest.

"No Conqueror's Haki infusion?"

As a great pirate once on par with Roger and Whitebeard, it stood to reason that the Golden Lion would possess advanced mastery of Haki.

Was it because his physical state had deteriorated to the point he couldn't wield it effectively, or had he never learned to imbue his attacks with Conqueror's Haki?

Whichever the case, it confirmed Aoki's earlier observation: the Golden Lion was no longer the invincible figure he once was.

The incoming sword energy loomed larger in Aoki's field of vision, its sharpness cutting into his skin like needles. In a flash, his figure disappeared and reappeared directly in front of the Golden Lion.

"Teleportation?" Shiki muttered, his expression hardening, though he remained calm and composed.

Suddenly, the pirate ship and the soil beneath them shattered, then merged and reformed into a massive lion's head. It roared as it lunged toward Aoki.

In response, Aoki's body began to transform. Black armor-like scales grew over his skin, his figure swelling to colossal proportions. His head morphed into a fearsome and majestic visage, crowned by four sharp horns forming a natural crown. From his back extended a thick, powerful tail ending in a razor-sharp bone blade.

He now towered over the battlefield, his body over 200 meters tall, larger than the pirate ship itself, casting a shadow like a small mountain.

With a flick of his tail—Bang!—the earthen lion shattered instantly, mud and wood fragments scattering in all directions.

"A mythical Zoan user?" the Golden Lion murmured, his eyes narrowing. He retreated quickly, his legs alternating in rapid strikes.

"Lion: Chikiryani!"

A torrent of sharp, dense sword energy erupted from his swords, hurtling toward Aoki in an overwhelming wave.

Aoki neither dodged nor flinched. A dark glint flashed in his eyes.

"Soul Shock!"

The Golden Lion froze mid-attack, his body momentarily paralyzed.

Though the sword energy struck Aoki and left shallow cuts, the wounds closed almost instantly, healing at a remarkable speed.

Aoki reached out, his massive hand closing around the Golden Lion. Without hesitation, he raised his arm and slammed Shiki to the ground with overwhelming force.

Boom!

The impact sent the Golden Lion crashing like a meteor, carving a massive crater into the ground.

As Shiki regained consciousness, his vision blurred. Another surge of pain struck as he coughed up a mouthful of blood.

Aoki opened his mouth, and a spark of fire ignited within. The spark rapidly expanded into a massive fireball, tens of meters in diameter.

Boom!

The fireball shot forth, its crimson glow illuminating the world as waves of intense heat swept through the air.

Shiki's eyes widened in alarm. "Ah!"

He pressed his palms against the ground.

The earth rumbled and shifted as an endless wave of rocks and soil rose to meet the incoming fireball.

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