New World, Edd War Sea.
A startled cry rang out from the Oro Jackson:
"Captain Roger!!!"
"Your life is the most important thing!"
"We should just surrender to the Golden Lion!"
The young Buggy clutched his head in despair, shouting loudly.
Beside him, the equally young Shanks said helplessly:
"You've already become someone who can't be killed no matter how hard you try."
"So what's the big deal, Buggy."
Buggy glared at Shanks in grief and fury:
"Everyone has weaknesses, you idiot!"
"Right—Crocus-san!"
"How is the captain's condition?!"
"Is he still unfit for battle?!"
"You're the doctor—go stop him already!!!"
He shouted while rushing to ship doctor Crocus' side.
Crocus carried a barrel of javelins on his back, and flicked the one in his hand.
The sharp whistling of javelins slicing through the air rang out as Crocus smiled:
"Too bad—he's in peak condition right now."
Buggy, devastated, ran toward Rayleigh:
"Rayleigh-san!!!"
Rayleigh shook his head and smiled:
"Give it up, Buggy."
"You still don't understand Roger after all this time?"
"No one's ever been able to persuade him."
"Trust in Tom's Oro Jackson."
"And besides... Roger doesn't have much time left..."
As his words fell, silence descended—except for the despairing Buggy.
...
Amid the stormy seas.
Roger stood firmly at the ship's bow, grinning widely as he faced the approaching Golden Lion fleet and the floating islands.
Across from him, Golden Lion stood atop an enormous golden battleship.
His golden hair and cloak billowed in the wind:
"I've said this many times already, Roger!!!"
"Even though we've had our grievances before, forget all of it!"
"As long as you reveal the location of that world-destroying weapon..."
"Combined with my forces and the perfect plan I've spent years crafting!!"
"We can rule the world in an instant!"
"Become my right-hand man!"
"Roger!!!"
Roger looked at the Golden Lion, whose ambition seemed to swallow the heavens.
He snorted lightly and declared firmly:
"I'm not interested in ruling, Shiki!"
"If I can't do what I want, then what's the point of being a pirate?"
"No matter how much pressure you put on me..."
"Shiki!"
"I refuse your offer!"
Golden Lion's smile faded slightly:
"So you're saying I should just kill you right here and now."
"Roger."
Roger drew the longsword from his waist and laughed:
"It means I'll crush all of you!"
With that, he swung forward.
Boom!
A cannonball blasted from the Oro Jackson's front turret, destroying one of the enemy's pirate ships.
Under the darkened sky, the explosion's fire lit up Golden Lion's face.
Golden Lion's smile vanished—if that's how it was going to be...
He drew the longsword with his remaining right arm.
His entire body shot into the sky, aiming at the Oro Jackson.
Golden sword energy lit up the sky.
Hundreds of meters of dense slashing waves covered the Oro Jackson like a massive web.
At the same time, giant beasts from the floating islands and surrounding ships surged toward them.
Roger's eyes flashed red, his Conqueror's Haki flaring.
Black lightning crackled from the sword in his hand.
Then, a black sword slash—just as long—shot toward Golden Lion.
He stomped down.
Chasing the sword wave, his entire body launched into the sky after Golden Lion.
Clang!
Blades collided.
BOOM—
An endless shockwave exploded from the clash, rippling across the sea and sky.
The clouds above split in two, the sky torn wide open.
Golden Lion flicked his blade.
Conqueror's Haki wrapped around it.
The sword sparkled with golden lightning.
ROAR—
It was like a roar from ancient times.
The aura formed a massive phantom lion's head that filled the sky.
Golden Lion transformed into a golden bolt of lightning, wrapped in the image of that lion's head.
A streak of golden light tore through the air, striking downward:
"Roger!!!"
Midair, Roger held his sword in both hands behind him, gathering strength.
Conqueror's Haki wrapped the blade, crackling with black-purple lightning.
Looking at the lion king that filled his vision, as if it ruled the world—
Roger chuckled.
The domineering aura behind him shaped itself into a black demon.
He kicked off, his body engulfed in the demonic form as he charged upward:
"Shiki!!!"
BOOOOOOMMMMMM!!!!!!!!!
Thunderous roaring filled the world...
...
Countless miles away across the sea.
Several Navy warships sat still in the water.
Only seasoned powerhouses like Sengoku and Garp could sense the intensity of the battle through their Observation Haki.
Garp grinned wide, immersed in the feeling of the clash as if he were there himself.
His aura surged—Roger...
Sengoku, on the other hand, wore a grave expression, eyes narrowed:
"Those beasts of Golden Lion..."
Beside them, the younger generation of Marines stared at the distant battle they couldn't perceive.
Or rather—not fully.
They could still faintly see the colossal lion's head.
Even from afar, the pressure could be felt.
Kuzan, Yamakaji, and others nearby all had serious expressions.
Feeling the vast gap between themselves and the world's true monsters...
Though not everyone was troubled...
Borsalino scratched his cheek and said:
"Every one of these New World powerhouses is a monster~"
"That aura can be felt even from here~"
"So scary~"
...
New World, Edd War Sea.
On a deserted island far from the battlefield.
Sakazuki jumped off a speedboat.
He ordered Bullet to lead the squad toward Golden Lion's territory.
Then turned and walked to the island's center.
His entire body turned into magma and sank into the ground.
Once beneath the surface—
He locked onto his direction and followed the underground magma flow.
Controlling the magma around him, he surged toward the battlefield.
...
New World, Edd War Sea — the heart of the battle.
The fierce clash above shattered the clouds like broken glass, splitting them into countless fragments.
The collision of Haki-laced sword waves stirred the very heavens.
The air grew more suffocating—like the stillness before a storm.
Then the ever-changing weather of this sea suddenly went wild.
Fierce wind, towering waves, lightning, and howling filled the heavens.
Swish!
Rayleigh unleashed a sword slash over a hundred meters long.
A towering, rampaging rhino hundreds of meters tall was decapitated with a single strike.
But a deep sense of crisis grew heavier within him.
His instincts were screaming, heart pounding wildly:
"Everyone! Return to the ship immediately!!!"
Rayleigh's shout echoed across the battlefield. Though confused, the others retreated in an orderly fashion.
Buggy, clutching three small knives, stabbed an enemy back while crying:
"Yeah, yeah! Let's retreat already!"
"Rayleigh-san!!!"
But Rayleigh had no time to respond.
The warning signs in his heart were overwhelming.
He looked at the two fighting in the sky and took a deep breath:
"Roger!!!!"
"Hurry—"
BOOOOOOOOOMMMMMM!!!!!!!!!!!
Like a meteor crashing into the earth in ancient times, a deafening explosion and violent tremor erupted.
In the distant sky, towering waves began to rise layer after layer.
Hundreds—nearly thousands—of meters high, the tidal waves seemed to link sea and sky, crashing toward them.
Everyone's pupils shrank violently, a chill racing up their spines.
"Hold onto anything you can!!!"
BOOM—
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