In the sky, only two figures could be seen—darting, colliding, separating, and crashing together again and again.
Whitebeard dragged the power of tremors through the air itself. Quake-infused shockwaves, filled with annihilating force, crushed toward Roldy like tidal waves.
Roldy remained calm.
In an instant, Full-Body Armament Haki coated him. His blood flow accelerated under precise control. He shouted—
"Iron Body (Tekkai)!"
The tremor blast that could shatter a mountain struck him head-on—
Yet failed to significantly damage his body.
After tanking the assault, Roldy vanished.
He reappeared above Whitebeard, spinning at extreme speed before lashing down with his left leg like a steel whip.
The impact sent Whitebeard crashing toward the island.
With the Mo-Mo no Mi's amplification, Whitebeard had no room to resist. His massive six-meter frame slammed into the earth. Blood escaped his throat.
The ground held for a heartbeat—
Then collapsed.
A crater over a hundred meters wide formed, reaching the shoreline as seawater rushed inward.
Whitebeard forced himself upright through the pain.
Roldy pressed the advantage.
From above, he stomped downward.
His hardened body combined with dense Armament Haki—if that strike landed cleanly, Whitebeard's skull would be pulp.
Whitebeard slammed both palms against the ground, using recoil to spring aside.
Roldy's stomp missed—
But the earth did not.
With a thunderous roar, one-twentieth of the island collapsed.
Whitebeard snorted.
He planted Murakumogiri into the ground and coated both fists in tremor power.
Roldy flashed before him—
Whitebeard smirked and punched.
The first punch hadn't even fully extended before the second followed.
Roldy was too fast. Even with Devil Fruit enhancement, Whitebeard couldn't land a direct hit.
But tremors were area-based.
Enraged, Whitebeard dragged the entire space into violent vibration.
Meanwhile—
Roldy fought like a brute.
Relying on sheer physical durability and overwhelming Armament Haki, he bulldozed through the tremor field like a locomotive.
The tremors did injure him—blood now trickled from his lips.
But pain only fueled him.
The more he bled, the more exhilarated he became.
Whitebeard, on the other hand, grew increasingly strained.
After taking more than ten heavy blows, Whitebeard finally seized an opening.
With a roar, he coated his right fist in Advanced Conqueror's Haki.
As Roldy accelerated at full speed—
Whitebeard's left hand shot out and grabbed his ankle.
"Got you, Roldy brat!"
His teeth were stained red with blood.
Without giving Roldy time to react—
His fully-charged right fist detonated into Roldy's abdomen.
This was nearly Whitebeard's strongest possible strike.
Even Roldy's eyes rolled white for an instant.
Blood burst from his mouth.
This time—
He was the one sent flying.
After tumbling dozens of times across the ground, he finally forced himself to stop.
Whitebeard panted heavily, smiling—though relief was obvious in his eyes.
Is this brat even human?
He pushed me this far…
Still, I won in the end.
If I'd lost to a kid, that would've been humiliating.
But then—
Roldy stood up.
His Armament Haki was shattered across his body—
Yet his aura remained terrifying.
Whitebeard felt it.
For the first time—
He was uneasy.
"Wait. Roldy."
Roldy's fist stopped twenty centimeters from Whitebeard's face.
Those crimson eyes stared into him.
Whitebeard kept his composure.
"If we keep going, we won't settle this in three days. How about this—give me some face. Let's throw a banquet before you leave."
Roldy withdrew his fist.
The red glow in his eyes faded.
After a few seconds of thought—
He agreed.
"Gahahaha! As expected of you, Newgate-san! That was one hell of a fight! Fine—let's have a grand banquet!"
There was no hatred between them.
Only respect.
Continuing to fight to the death would serve no purpose. Even if Roldy won, it would be a brutal victory—and injuries would delay his pursuit of the Roger Pirates.
Whitebeard had offered an out.
Roldy took it.
"Gurararara! You're a monster. Growing this much in such a short time… Shiki probably can't beat you anymore, can he? Did you fight him before leaving?"
"Shiki is still strong. We sparred with swords before I left. I'd call it a draw."
They talked as they walked toward the island's center.
As night fell and cups were raised, the atmosphere grew lively.
Roldy's ship lacked luxury—but carried rare alcohol and fine cigars. He traded generously with Whitebeard's crew.
Soon, the two giants sat surrounded by empty bottles, competing in drinking.
Unexpectedly—
Sheen and Whitey Bay, who had fought fiercely earlier, were now getting along remarkably well.
At dawn—
"Farewell, Newgate-san! Next time, let's fight without restraint!"
From his departing ship, Roldy waved.
Pirate friendships were simple.
Sometimes unreliable.
But built on shared meat and strong liquor—
What more was needed?
On shore, Whitebeard's face stiffened.
Fight again?
Please no.
Battling strong opponents was exhilarating—
But fighting Roldy felt like punching an indestructible boulder.
Better not meet again.
Not because he was afraid.
But because such camaraderie shouldn't be ruined by pointless bloodshed.
The island faded from view.
Roldy's expression hardened.
He looked southwest.
Based on deduction—and scraps of intelligence gathered from Whitebeard's crew—there was an eighty percent chance the Roger Pirates were in that direction.
If they sailed at full speed, they would catch up eventually.
Then—
He noticed Sheen.
His most trusted subordinate.
His right hand.
The fish-man's blue skin was visibly flushed.
He stared blankly at a handkerchief embroidered with snowflakes.
Roldy grinned.
"Oh ho? What's this? Looks like Sheen's quite popular."
He leaned on Sheen's shoulder teasingly.
There was no doubt the handkerchief belonged to Whitey Bay.
One battle—and Sheen gained this kind of luck?
Roldy felt strangely irritated.
Simple reason—
He had never received such a gift.
"Boss, what are you saying?! I—I didn't…"
Sheen hastily stuffed the handkerchief into his clothes, face burning.
He'd never imagined receiving attention from a woman.
His forehead was hot enough to boil water.
But…
It didn't feel bad.
"Don't hide it! I saw it! She even gave you her Den Den Mushi contact, didn't she?"
"Nani?!"
Roldy froze.
He stared at Sheen beating the gossiping pirate over the head.
And thought only one thing—
You bastard.
Honestly speaking—
He, Roldy, was ruggedly handsome.
Monstrously strong.
With an impressive background.
And yet—
Not a single woman had ever confessed to him.
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