Marine Headquarters, Marineford, Fleet Admiral's conference room.
An emergency meeting was underway.
"Fleet Admiral Kong, in the Edd War sea of the New World, Roger and the Golden Lion have met!" An intelligence officer shouted, rushing in to deliver the news.
"Look, an opportunity!" Hearing this news, Garp laughed and turned to leave.
"Stop right there, Garp! I haven't finished speaking!" Seeing Garp's blatant disregard for discipline, Kong shouted.
"You haven't finished, but I've heard enough." Garp reached the conference room door, pushed it open, laughed, and walked out.
"Garp, stop!"
Kong's voice rang out, but it was completely ignored by Garp. With a "bang!", the door slammed shut.
Kong sighed in exasperation, but the meeting had to continue. The atmosphere was heavy. The entire office was packed; Sengoku, Tsuru, Zephyr, Kuzan, Borsalino, Sakazuki, and other veteran Vice-Admirals – the inner circle of Marine leadership – filled the room.
Whether it was the Roger Pirates or the Flying Pirates, both were enormous threats to the Marines and the world.
Even though they knew it was unlikely the two would cooperate, they had to eliminate even the slightest possibility.
Two legendary pirate crews, the Flying Pirates' massive fleet combined with the Roger Pirates' elite fighters – if they joined forces, the consequences would be unimaginable.
Kong's expression was grave. "Sengoku, you go to the New World and assess the situation. Although the chances of them joining forces are slim, we can't be careless."
"If there's any sign of them collaborating, you must stop them."
Kong was decisive, immediately dispatching the Navy's top combatant, Admiral Sengoku. As for Garp, it was a given; judging by his reaction, he would go too. Garp's obsession with Roger was known to all the top brass.
Walking down the corridor of Marine Headquarters, Garp strode down the center, flanked by his two adjutants.
"Vice-Admiral Garp, you refused a promotion again, didn't you?" Kuzan, his young admirer, ran up behind him and said admiringly, "That's so cool!"
"If you want to be free, you don't need a high position," Garp laughed, then turned his head to look at Tsuru, who had caught up and was walking beside him. "Tsuru, after we set sail, give me a ride."
Tsuru flatly refused Garp's request. "The order to set out hasn't been given yet. You'll just destroy the ship. I'm not letting you on board."
"Don't be like that. Roger, that guy… I have to be the one to deal with him," Garp said, looking at her.
They arrived at the Marine port. On a warship, beside a young Borsalino, Sengoku saw Garp approaching and shouted, "Garp, the Golden Lion matter has been entrusted to us. Go back!"
Seeing Sengoku, Garp laughed and waved his hand. "Don't worry, I'll give you all the credit."
"That's not what I meant!" Hearing Garp's words, Sengoku shouted angrily.
"Hahahaha!" Garp put his hands on his hips and laughed loudly.
On the warship, Momonga, Chaton, and Doberman, three future Vice-Admirals, stood together. Currently, they were still Rear Admirals. Although their strength was overshadowed by the three supernova rookies, they were still the future leaders of the Navy and were being carefully cultivated. This operation was also meant to add a glorious achievement to their records.
"Admiral Sengoku and Vice-Admiral Garp are both going?" Doberman said with a smile.
"The opponent is Roger, after all. Vice-Admiral Garp wouldn't stay out of it," Momonga replied with a smile.
New World, Edd War sea.
The battle between the two legendary pirate crews was in full swing.
"Jiehahaha, Roger, die!"
Golden Lion Shiki stood in the sky, looking down on everyone.
The bearing of a king, incredibly domineering.
His powerful Conqueror's Haki pressed down on Roger on the Golden Jackson. Shiki looked down at Roger below.
Facing Shiki's overwhelming aura, Roger's body couldn't help but erupt with an equally powerful aura.
The clash of two kings. This sea, the entire world, seemed to fall silent. Dark red lightning flashed continuously, illuminating the dark and gloomy world.
The weak couldn't even approach the edge of the battlefield, as this was a battle between two of the most supreme pirates.
Two wills, unmatched in the world, looking down on everything, neither could subdue the other. In the sky above them, a rift appeared, splitting the heavens in two, as if to prove that they were the center of the world.
"Ah, Shanks, look!" Buggy the Clown shouted in terror. "The, the sky is cracking!"
"So this is the power of top-tier fighters…" Shanks thought to himself, startled, but his face showed a look of longing.
The battle was about to begin, king against king, general against general.
"Come, Shiki!" Roger drew his sword, then imbued it with Conqueror's Haki and Armament Haki, pointing it at Shiki.
"Jiehahaha, Roger, go to hell!" Shiki's golden hair flared. His swords, Oto and Kogarashi, also imbued with Conqueror's Haki and Armament Haki, attacked Roger.
"Lion's Thousand-Cut Valley" Shiki shouted.
"Godly Avoidance" Roger, unafraid, shouted back.
Roger and Shiki began their duel, while the other pirates started to surround the Golden Jackson, attacking every member of the Roger Pirates.
Silvers Rayleigh, Scopper Gaban, Oden, and the Demon Heir, Bullet, as the top fighters on Roger's ship, naturally took the lead, charging forward to clear a path for their crewmates. Shanks also looked eager to fight, while only Buggy the Clown was panicked and terrified.
The terrifying disparity in strength, ironically, held back most of the Flying Pirates' high-ranking fighters.
It had to be said that Shiki's forces were currently at their peak, with numerous strong subordinates. He was undoubtedly the strongest pirate crew in the New World.
The Roger Pirates might have been few in number, but each one was a skilled fighter, except for the lucky king, Buggy.
The battle between the two sides raged for a long time. In the end, Shiki, relying on his superior numbers, completely surrounded the Roger Pirates. Roger and his crew fought hard for a long time but still couldn't break out of Shiki's encirclement.
"Hahaha, my brothers, it seems we're in a tight spot today!" Roger laughed, looking back at everyone on the ship. He tightened his grip on his sword.
Rayleigh cut down an opponent and said to Roger, "Then let's fight to our hearts' content!"
The situation was becoming increasingly unfavorable for the Roger Pirates. The Flying Pirates had already gained the upper hand. But every member of the Roger Pirates understood their captain's resolve and will.
To live facing death, to fight to the death. Since there was no way out, then they would fight to their hearts' content!
However, fate played a cruel joke on Shiki.
Destiny favored Roger more. Perhaps it was because Roger had not yet completed his mission.
Roger, who should have been surrounded on all sides, was saved by a sudden, monstrous tidal wave. Destiny intervened.
The sea swallowed half of Shiki's fleet, resulting in a stalemate. The Roger Pirates managed to break through and escape.
From this point on, Shiki began his decline. A new legend was about to bloom.