One Piece: Waves of Destiny

The Golden Lion Shiki sharp gaze pierced the jungle ahead, his instincts screaming danger.

"Who's there?" he roared, his voice laced with tension, a feeling he hadn't experienced in years.

Without hesitation, Shiki lashed out with his leg, the blade of his sword foot slicing through the air with terrifying force. The resulting slash tore forward, obliterating the jungle as it surged.

In the next instant, Roja, using the power of the Chicken Talisman, floated effortlessly into the air, evading the attack as if it were child's play.

The slash carved a massive rift through the jungle, splitting the earth and even slicing the houses beyond cleanly in two.

Roja adjusted his cloak and looked down calmly. "I was just passing through. Do you believe me?" he said in a tone so light it seemed to mock.

The Golden Lion Shiki eyes narrowed at the man floating above him. Surprise briefly flickered across his face before it twisted into a grin.

"If that's true, tell me what Devil Fruit power you have," Shiki sneered. "Then, I might believe you."

Shiki couldn't shake the feeling that this man, though unknown to him, posed a significant threat. It wasn't just his bizarre ability; it was something deeper—a presence that grated against Shiki's pride as the legendary Flying Pirate.

"Me?" Roja replied, his tone as calm as ever. "I can float in the air and control objects. Nothing complicated."

At those words, a vein bulged on Shiki's temple. His pride was ignited into fury.

"Jihahahaha! Are you trying to mock me?!" Shiki bellowed. "I ate the Float-Float Fruit, making me the ultimate master of the skies. There can't be two Devil Fruits with the same power!"

Rage boiling over, Shiki slammed both hands into the ground. Using his Devil Fruit ability, he tore massive chunks of earth from the ground and shaped them into enormous lion heads. With a powerful motion, he hurled the lion-shaped masses of earth toward Roja.

"Lion Power: Earth Scroll!"

The massive constructs, imbued with Shiki's ferocious will, hurtled forward, tearing through the air with immense force.

"Let's see if your power can match mine, pretender!" Shiki roared.

Roja, unfazed, reached down and touched the ground. A faint blue glow emanated as the Chicken Talisman's power activated. The ground lifted under Roja's control, forming majestic dragon heads that snarled and radiated an aura of dominance.

The dragon constructs surged forward, meeting the lion heads in a clash that rocked the earth.

"Impossible!" Shiki hissed, his eyes wide as he watched Roja's dragons tear through his lions.

With a deafening series of crashes, the first four lion heads were obliterated, and the final clash between the last dragon and lion resulted in an explosion that sent debris flying.

Dust and smoke filled the air, but Shiki's disbelief was palpable. His pride refused to accept what had just occurred.

"You… you've gone too far!" Shiki snarled, his fury now uncontrollable. "You've managed to irritate me. Now feel the full force of my wrath!"

Before he could unleash another attack, the distant sound of cannon fire reached their ears. Both Roja and Shiki turned to see ten Navy warships approaching the island of Vermeio, their black sails looming ominously.

Explosions dotted the landscape as cannonballs rained down, leaving craters in their wake.

Shiki's confidence faltered as his sharp eyes spotted two familiar figures aboard the lead ship—Fleet Admiral Sengoku and Vice Admiral Garp. A cold sweat ran down his temple.

"Those damn Marines… Ten warships just to catch me?!"

Roja glanced at Shiki and smirked. "You're overestimating yourself. Half of this is my doing."

Shiki's confusion morphed into irritation. "Half? What could you have done to earn the Navy's attention alongside me?"

Roja adjusted his cloak, speaking as casually as if recounting a mundane event.

"Nothing much. Just snatching something precious from the Navy and destroying a Buster Call fleet with a single slash."

Shiki's maniacal laughter echoed through the battlefield. "Jihahahaha! Destroying a Buster Call with one slash? You expect me to believe that? Even I wouldn't claim such nonsense!"

Roja's expression remained calm, unbothered by Shiki's disbelief.

Shiki paused, then offered a proposition. "You've got guts, I'll give you that. And strength, too. Join my Flying Pirates as my right-hand man. With our combined power, we could crush these Marines, claim the IQ Plant on this island, and create an empire that even Gol D. Roger couldn't dream of!"

Roja tilted his head, his gaze steady as he replied, "I refuse. I'm just passing through, and besides…" He turned away. "Relying on others' strength makes you weak. Only those who rely on themselves can truly be strong."

Those words struck Shiki like a blade to the heart. His expression contorted with rage and shame.

"You dare call me weak?! I am the Golden Lion Shiki, the ruler of the skies!"

Roaring in fury, Shiki launched a colossal wave of sword energy with a sweep of his blade-like foot. The massive attack surged toward Roja, the very air splitting under its pressure.

The display of power was so overwhelming that even the approaching Navy fleet paused in awe.

Onboard the lead ship, Sengoku frowned. "Looks like they're already fighting each other. What happened to the alliance we feared?"

Garp, watching with a carefree grin, scratched his head. "Seems they've got a bit of a… disagreement. Works out for us, doesn't it?"

Sengoku's expression grew resolute. "This is our chance. Prepare to engage. We'll capture both Roja and Shiki in one fell swoop!"

As the Navy closed in, the battle between Roja and Shiki raged on, a clash of titanic wills shaking the island to its core.