Seeing three new allies by Roger's side, Sengoku and the others' expressions shifted slightly.
"Silvers Rayleigh, Scopper Gaban, and the fish-man Sunbell."
Sengoku spoke, confirming the identities of the three.
"Sengoku, ganging up on a single man? I expected better from you."
Rayleigh drew his sword, pointing it at Sengoku and the others, his lips curling into a mocking grin.
"Damn right. I won't let you lay a finger on Captain Roger."
Gaban gripped his twin axes tightly, his eyes locked onto the Marines with wary hostility.
Hearing this, Sengoku and the others scowled. Ganging up? They had merely been observing Roger and Garp's duel—there was no opening for them to intervene.
"Dark King Rayleigh, and Heavenly King Gaban—these two are Roger's right and left hands. Underestimate them at your peril."
Zephyr warned Akainu, Aokiji, and Kizaru, ensuring they wouldn't take the enemy lightly.
"Hoooh~ Zephyr-sensei, these two sound terrifying~"
Kizaru's tone was dripping with sarcasm, but his hands remained casually tucked in his pockets, showing no sign of fear.
"Hey! You are ignoring me, the Great Fish-Man Sunbell?!"
Sunbell slammed his trident into the ground, cracking the earth beneath him.
"Tch. I don't care who you are. I'll grill you like a fish soon enough."
Akainu clenched his fists, molten heat flickering around them—he was itching for a fight.
"Who the hell do you think you are? I'll put a few extra holes in that fishy body of yours."
"Big words. I won't tolerate pirates mocking Marine justice."
Akainu's eyes glinted coldly, his arms already morphing into searing magma. How dare these lowly pirates speak so arrogantly in front of him?
"I'll tear your 'justice' to shreds. Heh, it's been a while since my trident skewered a Marine. Maybe I'll bag a few Admirals today."
"Hahaha! Sunbell, last time we slaughtered Marines was years ago, right?"
Roger planted his legendary sword, Ace, into the ground, resting a hand on his hip as he grinned at Sengoku's group.
"Heh, Captain Roger, that was a damn good time. Those Marines had no idea what they were messing with, daring to challenge the Roger Pirates."
Sunbell chuckled, his thick lips curling as he slicked back the fin on his head with a dramatic flick.
Nearby, Garp was silently recovering his stamina—he knew Roger was doing the same.
"Roger, you know this is hopeless. Even with these three, you can't win."
"Oh? Garp, I wasn't afraid of you all when I was alone. Now that Rayleigh's here, you think I'd surrender. Hahahaha!"
Roger burst into laughter, then leaned toward Rayleigh, cupping a hand over his mouth.
"Rayleigh, why only three of you? Where's the rest?"
Rayleigh's face darkened. Mimicking Roger's gesture, he whispered back, "Roger, the others are days away. Odens in Wano—no Den Den Mushi there, no way to contact him."
Gaban and Sunbell overheard, their expressions twisting in embarrassment.
"Still as unreliable as ever, Captain."
Gaban sighed, though his confidence never wavered.
Sunbell's already green face turned greener. He'd just been trash-talking Akainu, and now Roger pulled this? Thankfully, the Marines hadn't heard.
Sengoku's group collectively sweatdropped—Sunbell's optimism was painfully naive.
"Enough talk, Admiral Sengoku. We outnumber them—let's finish this."
Sengoku disliked Akainu's tone but couldn't deny the logic. With Roger weakened, now was the time to strike.
"Capture Roger and his crew—kill if necessary!"
With Sengoku's order, the battle erupted.
Roger clashed with Garp once more, their blades and fists colliding with earth-shaking force. Both were exhausted, yet neither yielded.
"Garp, old friend… how about helping me out?"
"Don't joke, Roger! I'm here to drag you to Impel Down!"
"Heh, worth a shot."
Clang! Clang! Clang!
Roger's sword and Garp's fists met again and again, sparks flying as bursts of black Haki crackled around them.
Rayleigh faced both Sengoku and Akainu alone.
" Meigo! "
Akainu struck the moment the order was given—his molten fist surging toward Rayleigh like a blazing comet.
Rayleigh's Observation Haki flared, his sword intercepting the attack with precision.
"Not bad, kid."
He leapt back just as Sengoku's palm strike barreled toward him.
Both masters of Observation Haki, their battle was a blur—steel met armored fists, neither gaining ground.
"You can't win, Rayleigh."
Sengoku's palms glowed with Haki as he unleashed a crushing blow.
"Too early to say."
Rayleigh dodged effortlessly, leaving Sengoku striking air.
" Me—
" Meigo! "
Akainu launched a relentless assault, his molten fists searing through the air, but Rayleigh dodged each strike with fluid precision, his Observation Haki sharpening his reflexes.
"Bastard!"
Akainu's arms churned with magma, scorching heat waves distorting the air around him.
" Inugami Guren! "
This time, Akainu's molten fist shot forward like a crimson meteor—far faster, far deadlier.
Rayleigh's eyes narrowed. To him, the world seemed to slow, his advanced Observation Haki erecting an invisible "wall" that deciphered the attack's trajectory. He raised his sword to block—
BOOM!
The impact sent him skidding backward, his boots carving trenches into the earth. Damn… This one's stronger.
Before he could recover, Sengoku's golden Buddha form loomed overhead, a colossal palm descending like divine judgment.
CRASH!
Trees and boulders disintegrated under the shockwave. Rayleigh barely managed to brace his sword—
WHAM!
The force rattled his bones. Blood trickled from his lips, a crimson streak splitting his brow. Against the combined assault of an Admiral and a Fleet Admiral, even the Dark King was pushed to his limits.
"Rayleigh! Can you hold on?" Roger's voice cut through the chaos.
"Hah… I'm fine, Roger. But don't expect me to last forever."
"Face it, Roger," Garp growled, fists crackling with Haki. "You're outnumbered. This ends now."
"Hahaha! Since when numbers decided a fight, Garp?" Roger grinned, spinning his blade. "We'll go down swinging—
CLANG!
Their weapons collided again, a shockwave splitting the battlefield.