Chapter 408: The Arrival of Shiki
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The Poseidon sailed steadily across the calm seas of the New World.
It had been a week since the Rockefeller Pirates claimed Fishman Island. Now, they were cruising through the first half of the New World—waves tranquil, skies clear. A few seagulls circled above the mast, and the crew savored the brief peace.
Charlotte lounged on a beach chair atop the deck, sunglasses on, basking under the sun.
Suddenly—
"Gehahahahaha!"
A manic laugh echoed from above!
Charlotte frowned, pushed up his sunglasses, and looked skyward.
Dark specks began descending from the clouds—dozens of ships and a floating island-sized vessel approached rapidly.
"Ugh… unlucky. Ran into the Flying Pirates."
Charlotte sighed.
The Poseidon's alarm sounded, and crew members rushed to battle stations. All eyes turned to the skies—Shiki's Flying Pirates had arrived.
Multiple ships and a floating island, modified into a flying fortress, hovered above, slowly descending.
Two powerful slashes cleaved through the air, cutting straight toward Poseidon.
Charlotte narrowed his eyes. With a wave of his Seven Star Sword, a brilliant green sword beam slashed through the sky, clashing with the incoming strikes.
Boom!
The collision sent ripples across the sea as Shiki's fleet came into full view.
Shiki stood proudly at the helm, snow-white cape billowing, blond hair wild, a ship's wheel embedded into his head, chomping a cigar.
"Gehahahaha! Charlotte, long time no see! Looks like you've gotten even stronger!"
Charlotte, still lying back, squinted up with a faint smirk.
"Yeah, long time. You've changed… quite a bit."
His eyes drifted to the massive ship's wheel lodged in Shiki's head.
"Dad! Why does that uncle have a steering wheel on his head?"
—came Caesar's curious voice.
Charlotte's grin widened.
Shiki's face darkened.
"Charlotte! I came all this way to welcome you back, and this is how you treat an old friend?"
Shiki crossed his arms in mock offense.
Charlotte shrugged. "Kids say what they want. Come, I've got fine liquor collected from all four seas just for you."
At that, Shiki grinned and landed with his fleet.
"Gehahaha! I knew you wouldn't forget me! Bring out the wine!"
He threw an arm around Charlotte as they sat together, surrounded by crew.
"Ahhh, it's been hell these past six years," Shiki grumbled. "If it's not Roger's brats harassing me, it's the Navy. No peace at all. I miss the days on Rocks' ship."
Charlotte gave him a side-eye. "Funny. Didn't you try to kill Rocks back then? And now you miss him?"
"Gehahaha! Did I? Must've slipped my mind!"
Charlotte summoned bottles of top-shelf liquor from his enchanted storage bracelet.
Shiki's eyes lit up. "You ate a Devil Fruit?"
"Nope. The bracelet did. It's imbued with a fruit's ability. Little trick from some tech I picked up."
Charlotte subtly flaunted the bracelet.
Shiki gawked. "You can… feed a Devil Fruit to an object?"
Charlotte rolled his eyes. "Even if I explained it, you wouldn't get it."
"Gehahaha!" Shiki laughed awkwardly. Fair enough.
He took a long swig of wine, clearly impressed.
"I've heard whispers," Shiki said with a smirk. "That your ship's cannons rival Pluton. True?"
Charlotte casually pointed to the electromagnetic railguns mounted along Poseidon's sides. "That's just Morgans exaggerating. They're railguns, that's all."
Shiki glanced over, raising an eyebrow. "Hmph. So that's what those were…"
He mentally noted it—even if Charlotte downplayed them, he wasn't going to forget.
He also examined the Poseidon's hull. Steel—forged, reinforced. A ship that could rival any fortress. Shiki muttered to himself—it was leagues beyond what the Flying Pirates could afford.
"Drink!"
The two clinked cups and downed their wine.
Despite their wild personalities, Shiki and Charlotte had a strong bond. Unlike the tension between other Yonko-level crews, these two genuinely got along when no interests conflicted.
Caesar walked over and greeted them, gazing curiously at the legendary Shiki.
Tall, scarred, weathered—yet commanding.
"Your son, huh?" Shiki said, eyes narrowing. "Caesar, was it?"
Charlotte nodded.
"Call him uncle," he prompted.
"Uncle!"
Shiki burst out laughing.
"Kid, how about sailing with me instead? I'll make you vice-captain of the Flying Pirates!"
Charlotte gave him a look. "Couldn't recruit me, so you're after my son now?"
"Gehahaha! You've raised a good one," Shiki said, genuinely impressed.
He could already sense Caesar's budding power. For a pirate captain who had always carried his crew on his own back, the idea of a successor like Caesar inspired a rare pang of envy in the golden lion.
Caesar, of course, proudly looked up at Charlotte—his father's approval mattered more than anything.
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