"See you later, old man Shiki!"
Roa stood on the snail's head and waved goodbye to the floating island that was slowly drifting away. "If you run into Roger, remember to call for backup."
There was no response. The floating island simply drifted away silently.
"Are you that impatient?" Roa's smile became even more brilliant. "Seriously, how can I bear to stop you?"
Don't worry, I'll set everything up for you perfectly. So, have a good fight.
"Boss, should we start searching now?" Dylan asked respectfully from behind.
"Let's just wander around for fun," Roa said casually. "The grand finale is about to begin!"
"Understood!"
Hachinosu.
"Hahahaha! Smooth! Super smooth!"
Wang Zhi held a Den Den Mushi in one hand and a wine glass in the other. He laughed loudly as he downed the wine in one gulp. The joy in his heart was the best side dish.
"They've split up! Shiki and Roa have each gone to a different sea area, and Kaido and Linlin are together."
"It went much more smoothly than we thought."
Captain John's voice, with a hint of a laugh, came through the Den Den Mushi. "So, is Shiki our target?"
"Both Roa and Shiki are essentially the same," Wang Zhi said. "To be honest, the chances of them fighting the Roger Pirates honestly are low."
"But Shiki's chances are higher, right?" Captain John said.
"Exactly! Shiki is different!" Silver Axe chimed in with a grin. "No one is more obsessed with Roger than he is!"
"With that guy, the reason he's willing to go along with Linlin's nonsense this time must be because of Roger!" Captain John's laughter was clear, but it carried a hint of mockery. "He really thinks he's Rocks. Even Rocks couldn't take down Roger."
"So the next step is simple," Wang Zhi's smile grew even more brilliant. "We'll lead the Roger Pirates to Shiki! Then, we'll let fate decide!"
On the sea near an island in this sea area, a large ship slowly approached.
"So, what is that kid Roa up to?" Jabba stood at the bow, looking at the distant island through a telescope. "What's the point of telling us to approach this island and deliberately expose our whereabouts?"
"The so-called game has probably just begun now, right?" Rayleigh pushed his gold-rimmed glasses up. "But with that kid's craziness, no one can guess what he's really trying to do."
"No matter what game it is, I have to win!" Roger's hands were on the hilt of his beloved sword. His eyes shone with a determined and confident light. He had to get the location of the next Road Poneglyph from Roa!
"We can't do anything about it," Rayleigh smiled helplessly. "It seems no matter what Roa wants to do, we have to play along to the end!"
"It's our own fault for following a troublesome captain!"
"Wahahahaha!"
Laughter echoed on the deck.
"Stop laughing!" Roger's laughter was suddenly interrupted by Jabba. "A ship is coming!"
"Oh?" Roger's laughter instantly subsided. He jumped to the side of the ship and squinted into the distance. At the same time, his Observation Haki was activated. "There's no one strong on board. They all look like ordinary people."
"Ordinary people who dare to approach us after seeing our flag are not ordinary," Rayleigh said. "It seems the game is indeed about to begin."
"Captain Roger!"
The ship approached. On the deck, a man who looked a little nervous, with a pale face, but still summoned the courage to shout loudly, "The people chasing you have spread out and formed a huge encirclement to close in on you!"
"If you don't break out now, you'll never be able to run away again!"
"Huh!" Roger was stunned for a moment, then he instinctively turned to look at Rayleigh, then to Jabba on the other side. The three of them clearly saw the bewilderment in each other's eyes.
This guy isn't one of Roa's people, is he? Otherwise, he could have just had the Fish-men who were following them relay the message.
So, was someone else pulling the strings?
"Go to the Edd War sea area," the man said. "Captain John, Kaido, and Charlotte Linlin are chasing from the rear. To the left is Roa, and to the right is Golden Lion. The Edd War sea area is the weakest, with just Wang Zhi and Silver Axe! As long as you break through their blockade, you'll be free as a bird!"
Roger looked at Rayleigh and Jabba again. The Edd War sea area definitely isn't just Wang Zhi and Silver Axe, is it? Roa had already revealed that the ones chasing them were only Golden Lion, Kaido, and Charlotte Linlin. Oh, and Roa himself, whose purpose was unknown for now.
"That's all I have to say. You decide what to do." After leaving this message, the ship hurriedly fled.
"He's one of Wang Zhi's men, right?" Rayleigh rubbed his chin, guessing. "In this sea area, only he has that ability."
"It seems their alliance is a lively one, too," Jabba said with a smack of his lips. "It's even likely that they'll start killing each other soon. If that's the case, then I understand what Roa means."
Olyvia held her daughter, her voice filled with a hint of worry. "So, the one waiting for us at Edd War can only be the Golden Lion, right?"
"Besides him, there's no one else Roa and Wang Zhi would both be wary of and plot against," Rayleigh said, letting out a slow breath. He then looked at their captain. "Roger—"
"What are we waiting for! Let's head for the Edd War sea area!" Roger laughed. "There are no other options, are there?"
Rayleigh and Jabba nodded slowly. Roa's Fish-men were still following them from a distance. If they refused Roa's invitation to the game, those guys would probably start to close in. Right now, this was the best choice!
"No! Are we really going to fight Golden Lion again?!" Buggy held his head and screamed. He was still traumatized by the battle with the Golden Lion Pirates two years ago!
"Quiet down, Buggy. Crying won't help now," the red-haired boy with a straw hat said, comforting him with a smile. "Prepare for battle."
"Damn it!!"
And so, the Roger Pirates no longer hesitated and headed straight for the Edd War sea area.
However, at that very moment, a red-skinned Fish-man once again climbed onto the side of the ship.
At the same time, Hachinosu.
"Haha! It's done!"
Wang Zhi was so happy he even danced. His clothes billowed as his face was filled with excitement. "Shiki, are you ready to receive the gift I prepared for you?!"
Wang Zhi had not forgotten the debt of being chased away when he attacked Hachinosu. If you've got the guts, don't back down. It's best if you fight Roger to the death! Although the Golden Lion Pirates had an absolute advantage in numbers, the quality of their executives was far inferior. Shiki had no executives who could deal with monsters like Rayleigh and Jabba. Unless Shiki ran away, he would soon face a crushing defeat!
"Jeehahahaha!"
In the Edd War sea area, the massive floating island had deliberately lowered its altitude to better spot ships on the sea. On the edge of the giant island, Golden Lion stood silently, a lit cigar in his mouth. In the swirling smoke, his gaze suddenly became a little hazy.
Roger, after all these years of fate, let's end it all now! If you dare to refuse me again this time, then the only path left for you is death! Please, please don't make a choice that will upset me again!!
And if he could get Roger's help—
A smile formed on Golden Lion's lips. It wouldn't even matter if he turned on the others immediately! If he and Roger teamed up, what could Roa and all the others do? No! He could even try to achieve the ambition that Rocks couldn't complete! Golden Lion was eagerly anticipating this!
"Admiral! A message just came from Wang Zhi!" His right-hand man, Headcracker Hyde, ran over in a hurry. "They've found the Roger Pirates again. They're still in our encirclement and seem to be heading toward the Edd War sea area!"
"Jeehahahaha! They're coming to me? Fortune still favors me!" Golden Lion laughed loudly. "What are we waiting for!" He raised his left hand and gave a gentle wave. The giant island immediately accelerated forward.
"ROGER!! I'M COMING!!"
However, at that very moment, at the entrance to the New World, on the side of the Red Line. A crisis meeting was being held at the new Marine Headquarters, once known as G-1 Base and now renamed New Marineford.
"The battle between the Pirate Alliance and the Roger Pirates is about to begin," the new Fleet Admiral, Sengoku, said, his eyes a little bloodshot. He had been extremely busy lately. Not only was there the mess left by the Pirate Alliance's attack, but the preliminary preparations for the great military draft alone had left him overwhelmed. And now, there was trouble in the New World again.
For some unknown reason, the Roger Pirates were being hunted by the Pirate Alliance. Although Wang Zhi, Silver Axe, and Captain John weren't involved, the remaining four were the real heavyweights.
"This is a good thing for us," Zephyr, who had regained his admiral title but was currently in charge of the recruit training camp, said with a cold face. "Pirates fighting each other. No matter who wins or loses, the power that threatens the world will be reduced."
"What I'm afraid of is that the Roger Pirates will also be drawn into their alliance," the great Marine strategist, Vice Admiral Tsuru, said with a serious tone. "Although the possibility is low, with a man like Roa, nothing he does would be surprising."
At her words, everyone in the office fell silent. If Roger also joined that crazy Pirate Alliance, who could stop them? But at this moment, the Marines could do nothing. They could only wait quietly.
Edd War sea area.
The Roger Pirates' ship continued to move forward. On the deck, everyone gripped their weapons, standing by, ready for battle. They were very close! It should be coming soon—
At that moment, Roger suddenly looked up, his eyes burning as he stared at the sky in the distance.
"They're here!!"
In the distant sky, a giant shadow was slowly appearing.
"Bring the ship closer!"
"Jeehahahaha!"
On the edge of the giant island, Golden Lion laughed loudly.
"I've finally found you!!"
Their eyes couldn't see each other yet, but their Haki had confirmed each other's presence!
"Notify Roa and the others immediately to come quickly! Then—"
"Roger!! This is the final negotiation! Don't you dare disappoint me!"
The giant island moved forward at full speed. The island and the ship carrying the two sides quickly closed in on each other. It didn't take long for the distance between them to shrink to the point where they could see each other clearly.
Golden Lion looked down at Roger, who was looking up from the bow of his ship.
Roger looked up at Golden Lion, who was looking down from the edge of the island.
"Finally!" Jabba pushed his small sunglasses up. "Shanks, Buggy! I'm leaving Olyvia and Robin to you two!"
"Leave it to us!" The red-haired boy held his sword and stood majestically in front of the white-haired woman. Beside him, his red-nosed companion's legs were trembling, but he didn't move.
"Jeehahahaha! Roger!!" A loud laugh descended from the sky. Golden Lion slowly floated down, hovering in mid-air, looking down at the Roger Pirates. "It's been about two years, hasn't it?"
"Shiki! Don't get in my way!" Roger drew his beloved sword, Ace. The sharp blade pointed directly at Golden Lion. "You haven't forgotten the result of the battle two years ago, have you? This time, you don't have Roa and Kaido with you!"
"Jeehahahaha! It seems you don't understand the situation, Roger!" Golden Lion's laugh was unconcerned, even a little louder. "Roa, Kaido, Linlin, Wang Zhi, Silver Axe, John... the others are rushing here! Do you think you have the power to defeat all of us?!" To put more pressure on Roger, Golden Lion told a little lie.
But hearing him say that, Roger found it amusing. You've been completely plotted against by both Roa and Wang Zhi. What are you being so arrogant about?
"What do you want, Shiki?!" However, Roger did not betray Roa and Wang Zhi. Although they each had their own ulterior motives, they had essentially helped him. "If you're just here to show off, then you can get lost!"
"I'm here to give you one last chance to choose!" Golden Lion lowered himself again and extended his hand to Roger, his expression very serious. "Roger! Join me! It doesn't matter if you don't want to be under my command. Let's form a new alliance!"
"With the two of us together, what can Roa, what can the Marines, what can anyone on the sea do to stop us?!"
"Still the same old clichés," Jabba couldn't help but complain. "Can't you say something new?"
"Indeed," Rayleigh nodded in agreement.
"No matter how many times you ask, I'll only have one answer!" The blade of the famous sword Ace in Roger's hand crackled with black lightning. "Shiki, I refuse!!"
A vein on Golden Lion's forehead instantly bulged.
But...
"Are you sure, Roger!" He bit out the words, forcefully suppressing the anger in his voice. "Even if you're not afraid, what about your wife and your child!" The lion's gaze locked onto the slender figure on the deck. "Do you want them to die with you?!"
Before Roger could even speak, Olyvia shouted, "From the day I followed Roger out to sea, I was ready to die!"
"Neither I nor our child will ever be a burden to everyone!"
"You..." Golden Lion's eyes widened, his pupils trembling.
"You wouldn't understand, Shiki!" Roger laughed loudly. "For our dream, we will never stop!"
"A dream?! That pointless thing!!" A violent aura instantly swept across the world. The air trembled, and the sea shook. "Roger! You only have one path left, and that's to die!"
"Who says so!" Roger grinned, and a similarly violent aura shot into the sky. "If I take you down here, won't we have escaped your encirclement?!"
The two powerful auras clashed fiercely, causing the sea to surge.
"You think I'll give you that chance?" Golden Lion smiled coldly and instantly began to rise. The island also rose with him. He would follow right above the Roger Pirates until Roa and the others arrived to join him! Although he was furious, he was also calm. Without the help of Roa and the others, the Golden Lion Pirates could never defeat the Roger Pirates!
Wang Zhi's and Roa's plan is going to fail... or is it?
Roger, Rayleigh, and Jabba suddenly showed a strange smile.
"Golden Lion! Don't even think about running!"
Almost simultaneously, the three of them shot forward. The powerful force caused the front of the ship to sink deep into the sea, creating huge waves. With the powerful recoil, the three of them shot into the air like rockets.
But they were still a good distance away from Golden Lion. However, just as the three of them were about to fall, they all stomped heavily on the air.
Bang.
A very faint sound.
But Golden Lion's face instantly changed. Roger and the others were stepping on the air and coming straight for him!
"Wahahahaha! Didn't expect this, Shiki? We can use Moonwalk!" Roger laughed. The black lightning on his sword blade sparked. "Ara-Mitama!"
Golden Lion instinctively drew his swords to block, but at the same time, his expression was incredibly grim.
This is a huge problem!