After realizing who had moved the island, the captain looked up at the sky and let out a thunderous laugh, his voice brimming with heroism.
"Hah! I was planning to visit his territory and see what a country ruled by pirates looks like… but I ran into it halfway!"
There was no trace of tension in his tone.
Normally, when pirates encountered a figure of such overwhelming strength, they would prepare for battle in advance. Yet, in his words, there was only excitement—expectation, even.
"I've run into an old enemy, so stay sharp!"
Withdrawing his laughter, the captain grinned, offering what seemed like a friendly reminder to his crew. But the glint in his eyes betrayed his true feelings—exhilaration.
At his side, the navigator sighed in exasperation.
"You just want to fight him, don't you?" he muttered, rolling his eyes.
Even though he was long accustomed to the captain's reckless nature, moments like these still left him feeling helpless.
"Gahahaha!"
Roger's booming laughter echoed across the deck. Over the years, he had clashed with countless opponents, and every time, he had chosen to charge forward, never once retreating. Even when outnumbered, he refused to flee.
His crew knew him too well. They understood that once again, their captain was about to engage in a legendary battle—this time, against the man who had moved the island.
The Ridiculous Room loomed closer, the floating landmass coming to a stop in the sky just ahead of them. Then, from above, a lone figure descended swiftly.
Caesar landed with a commanding presence, his Basword in hand. His sharp gaze locked onto the familiar faces aboard the Oro Jackson.
"This guy… he's no idle pirate," murmured a crewmate, sensing the weight of Caesar's aura.
Caesar himself was already preparing for battle. He had never faced Roger in direct combat before, and now, the opportunity had finally come.
Floating above the Oro Jackson, Caesar's lips curled slightly. His eyes burned with fighting spirit.
"Roger, it's been a long time."
Roger grinned at him, unsheathing his saber.
"Gahahaha! Yeah! I didn't expect you to become a king! You're really giving pirates a good name, you bastard!"
As they spoke, the sea, which had been calm moments ago, began to churn.
Gale-force winds arose from nowhere, swirling violently around them. A suffocating pressure filled the air—an unmistakable clash of Haoshoku Haki.
"Hmph. Looks like you're doing well," Caesar said, smirking. "So, what brings you to my domain?"
His tone carried a hint of curiosity.
Back in the era of Rocks, he and Roger had been rivals. But despite crossing paths many times, they had never truly fought each other.
This time, however, Caesar knew he had to take things seriously.
Roger, still grinning, replied, "I just wanted to see what a pirate-ruled country looks like. But let's be honest—we're still enemies!"
With those words, Roger's grip tightened on Ace, his Saijō Ō Wazamono-grade sword. His entire body radiated fighting spirit as he leapt into the air, propelled by Geppo-like footwork.
Caesar's eyes gleamed. "Enemies, huh?" He chuckled. "You're not just here to look around, are you? Are you planning to plunder my territory?"
In the world of pirates, raiding each other's domains was nothing unusual.
Without waiting for a response, Caesar lunged forward, sword in hand. He wanted to know—just how strong had Roger become?
In an instant, their weapons clashed.
BOOM!
The very air trembled.
Red and black lightning erupted from their swords, splitting the sky apart. The brilliant blue heavens were swallowed by thick, swirling storm clouds.
The overwhelming collision of their Haoshoku Haki sent shockwaves rippling outward, causing the sea itself to groan. Even Rayleigh, the ever-composed Dark King, found himself breaking into a cold sweat.
On the deck of the Oro Jackson, the crew members watched in awe.
"Hey… Captain Roger doesn't have an advantage?" one of them muttered in disbelief.
Another swallowed nervously. "That guy… he's already stronger than his old captain, Rocks."
The impact of their clash had turned the sea into a maelstrom. Waves crashed violently as countless fish floated to the surface, knocked unconscious by the sheer force of their Conqueror's Haki.
Even the air itself seemed to tremble beneath their might.
Up in the sky, between their swords, a sphere of energy formed—sparking with red and black lightning, pulsing with pure destructive force.
Yet, through it all, both Roger and Caesar laughed.
"Gahahaha! This is fun! It's been a while since I've had a fight like this, Caesar!"
Caesar's grin widened. "Hahaha! Same here! Let's enjoy this!"
Their voices, infused with the weight of their Haki, reverberated across the sea like a war drum, shaking the very heavens.
Ordinary men would have fainted instantly just from hearing them.
The raw power radiating from their duel was beyond mortal comprehension.
Each time their swords met, the shockwaves pushed everything around them outward. Even the mighty Oro Jackson was forced to retreat from the battlefield, as if instinctively avoiding the wrath of these two titans.
Then—
BOOM!
A deafening explosion sent them both skidding backward. Yet, neither showed signs of slowing down.
If anything, their spirits burned even brighter.
"Damn…" One of Roger's men muttered. "If they keep this up, they might change the entire terrain of this sea!"
The Roger Pirates weren't worried about their captain losing. They had absolute faith in him.
But they knew that if this battle continued unchecked, the devastation could spread to nearby islands.
Not that either of the combatants cared.
For them, this was more than a fight—it was a test. A duel between two men standing at the pinnacle of the pirate era.
They had no intention of killing each other.
No. This was a battle of pure will.
For three days and three nights, they fought relentlessly.
Somewhere amidst the chaos, Caesar had used his abilities to push the Ridiculous Room away from the battlefield. It wasn't the island he was worried about—it was the innocent civilians living there. He wouldn't allow them to be caught in the crossfire.
And so, the battle raged on.
The last time they had met—nearly a decade ago, at God Valley—they had never truly fought. Back then, Caesar had not yet reached his current level of strength.
But now?
Now, he was regarded as the world's strongest pirate.
Roger knew this.
That was precisely why he was enjoying this battle so much.
For the Roger Pirates, this was their first time witnessing the full power of the Caesar they had once known.
And whether they wanted to admit it or not…
He was now an equal to their captain.
Perhaps even greater.
But of course, they would never say it out loud.
For them, Roger would always be the man who would one day become Pirate King.
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