Chapter 233: The Return of Golden Lion!!
The next day—
Alubarna Palace.
"Ahh… Luffy… open wide~~"
Vivi Nefertari wore a pale golden silk dress today, its sleeves and collar embroidered with tiny pearls.
Holding a silver fork, she lifted a perfectly cut cube of roasted beef toward Luffy's mouth.
Her beautiful blue eyes curved into crescents, overflowing with boundless gentleness.
"—Ahhhm!!"
Luffy opened his mouth wide and swallowed both the beef and the tip of the fork in one bite.
His cheeks puffed out as he chewed happily, joy practically overflowing from his eyes.
"Is it good?"
Vivi asked softly, naturally wiping the grease from the corner of his mouth with her fingers.
"Mhm!! It's just as good as Sanji's cooking!"
Luffy shouted through a mouthful of food.
His rubber arm stretched across the room, snatching an entire grilled fish from a plate three meters away before stuffing it into his mouth.
"Especially this! Even the bones are crispy!"
Vivi covered her lips and giggled softly before cutting another piece of pancake drizzled with mango sauce.
Every movement she made was elegant enough to be included in a royal etiquette textbook.
But the way she looked at Luffy contained none of that "etiquette."
What filled her eyes was affection refined through months of longing, tempered by war and separation—burning, sincere, and impossible to hide.
At the opposite end of the table—
Nami rested her chin on one hand while sitting lazily in a velvet-backed chair.
Her entire body radiated a dangerously alluring aura balanced somewhere between youthful charm and mature femininity.
…The kind of beauty nurtured by both love and adventure.
Her orange hair wasn't tied up like usual, instead cascading freely over her shoulders and back, still slightly damp from a recent bath.
"Haaah…"
She let out a long yawn, a faint glimmer of tears appearing at the corners of her eyes.
The motion fully exposed her graceful neck, causing the collar of her robe to slip down slightly farther.
Yet she paid it no attention.
Instead, she lazily wiped away the tears and absentmindedly stared toward the gilded fruit basket in the center of the table.
It wasn't that she wanted to interrupt the shameless flirting happening in front of her.
She simply didn't have the energy.
The overwhelming aftermath of Luffy's "indestructible body" had left her completely exhausted.
"What an… idiot…"
She muttered hoarsely beneath her breath.
Yet a faint, deeply satisfied smile unconsciously curled at the corner of her lips.
Reaching forward, she picked up the crystal glass before her.
Her rose-red lips gently wrapped around the straw.
Sip.
Slowly.
At this moment, Nami looked lazy, seductive, and utterly untouchable.
Occasionally, she lifted her eyes toward the opposite side of the table.
She saw Vivi feeding peeled grapes into Luffy's mouth.
Saw Luffy grinning like an idiot who had obtained the greatest treasure in the world.
Saw their fingers secretly intertwining beneath the tablecloth.
Nami said nothing.
She simply continued drinking her milk in small, unhurried sips.
——————
"King Cobra!! Captain Igaram!!"
The heavy carved doors of the dining hall burst open as a young messenger soldier stumbled inside.
His chest heaved violently, his face filled with horror and panic.
His voice cracked from extreme fear.
"T-This is bad! Above Alubarna… above Alubarna… gigantic islands are covering the sky!!"
The atmosphere instantly froze.
The faint clinking of silverware against porcelain abruptly stopped.
Everyone's movements, words—even breathing—seemed to halt.
Luffy paused mid-bite.
Slowly, he lifted his head.
Though his rubber cheeks were still puffed full of food, a sharp glint had already pierced through the usual innocence in his eyes.
The next instant—
A silver flash streaked through the room!
Everyone only felt their vision blur before the familiar figure in red vanished completely from his seat.
——————
At the highest rooftop platform of the palace, violent winds roared.
Luffy stood at the edge like a spear driven into stone.
The shadow cast by his straw hat concealed most of his face, leaving only the hard line of his tightly pressed lips visible.
He stared upward into the suddenly darkened sky.
The heavens…
Had fallen.
The once-clear skies of Alabasta were now completely occupied by massive shadows.
Gigantic floating islands.
Jagged landmasses had broken free from gravity itself, hanging impossibly high above the kingdom.
An overwhelming pressure born from the inversion of heaven and earth pressed heavily upon the hearts of everyone staring upward.
"Hoo…"
The familiar sound of an exhale drifted from beside him.
Sanji had appeared at some point, standing nearby with both hands in his pockets.
The tails of his suit fluttered violently in the wind while the cigarette at his lips glowed faintly in the darkness.
"That's one hell of a display…"
He narrowed his eyes toward the floating islands.
"So this is the power of Golden Lion's Float-Float Fruit? Treating entire islands like toys for a banquet?"
"I don't care about the islands."
A low voice overflowing with battle intent answered from the other side.
Zoro slowly stepped onto the platform, the three swords at his waist clinking softly.
His lone eye narrowed as his gaze sliced across the floating islands before locking onto the largest shadow hidden deep within the airborne fleet.
"What I care about…"
"…is whether the sword of the 'Flying Pirate' who once carved out an era with two legendary blades…"
"…is still sharp."
Heavy footsteps echoed one after another behind them.
The rest of the crew soon arrived atop the platform.
Not a single member missing.
They stood silently behind Luffy like an unbreakable wall.
Different postures.
Different expressions.
Yet all connected by the same unwavering will.
The wind atop the palace grew increasingly violent, whipping at clothes and hair alike.
Within that oppressive silence before the coming storm—
Luffy slowly lifted a hand and adjusted his straw hat.
Then he suddenly pointed toward the floating kingdom hanging high above them.
"Set sail!"
His grin widened fiercely.
"We're taking him down!!"
——————
At the same time—
At the center of the floating island fleet.
A towering classical mansion stood illuminated brilliantly against the darkened sky.
Inside the magnificent hall, crystal chandeliers bathed everything in dazzling white light.
An enormous banquet table overflowed with luxurious food and fine wine.
Yet beneath the extravagance lingered an unmistakable chill.
"JIHYAHAHAHAHA!!!"
Wild laughter shook the chandeliers overhead.
At the head of the table, a domineering figure suddenly rose to his feet.
Golden hair flowed wildly like a lion's mane, nearly blending together with the luxurious golden coat draped over his shoulders.
The massive ship's wheel embedded in his head only added to his madness and overwhelming presence.
The legendary pirate who once rivaled Roger and Whitebeard—
Golden Lion Shiki.
Holding a wine glass filled with amber liquor high into the air, he swept his hawk-like gaze across the gathered pirates below.
"Welcome! Welcome, captains!"
"From today onward…"
"…you belong to me, just like this sky itself!!"
"Join my Flying Pirate Fleet and help me turn this world upside down!! JIHYAHAHAHA!!!"
The men seated below were no ordinary pirates.
Every one of them radiated strength, ferocity, and experience.
They were infamous pirate captains who had recently become active throughout Paradise, the first half of the Grand Line.
Now, however—
They had all been "invited" here by force.
Some wore flattering smiles, eagerly raising their glasses in hopes of attaching themselves to power.
Others remained grim-faced, fingers unconsciously tapping sword hilts or table edges, humiliation and resentment hidden in their eyes.
A few quietly observed both the floating fortress and the madman laughing above them, carefully weighing their future options.
"Haha! Boss Shiki!"
A bald, scar-faced pirate captain stood up first, grinning broadly as he tried to curry favor.
"Following a legendary pirate like you is our honor! From now on, wherever you point, we'll fight!"
A few scattered voices echoed in agreement.
But most captains merely raised their glasses silently or drank heavily to suppress their complicated emotions.
Golden Lion Shiki took in every expression.
His grin only widened.
He didn't care whether these men were sincere.
All he needed were their ships.
Their crews.
Their value as chess pieces.
His gaze seemed to pierce through the walls of the mansion itself, looking down toward the desert kingdom buried beneath the shadows.
And farther still—
Toward the vast seas soon to be thrown into chaos once more because of him.
"Drink up, boys!!"
Shiki drained the liquor in his glass and casually hurled the cup to the floor, where it shattered loudly.
"The real show…"
"…is only just beginning!! JIHYAHAHAHA!!!"
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