"Lord Lucas, Dressrosa is ahead."
Standing atop the shimmering Golden City, Tesoro approached Lucas, his tone eager and determined. "Let me handle this. I want to be the one to clean up this mess."
Lucas grinned, giving Tesoro a nod of approval. "Go ahead. Let's see what you've got."
In the Chat Group, Fisher Tiger watched this transformation with a hint of satisfaction. Tesoro, once blinded by his obsession with wealth and alliances with the Celestial Dragons, had seen the light under Lucas's influence. Now, he was a loyal comrade in the fight against the World Government.
Dressrosa.
The island, shaped like a flowerpot, had a towering rocky peak at its center, crowned by the Royal Plateau. Like many kingdoms in the pirate world, the palace sat high above the city, looking down on the people below.
Inside the lavish palace, Donquixote Doflamingo lounged by a window, his legs crossed, a wicked grin on his face. Draped in his signature pink feathered coat and wearing his scarlet sunglasses, he watched as a golden glow grew on the horizon.
The sunlight glinted off the approaching ship, its brilliance unmistakable.
"Tesoro's Golden City?" Doflamingo chuckled darkly. "Fufufufu~ So, he's finally come for me."
Turning from the window, Doflamingo glanced at the others in the room—an unusual assembly of power.
Seated with him were Fujitora, the newly appointed Marine Admiral; Kizaru, the long-standing admiral known for his laziness; Momousagi, who had failed to secure an admiral position but remained a formidable force; and a group of CP0 agents, led by none other than Rob Lucci.
Fujitora, tapping his cane-sword lightly, spoke in a calm tone. "After defeating Kaido of the Beasts single-handedly, Lucas isn't just the strongest man in the world—he's the most mysterious."
He turned his blind eyes toward the window, his expression unreadable. "I'd like to test myself against him. Mr. Kizaru, Ms. Momousagi, would you kindly back me up?"
Kizaru sighed heavily, setting down his teacup with exaggerated slowness. "Another fight? How troublesome. Can't we just drink tea and negotiate peacefully?" He turned to the CP0 agents. "Hey, Rob Lucci, didn't you guys come here to negotiate? Why don't you handle this?"
Rob Lucci removed his mask, revealing his cold, unflinching gaze. "Our orders are clear. The World Government wants us to negotiate only after you've demonstrated sufficient strength. Show Lucas what we're capable of. Only then will we have leverage."
Kizaru shrugged lazily. "Scary~ The World Government sure loves making things complicated. You're climbing the ranks fast, Lucci. I guess that cold stare of yours is working wonders."
Lucci remained silent, his piercing eyes locked onto Kizaru. For most, such a stare would be intimidating, but Kizaru—ever the unbothered slacker—grinned.
"I know I'm handsome, but staring won't get you anywhere, Lucci. You'll make the old man blush."
Momousagi stood, brushing off her uniform with confidence. "Enough joking around, Kizaru. It's time we meet Lucas."
Kizaru let out another sigh, stretching as he rose to his feet. "Alright, alright. Let's get this over with." Then, with a sly smile, he glanced at Lucci. "But hey, Lucci, here's some advice from your senior—don't be too rude when you meet Lucas. He's not as patient as I am. If he decides to kill you, don't expect the World Government to lift a finger to help."
Dressrosa Port.
Three massive Marine warships were docked, their cannons trained on the sea. The civilians had long been evacuated, leaving behind only Marines on high alert.
Lucas stood atop the Golden City, his sharp gaze fixed on the bustling port below. The sight of the Marine ships and CP0 agents didn't surprise him in the slightest.
"So, the World Government and Marines were expecting me. Not surprising." Lucas chuckled, crossing his arms. "The Golden City isn't exactly subtle. And with Tesoro's speed, they had plenty of time to guess our destination."
He wasn't wrong. The Golden City's course had been easy to trace. Once the World Government learned of its heading, they had drawn a straight line on the map and predicted Dressrosa as the destination. Fujitora and the others had diverted from their original course to the Golden City and set up an ambush here, confident that Lucas would come seeking revenge for Doflamingo action.
And Lucas? He hadn't bothered to hide his intentions at all.
With a swift movement, Lucas vanished from his perch, his body becoming a blur as he rocketed toward the port.
The Marines barely had time to react.
"A-Attention! He's coming!" A panicked cry rang out as Lucas's form streaked across the sky.
Just as Lucas was about to land, a figure appeared in his path. A calm, measured voice echoed through the chaos.
"Gravity Blade: Fierec Tiger!"
Fujitora swung his cane-sword, sending a wave of purple gravitational force toward Lucas.
Lucas didn't flinch. With a casual motion, he raised a single finger, effortlessly halting the blade mid-swing. His body hovered in the air, unbothered by the crushing force beneath him.
"Marine Admiral Fujitora, huh?" Lucas smiled, his voice dripping with amusement. "I've heard about you."
Fujitora opened his blind eyes, offering a gentle, almost fatherly smile. "And I've heard plenty about you, Lucas. As the newest Admiral, it's only right I test my strength against the world's strongest man."
With that, he swung his blade again, this time unleashing a torrent of gravitational force so immense that it distorted the air itself.
The ground beneath Lucas groaned, cracks spiderwebbing across the stone as the pressure intensified. But Lucas? He remained suspended in the sky, completely unfazed.
"Paramecia-type Press-Press Fruit," he mused. "It's not unlike the Tremor-Tremor Fruit."
Then, with a simple thought, Lucas activated his Float-Float Fruit. The overwhelming gravity pressing down on him dissipated in an instant, erased as though it had never existed.
In the Chat Group
Golden Lion Shiki: "Wait... Paramecia Press-Press Fruit can actually cancel out my Float-Float Fruit ability?"
Whitebeard : "Shiki, looks like you've been lucky, boy!"
Pirate King Roger: Lucky? Sounds like you're mocking Shiki, and I think I've got some solid evidence to prove it."
It was no secret—Golden Lion Shiki's luck was the stuff of legend, but not in the way most would want. Every time he pulled off a grand feat, smug and ready to claim the world, fate had a way of introducing the Son of Destiny to knock him down. And if that wasn't enough, when the Son of Destiny was done, the heavens themselves would strike him down.
Golden Lion Shiki : "Hey, let's not bring luck into this. We're still friends, right?"
Whitebeard: "Relax, that's not what I meant."
Golden Lion Shiki : "Then what did you mean?"
Whitebeard: "I meant—thank goodness you died early. Otherwise, your reputation would've been completely ruined."
Pirate King Roger : "Hahahaha….Ruined? After losing to Straw Hat Luffy, his reputation's already in shambles! Admit it, Whitebeard, you were mocking him."
Golden Lion Shiki : "What's that got to do with Straw Hat Luffy?! That brat got lucky. Anyone could've fallen to a lightning bolt!"
Whitebeard : "You know, the three of us—Roger, myself, and you—each had our unique traits. Roger and I had our strengths, sure, but your whole shtick was that no one could catch you. Your Float-Float Fruit was so overpowered even Marines with Moonwalk couldn't reach you."
Golden Lion Shiki: That's right! If I hadn't stood my ground to fight, neither Garp nor Sengoku could've captured me. If I wanted to leave, no one could've stopped me!"
Lucas : "If I recall correctly, wasn't it raining when you caused chaos at Marineford?"
Pirate King Roger :"Hahahaha! Now it makes sense! No wonder Shiki didn't run. He was unlucky from the start."
Golden Lion Shiki : "Nani?"
Lucas : "Flying in a thunderstorm, huh? Haven't you learned your lesson by now?"
Whitebeard : "That's true! If you'd been struck by lightning back then, you might've avoided repeating the same mistake when you fought Luffy."
Pirate King Roger : "Wait! I've uncovered a secret—Shiki has a vendetta against rainy days!"
Golden Lion Shiki was already groaning as Roger continued.
Pirate King Roger : "It rained during the Battle of Edd War—you lost in that storm. It rained during Marineford, and you were defeated by Garp and Sengoku. And don't forget, it rained when you fought Straw Hat Luffy, and you got struck by lightning!"
Golden Lion Shiki sat in stunned silence. Damn it… Roger's got a point. Am I cursed by rainy days?
Lucas : "Roger, you're being too harsh. How great is Shiki, the Golden Lion? He even stormed Marine Headquarters to save you from execution."
Pirate King Roger : "Save me? Shiki wasn't there to save me—he wanted to kill me himself! The guy's a scumbag!"
Golden Lion Shiki, seeing an opportunity to divert attention, quickly changed the subject. Golden Lion Shiki : "Whitebeard, what were you saying earlier?"
Whitebeard: "I said that this new Marine Admiral's Devil Fruit ability rivals yours. With Fujitora around, the myth that Golden Lion Shiki can't be caught is officially busted."
While both Whitebeard and Roger could be cornered if the World Government dispatched enough top-tier forces, Shiki had always been the elusive one. His strength combined with his aerial dominance made him nearly impossible to catch. The top fighters of the World Government couldn't do much against someone who could fly freely through the skies.
But with Fujitora's Press-Press Fruit in play? The game had changed. His power could ground Shiki, nullifying his advantage and making him vulnerable in ways he'd never been before.
Outside World
"It didn't work? What a shame." Fujitora opened his pale, blind eyes, using his Observation Haki to gauge Lucas's position. His expression was one of quiet disappointment.
But Lucas only smiled. "Oh, it worked. Your ability can definitely counter the Float-Float Fruit to an extent."
He extended a palm toward Fujitora, his grin widening. "When two opposing Devil Fruit abilities clash, the outcome depends on three things: personal strength, how well each ability has been developed, and…"
Fujitora's brows furrowed, a twinge of unease creeping into his otherwise calm demeanor.
"…surprise and timing." Lucas finished, his voice low and confident.
In an instant, Lucas activated his Float-Float Fruit. The sword Fujitora wielded—a weapon he had used with unparalleled precision—was yanked from his grasp as if it weighed nothing.
Snatch!
Lucas caught the sword mid-air, inspecting it with a curious grin. "Nice sword you've got here."
Fujitora's jaw slackened, and then he chuckled softly. "How careless of me. I didn't expect the Float-Float Fruit could steal weapons too. No wonder Garp and Sengoku didn't bother using weapons when they took down the Golden Lion."
Lucas twirled the sword in his hand. "Without your cane, what now? As far as I know, your Devil Fruit abilities rely on it for precise control."
Fujitora stroked his chin, wearing an exaggerated expression of mock distress. "Mr. Lucas, bullying a blind man and stealing his crutch? That's just cruel."
Lucas snorted. "Spare me the act. You're no ordinary blind man, Fujitora."
That's when the backup arrived.
A sudden burst of movement—a blur of steel and speed. Momousagi, the formidable Marine officer, closed the distance between them in a heartbeat. Her blade, Konpira, gleamed as it slashed toward Lucas with terrifying precision.
Clang!
Lucas deflected the strike with a casual flick of his wrist, meeting Momousagi's fierce gaze with an amused smirk. "Ah, you pre-coated your blade with Armament Haki? Clever. Too bad I can't snatch it now."
Before Lucas could finish his thought, a blinding flash of light erupted beside him. Kizaru materialized in a burst of golden photons, his lazy demeanor hiding the raw power behind his light-speed kick.
BOOM!
The kick collided with Lucas's hand, sending Fujitora's sword flying back toward its owner.
"Thanks for the assist." Fujitora caught the weapon effortlessly, wrapping it in Armament Haki and his Press-Press Fruit's power. The smile faded from his face as he prepared for round two.
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