Claudius slowly released Shiki, who was now completely encased in ice, frozen solid by the liquid nitrogen. At this moment, Shiki resembled nothing more than an ice sculpture.

His final expression was not one of pain or struggle, but of quiet acceptance. His arms, which had once resisted fiercely, now hung naturally at his sides.

It was as if, in his last moments, Shiki had accepted his fate—no longer the defiant hero of a bygone era.

Gion and Fujitora approached, standing beside Claudius as they looked upon the fallen legend. Despite knowing Shiki was their enemy, they couldn't help but feel a sense of melancholy.

"This lion has soared and fallen many times over the past few decades," Claudius murmured, gazing at Shiki's frozen form. "In the end, his life was nothing short of magnificent."

Gion glanced at Claudius, her mind drifting back to more than a decade ago, to that fateful day when they descended from Skypiea together, when Claudius had first clashed with Shiki.

Back then, she had rushed to Claudius's aid, only to find him leaning against the splintered mast of a ruined ship. The storm had just cleared, and a single beam of sunlight shone down upon him.

Meanwhile, Shiki had been utterly humiliated, bound in thick ropes, half of his body submerged in the sea.

That sight had stirred something in Gion's heart. It was the first time she truly realized that she cared for Claudius—not as a subordinate, but as something more.

Through all his victories and successes, few people understood just how perilous his path had been.

Perhaps… this was what it meant to be the "chosen one."

Claudius had undertaken the most dangerous path imaginable, challenging the Celestial Dragons from within their own ranks and he had succeeded.

If fate truly existed, then Shiki's downfall seemed almost inevitable.

"Why did the sunlight shine only upon Saint Claudius?" Gion mused inwardly. "Perhaps… this is what it means to be favored by destiny."

"His life was indeed grand," she finally spoke, her tone gentle. "But if this were a story, Your Highness, then you and Roger would be just as much a part of Shiki's legend as he was."

Claudius chuckled. "Are you trying to make me his side character?"

Gion smiled. "Perhaps in Shiki's story, Your Highness, you were just a side character. But in this world, you are the undeniable protagonist."

She reached out and removed Claudius's signature orange sunglasses, the corner of her lips curling into a soft smile.

"At least… to me, you are my protagonist."

Claudius blinked in surprise before laughing. "Why are you flattering me so much today? Have you finally been conquered by my unparalleled Haki?"

Gion smirked. "Haki? Maybe not. But your tactics were certainly underhanded. I have to admit, your disguise worked wonders. Who would've thought you'd take down Shiki in a single move?"

Claudius chuckled. "I simply took my chance. Opportunities belong to those who are prepared, don't they?"

He truly believed in those words now.

Destiny? Protagonist?

None of that mattered. Claudius had reached this point not through fate or luck, but through seizing every opportunity and preparing meticulously for every possibility.

"Supernatural powers cannot defy fate, only preparation can."

Just then, Fujitora sighed. "Shiki's body isn't even cold yet, and here you two are flirting. Isn't that a bit much?"

Claudius paused for a moment before pointing at Shiki's frozen form.

"You're saying this isn't cold? Then what is?"

Fujitora's face twitched slightly as he glanced at the ice-covered Shiki. "You know that's not what I meant."

Claudius looked around at the frozen battlefield. "Well, considering our surroundings, I'd say it's plenty cold."

Fujitora fell silent, clearly exasperated.

After a brief pause, he sighed again. "What should we do with Shiki? He was our enemy, but he was still a figure worthy of respect. Should we just leave his body here? Or should we find a proper resting place for him? Perhaps return him to his homeland?"

Claudius raised an eyebrow. "I didn't expect you to be so sentimental about Shiki."

Fujitora shook his head. "It's not sentiment. I just think that one day, I too may fall in battle. If that happens, I'd like to believe my opponent would grant me a proper burial."

Claudius burst into laughter.

Then, turning to Shiki's frozen corpse, he said, "Shiki was a man who lived life on his own terms. I doubt he'd want his remains handled by his enemies. And as the saying goes, 'Why worry about a burial? Life finds its own resting place.'"

Gion nodded in agreement. "Pirate or Marine, we are all children of the sea. Even though Shiki called himself the Flying Pirate, he could never truly escape the ocean. The sea is our home—it's only right that he returns to it."

Fujitora let out a soft chuckle. "Hmph. Two of the most arrogant people I know, yet somehow, you both manage to see things so clearly."

With that, he drew his cane-sword and swept it through the air.

A sudden gravitational force rippled outward, and the ice beneath Shiki's feet shattered. A perfectly-sized hole opened up, and his frozen body fell silently into the sea below.

The great pirate, Golden Lion Shiki, returned to the ocean, his final resting place.

Claudius exhaled, rolling his shoulders before reaching up to remove the flamboyant pink feather coat he had been wearing.

As he tossed it aside, his posture straightened.

Moments later, his body began to emit a faint mist. His skin tone shifted, and the facial structure that had mirrored Doflamingo's began reverting to his true form.

Before long, Claudius had fully shed his disguise.

"Shame I can't change my pants here," he muttered, glancing down at his current attire. "And these ridiculous shoes… Ugh."

His cover had served its purpose. There was no longer any reason to pretend to be Doflamingo.

Gion approached. "What's our next move?"

Claudius's gaze darkened. "Shiki's defeat means we've reached the turning point in this war."

Before, the Marines and the World Government had held the advantage, but the battle had still been relatively balanced.

Now, with Shiki gone, the scales had fully tilted.

Claudius, Gion, and Fujitora—three top-tier fighters—were now free to unleash their strength elsewhere.

"Fujitora, Gion," Claudius said. "Go deal with Charlotte Linlin's crew. Assist Ace and Hancock, and end this battle as quickly as possible. There's no need to take prisoners."

Gion and Fujitora nodded without hesitation.

"And what about you?" Gion asked.

Claudius smirked. "Among Shiki, Kaido, and Charlotte Linlin… I've fought Shiki the most. Linlin has already lost to me. The only one I haven't tested myself against… is Kaido."

Gion frowned. "You want to take on Kaido? He's already fighting four Admirals at once."

Fujitora chuckled. "Four Logia users, no less."

Claudius's grin widened. "Well then, how about we make it five Logia against the 'Strongest Creature'?"

His eyes gleamed with anticipation. "That's exactly the kind of fight I was hoping for."

(To be continued.)

***

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