Chapter 254: The Lion in the Sky
Mashi's strength was undeniable.
It was just that there had never been a real opportunity to display it—until now. Mio had always kept Mashi hidden, never giving him the stage to act. But this punch alone was enough to prove Mashi's true power.
In the sky above, a figure floated in silence before letting out a low chuckle upon witnessing the scene. He was the owner of the floating island STRONG WORLD—none other than Golden Lion Shiki, the former captain of the Flying Pirates and admiral of the Golden Lion Fleet.
"Gahahahaha! Interesting, very interesting," Shiki laughed with amusement. "Finally, someone worth watching in this so-called new era. I thought the age Roger ushered in was filled with nothing but trash."
Mio's Observation Haki extended over the entire floating island, so he naturally sensed Shiki the moment they arrived. Likewise, Shiki immediately took note of Mio's group.
He recognized Mio instantly.
Despite being hidden from the world, Shiki still paid attention to world affairs. As one of the rising powers in the New World—and with the previous incident at Impel Down caused by Mio—Shiki had no choice but to take the Black Crow Pirates seriously.
"Golden Lion," Mio said, eyes locked on the man in the sky. A slight grin lifted the corners of his lips. "I've finally found you."
"Hm?" Shiki raised an eyebrow, then laughed. "So you came here specifically for me, kid?"
"Of course. If it weren't for you, I wouldn't have wasted days scouring the Grand Line looking for your location," Mio replied casually.
"Then tell me, boy—why are you looking for me?" Shiki asked, intrigued. Normally, any pirate foolish enough to land on his island would already be dead. But Mio, the Black Crow, was different—someone he could actually respect.