Boom!
Another towering mushroom cloud of lava shot into the sky.
Before the shockwave had even settled, a surge of sword energy erupted from the molten depths and tore upward, slicing through everything in its path. The mushroom cloud was shredded instantly, scattered by the violent force.
Centered around the two men, a thousand-meter-wide area was cleared of all obstacles, scorched clean by sheer destructive power.
Sakazuki was panting now. The cracks along his magma-covered body had deepened, fresh blood seeping from them. Across from him, Roger's coat had been torn to shreds, revealing his upper body scorched with burns.
He reached up, yanked off the last remains of his captain's coat, and tossed it aside. Then, with a frown tugging at his brow, Roger looked at the vice admiral, almost as if confused.
"Kid from the Marines, do we have some kind of deep grudge?"
Magma surged around Sakazuki's arms, reshaping into armored gauntlets once again. His expression remained cold as he met Roger's gaze.
"No. We don't," he replied. "But the justice I carry doesn't allow you to exist in this world."
Roger chuckled, as though he'd heard something amusing. His voice held meaning as he spoke.
"Justice, huh? Kid… the darkness in this world runs deeper than you imagine."
But Sakazuki had no interest in cryptic wisdom. His tone remained flat, unwavering.
"You're not wrong. But I don't think a man who just slaughtered thousands has any right to speak with conviction."
Roger's smile slowly faded. Calm and composed, he stared at Sakazuki and gave a slight nod.
"I see."
Buzz—
A low buzz filled the air as Conqueror's Haki surged around Roger's blade. He gripped the hilt with both hands, and a terrifying aura of sword force gathered along the edge, making the air tingle with pressure.
His gaze never left Sakazuki.
"Don't die too easily, Marine brat."
Clang—
A piercing hum rang out, sharp enough to make the scalp crawl. A brilliant slash of light cut through the air, slicing forward with a force that seemed to split space itself.
In that moment, Sakazuki's armored gauntlets began to glow—crimson light radiating from their cores like twin supervolcanoes on the brink of eruption. The intensity was blinding.
Staring down the oncoming attack, Sakazuki growled.
"A mere pirate shouldn't talk so big. The burden we carry as Marines—"
Both gauntlets detonated, unleashing a crushing blast.
"Is justice for the world!!!"
With that roar, Sakazuki's own Conqueror's Haki erupted—awakened in full. Lava surged violently around his arms as he launched forward to meet the dazzling slash.
BOOM!!!
A blinding white light engulfed everything…
...
Abroad the Oro Jackson.
The crew of the Roger Pirates stood on the ship, silently watching the bursts of sword light and magma explode from the island in the distance.
Roger was always like this. Loud and carefree most of the time, but when it came to his crew, he cared more deeply than anyone else. He always took the lead, no matter how dangerous it was. That kind of captain gave people a sense of absolute peace of mind.
Sunbell approached Rayleigh, guilt weighing heavily on his face.
"I'm sorry. This all happened because of me…"
The vice-captain smiled and patted him gently on the shoulder. "Don't worry about it. If Roger had been there at the time, I believe he would've done the same thing Nozdon did."
Sunbell still looked uneasy, but Rayleigh offered a calm reassurance. "Don't overthink it. To Roger, nothing matters more than his crew."
As he spoke, a small smile tugged at the corner of his lips, as if he'd remembered something from long ago. His eyes turned back to the island, where the fierce battle raged on.
'Yeah... that's Roger, through and through.'
...
On the other side of Kergashi Island.
Sakazuki's warship had just arrived near the coast, stopping short of the island.
From the deck, the clash inland was clearly visible—lava bursts and slashes of white light illuminating the sky. Carlo stood at the bow, holding Sakazuki's Justice cloak. His brows were furrowed as he stared toward the island. With Observation Haki, he could sense the state of both fighters.
Sakazuki's aura was noticeably weaker than Roger's.
Next to him, Enel stood quietly. After eating the Rumble-Rumble Fruit, he had used electromagnetic waves combined with his natural talent to enhance his Observation Haki. Its range now far surpassed Carlo's.
Sensing how desperately Sakazuki was fighting, Enel felt a mix of shock and confusion.
He turned to Carlo.
"Brother... why is uncle Sakazuki..."
He trailed off, unable to find the right words. Carlo finished it for him.
"Why is he fighting so hard, right?"
Enel nodded.
Without a word, Carlo handed him the Justice cloak. Enel accepted it, still uncertain of its meaning.
Carlo turned back toward the blazing island. "Because someone has to carry out justice."
Enel looked down at the cloak in his hands. The single word stitched across it—Justice—felt heavy, commanding, solemn.
In his young heart, something seemed to break through the soil and start to grow.
"Justice, huh..."
On the island, another flash of white light split the sky.
...
Kergashi Island.
Inside a crater more than a kilometer wide, Sakazuki leaned against the scorched rock wall. A deep gash ran across his chest, nearly splitting him in two. Bone gleamed white beneath torn flesh.
"Cough... cough…"
He tried to stand, but the movement pulled at his injuries. Blood poured from his mouth with every ragged breath. He raised his skeletal hand and pressed it against his lips, trying to hold the blood in.
Tap. Tap. Tap. Tap…
Footsteps echoed across the crater's seared floor. Roger approached slowly, holding the Supreme Grade blade Ace in one hand. A thin trickle of blood ran from the corner of his mouth. His body was blackened with burns, and one side of his chest was caved in, his ribs broken beneath the skin.
He stopped a few feet away.
Vmm—!
Conqueror's Haki flowed over the blade, wrapping around it with a dangerous, mesmerizing glow. Roger looked down at the wounded Sakazuki, his voice calm and cold.
"This is the end, Marine brat."
Sakazuki lowered the hand that had covered his mouth. The coughing had stopped. He raised his head and met the pirate's eyes, matching his tone.
"You talk too much."
Roger didn't respond to the jab. He simply shifted his grip on the hilt of his sword, ready to end it.
Crack!
A thunderous boom echoed like lightning striking from clear skies. The ground trembled violently in the next instant. Jagged fissures split through the crater floor, and searing heat surged up from deep beneath the surface.
Roger steadied himself, sensing the intense heat. His instincts screamed—danger.
His eyes sharpened, and he slashed down instantly. But just before the strike landed, Sakazuki's body melted into magma, merging with the earth. He vanished into the rock, disappearing completely.
Rumble!
The entire crater turned into a sea of lava, transforming into a volcanic pit.
Then it erupted.
Explosive magma surged upward in a cataclysmic wave. Thick ash and black smoke consumed the sky. Streams of molten fire burst apart midair and rained down like a meteor shower.
Boom!
Roger burst through one of the lava columns, his figure cloaked in steam and scorched magma. He landed hard on the crater's edge, eyes scanning the battlefield.
But Sakazuki was gone. No trace remained.
Roger stood silently for a moment, then turned away without a word. He began walking toward the island's edge, the battle left behind him.
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