"Did that idiot Shiki already get defeated?" Charlotte Linlin looked down in astonishment, but Shiki's figure was nowhere to be seen on the sea. All she could see were scattered waves. "What's wrong with that fool! It's only been a short time! Without him, can we still defeat the Roger Pirates?"
You're wrong, Auntie Linlin. It's not about how short the time was. It's about how he was able to last so long! You truly exceeded my expectations, Uncle Shiki. I thought you would have been captured a long time ago. Roa suppressed the upward curve of his lips and tried to put on a look of righteous indignation as he stepped forward.
"Damn Roger! What did you do to my most respected Uncle Shiki!" As he roared, black fur instantly grew on his body. In the blink of an eye, he had transformed into a majestic winged tiger-man.
Swoosh!
The air was instantly pierced. Roa created a ring of a sonic boom cloud. Before the sound could even spread, his figure was already far away.
"What's that brat doing now?" Kaido, who was laboriously dragging several ships and several large snails, looked up at Roa's back and scoffed, half in confusion and half in displeasure. "He's suddenly so concerned about Shiki's life or death?" A thought suddenly flashed through his mind. "I see! Roa, you want to be the one to fight Roger, don't you!"
"Don't even think about it!!" With that, Kaido, who had always claimed to be at his fastest speed, roared and forcefully accelerated by another twenty percent. Charlotte Linlin, on his head, rolled her eyes. They were all idiots! Could it be that Shiki was defeated because he couldn't resist the urge to fight Roger?
However, Roa's flight speed was indeed much faster than Kaido's. In a matter of seconds, he had already crossed the sky. The scarlet sword, Tiger Soul, on his waist had been unsheathed. The red-glowing blade shone like a shooting star!
"Wahahahaha! Come on, brat!" Roger's face also held the most brilliant smile. So, he's here for a test, is he?
With that, he suddenly stomped on the air. His speed as he shot forward was not much slower than Roa's. His figure instantly became blurry, leaving a long trail of afterimages in the air. A long-distance assault couldn't be done by just Sky Walk, but for a short-distance burst, this move was very effective.
Almost in the next moment, the two figures collided with a loud bang. Both were laughing. Both swung their swords. Both were unstoppable! Black and scarlet, the two blades clashed from a distance! Amidst the earth-shattering roar, the sky shook, the sea churned, and everything in the world seemed incredibly fragile!
However, in this heart-pounding clash, both of the fiercely fighting figures had smiles on their faces.
"Shiki is still alive and well, you just need to hurry up and fish him out," Roger said.
Roa's face was full of relief. "Uncle Shiki would be very touched if he knew how much I thought of him, right?"
Even Roger, who was a seasoned veteran, couldn't help but twitch his mouth. He really had the audacity to say that. This brat was truly something else. Judging from their previous encounter two years ago, Shiki's attitude toward him was very good.
So, Roger said teasingly, "Then, should I tell him later?"
"Hey! What are you talking about! I, Roa, never leave my name after doing a good deed!" Roa righteously and sternly refused. "I don't do things for a reward!"
"I'll come to find you guys later and fulfill the promise."
"Okay," Roger nodded. He believed Roa wouldn't lie to him. It wasn't an illusion; Roa seemed to be looking forward to them reaching the Final Island as soon as possible!
After a brief conversation, the two, who had been clashing for half a minute, were finally separated by their respective powers. The rapidly retreating Roa raised his hand. Suddenly, giant waves churned on the sea below. From the surging waves, a slightly frail figure was forcibly lifted from the bottom of the sea. Then, the seawater below him froze, turning into a platform that carried him and floated on the sea.
See, Uncle Shiki, your care and guidance back then weren't in vain, were they? I, no, I immediately came to get you!
At the same time, the retreating Roger had also rendezvoused with Rayleigh. He whispered, "Roa said he'll come find us later."
Rayleigh nodded slightly. "But didn't you guys overdo the acting? Can that kid really stand against you for so long?"
Twenty seconds! Were you guys glued together?
Roger paused, then a strange smile appeared on his lips. "The four billion bounty isn't just because of his madness! Rayleigh, that kid's strength is definitely not inferior to yours! In fact, he might even be stronger than you if he goes all out!"
Rayleigh's pupils contracted slightly. Roger would never lie. Had that kid's strength improved so quickly?
"Hmm?" Roger suddenly looked up.
"Wulolololo! Roger! It's been a while!!" A black shadow suddenly fell from the sky. Kaido had also arrived during the confrontation between Roger and Roa. At this moment, he laughed and swung his iron club down from the sky. "Descent: Great Underworld!"
Dragging a long black lightning trail, the club came down.
"Divine Avoidance!" Roger didn't back down and swung his sword.
Boom!
Another violent roar. The descending iron club collided with the soaring Haki slash. After the chaotic Haki lightning danced wildly, Kaido successfully shattered the Haki slash, but he himself was also sent flying by the powerful force.
"Let's go back, Rayleigh," Roger said, unconcerned. The twenty-nine-year-old Kaido was no match for him.
But just as the two were about to return to their pirate ship, another voice came from the sky.
"You're Roger, right? You're the bastard who killed Rocks!! I'll never forgive you!" Another figure jumped down from the sky, shouting and swinging his iron club toward Roger.
"What's that guy doing?" Roa stood on the ice platform on the sea, with Shiki lying at his feet. He looked up at Loki, who had jumped down from the back of the large snail in the sky, feeling helpless. He really didn't know if Loki thought highly of his captain or not. Since he knew that Roger was one of the people who dealt with his captain, how could he think he could do anything to him?
"A giant?" Rayleigh looked up at the figure and raised his eyebrows slightly. "That's one of Roa's."
"Rocks?" Roger's lips curled up. "Is he a follower of Rocks? No wonder he's hanging out with Roa."
"Since he's Roa's subordinate, Divine Avoidance!" Another slash, another huge Haki shockwave.
"Die!" Loki shouted a mob's line, just like any mob challenging a big boss. His iron club, wrapped in a thin black lightning, smashed down toward the slash.
But.
"Eh! It went right through!" Loki's face suddenly changed. The slash went right through his iron club and then—
"Waaa!" The giant youth let out a miserable cry. Even the tough body of the ancient giant race couldn't withstand Roger's blow. Loki instantly flew away, spitting blood.
"You're too harsh on kids, Roger," Rayleigh said helplessly, shaking his head.
"Wahahahaha! Kids need to experience setbacks to grow up!" Roger laughed heartily.
The two descended from the sky. This time, they finally landed smoothly on the deck of the pirate ship.
"How was it?" Gabba asked impatiently. Although he didn't directly participate in the battle with Shiki, he wasn't slacking off either. Shiki had been trying to attack the ship to restrain Roger and Rayleigh. Without him, Shiki would have succeeded, and Roger and Rayleigh would not have been able to defeat Shiki.
Roger nodded slightly. "Roa said he'll come and meet up with us later."
Gabba couldn't help but frown. "Is he trustworthy?"
"Did you forget? In our encounter at Fish-Man Island, Roa said that we would definitely find the Final Island." Roger smiled and looked at the youth on the distant sea. "So, he'll help us."
Although he could vaguely feel that Roa's help definitely had a great deal of malice hidden behind it. But for now, he couldn't care less.
Boom!
The colossal body crashed into the sea. Roa remained still. The wind that came from nowhere blocked all the splashing water from reaching him.
"It hurts!" The giant youth rolled in the sea. "My bones! My bones are broken!"
"Roger is not an opponent you can challenge right now, Loki," Roa said with a smile. "You're lucky you didn't end up like Uncle Shiki."
Shiki was lying at his feet. He had several wounds all over his body. The most serious one was a penetrating wound on his right abdomen, and then there was the last wound that Roger left, which went from his right shoulder through his chest to his left abdomen. The wound was bone-deep, and blood was flowing. Roger was really precise. He said he would leave him with one life, and he really just barely left him with one life.
"What are you waiting for, Boss!" Loki suddenly flipped over in the sea and said angrily, "Aren't you Rocks' disciple? Hurry up and kill that guy!"
"Are you, ordering me?" Roa looked at Loki with a hint of surprise. Among all his subordinates, this kid was indeed the most unique.
Facing Roa's scrutinizing gaze, Loki instantly felt a chill down his spine and gave a dry laugh. "Haha! No, it's just a suggestion!" During his time sailing with Roa, he had confirmed one thing: all the bad things he had done in Elbaf were as pure as a little white flower in front of Roa. Never make the Boss angry. This was the iron rule of survival in the Disaster Company, as told to Loki by that guy named Teach!
However, Loki wasn't the only one urging Roa.
"Roa! What are you standing there for!" In the sky, a late-arriving Charlotte Linlin descended on a cloud. "Get ready to fight!" Beside her, the recently sent-flying Kaido had also flown back and stood side by side with her on a flame cloud.
On the distant sea, on the deck of the large ship that was bobbing in the waves, Roger held his sword and smiled brilliantly. "If you still want to fight, we'll accompany you to the end!" Since Roa was on their side, it was Kaido and Charlotte Linlin who should be afraid!
"Roger! You damned thief!" Charlotte Linlin gritted her teeth.
"I can only say sorry for this, Charlotte Linlin. It can't be helped, that's just how pirates are!" While saying sorry, Roger shrugged nonchalantly. "Besides, that thing is really important to me. I went all that way, so it wouldn't be good to come back empty-handed, right? Just forgive me."
Roa almost couldn't hold back his laughter.
"You bastard!" Charlotte Linlin's anger turned into a physical storm that blew her dress wildly. "Roa, Kaido, what are you waiting for! Kill them!"
But.
"I think this is enough, Auntie Linlin," Roa stretched languidly. "The reward you paid can only support me to this extent."
"What?" Charlotte Linlin suddenly looked down at Roa in disbelief.
Roa casually sheathed his sword and said, "Without the help of Uncle Shiki and the Golden Lion Pirates, it would be too dangerous to fight the Roger Pirates. With our current strength, we would have to risk our lives to fight Roger. Tsk, risking our lives for a few factories, and possibly not even winning, is not worth it at all, right?"
"Roa!!" Charlotte Linlin's teeth gritted, and she looked at the relaxed and smiling Roa with hatred. "You brat!!"
Roa spread his hands helplessly. "You can only blame Uncle Shiki, that little glutton, for not following the plan and starting the fight with Roger before we arrived."
"..." Charlotte Linlin was silent for a moment. He was right. If Shiki had waited for them to arrive, with the combined power of the four groups, the Roger Pirates would not have stood a chance! The battle would have been easy, and the result would have been very satisfying. It's not like now, where fighting the Roger Pirates with just the three of them was very dangerous! Roa wouldn't take that risk.
"Damn Shiki!" The Kaido next to her also cursed unhappily.
Charlotte Linlin looked back at him. She knew that when Kaido said that, it meant he had no intention of taking the risk. She was right. Since Roa refused to join, the two of them alone had even less chance of winning.
"You bastard!!" Charlotte Linlin could only curse through gritted teeth, not knowing who she was cursing.
Was that it? The precious Poneglyph was stolen, and it just had to end here? Damn Roger! Damn Shiki! Damn Kaido! Damn Roa! Men are all bastards!
"Wahahaha! It seems you've already come to a decision!" On the large ship on the distant sea, Roger laughed heartily. "Then, we'll be on our way!" Without any hesitation, the large ship hoisted its sails and quickly set sail with the wind.
"Damn it!!" Charlotte Linlin was shaking with anger. She had lost face completely this time! She made such a big scene, yet she still let Roger escape!
"Maybe next time, Auntie Linlin," the good child Roa said at the right time to comfort her. "If it doesn't work this time, there's always a next time. The Roger Pirates aren't going to disband in a few days. As long as they are still active on the sea and haven't disbanded and gone back to their homes, there will still be a chance. Instead of Roger, you should be more concerned about Uncle Shiki right now." He lowered his head and looked at the tightly-closed eyes of Shiki.
"Damn Roger! The Golden Lion Pirates must be finished. And Uncle Shiki is so badly injured. He really went all out!"
Huh? Charlotte Linlin, who was still angry, heard Roa's words and suddenly her brows relaxed. When she looked over again, she felt a sense of comfort out of nowhere.
He was right! Although her treasure was stolen by Roger, compared to that guy Shiki, her situation was much better! Shiki was now all alone!
And! Her eyes suddenly turned, and she flew over on her cloud. "Let me see what that bastard Shiki looks like!" She flew above the ice platform and looked down carefully. After seeing Shiki's pale face and weak breathing, her lips unconsciously curled up. "Mamamama! Good! Roger did one good thing after all!"
Kaido, who had flown over on a flame cloud, heard her words and his lips twitched unhappily. "Linlin, are you going to do something boring again?"
"Boring?" Charlotte Linlin scoffed. "That bastard's stubbornness led to our failure, so he should pay the price!" She had lost so much face this time, and that bastard Shiki was the main reason! How could she let him off so easily! "Besides, isn't the small New World a bit too crowded with seven monarchs?"
"Tsk," Kaido clicked his tongue.
"There's no better opportunity than this, right?" Charlotte Linlin said seductively. "Roa, Kaido, after we get rid of this guy, we'll split his territory! And even Wang Zhi, Silver Axe, and John won't be able to stop us! We can split the New World three ways!"
"Hmph," Kaido snorted.
"Ooh, that sounds pretty good, doesn't it?" Roa stroked his chin, looking thoughtful.
Charlotte Linlin's eyes lit up. "Right?"
"However, I refuse!" But in the next second, Roa's answer instantly froze the smile on Charlotte Linlin's face.
Roa said with a straight face, "Uncle Shiki is my dear friend and family. He gave me so much guidance and care when I was young. How can I repay him with ingratitude?"
"Auntie Linlin, we are companions. How can companions kill each other?" He took a step forward and stood in front of Shiki. "If you want to lay a hand on Uncle Shiki, you'll have to get through me first."
"..." Charlotte Linlin, and even Kaido, who was not interested in this matter to begin with, looked confused. They looked at each other and saw the expression on each other's faces that said, "What is this guy talking about?"
Could this really be something that brat Roa would say? Roa just smiled.
Uncle Shiki could not die yet. For the sake of deterring the World Government, his ability to mobilize the entire fleet was a crucial part of the plan. And he could also divert a lot of the World Government's attention.
"You brat!" Charlotte Linlin gritted her teeth. "Don't you dare ask me for help when that bastard Shiki gets you in the future!"
"How could that happen!" Roa said with a straight face. "I already said, we're dear friends and family! How could Uncle Shiki do such a thing?"
"You'll regret this!" Charlotte Linlin could only say one last harsh word. She knew very well that if Roa refused, then this thing couldn't be done. That bastard Kaido was not on the same page as her!
"In that case, it's all over," Roa said, grabbing Shiki and shooting into the sky. "I'll take Uncle Shiki for treatment now!"
When he was halfway up in the air, the Shiki in his hand suddenly moved. "Roa... thanks..."
Pfft! He's even thanking me!
And below.
"Hey! Wait! You left me behind!!"
Regardless, the sea battle at the Edd War had finally come to an end.