The sea was calm — deceptively so.
After the storm at Edd War, the Roger Pirates had become unstoppable. Their sails caught every wind like destiny itself was pushing them forward.
A Marine fleet had chased them for days — five vice admirals, twenty warships, and a bounty's worth of arrogance.
They didn't last an hour.
The Oro Jackson drifted near a small island in the New World, smoke still curling from shattered Marine ships. The ocean stank of gunpowder and defeat.
Shanks wiped his blade clean. "That's the fifth fleet this month."
Buggy kicked a broken cannonball overboard. "They're insane! We can't even get a meal without these guys showing up!"
Rayleigh chuckled. "Take it as a compliment. They're starting to realize how close we're getting."
Roger stood at the center of it all, sword Ace slung across his back, laughing like a man who'd never known fear.
"Is that all the Marines can throw at us?!"
His voice boomed across the smoldering shore. The few surviving Marines, dazed and bloodied, stared up at him in disbelief. Their commander stumbled forward, clutching his saber.
"Damn you, Roger… You can't keep running forever!"
Roger just grinned, that wild spark in his eyes. "Running? We've been waiting for you lot to catch up!"
He planted his sword into the ground, the steel still hot from battle.
"Tell Marineford this—" he shouted, voice cutting through the wind.
"If they want to capture us, then send Garp or Sengoku themselves! Otherwise, stop wasting our time!"
The Marine commander faltered, staring at him in awe and frustration.
The surviving Marines froze, staring in awe and terror.
Roger laughed, wild and proud, before turning back toward his crew.
Rayleigh stepped forward beside Roger, lighting his pipe. "You know, one of these days, they might actually take you up on that."
Roger laughed, clapping his first mate on the shoulder. "Then it'll be a good day, won't it?"
Crocus shook his head from the deck of the Oro Jackson, bandaging his arm. "You're going to shorten my lifespan, Roger."
"Yours?" Shanks yelled from the ship. "What about ours?!"
Buggy was already hauling cannonballs back into the hold, his hands trembling. "We just fought off five ships! Five! Can we please not fight for at least one hour?!"
"There's no rest for the weary," Gaban said dryly, wiping soot off his face.
Ada stepped through the haze, brushing stray ash from her dress. "You're all acting like this is new."
Buggy turned to her, exasperated. "That's because you're crazy! You didn't even flinch when that Vice Admiral tried to slice your head off!"
Ada smirked. "He missed."
Buggy threw his hands in the air. "That's not the point!"
The crew's banter was broken by the cry of the lookout perched atop the Oro Jackson's mast.
"SHIP ON THE HORIZON!"
The laughter died instantly.
Roger turned, squinting toward the glimmering waves. In the distance, cutting through the mist like a moving fortress, was a vast white hull marked with a skull and crescent mustache.
Buggy's face went pale. "That's—"
Shanks' grin spread wide. "No way…"
Crocus lowered his spyglass, eyes narrowing. "It's the Moby Dick."
Ada's hand froze mid-motion. The wind caught her hair as she turned toward the horizon, eyes sharpening with recognition.
That flag — she hadn't seen it in years.
Roger followed her gaze, his usual grin faltering into something quieter. "Whitebeard, huh…" he murmured.
For a heartbeat, the noise of the crew, the clatter of steel, the crash of the waves — it all faded into the background.
Then he exhaled, his voice low but steady.
"This might be the last time I see him."
Ada looked at him, the sunlight glinting off the scar on his cheek. "You talk like you already know how this ends."
Roger smiled faintly. "Maybe I do. But until then—" he turned toward the sea, eyes burning with that same reckless fire—"let's make it a meeting worth remembering."
——————
The sea split with the roar of waves as the Moby Dick cut through the current, her sails full and bright under the morning sun. From her deck, the Whitebeard Pirates watched the distant island — and the unmistakable silhouette of the Oro Jackson anchored by the shore.
A gust of wind carried laughter from afar — Roger's laughter.
Marco leaned against the railing, squinting toward the island. "There's no mistaking that sound. Only one man in the world laughs like that yoi."
Jozu crossed his arms, the sunlight glinting off his diamond-like skin. "So it's true… The Roger Pirates are here."
"Yes," Vista said, adjusting his hat with a grin. "Heard they've been tearing through the Grand Line like a storm lately. Guess we'll see what kind of tempest Roger really is."
Whitebeard stood at the bow, massive and unmoving, his bisento planted deep into the deck like a monument. The sea wind whipped through his white coat, the Jolly Roger of his family snapping proudly behind him. His deep, rumbling voice carried over the waves like distant thunder.
"So… Roger's here, huh."
Oden leaned forward on the railing, eyes blazing with excitement. "The Roger Pirates! I've heard about them, but to see them here—!"
Behind him, Izo sighed, adjusting his kimono. "Please don't tell me you're planning to fight them, Lord Oden."
But Oden ignored him completely, a wild grin stretching across his face. "A man like Roger… I've wanted to cross blades with him ever since I heard his name!"
Whitebeard cast him a sideways glance, the corner of his mouth curling upward. "GURARARARA! You've got the same look you had when you first met me, Oden."
"I can't help it!" Oden said, slamming a fist against the railing with boyish fire. "The world's too small for men like that to stay strangers!"
From above, Marco descended in a slow arc, wings of blue flame flickering against the wind. "Pops," he called, landing beside Whitebeard, "you planning to talk… or fight?"
Whitebeard's laughter boomed across the deck, deep and rolling. "Talk, fight—when it comes to Roger, they're the same damn thing."
The crew erupted with laughter, the tension bleeding into excitement.
Then Whitebeard's grin softened, his eyes narrowing slightly toward the distant horizon. "It's been years since I last saw her…"
The laughter faded. The name carried weight even before he said it.
"…Ada."
A murmur rippled across the deck — some of the younger crewmates exchanged uneasy glances, recognizing the name from the stories of Rocks' era.
Oden turned, curious. "You know her, Shiroki-chan?"
Whitebeard's gaze didn't waver from the horizon. "Aye. She was my vice-captain on Rocks ship." His voice lowered, almost reverent. "A storm that doesn't follow anyone's wind. If she's sailing with Roger… then that crew's carrying more fire than I thought."
A ripple of surprise ran through the crew. Murmurs spread quickly — vice-captain? On Rocks' ship? The very idea left them stunned.
Marco raised an eyebrow. "Vice-captain…? That explains a lot."
Oden's eyes widened, disbelief flickering over his face. "She held that kind of position… on Rocks' ship?"
Whitebeard's grin returned, faint but knowing. "GURARARARA. Don't underestimate her. And don't underestimate what Roger's crew can do with her in it."
The air seemed to hum with anticipation as the Moby Dick's crew processed this revelation, realizing just how dangerous and unpredictable the coming encounter would be.
For a moment, only the sound of the waves filled the silence.
Marco cracked his knuckles, a faint smirk on his face. "Guess we'll find out soon enough, yoi."
Whitebeard's grin returned — fierce, unshakable then he laughed. "GURARARARA. Prepare yourselves, boys." He lifted his bisento high, the sunlight gleaming along its edge. "If Roger's out there, the sea's about to start roaring."
Whitebeard raised his bisento, its blade catching the sun. "Prepare the anchors. If Roger's here—" his grin widened, teeth flashing—"then the seas are about to tremble."
Oden's grin was wild, full of reckless joy. "Finally… something worth fighting for!"
The deck of the Moby Dick trembled under the wind as Oden leapt forward, landing with a warrior's grace. His swords gleamed, eyes blazing with excitement.
"Commander Oden! Please wait!" called a few members of Whitebeard's Second Division, their voices tight with concern. "The Roger Pirates… they're different!"
But Oden didn't slow. The thrill of the encounter coursed through him like fire.
From the Oro Jackson, Buggy's eyes went wide. "What the heck is that?! He's running so fast… like a samurai!"
Roger tilted his head, intrigue sparking in his eyes. "So that's the samurai they've been talking about."
Before anyone could react, Oden clashed with some of the Roger Pirates' crew, swords slicing through the air, precision and power unmatched. Each strike sent opponents staggering, unable to predict the speed or skill of the young warrior.
Rayleigh's pipe wavered as he observed the fight. "Ada, Gaban… should we stop him?"
Ada shook her head, expression calm but eyes tracking Oden's every move. "I'd say… let him play a bit."
Gaban grinned. "Yeah, see what this samurai's made of."
Roger's laugh cut through the chaos. "I'll handle it myself. Don't want anyone getting hurt."
Rayleigh raised an eyebrow. "You just want to fight him yourself, don't you?"
Roger's grin widened, sharp and eager. "Maybe. And maybe I just want to see how strong he really is."
Oden's gaze suddenly locked onto Roger, a spark of recognition in his eyes. "I smell a beast," he growled, tightening his grip on his swords.
"Hey, samurai," Roger called, his voice booming across the deck. Without a hint of hesitation, he surged forward.
Oden met him head-on, swords raised, but Roger's blade glowed with Haki, the air itself trembling with the force.
With a roar, Roger unleashed a single, precise, devastating strike —
Divine Departure!
The impact struck Oden squarely. One blow, perfectly measured, and he was sent flying backward, tumbling through the air as wind howled past him.
Oden, brushing dust off, blinked at Roger, awed and laughing. "I… I underestimated you!"
Ada stepped closer, her crimson dress fluttering in the wind. "Seems like the samurai's met his match."
Roger turned to her, a playful glint in his eyes. "Heh. But I think he enjoyed it."
Oden's chest heaved as he smiled, eyes blazing. "This… this is the kind of fight I've been waiting for!"
The wind shifted suddenly. In the distance, a massive figure appeared on the horizon — the unmistakable silhouette of Whitebeard.
Roger's eyes narrowed, a wide grin spreading across his face. "Newgate!" he called, voice carrying across the waves.
Whitebeard's deep, resonant laugh answered. "Roger!"
In an instant, the two legends surged forward, the sea itself trembling beneath their feet. Roger's sword Ace sliced through the air, while Whitebeard's massive naginta whistled like a raging gale.
As their Haki-infused weapons neared, a blinding shockwave erupted, crackling like lightning.
"KRRAK-BOOM!"
And the sky split as the energy of their Conqueror's Haki met, the air vibrating violently around them.
Sparks of pure force danced along the invisible collision, sending clouds spiraling apart with a deafening sound, while the roar of the sea was drowned beneath the sheer weight of their clash.
Even without the weapons touching, the impact was tangible — waves hurled skyward, sails shredded by the wind, and the horizon itself seemed to buckle beneath the power of two titans meeting.
Oden staggered backward, eyes wide, voice trembling: "They… they're not even touching… yet it feels like the world is splitting apart!"
The shockwave of their Haki clash slowly dissipated, leaving the sea trembling and the clouds ripped apart like torn silk. A heavy silence hung for a heartbeat… and then both men's laughter erupted simultaneously.
"GURARARARA!" boomed Whitebeard, his deep voice rolling like thunder across the waves.
"BWAHAHAHAHA! That's more like it!" Roger's laugh rang clear and wild, cutting through the roaring winds.
The crew of both ships watched in awe, some cheering, some frozen with disbelief.
Amid the lingering haze, a figure stepped forward on the beside Roger. Red dress and short black hair catching the wind, eyes sharp, and a faint smirk on her lips — Ada.
"It's been a while, Newgate," she said, her voice calm but carrying weight.
Whitebeard's gaze shifted, the grin on his face softening just slightly as recognition flickered in his eyes.
Newgate's grin widened, eyes glinting with mischief and nostalgia. "Well, well… Ada. Never thought we'd meet like this again."
Ada's gaze was steady, a faint smirk tugging at her lips. "I could say the same. However, I think our meeting will have to be cut short."
One by one, the crew members of the Roger Pirates and the Whitebeard Pirates arrived, faces sharp with anticipation and eyes locked on each other.
For a moment, silence hung in the air — every pirate, every fighter, frozen, ready for the first move.
Then, on the Whitebeard's side, Marco's blue flames flickered to life as he barked, "Get them! Don't let them escape!"
Nearby standing beside Rayleigh, Gaban's grin spread wide, eyes glinting with mischief. "Rob them! Take everything they've got!"
With that, two legendary pirates collided — the Roger Pirates versus the Whitebeard Pirates. The tense, earth-shaking battle raged on for three days and three nights, the seas themselves trembling beneath the clash of wills, Haki, and steel.