THE ABSOLUTE HAKI IS COMPLETED

The island in the sky was nearly the same size as Cecilford Island, a massive landmass descending like divine judgment.

The way it fell was slow but absolute, resembling the wrath of the heavens itself.

However, with Carl's speed, avoiding it wouldn't be an issue. The real problem was the hundreds of Marines stationed on Cecilford Island.

If he dodged, they would die. If he stayed, he had to find a way to destroy the island before it reached them.

Carl exhaled and reached for the katana at his waist.

As Senbonzakura slid out of its sheath, his entire body crackled with a black lightning-like aura—his Armament Haki reaching its peak.

In the town, panic erupted as the Marines noticed the shadow blotting out the moonlit sky.

They had been roused from their sleep, their tired eyes widening in terror at the sheer scale of the falling island.

Death was coming.

Roy sprinted toward Carl from the town's entrance, his face pale as a ghost.

"Carl Ensign! RUN! LEAVE US BEHIND!" he screamed, voice trembling.

Their fate was sealed. No one could stop an entire island from crushing them.

The shadow loomed closer. Even standing on the ground, Roy could feel the heavy pressure of the descending landmass.

Carl, however, remained still, his grip on Senbonzakura tightening.

"Get back," he commanded. His voice was calm, but his eyes blazed red with unshakable resolve. "Even if I stand here, this thing won't touch me."

Roy choked on his words. His fists clenched as tears welled in his eyes.

Even in the face of death, Carl refused to abandon them.

Carl, however, paid no attention to their reactions. His focus was solely on the sky.

Raising Senbonzakura, he let his Haki surge, the black lightning around his blade intensifying.

Then—

"Cut!"

A black slash, infused with advanced Armament Haki and Internal Destruction, erupted from his blade.

The air howled, the sheer force bending trees and sending shockwaves across the land.

The slash roared into the sky like a crescent-shaped storm—

And met the island head-on.

BOOM!

A deafening crack split the night as the attack slammed into the island's core.

For a moment, silence reigned.

Then—

KRRRRK!

Fractures spread across the entire island like veins of destruction.

The Marines on the ground held their breath.

The island trembled.

And then—

It shattered.

Millions of fragments exploded in all directions, scattering across the sky like a meteor shower.

The falling rubble crashed into the ocean, sending towering waves into the air.

On the ground, Roy's mouth hung open in disbelief.

The Marines stood frozen, unable to comprehend what they had just witnessed.

They all knew Carl Ensign was strong—

But this?

This was godlike.

He had just cut down an island.

Carl exhaled, lowering his blade as the dust settled.

This was the result of Ryuo, the advanced form of Armament Haki—an ability so refined that even Vice Admirals struggled to master it.

"What now, Carl Ensign?" Roy finally asked, voice hoarse.

Carl sheathed Senbonzakura and turned toward the sky.

"We wait," he answered simply.

Roy nodded and saluted before heading back to the town.

Carl, however, remained in place.

He took a slow, steady breath—

And then unleashed his Observation Haki to the fullest extent.

Like a tidal wave, his awareness spread out into the world, reaching beyond the clouds.

A moment later, he found what he was looking for.

High above, at an altitude of 10,000 meters—

He sensed life.

One presence, in particular, stood out like a blazing sun.

Golden Lion Shiki.

Carl narrowed his eyes.

"Of course, it had to be you," he muttered.

The Golden Lion, the infamous legend of the previous era.

He had vanished for over twenty years, but now he had returned, wreaking havoc once again.

Why couldn't these old monsters just stay dead?

Carl clicked his tongue in irritation.

He had pinpointed Shiki's location.

But now came the real problem—

How was he supposed to get up there?

He didn't have a Devil Fruit ability that allowed flight.

And unlike Marine officers like Kizaru, he couldn't use Geppo to soar through the air.

His frustration deepened—until a sudden realization struck him.

"Wait… Senbonzakura's Bankai can fly," he muttered, his expression shifting.

Without hesitation, he drew his blade.

"Scatter— Senbonzakura."

The katana dissolved into thousands of pink, petal-like blades, fluttering around him.

Bankai.

Senbonzakura Kageyoshi.

Final Scene—White Emperor Sword.

The petals coalesced behind him, forming a massive pair of shimmering white wings.

A terrifying cold air enveloped the atmosphere, freezing the moisture in the air into a dense white mist.

This was the fusion of Senbonzakura's full blade form and Carl's own Haki—

A balance of elegance and destruction.

With a simple movement, the wings flared open—

WHOOSH!

The very air around him distorted, space seeming to rip apart as he accelerated toward the heavens.

In the blink of an eye, he breached the clouds, ascending higher and higher—

Until finally—

He reached 10,000 meters.

And there, floating in the sky—

Was an entire archipelago of islands.

Carl's breath hitched as he took in the sight.

A sprawling kingdom of landmasses suspended in the sky, linked together like an aerial fortress.

And at its core—

A sea.

Yes, an entire body of seawater floating high above the world.

"…This is insane," Carl muttered.

It was the Floating Empire, created by Shiki's legendary Fuwa Fuwa no Mi.

He had transformed these islands into his own personal sky domain, keeping them suspended for decades.

And the worst part?

He did it effortlessly.

Carl gritted his teeth.

These old monsters…

No, these Devil Fruits…

They were broken.

Even now, Shiki showed no signs of struggle in maintaining his floating islands.

If he had chosen to use this power decades ago against Marineford, history might have taken a different course.

A normal person, faced with such an overwhelming force, would have already given up.

Carl smirked.

"But I guess that's what makes the protagonists so broken," he muttered.

After all, Shiki—despite his legendary status—was still fated to lose to the "Future Pirate King."

But Carl had no such fate.

He had only his own strength.

Landing on the outskirts of the floating islands, Carl stepped onto the grass, his boots crunching softly against the earth.

He rubbed his chin, thinking.

Shiki was undoubtedly one of the strongest pirates of all time—

But he was old.

A relic of the past, just like Whitebeard.

Whitebeard had been 72 years old when he died.

Shiki had to be at least 70 by now.

His strength had surely diminished.

Plus, he had no legs.

After breaking out of Impel Down two decades ago, he had chopped off his own feet and replaced them with his iconic swords.

And, let's not forget—

He had a freaking rudder lodged in his skull.