"Your swordsmanship…"
On the vast ocean, Roger watched Liu Feng standing at the prow, enjoying the sea breeze, and asked, his face marked by confusion and disbelief.
The cool wind tousled Liu Feng's hair; beneath the tangled locks, his eyes narrowed to slits. He smiled and replied bluntly, "It's your swordsmanship."
Roger grew even more bewildered. He'd never taught his style to anyone—apart from Rayleigh, who'd learned only bits and pieces—so it couldn't have been inherited.
Smiling, Liu Feng rose from the deck and gave a long, casual stretch. "Let me put it this way: it's one of my abilities. After I resurrect someone, I can acquire one of their abilities."
Roger's eyes widened. "How is that possible?!"
He couldn't help but be astonished. If reviving the dead were a Devil Fruit power, he might stretch to believe it—Devil Fruit abilities were bizarre and countless, even for the Pirate King. But a fruit that steals others' powers? He'd never heard of such a thing.
Seeing Roger's aghast expression, Liu Feng smirked inwardly. A bugged cheat like his System was hard to accept.
"However…" Roger arched an eyebrow, malice creeping into his tone. "Aren't you afraid I'll leak your secret? Though my Haki tells me I can't harm you, I still retain full self-control. You should know I'm not the sort to bow to anyone. With my status and reputation, I could form a crew and rule these waters."
Liu Feng clicked his tongue and laughed. "I have no control over you. But there are some things you should know. Right now, you've hardly regained your strength—you're not necessarily a match for me. Besides, these seas aren't the same as in your day. It's the year 1522 of the Sea Calendar, which means—"
Roger froze. Twenty-two years had passed!?
He sprang up, grabbing Liu Feng's shoulders tightly, his face wild. "Do you know a man named Ace?"
Anyone witnessing Roger now would be stunned. The Pirate King's aura and majesty had vanished; he was just a man overwhelmed with worry. Liu Feng sighed inwardly at Roger's state. The love of a parent is boundless—even a titan like Roger couldn't escape it.
He offered no protest; Liu Feng lit a cigarette and handed one to Roger. "Your son, Portgas D. Ace, is dead."
The lit cigarette fell, sparks flying. Roger's hand trembled, his face a tumult of guilt, pain, and sorrow.
Liu Feng inhaled deeply and said nothing as he gazed toward the horizon. Delivering such news to a parent—Roger would need time to recover.
"Ah!!!" Suddenly, Roger tilted his head back and wept, a hoarse roar echoing across the skies.
Thunder rumbled. Liu Feng's eyes snapped open as the sturdy warship beneath them shuddered violently. Planks splintered under Roger's feet, and the hull groaned under the strain. The sky had darkened without warning. Forked lightning flashed; a gale raged. The sea itself thundered in fury, tossing the ship mercilessly. Waves of force, visible to the naked eye, slammed into Liu Feng, nearly knocking him off his feet. He gritted his teeth, gripping the mast instinctively, eyes locked on Roger's lament.
"Such overwhelming Conqueror's Haki!!" Though Roger's strength had yet to return—perhaps not even a third of his prime—his Conqueror's Haki—a kingly aura born of spirit—remained inviolable. Its sudden surge in Roger's emotion-wracked state overwhelmed Liu Feng, who had not yet awakened Haki. It was a crushing force from the soul—a psychic impact that no physical strength or sword skill could match.
The Pirate King! Truly domineering!
"Enough! Why are you crying? It's just your son who died! Don't forget my ability!! Besides, you can avenge him, can't you?!" Liu Feng couldn't help but shout.
Roger's sobs ceased instantly. The unnatural storm vanished in an instant. Roger, eyes brimming with tears, looked at Liu Feng and pleaded, "You can bring Ace back?"
Having the legendary pirate cry before him made Liu Feng uneasy. This goofball was just like Luffy. He replied irritably, "Of course. Not only your son—I can resurrect your wife too! Then you can have your whole family together! All of you, together!"