One Piece: Rising to Power as a Warlord of the Sea

The clash of spear and shield, a blazing fist versus the defensive stone lion!

With fire ignited from the friction of his attack, Natsu charged forward relentlessly. Even faced with layers of solid stone, he didn't flinch. All his strength and spirit concentrated into his fist. This blow would decide everything—victory or defeat, life or death.

"BOOM!"

The anticipated resistance never came. Golden Lion's brows furrowed deeply as he watched Natsu's fist pierce through his stone defense with ease. Shock and a sinking sense of despair welled up within him. Was he truly going to be defeated again? And by a man from the weakest sea, the East Blue, no less?

"No! I won't accept this! I can't accept this—not even in death!"

"Block it? You think you can block this punch? Two and a half years of training is in this strike!"

Natsu dismissed Golden Lion's resistance with conviction. His fist descended once more, now at full strength. Haki and raw power combined in perfect harmony, and for a fleeting moment, Natsu felt the essence of Conqueror's Haki Infusion. The humming resonance of this realization sent a shiver through Golden Lion's body. As the fist neared, memories of the old era—the dangerous and chaotic age of pirates—flashed through his mind.

"I've lost again… in the weakest sea..."

Golden Lion's eyes wavered. In Natsu's unwavering stance, he saw reflections of both Roger and Garp. With a bitter laugh, he crumpled under the force of the strike. The overwhelming blow pushed his body into the ground, leaving him unconscious.

The legend of Golden Lion Shiki had come to an end.

"It's over... finally."

Natsu exhaled heavily and collapsed onto the ground, drained. Fighting at full force had exhausted both his stamina and Haki reserves. But in the end, he emerged victorious.

A new generation of pirates had toppled an icon of the old. The winds of change could not be halted.

Although Golden Lion's raw strength hadn't diminished much with age, his endurance and reaction time had. Compared to Natsu, who was ascending toward his prime, the gap was evident.

"This is Golden Lion? Not impressive at all. -_-||"

Kumo arrived with his beast army in tow, puffing out his chest in a show of triumph. However, one glance at the unconscious Golden Lion left him disappointed. The fabled pirate, whom Kumo expected to be imposing and majestic, had a ship's helm stuck on his head, looking more like a ridiculous rooster than a fearsome legend.

"Heh, seems like you're the big winner, Kumo. Look at all these new followers."

Natsu chuckled, dusting himself off. He walked over to Kumo, giving his fur a playful ruffle despite the effort Kumo had put into styling it.

"Heh-heh! Thanks to you, boss! I just got lucky," Kumo replied with a sheepish grin, clearly pleased with the outcome.

"RUMBLE! CRASH!"

The islands that Golden Lion had once controlled began plummeting from the sky. Their colossal forms fell like meteors, casting massive shadows and creating deafening shockwaves. The beast army, recently subdued by Kumo, erupted in panic. Only the calming presence of Kumo and his trusted companions, Xiao Shiro and Xiao Kene, prevented total chaos.

"All aboard! Load up the prisoners—we're trading these guys in for bounty rewards from Sengoku! վ'ᴗ'ի"

Natsu's voice carried an air of command. Golden Lion's elaborate revenge plot of decades had crumbled, and the legendary pirate himself was destined for Impel Down once again. This time, there'd be no escape. Age had stolen his power to reclaim the seas.

Meanwhile, in the Grand Line, the tranquil waters near a naval battleship turned chaotic. A sudden gust of wind tipped the ship, followed by towering waves spawned by the falling islands. In the distance, massive shadows loomed, blotting out the sun.

"An island is falling from the sky! Full speed ahead! Evacuate immediately!"

A marine lookout screamed from the crow's nest, his voice cracking with terror. His cry jolted the crew into action. Everyone turned their eyes upward, where they saw the descending landmasses. Weapons clattered to the ground as marines, faces pale with fear, scrambled to obey orders.

"Set sail! Get us out of here!"

Vice Admiral Onigumo barked, his usual cold, stern expression tinged with unease. Against a single falling island, they might have stood a chance. But dozens of them? Death was certain unless they fled.

Under Onigumo's command, the battleship turned sharply, its crew working in frantic unison. The sky rained islands, each impact sending shockwaves that churned the sea into hundred-meter waves. The tsunami engulfed several vessels, leaving marines clinging to rails for dear life.

As the seas finally began to calm, a new sound emerged. It was the crash of a ship hitting water. Onigumo whipped his head around to see a pirate ship descending gracefully—The Smile, flagship of Natsu's crew.

"A pirate ship falling from the sky?!"

"Wait... that flag... isn't that the Flying Pirates?!"

"No, look closely—that's the flag of the Smile Pirates! The crew of King of the Seven Warlords, Natsu the Fist!"

Marines whispered nervously among themselves. Though many had heard of Natsu, few had seen him in person. Most knew him only by his reputation as the grandson of Garp, earning the moniker "The Fist" from the public.

"What a coincidence! Fancy meeting allies here!"

Natsu's confident grin beamed as he appeared aboard the marine ship. His sudden arrival left the crew frozen in shock. Ignoring their wide-eyed stares, he walked directly to the Den Den Mushi.

"Hey, what's the number for Sengoku's line?"

He turned casually to a nearby marine, whose face blanked in disbelief.

"O-oh…"

"Hmph. Pirates are all the same—uncouth and disrespectful!" Onigumo growled, his fists clenched. If not for Natsu's position as a Warlord, he would've attacked immediately.

"This is Marine Headquarters. Sengoku speaking. What is it?"

Sengoku's calm voice came through as he fed his pet goat and sipped tea. His leisurely demeanor suggested a rare moment of peace.

"Yo! Sengoku, it's me—Monkey D. Natsu!"

To be continued…

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