How far until we reach that island? Roger stood at the prow, unusually anxious as he asked Jaba beside him.
"Don't worry, Roger. We'll get there before them! Once they pass by, we're sure to meet them," Jaba replied with a smile, sunglasses perched on his face.
Using intelligence from Nami and clues about the Whitebeard Pirates' trajectory, they had estimated their course. Roger deliberately sailed ahead so they would arrive first and wait.
"Captain! There's a Navy warship trailing us—looks like they intend to intervene!" shouted Golan from the crow's nest.
"Navy?" Roger frowned. "Can you tell whose ship it is?"
"I can't see any number—just a regular Navy vessel. Probably one of the patrol ships from Headquarters," Golan answered.
"In that case, ignore them. Let's press on to the island," Roger said, and continued his course, even with the Navy tailing him. They reached the island, and the Navy followed and disembarked, having decided Roger's crew was brittle prey.
"Captain, those Navy men followed us ashore," Fang Yi said as he lowered his telescope.
"Let's rough them up and let them learn their place," Roger grinned. Though normally he avoided fighting the Marines, these were simply in the wrong place at the wrong time.
In short order, the Roger Pirates defeated the Navy contingent utterly.
"To try and capture us? Let Garp or Sakazuki do it themselves," Roger mused softly, grasping the unconscious Navy Rear Admiral.
"Heh heh… now we just wait for Whitebeard to show up, right?" Buggy sat atop a rock, laughing mischievously.
"What unscrupulous plan are you cooking this time?" Fang Yi asked, eyeing him sharply.
"Yi-ge, what if while we're busy fighting Whitebeard's crew, I sneak aboard their ship and steal their treasure... sound good?" Buggy asked with a wicked grin.
Ever since his taste of theft with Big Mom's crew, Buggy had become quite enthusiastic about petty piracy.
"I have to say, Buggy, you sure plan to be a pirate thief, don't you?" Fang Yi teased.
"A pirate thief? That'd be stealing from pirates!" Buggy pretended to consider, then puffed up. "No way! That'd be a full-on raid!"
Fang Yi and Shanks burst out laughing.
"Whatever, I'm through talking to you," Buggy mock-snorted, grabbed the telescope from Fang Yi, and stomped off.
Meanwhile, the Whitebeard Pirates were arriving on the same island.
"Huh? Why are all the fish in such panic, jumping out and fleeing?" Whitebeard's crew observed in alarm.
"It's that island up ahead, White," Oden pointed toward their destination, sensing a powerful energy emanating from it.
"Maybe there's something powerful on that island!" Whitebeard said, intrigued.
"Could be some monster. Marco, check it out," Rakuyo suggested.
"I'm not letting the fun spoil with foreplay," Marco replied, remaining in mid-air in his phoenix hybrid form.
As they neared, the sense of oppression grew stronger. Oden's children—Tsunonosuke and Hiyori—were crying in fear at the unsettling energy pulsating from the island, disturbed by the aftermath of the recent Roger–Navy clash.
"What could be over there? Even the wild beasts are fleeing!" the Whitebeard crew speculated.
From the island side, Buggy spotted Whitebeard's fleet and shouted to Roger: "Captain! Whitebeard's arriving—they've landed!"
"Finally—they've come!" Roger rose, a wide grin on his face.
"Should we greet them formally?" Rayleigh asked quietly.
"Nope! Let's fight first!" Roger chuckled. "Newgate! It's been a long time. Since we're still alive, we're bound to clash. And for me… this will likely be the last time."
"Captain, you just fought the Navy," Fang Yi said, fearing misstep.
"Heh heh… Yi-ge, don't you want to fight Marco again? I remember you still have a dagger on their ship," Shanks joked.
Fang Yi's lips twitched. "That's in Vista's hands."
Barrett perked up. Someone capable of taking a weapon from Fang Yi must be quite strong—just his style!
"I slipped last time, and Vista beat me. I let him keep the dagger. Next time I win it back," Fang Yi explained, sensing Barrett's interest.
"Okay—but we can skip fighting Vista. Who exactly is this Marco?" Barrett shrugged.
"Marco is a Zoan devil fruit user, a surprisingly promising warrior," Fang Yi said, smiling.
"Kid?" Barrett's interest darkened—he preferred clashing against powerhouses like Rayleigh or Roger.
"Besides Marco, their captain, Whitebeard Edward Newgate, is an equal to your captain. You could ask him to spar if you wish," Fang Yi added.
Originally, he meant to mention Oden, but since Oden might join their crew eventually, Fang Yi held back.
Soon, the Whitebeard Pirates realized the chaos was caused by Roger's crew.
"Excellent! Let's grab their treasure when they're busy!" Oden declared, charging toward Roger's crew.
"Wait! Captain Oden!" his crew called out, trying to stop him. They knew Oden's reckless nature, but Roger's crew was not ordinary pirates.
On the island's other side, Roger and his allies stood ready. Captain Roger's kenbunshoku haki had already picked up someone rapidly approaching.
"Oden's moon slashing sword—Nuigiru spear–style!" The samurai wasted no time attacking.
Two of Roger's crew were knocked out before they even reacted.
"As expected, Oden is strong. We better block him—Rayleigh!" Jaba called, ready for the fight.
"On it!" Rayleigh drew his sword, stepping forward.
Fang Yi, standing on high ground, scoffed: "Arrogant samurai. Let's give him a taste."
Barrett's eyes lit up—he sensed someone fearsome approaching.
"Hold on—Jaba, Rayleigh, Yi-ge!" Roger suddenly dashed forward, shouting: "This one's mine! I can't just stand by and watch—as Captain, I have to protect them!"
The others rolled their eyes—obviously, Roger just saw a rival and wanted to jump in.
"It's the aura of a beast!" Oden sensed powerful energy from Roger.
"Samurai!" Roger waved casually as he confronted Oden.
"Divine dodge!"
"Huh?"
Before Oden could even touch him, he froze—sensing a strike without impact—and was sent flying through the air.
"Wh—what just happened?" Oden cried out, propelled through trees into a hillside, bewildered.
"I don't accept victory by trickery," Oden spat, wiping blood from his mouth and charging again—only he was already too late.
"Roger!"
"Newgate!"
With those two names shouted, Fang Yi felt tears well up. They were witnessing the legendary clash between Pirate King Roger and Whitebeard Edward Newgate—icons standing at the pinnacle of piracy.
"Boom!"
Without even touching weapons, their energies clashed. The shockwave shattered trees and nearly flipped the pirate ships docked on the shore.
They… fought from a distance? Oden stared with astonishment.