Chapter 267: Roger vs. Shiki
"He blocked it!"
The massive black bear pirate grinned, looking at the shallow wound on his armored arms.
"Devil Fruit user…"
Jabba muttered as he studied his opponent.
Meanwhile, on the deck of the Oro Jackson, Buggy was running around in a panic, arms raised as he wailed in terror.
"We're all gonna die! We're all gonna die!"
"Buggy! Where's that courage you had earlier?!"
Shanks shouted, gripping his sword as he scanned the battlefield.
"Shut up, Shanks! I don't need a lecture from you!"
Despite the chaos, Buggy still found time to yell at Shanks, momentarily forgetting his fear.
WHACK!
Rayleigh suddenly punched both of them in the back of the head.
"Stop bickering! Do you not see the situation we're in?!"
"Humph!"
Both Buggy and Shanks grumbled, turning away from each other.
Rayleigh sighed but focused on the fight, drawing his sword to intercept incoming cannonfire.
"Quick! Protect the ship!"
Rayleigh commanded.
The Flying Pirates were using a cunning strategy—instead of engaging directly, they were bombarding them from a distance.
Cowards.
Rayleigh clicked his tongue in frustration.
Far away, on the edge of the Calm Belt…
"Achoo! Achoo!"
Charlotte sneezed twice, rubbing his nose.
Toki, standing beside him, quickly handed him a blanket.
"The wind is strong here. Be careful not to catch a cold."
Her tone carried a hint of concern.
Charlotte felt a warmth in his chest, then gazed at the Calm Belt ahead.
"This place is fascinating… Right before us, the sea is raging, yet over there, it's completely still."
He marveled at the strange contrast.
Toki rolled her eyes.
"Everyone avoids the Calm Belt, yet you want to enter. Now that's strange."
Charlotte chuckled, scratching his nose.
"Prepare to cross the Calm Belt into the North Blue!"
"Yes, Captain!"
His crew immediately moved to relay orders.
As Poseidon, the Sea God advanced toward the legendary still waters, many crew members felt their hearts race.
After all, no one ever returned from the Calm Belt—except for the Kuja Pirates, who had their own ways of navigating it.
If not for Charlotte's absolute confidence, some of his men might have revolted over this decision.
Back in the New World…
Garp watched as Roger's crew fought desperately, completely surrounded by the Flying Pirates.
He hesitated.
Should he step in?
Looking at the battlefield, it was clear—Roger was struggling.
Despite being a monster in combat, he was at a disadvantage against Shiki, who had the high ground.
"Lion's Might: Sea Lion!"
Shiki roared, manipulating the ocean itself, forming a massive water lion that lunged toward Roger.
SWOOSH!
A single slash from Roger cut through the attack, dispersing the water beast.
"Lion's Thousand-Cut Valley!"
Shiki quickly swung his dual swords, unleashing a flurry of golden slashes toward Roger.
"Divine Departure!"
Roger retaliated, but keeping up with Shiki's speed was no easy feat.
After all, Shiki's swordsmanship was legendary for its swiftness.
CLANG! CLANG! CLANG!
Their slashes collided mid-air, causing shockwaves that tore the clouds apart.
The sheer force of their Haki-infused attacks caused the sky itself to split.
Above, a News Coo froze mid-flight, instinctively tucking its head beneath its wings in fear.
Below, on Garp's ship, the Vice Admiral's eyes locked onto the News Coo's chest—where an image-transmitting Den Den Mushi was attached.
"Damn that Morgans!"
Garp slammed his fist into the ship's railing.
With this much media coverage, even if he wanted to help Roger, he couldn't.
Meanwhile, in the New World…
"Big news! Big news!"
Morgans squawked excitedly, watching the live footage from his News Coo.
"I knew it! I knew keeping a spy bird on Shiki would pay off! Look at this battle!"
His excitement grew.
"We need more of these surveillance Den Den Mushi—not just for Shiki, but for Whitebeard, Charlotte, and Roger too!"
His eyes gleamed with ambition.
One of his editors hesitantly spoke up.
"Boss… should we plant these in the Marine Headquarters too?"
BAM!
Morgans punched the editor in the face.
"Are you trying to get me killed?!"
He squawked angrily.
"We can piss off the pirates and hide for a while, but if we cross the World Government, we're dead men!"
His entire newsroom fell silent.
They continued watching as the battle intensified.
The sea, once calm, was now a raging battlefield.
Yet no one noticed a small boat slowly approaching from the horizon.
Standing atop the vessel, a tall man dressed in crimson robes gazed upon the chaotic battlefield.
Despite the violent waves, his boat remained steady, as if the ocean respected his presence.
"Interesting…"
A devilish grin formed on his lips.
"The Roger Pirates vs. The Flying Pirates… and Garp's Marines watching from the side."
He observed with keen interest, noting the powerful Haki clashes that split the sky itself.
"And over there… I sense something dangerous aboard that Marine ship."
His eyes shimmered with excitement.
"Roger, Shiki, and Garp… this keeps getting better and better."
The mysterious swordsman's boat glided smoothly toward the battlefield.
"Crimson Slash."
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