One Piece: The sky is azure, I just time-traveled today.

Page 9

Chapter 8 Shiki the Golden Lion

On the horizon, the masthead appeared first.

Then came the sails, one, two... more and more, like a suddenly growing, menacing forest.

Finally, there are the ships. They come in all shapes and sizes, but all fly the same flag—a skull decorated with golden mane-like ornaments.

The Flying Pirates.

Shiki the Golden Lion.

The massive fleet unfolded in a fan shape, exuding an oppressive aura, and slowly approached, like a moving archipelago, obscuring a large expanse of sea and sky behind it.

The Oro Jackson was surrounded in the center, like a lone sheep being targeted by a pack of wolves.

The deck tensed up instantly.

The previous languid and relaxed demeanor vanished, replaced by a tense and excited atmosphere. The crew members quickly took their positions, the sounds of weapons being drawn echoing throughout the room.

No one spoke, only heavy breathing and the sound of sails being pulled tight.

Liu Jiu stood in the crowd, looking at the massive fleet.

This is much more exaggerated than the one with Garp.

He saw a man with long golden hair, resembling a lion, standing at the bow of the opposing flagship. He had a cigar in his mouth, two famous swords, "Kumo" and "Sakura-ju," at his waist, and his eyes were arrogant and disdainful, filled with undisguised ambition and arrogance.

Golden Lion Shiki.

"Roger—!"

Shiki's voice was amplified in some way, rolling across the sea like thunder, with an unsettling vibration.

"I'm giving you one last chance! Join forces with me, and this ocean will be ours!"

At the bow of the Oro Jackson, Roger stood with his arms crossed, the sea breeze ruffling his straw hat. He didn't look at Shiki; his gaze swept over the massive fleet, his face expressionless.

"Not interested in."

The voice was not loud, but it carried clearly, with an undeniable resolve.

Shiki's facial muscles twitched, and his cigar was deformed from being bitten.

"Then you and your wrecked ship can sink here together!"

He suddenly waved his hand.

The next moment, artillery fire roared!

It didn't come from the sea, but from the sky!

Shiki's subordinates, all possessed by special abilities, maneuvered their ships like floating mountains, unleashing a barrage of cannon fire from the sky! The shells whistled and crashed down like a meteor shower!

"Scatter! Take cover!"

Raleigh's instructions were short and forceful.

The Oro Jackson seemed to come alive, weaving through the barrage of bullets with almost uncanny agility under the joint command of Roger and Ridley. The ship would sometimes spin sharply, sometimes accelerate, narrowly avoiding deadly attacks each time.

The shells crashed into the surrounding sea, sending up towering white columns of water that sprayed out like a torrential downpour.

"Counterattack!" Roger roared.

Sparks flew from the broadside cannons as shells accurately struck the hovering enemy ship. However, the disparity in numbers was too great, limiting the effectiveness.

"Prepare for boarding action!" Rayleigh's voice remained calm. "Aim at their flagship!"

The battle instantly became intense.

Enemy ships kept trying to approach, lowering gangplanks, and pirates swarmed in like a tide. The deck instantly turned into a bloody meat grinder.

Swords clashed, roars erupted, screams filled the air, and blood and flesh flew everywhere.

Liu Jiu, clutching a long sword that someone had given him, stood relatively far back. He didn't rush forward rashly, but instead cautiously surveyed his surroundings.

An enemy pirate charged at him, howling, his face bearing a hideous scar.

Liu Jiu turned to the side, the blade gliding past the opponent's weapon, and with a flick of his wrist, the back of the blade struck the opponent's wrist heavily.

With a soft "click," accompanied by a scream, the weapon slipped from his hand.

Liu Jiu didn't finish the job, letting the man roll away while holding his wrist.

His gaze lingered more on the two figures at the bow of the ship.

Roger and Ridley.

They ignored the henchmen and focused on the Golden Lion's flagship.

Roger wielded his single sword with a sweeping, all-consuming force, cleaving away enemies who tried to block his path, along with their weapons. His movements were expansive and powerful, yet every dodge and parry was incredibly precise, as if he could anticipate every attack.

Rayleigh stood beside him, his longsword like a venomous snake, his movements concise and efficient—pointing, stabbing, flicking, slicing—each strike aimed at a vital point, deflecting attacks from blind spots for Roger. Their teamwork was seamless, like a precise and violent killing machine.

Liu Jiu watched their movements.

Watch as Roger deflects the force of a fierce attack with minimal effort, and watch as Rayleigh dismantles the enemy's offensive in the most energy-efficient way.

It is skill, experience, and combat wisdom honed through countless trials and tribulations and integrated into instinct.

He gripped the knife tightly in his hand.

Another enemy rushed in, this time there were two, one on the left and one on the right.

Liu Jiu took a deep breath and did not block directly. He slid his foot backward, slightly turned his body to avoid the blade coming from the left, and at the same time, he used the flat of his long sword to parry the spear thrusting from the right, not to slash.

Using the reaction force from the parry, he twisted his wrist, and the blade slid down along the spear shaft toward his opponent's fingers.

The pirate cried out and withdrew his hand.

Liu Jiu did not pursue, but moved his feet again to increase the distance.

The movements were slightly smoother than before.

I think I've grasped something.

The battle continues.

Like a sharp dagger, the Oro Jackson, led by Roger and Rayleigh, tore a hole in the massive fleet, ignoring the frenzied attacks around it, and went straight for Shiki's flagship!

"Roger—!"

With a roar, Shiki drew his twin swords and leaped from the bow of the ship, riding the wind as he charged straight at Roger!

"Well done!"

Roger greeted him with a hearty laugh!

One sword against two!

The clash of top-tier powerhouses caused another shockwave, even more violent than when facing Garp! Near the edge of the battle, both Roger's crew and Shiki's men were violently thrown back.

Liu Jiu was also pushed back a few steps by the shockwave, and only managed to steady himself by sticking his knife into the ground.

He looked up at the two figures colliding in the air at a speed too fast for the naked eye to perceive.

Every clash caused a dramatic shift in the political landscape.

His hand holding the knife unconsciously mimicked the subtle rotation of Roger's wrist when he exerted force.

It seems... kind of interesting.

I do not know how long it has been.

With a roar of defiance and a massive explosion, Shiki's flagship was severely damaged and began to list. Shiki himself was also forced back by Roger and Rayleigh, sustaining several wounds.

The leader suffered a setback, and the morale of the fleet plummeted.

Taking advantage of the situation, the Oro Jackson escaped the battlefield, its body riddled with wounds, and disappeared into the vast ocean.

The deck was a mess, stained with blood.

The crew members slumped to the ground, panting heavily, tending to their wounds, but their eyes held not only exhaustion but also a burning intensity.

Despite being at a significant disadvantage, they defeated the arrogant Golden Lion.

Liu Jiu leaned against the ship's railing, looking at the knife in his hand.

His expressionless face was reflected on the blade.

He recalled every detail of the battle, every move Roger and Rayleigh made.

He tried moving his wrist.

Imitating that way of exerting force.

But it seems that something is a little different now.

Turn around and look into the distance.

The sea was dyed blood-red by the setting sun.

This battle seems... not to have been fought in vain.

Chapter 9 Buggy accidentally swallows a Devil Fruit

After a few days of clear skies, the pirate crew took a short rest on a deserted island.

There was nothing special about the island, just jungle and rocks. But as usual, the crew members roamed freely, scavenging for anything that might be of some value.

When he returned, Bucky was acting all mysterious and furtive again, clutching something tightly in his arms, wrapped in a rag that was even dirtier than last time, his face filled with barely suppressed excitement and greed.

"Hey Bucky, what junk did you find this time?" someone teased.

"Get lost! You don't know anything!" Bucky retorted, clutching the thing in his arms even tighter.

Shanks leaned closer curiously: "What is it this time, Bucky? Let me see."

"No way! I won't let anyone see it!" Bucky, like a mother hen protecting her chicks, dodged Shanks, slipped into a secluded corner, and eagerly opened the cloth bag.

Inside the cloth bag was a strangely shaped fruit. It had spiral patterns, was deep purple, and its skin had an unnatural, almost metallic sheen. It was clearly not a normal fruit.

"A...Devil Fruit?" An old sailor passing by glanced at it, frowned, and said with obvious disgust, "Buggy, why did you pick this thing? It tastes awful, and it'll turn you into a landlubber, unable to swim for the rest of your life. What a waste."

"Exactly, what's the difference between not being able to swim in the ocean and being useless?"

"Just throw it away, it's bad luck."