Half a month later.New World - Merveille Island
A blind man with an X-shaped scar on his forehead was gambling in a casino. Suddenly, a group of thugs burst in from outside.
"Is that him?"
Viola's newly established intelligence organization, lacking manpower, had posted a high-value bounty on the black market. At the same time, the numerous eyes of the World Economic Journal began to search the world for Fujitora. In just half a month, thanks to the high reward, someone had found his trail on Merveille Island.
The thugs held a portrait drawn from Bellamy's description, comparing it to Fujitora, and finally confirmed their target.
"That's right, it's him!"
If they could really claim the black market bounty, it would be enough for this group of thugs to live in luxury for several years. The moment they spotted Fujitora, they couldn't help but shout out loud.
But before they could celebrate for too long, a figure appeared beside them as if by teleportation, easily snatching the wanted poster from their hands.
"Is this a drawing of myself?"
"Hey, blind man, when did you get over here?!"
Before one of the thugs could finish his sentence, his companion had already clamped a hand over his mouth. This kind of ghostly speed was a clear sign that this was not someone they could afford to provoke. Thugs in the New World at least had that much sense.
"Sorry, sorry, we got the wrong person."
The thugs apologized as they quickly fled.
Fujitora had no intention of making things difficult for them. He simply traced the brushstrokes on the portrait with his fingers.
"It really is me."
Who is looking for me? He was just a nameless, blind swordsman. Fujitora thought back on the enemies he had fought, and it seemed no one held such a deep grudge against him. But his instincts as a top-tier swordsman still made him feel a strong sense of crisis from the portrait.
"They do not come with good intentions."
"I should leave."
Although Merveille Island was not a large island, it was just as populated as any other. Fujitora was not a coward; he chose to leave simply because he didn't want to accidentally harm the civilians here. Compared to inconsequential things like his own reputation, he cared more about the safety of innocent people. His sense of justice was much gentler than Akainu's.
Not long after Fujitora left, someone immediately reported the news. Once his trail was found, the powerful intelligence network of the World Economic Journal was immediately activated. From then on, Fujitora's whereabouts were reported back to Bellamy every hour. For this, Bellamy had paid a sky-high bounty of fifty million Berries.
Now that their target was found, the impatient Golden Lion immediately activated his ability, setting off in pursuit of Fujitora with his floating island. At the island's flight speed, they could catch up to him in half a month at most. If Fujitora didn't move, they would meet on a small island in a week.
"It's finally starting."
The battle with Fujitora was bound to be an earth-shattering one. His Devil Fruit was the Paramecia-type Gravity-Gravity Fruit, also known as the Zushi Zushi no Mi. This fruit could manipulate gravity, increasing an object's weight or making it weightless.
The Golden Lion's Float-Float Fruit, on the other hand, achieved the effect of manipulating objects indirectly by making them weightless. Whether these two fruits were in a superior-inferior relationship, Bellamy wasn't sure. But their abilities certainly had some overlap. And Fujitora's Gravity-Gravity Fruit was clearly much stronger than Shiki's Float-Float Fruit. In theory, anything the Float-Float Fruit could do, the Gravity-Gravity Fruit could do as well.
One could imagine that the beginning of this battle would be extremely difficult. Even Bellamy couldn't be sure if the Golden Lion could suppress Fujitora. However, a legendary great pirate restored to his complete state, although unable to exert his peak power due to his age, would not let Fujitora have an easy time, even in defeat.
Through the Golden Lion's various actions and the brief test, Bellamy had gained some understanding of his strength. If nothing else, his mastery of his Devil Fruit ability was absolutely top-tier in the world. As one gets older, although stamina gradually wanes and the body weakens, the skill in using a Devil Fruit increases with time. The Golden Lion's ability had definitely grown by more than a little compared to his youth.
When the floating island was close to its target, Bellamy found the Golden Lion and told him about Fujitora's abilities.
"If the power of the Gravity-Gravity Fruit is applied to the floating island, the whole thing will fall from the sky like a meteor."
"So, we should switch to a different mode of transportation."
"The Gravity-Gravity Fruit!"
The Golden Lion's heart skipped a beat. He had not expected his target to be a user of this fruit. Bellamy didn't know that when Shiki was young, he had encountered a terrifyingly strong monster who was the user of the Gravity-Gravity Fruit. The reason he had chosen to eat the Float-Float Fruit was because of that monster's influence. He never thought that decades later, after the order of the seas had changed several times, he would hear of the Gravity-Gravity Fruit again in a place like this.
"Are you sure it's the Gravity-Gravity Fruit?!"
"There's no mistake."
Bellamy didn't know why the Golden Lion had suddenly become so agitated, but it didn't seem like a bad thing.
"Worried your ability will be countered? I'll fight with you."
The abilities of the Gravity-Gravity Fruit and the Float-Float Fruit did, to some extent, counter each other. What the specific situation would be, no one could say for sure. Even the users themselves couldn't be certain who countered whom until they actually fought. Or perhaps, they countered each other.
Bellamy wasn't trying to provoke him. With the battle about to begin, there was no need to agitate the Golden Lion further. He genuinely felt that Shiki alone might not be able to suppress Fujitora.
But the Golden Lion couldn't stand hearing such words. "Brat, do you know what you're saying?"
"I am the Golden Lion!"
Shiki drew his twin swords and roared at the sky. Upon hearing this majestic roar, all the members of the Flying Pirates joined in, cheering wildly.
"Golden Lion! Golden Lion! Golden Lion!"
With his body fully restored, the Golden Lion's heroic spirit that had once dominated the four seas erupted forth. At that moment, the glory of his past seemed to return to him. After a roar, he leaped from the ground and flew toward the small island below.
Bellamy stood on the floating island, watching his rapidly disappearing figure, and couldn't help but shake his head.
You seem to have forgotten the fact that you're old.
If he were twenty years younger, the Golden Lion would naturally have the right to be arrogant. But now, could he really defeat an Admiral-level powerhouse with his own strength?
Bellamy had his doubts.