"Hahaha, you finally came! A familiar scene. Garp, let me see if you've gotten rusty."
"Roger! Take this fist!!"
In the blink of an eye, Garp's fist was already in front of Roger.
Roger's blade, shrouded in Haki, gleamed a deep violet-red. The moment it clashed violently with Garp's iron fist, a sphere of Haki energy erupted with a deafening explosion, enveloping the entire island in a dark-red aura of Conqueror's Haki!
Hiss! Crack! Hiss!
The collision of their Haki was devastating! The heavens and earth trembled—winds howled, the ground shook violently, boulders were sent flying, and trees were uprooted by the sheer force of the shockwaves.
"RAAAAH!!!"
Garp roared furiously, putting everything into this punch.
"HAAAA!!!"
Roger bellowed in response. Facing Garp's full-powered strike, he dared not hold back—only by giving his all could he withstand it.
Sengoku, Zephyr, Borsalino, Kuzan, and Sakazuki stood watching—some with hands in their pockets, others with arms crossed, fists clenched. Each wore an expression of awe and tension, their navy coats flapping wildly in the raging winds.
"Such an intense clash of Haki… Can Garp win?"
Sengoku couldn't help but wonder. Having fought alongside Garp for years, he knew Garp's strength better than anyone—he was undoubtedly the Navy's strongest. But now, seeing Roger's overwhelming power, even he began to doubt.
"Hmm~ How terrifying~ Should I sneak in an attack? ~ Tsk tsk tsk… Better not~ Vice Admiral Garp would be pissed~"
Kizaru muttered to himself, his glasses reflecting the dazzling spectacle.
"As expected of Gol D. Roger. Only that bastard Garp can match such supreme Haki."
Zephyr sighed in amazement at the unbelievable scene before him.
Sakazuki took a step forward.
"We are the Navy. There's no need to play fair with pirates—eradicating them is absolute justice."
Akainu's face darkened as he prepared to join the fight.
"Halt."
Sengoku raised an arm to stop him.
"Admiral Sengoku, what's the meaning of this? We are the Navy. And let's not forget Fleet Admiral Kong's orders—this operation is to ensure Roger's capture. Are we really just going to stand here and watch him fight Garp one-on-one?!"
Akainu's tone held no respect, his demeanor domineering. Confident in his own strength, he had long been dissatisfied with the higher-ups' indecisiveness and sluggishness.
"Hmph. I'm saving you. If you want to step in, wait until Garp and Roger settle this first."
"Admiral Sengoku, didn't you oppose Roger's request for a duel earlier?!"
Sengoku's expression stiffened—he had indeed objected before.
"The situation has changed. And there's no need to rush. Stand down and wait."
Sengoku's temper flared. As a Navy Admiral, he wouldn't tolerate insubordination—even from someone of Akainu's caliber.
"Akainu, let's observe for now. Roger is alone. If Garp can't take him down, we'll all step in. There's no way Roger can escape."
Zephyr placed a hand on Akainu's shoulder, speaking with far more patience. He understood Sengoku's reasoning—this level of power was beyond someone like Akainu, who had only recently reached Admiral-tier strength. And knowing Garp's unpredictability, he might just turn around and pummel Akainu instead.
Akainu said nothing, crossing his arms with a dark expression. With Zephyr also intervening, he had no choice but to relent.
Meanwhile, Reid and the others felt the violent tremors from afar.
"An earthquake? The shaking is so intense—even the sky has changed color!"
Reid stared at the distant horizon. Even this far from the shore, the shockwaves were overwhelming, the wind cutting sharply against his face.
"Not good! Everyone, fall back! Stay close to me—quickly!"
Reid shouted, realizing this must be the aftermath of Roger's battle with the Navy Admirals.
Trusting Reid's medical expertise, the group swiftly retreated.
Only after a long while did they finally stop.
Rouge bit her lip anxiously.
"Roger is alone… I hope he can hold them off."
"I believe in the Captain. After all these years, he's always been the strongest."
Erio's faith in Roger was unshakable—to him, Roger was the embodiment of freedom, leading them toward liberation.
"Right! Captain Roger won't lose. And now that he's no longer sick, no one can defeat him."
Shanks had absolute confidence in Roger—in his eyes, the man was invincible.
"Exactly! Captain Roger is unbeatable!"
"One day, I, Buggy, will become a legend too—I won't just hide in the shadows forever."
Buggy clenched his fists, his desire for strength burning fiercer than ever.
Reid gazed solemnly toward the battlefield, conflicted.
"Should I go help? If I do, the system will instantly grant me everyone's abilities—including the Bara Bara no Mi and Roger's supreme Haki… No, I'm not ready yet…"
"Better not act recklessly—I might end up making things worse. Protecting Rouge is the top priority right now."
At that moment, the clash of Haki between Roger and Garp raged on.
"Heh!"
"Heh!"
Roger and Garp grinned fiercely, their eyes blazing with unyielding spirit! Wreathed in Haki, their irises glowed red as violent shockwaves swept past their faces, their hair whipping upward—an aura of pure wildness radiating from them.
With a simultaneous roar, the two men pushed off each other, leaping back.
The surroundings calmed, and the warships finally steadied.
"Heh, Garp, you're still as tough as ever. Age hasn't slowed you down."
"Tch! I ain't old yet. Roger, you don't seem like a man on death's door to me."
"HAHAHA! I'm not dying anymore. Garp, what I'm about to do… I have to. Do me a favor—turn back."
Roger flashed a sharp grin, speaking these words only to Garp among all the Marines.
"Hmph. You know damn well that's not happening. Roger, today I will take you in. I'm a Marine, after all. And you… are a pirate."
"Garp—"