Chapter 755: Float-Float Fruit
The appearance of Golden Lion Shiki truly caught Red-Haired Shanks off guard.
Strictly speaking, Golden Lion Shiki was a senior figure from Shanks' era. Back in Roger's time, Whitebeard, Golden Lion, and Roger himself were the three most famous pirates in the world. Though they competed fiercely, they were also mutual friends who admired one another. The Golden Lion Pirates and the Roger Pirates had fought countless battles, yet that bond of camaraderie never wavered.
Shanks knew him well. Golden Lion Shiki was even more wild and unrestrained in personality. After Roger turned himself in and was executed by the World Government, even Whitebeard made no move. But Golden Lion Shiki stormed Marineford, seeking revenge for Roger. He was captured in the attempt and thrown into Impel Down. However, he later became the first man in Impel Down's history to escape, cutting off his own legs to break free from that heavily fortified prison.
Shanks' last impression of Golden Lion was that after escaping, Shiki visited Whitebeard once, then vanished from the world's sight, disappearing without a trace, no one knew where he went.
Now, over twenty years later, Shanks had assumed the old man was long dead. Occasionally, when reminiscing, he even felt a pang of regret for him.
But unexpectedly, the legendary pirate he thought was dead suddenly appeared before him at this very moment.
Amid his shock, Shanks realized this incident was likely premeditated. So, as he charged toward Golden Lion Shiki, he roared, "Ben!!"
Ben Beckman's voice came from a distance: "Already on it!"
Shanks could sometimes be careless, but his first mate, Ben Beckman, was always calm and sharp-witted. Before Shanks and Golden Lion clashed, Beckman had already led men toward the landing point of the Devil Fruit box kicked away by Doflamingo.
However, because Golden Lion Shiki was blocking Shanks, Doflamingo had freed himself. Strangely, he didn't try to retrieve the box containing the Devil Fruit. Instead, he moved to intercept Ben Beckman!
Beckman held a cutlass in one hand and a short pistol in the other. He blocked Doflamingo's pointed shoe with the cutlass and fired a shot at him. Doflamingo countered with a clawed strike, the threads on his fingers slicing through Beckman's bullet.
In just a few seconds, they exchanged several blows, evenly matched.
Realizing Doflamingo was trying to stall him, Beckman quickly deduced that someone on the island must be backing up Doflamingo and his crew. Otherwise, Doflamingo wouldn't have tossed the box away without retrieving it.
But Beckman said nothing and continued fighting Doflamingo. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Yasopp dart onto the tallest nearby building, securing a high vantage point and readying his sniper rifle. Lucky Roux was also heading toward the box's landing spot. The Red Hair Pirates' years of combat synergy meant no words were needed; they knew exactly what to do.
Now, Doflamingo wanted to hold him back, but wasn't Beckman also trying to hold Doflamingo back?
From his high perch, Yasopp aimed a long rifle. Through his scope, he spotted three figures at the Devil Fruit box's landing point. Without hesitation, he fired three shots in quick succession!
As the Red Hair Pirates' sniper, Yasopp's marksmanship was exceptional. Locked on by his Observation Haki, he even predicted the three figures' evasive routes. Despite their dodges, all three were hit!
Three bursts of blood sprayed into the air as Lucky Roux and the rest of the Red Hair Pirates arrived, charging at the three with cutlasses drawn.
But before they reached them, the ground suddenly erupted in a series of explosions—boom, boom, boom! The blasts weren't powerful, but they released a cloud of green smoke spreading in all directions.
Lucky Roux, leading the charge, inhaled some of the green smoke. A wave of dizziness hit him, and he stopped abruptly, shouting, "Careful! The smoke is poisonous!"
The Red Hair Pirates quickly covered their noses and retreated from the smoke. But within the green haze, the lead figure among the three took the chance to step forward and pick up the Devil Fruit box.
Bang! Bang! Two more gunshots rang out. The figure holding the box was hit again, blood blooming on his body, making him stagger.
"It hurts! Damn it!" the man yelled. "Bullets imbued with Haki... If only Van Augur were still alive! He'd deal with the Red Hair Pirates' sniper!"
Without a doubt, these three figures were the last survivors of the Blackbeard Pirates: Teach, Lafitte, and Doc Q. The one who took Yasopp's bullets and grabbed the Devil Fruit box was Teach himself!
Seeing the box snatched through his scope, Yasopp grew frantic. He fired another shot, hitting Teach again. Though Teach tried to avoid vital spots, he still let out a pained howl. Lafitte called out from behind, "Captain! Hurry! Doc Q's poison gas will dissipate soon!"
As he spoke, several axes spun through the poison cloud, thrown by Lucky Roux and the others. Though the gas kept them from approaching, they hurled their weapons instead. Teach had just opened the box and taken out the fruit. Seeing no way to dodge, he turned his back to take the flying axes, gritting his teeth against the pain as he bit into the Soul Fruit!
Crunch! Teach managed to eat the Devil Fruit, but at a cost. Some axes struck his back, and one lodged in his rear. Since his Dark-Dark Fruit couldn't be elementalized, even without Haki, the axes hit his solid body.
These thrown axes couldn't kill Teach, but they enraged him. Darkness erupted from beneath his feet, spreading toward the Red Hair Pirates!
Sensing danger, Lucky Roux and the others quickly retreated. The surrounding streets suffered as countless buildings were pulled into Teach's darkness, clearing a massive open space.
Without the buildings blocking his view, Shanks, still locked in combat with Golden Lion, spotted Teach.
"Teach!!? It's you!?" The moment Shanks saw Blackbeard, a surge of fury erupted. He swung a devastating blow at Golden Lion Shiki.
Even Golden Lion Shiki dared not meet that strike head-on, sidestepping as the powerful slash destroyed a large section of the street behind him.
Seizing the chance, Shanks abandoned Golden Lion and charged at Teach!
"Red-Hair!!" Teach snarled back, his face twisted with rage. The two were old rivals, red-eyed at the sight of each other. As Shanks rushed in, Teach opened his right hand and unleashed all the debris he had crushed and stored in his darkness, hurling it at Shanks!
Countless massive stones, propelled by immense force, burst from the black void. But they couldn't stop Shanks. He swung his sword one-handed, shattering the stones and sending fragments flying. Though a shard grazed his eye, he reached Teach and slashed down!
Clang!! A deafening clash rang out. Teach crossed his arms, coating them in black Armament Haki, blocking Shanks' strike. The shockwave blasted outward, dispersing the remaining smoke.
A cracking sound followed as the ground beneath Teach shattered, sinking him waist-deep into the earth!
Shanks pulled back his sword and thrust it forward, aiming for the gap between Teach's arms at his chest. Teach, half-buried, couldn't dodge. But two figures appeared beside him: Lafitte thrust his rapier at Shanks, and Doflamingo, having broken free from his fight with Beckman, flew in with a kick that deflected Shanks' blade!
Lafitte's rapier tip struck Shanks but was stopped by his Haki, unable to pierce further. However, Shanks failed to hit Teach.
"Get lost!" Shanks' power exploded. He swung his sword, knocking Doflamingo back, and kicked Lafitte in the abdomen with his sandaled foot!
Boom! Lafitte flew like a cannonball, spitting blood midair. Doflamingo, though he blocked the slash with Haki, felt his right arm go numb from the impact.
But the brief delay allowed Teach to free himself and leap out of the ground.
"Captain! Big trouble!" Before Shanks could pursue Teach, Ben Beckman's shout came from the side. Shanks turned to see Beckman and the rest of the Red Hair Pirates staring up at the sky in shock!
Shanks looked up and saw a floating island hovering above Castrum!
The island was small, less than a tenth of Castrum's size, but it filled Shanks with dread! He realized this island was being controlled by Golden Lion Shiki, floating in midair!
Beckman had noticed the shadow overhead earlier, which let Doflamingo escape the fight...
"Jihahahaha!" Golden Lion Shiki laughed from above, addressing Shanks and his crew. "Red-Haired brat, I hear this country is under your protection. What do you think will happen if I drop this island on it!?"
"Don't you dare!" Shanks roared at Golden Lion.
"Hmph! I don't take orders from you!" Golden Lion Shiki swung his hand downward, commanding the island to crash into Castrum!