one piece: gene extraction and fusion system-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.

Mashi's earlier display of power had already proven that this was no ordinary group.

Shiki decided not to strike immediately. Instead, curiosity got the better of him.

"IQ," Mio said without hesitation.

Shiki's expression shifted as he narrowed his eyes. "How do you know about IQ?"

"Does it matter?" Mio shrugged. "What matters is that you brought Vermeu Island—the one rich in IQ—into the sky. If I want IQ, I have no choice but to come find you."

Truthfully, Mio was annoyed. If Shiki hadn't taken the only known IQ-rich island and floated it into the sky, he wouldn't have bothered coming after him, even with the Float-Float Gene as a potential prize. It was a massive time sink.

But what choice did he have?

Shiki's smirk returned. "You want IQ, huh? Fine. But I think we can make a deal, kid."

"Oh?" Mio raised an eyebrow. He hadn't expected Shiki to initiate negotiations. It was unexpected—but also intriguing. Mio stayed silent, waiting to hear what kind of deal Shiki had in mind.

The Golden Lion's eyes gleamed with a dangerous light as he grinned. "I know Nico Robin, the sole survivor of O'Hara, is aboard your ship. Given your current status in the New World, it's clear your ambitions aren't small."

"So?" Mio asked calmly.

"That means you probably know the location of the ancient weapons," Shiki said, spreading his arms wide. "I once invited Roger to join forces with me. With his strength and knowledge, and my fleet and vision, we could have ruled the world. But he refused—and instead, he started this ridiculous era of pirates."

"Now, I'm inviting you to join forces with me. What do you say?"

Shiki's eyes burned with intensity.

He had long been paying attention to the Black Crow Pirates.

Once he knew Nico Robin was part of the crew, he had speculated that Mio must possess knowledge of the ancient weapons. After all, Robin herself wasn't particularly strong. On a ship full of monsters, if she didn't offer something unique, she would stick out.

Shiki didn't intend to rob Robin away—he wasn't a fool. While he looked down on most pirates of this new era, even he had to admit that Mio and his crew were an exception.

This was a crew of true monsters.

With a prideful grin, Shiki laughed again. "So, what do you say? If we join forces, we could overthrow the World Government. I'll give you all the IQ you want, and all my research over the past years."

"What you're offering is very tempting," Mio replied with a faint smirk. "And yes, I do have ambitions... but unfortunately, I'll have to decline."

"Why?" Shiki's expression turned ferocious, his voice low and sharp.

Rejected—again.

Just like when Roger turned him down.

Powerful killing intent radiated from Shiki, but Mio's aura exploded in response, shaking the surroundings as if the air itself were trembling.

Then, a confident smile formed on Mio's lips. "It's simple. There can only be one ruler of the world. I'm not interested in sharing."

"Hahahahahaha!!" Shiki threw his head back and laughed. Instead of being enraged, he seemed almost pleased. Unlike Roger, who refused him on principle, Mio's reasoning was much more aligned with Shiki's own ideals.

But the moment passed, and Shiki's smile vanished.

An immense pressure radiated from the Golden Lion, shaking the floating island itself. With a wave of his hand, the ground trembled as dozens of massive lions—his own creations—materialized and surrounded the group.

"You've got guts, kid. I like that. But you'll still die here," Shiki said coldly. "Even if you refuse, it doesn't matter. I'll kill you, take Robin, and complete my plan."

His laughter echoed ominously.

The battle began.

Roar!

A chorus of beastly howls echoed as the summoned lions lunged from all sides, forming a massive encirclement. Mio remained calm.

Turning to his crew, he gave a command. "Go find the IQ. Leave the Golden Lion to me."

"Yes!"

Without hesitation, Lilith and the others nodded and vanished, leaping across to other islands in search of the IQ compound.

Mio, in the blink of an eye, disappeared from his spot.

Then—whoosh!

He reappeared in the sky, high above the lions, as his body swapped places with a passing cloud.

Effortlessly, he avoided the siege below.

"Hmph. What a strange ability," Shiki muttered. He'd been watching carefully, and even now, the nature of Mio's power remained elusive.

And then—

Shiki lifted both his sword legs and unleashed a flurry of devastating slashes.

"Lion Chikiri Ya!!"

With a roar, the famous swords Oto and Kogarashi, which had replaced Shiki's legs, exploded into motion, sending wave after wave of flying slashes through the air.

Each one was powerful enough to split a mountain.