Another fine day, until a sharp whistling sound shattered the tranquility of the sea.
"Enemy attack! It's Garp's warship!" a lookout cried.
Rhett didn't even bother to open his eyes, merely waving his hand lazily. A crimson mist automatically rose, forming a thin barrier at the stern of the ship.
"Hiss—"
The specially crafted cannonball, hurled by Garp himself, corroded visibly upon contact with the blood mist. The metal shell peeled away, and the gunpowder inside turned to rust powder before it could detonate, scattering into the sea with the wind.
"Hahaha! Garp, long time no see!" Gaban laughed, standing by the ship's rail.
On the distant warship, Garp didn't seem too concerned. "You little brat!!"
And so, the Oro Jackson fled ahead, with Garp's warship in hot pursuit. They finally stopped at an island, and Garp's warship also landed. Garp, using Soru, dashed straight toward Roger.
Rot, a newcomer on Garp's ship, trembled as he held his gun. He had always admired Vice Admiral Garp, and this was his first voyage with him. He wanted to contribute.
As soon as they disembarked, Rot was about to charge with Garp, but an old soldier pulled him back. Rot was furious. Vice Admiral Garp was charging ahead, so why were these cowards lagging behind? He felt ashamed to be among them. The old soldier shook his head and gestured toward the opposite side.
There, the Roger Pirates crew were placing bets: "Place your bets! How long will the captain fight this time?"
"I say three days! I bet three days!"
"I think at least half a month!"
Seeing the Marines looking their way, Rhett picked up the betting board and walked over to them.
Rot was incensed. "Bastards! Are you pirates mocking the Marines? You're insulting the justice I believe in!"
"500 Berries for three days."
"1000 Berries for five days."
Rot looked at his comrades, who had taken good care of him, with disbelief. "They're pirates who have killed Marines! How can you do this?"
An old Marine glanced at him. "Sometimes, don't take your own lies too seriously."
"If ordinary Marines don't know, fine. But you're an elite Marine. Haven't you noticed that the Marines killed by the Roger Pirates were all scum?"
"Besides, if Vice Admiral Garp hasn't settled the score, do you really think you can end the fight?" He patted Rot's shoulder. "Haven't you noticed the Roger Pirates aren't moving either? We're just bystanders. Only after Vice Admiral Garp defeats Roger will it be our turn to act."
This was the unspoken rule between Roger and Garp. Otherwise, with Garp chasing Roger so frequently, too many lives would be lost on both sides. Since they weren't particularly evil pirates, there was no need for such casualties.
Gaban and Bogard exchanged glances and walked into the forest.
They're destined rivals, though in the end, Garp became Roger's father? Truly amusing.
The sandy beach of the deserted island gleamed under the scorching sun. Garp stretched his shoulders, his Marine cape fluttering in the sea breeze. "This time won't be as easy as last time, Roger."
Roger laughed heartily, drawing his sword Portgas D. Ace. "Kuhahaha! You always say the same thing!"
Before the words faded, both men vanished from their spots.
"Boom!"
A deafening explosion echoed as the sand erupted into a crater thirty meters in diameter. Garp's fist collided with Roger's sword, black and red Haki lightning shooting out in all directions, instantly carbonizing the nearest palm trees. Rhett had to raise his arm to shield himself from the flying sand and stones. Squinting, he saw the ground beneath their feet cracking like a spiderweb.
"Too slow!" Garp suddenly changed his stance, his left fist whistling through the air toward Roger's abdomen. Roger sidestepped, the blade grazing Garp's arm, sparking as it passed. Their movements were so fast they were almost invisible, only the continuous clang of metal could be heard.
The coastline shifted constantly during the fierce battle. Garp's heavy punch smashed into the sea, the resulting wave turning into countless water projectiles under the influence of Haki.
Roger laughed as he swung his sword, slicing the water curtain in half, the residual force cutting a hundred-meter-long trench in the distant sea.
"Fist Bone Meteor Shower!" Garp leaped into the air, his fists moving at an imperceptible speed. Each punch carried a comet-like tail, turning the entire beach into a sea of fire. Roger's figure darted through the barrage, his blade weaving an impenetrable net.
Elio, watching from the sidelines, frowned. "Garp is much more serious than last time." Rhett counted the fish stunned and floating to the surface. "Seventy-three... That should be enough for dinner tonight."
The battlefield quieted for a moment. Garp stood on a rock, tearing off his tattered shirt to reveal a muscular body covered in scars. Roger was also battered, but his straw hat remained intact, his smile as bright as ever.
They stared at each other from fifty meters apart, the air thick with tension.
"Serious now?" Roger tilted his head.
"Obviously." Garp grinned.
The next second, the entire island shook violently.
"Two monsters."
Much later...
As the sunset painted the sea red, the two figures finally separated. Garp's left eye was swollen shut, and Roger had a black eye.
"Draw?" Roger panted.
"In your dreams," Garp spat out a mouthful of blood. "I can still fight for three days and nights."
On the beach, the aftershocks of Roger and Garp's battle still shook the ground. Meanwhile, on the other side of the coastline, an unbelievable scene unfolded—
At that moment, Gaban and Bogard bypassed the battlefield, carrying several wild beasts back to the shore.
"Let's have a feast!"
Marine soldiers and members of the Roger Pirates sat happily around a bonfire, the air filled with the aroma of roasting meat.
"Here, Marine boy, try this grilled meat," Gaban grinned, handing a skewer to a nearby Marine.
"Th-thank you!" The young Marine took a bite, his eyes lighting up. "Oishii!"
"Heh, that's our ship's secret sauce! You won't find it anywhere else," Gaban shook a bottle of seasoning proudly.
Not far away, Rayleigh and a Marine officer were playing chess on a flat rock. The chess pieces were held in place by their Haki, unmoved by the howling sea breeze.
"Checkmate," Rayleigh adjusted his glasses, a slight smile on his lips.
The Marine officer stared at the board, sweat beading on his forehead. "Wait, that move doesn't count! I didn't see it!"
Rayleigh chuckled. "Fine, take it back."
"Then I'll move here."
"Checkmate. That'll be 100 Berries."