The blazing sun spilled across the endless sea, bathing the deck of the Oro Jackson in gold
"If you've got nothing better to do—fight!"
Roger stood at the center of the deck, sword resting lazily on his shoulder, that familiar grin etched into his face. Across from him, Reith planted his feet firmly, Black Tide held low at his side. Around them, the crew gathered in a wide circle, eyes alight with anticipation.
Scopper Gaban stepped forward, arms raised dramatically.
"Gentlemen, place your bets!" he bellowed. "Today's match features our very own captain—Gol D. Roger of the Roger Pirates! And his challenger, also of the Roger Pirates, the man known as the Fog Ghost—Reith! Will the king remain on his throne, or will a challenger rise to seize it?!"
Reith ignored the noise. His expression was deadly serious, eyes burning with unrestrained fighting intent.
He knew better than anyone how terrifying the man before him truly was.
Slowly, he tightened his grip on Black Tide.
The air changed.
A thin haze crept across the deck… then thickened. The mist swelled, deepened, and darkened—until a blood-red fog rolled outward, swallowing the battlefield whole.
"Captain—watch out!"
Reith exploded forward.
The deck cracked beneath his feet as he leapt, Black Tide descending in a violent arc. The blade howled through the fog, carrying enough force to cleave mountains apart.
Roger shifted casually, swaying just enough for the slash to miss him by a hair's breadth.
"Heh—nice one, Little Wraith," Roger said with a grin.
But the attack didn't stop.
The mist behind the first slash instantly condensed into a second blade, cutting toward Roger's flank. Reith had timed it perfectly—catching the dodge itself.
Roger twisted, blade flashing.
Clang!
The mist blade shattered.
"He didn't even land the opener!" Gaban shouted from the sidelines. "Looks like the Fog Ghost's still a lightweight!"
Reith snorted.
"Oi! If you're commentating, at least be objective, idiot!"
Without missing a beat, he activated his Devil Fruit again. The fog surged violently, compressing and reshaping itself. The blood-red mist sharpened, splitting into countless thin spikes.
"Mist Needles—Thousand Needle Rain!"
The storm descended.
Roger's smile faded. His movements sharpened as he weaved through the barrage, each step precise, each dodge flawless. Needles slammed into the deck behind him, punching tiny craters into the wood.
"Tch… then try this!"
Reith compressed the fog around Black Tide once more. The mist ignited into a deeper crimson, swirling violently around the blade like living blood.
He raised the sword high.
"Mist God Style—Blood Tide!"
The slash came down.
A roaring wave of sword energy surged forward, drenched in blood-red mist. The air screamed as it tore apart, hissing violently in its wake.
Roger planted his feet.
His grin vanished.
Both hands gripped Ace as Busoshoku Haki flooded the blade.
"Divine Departure!"
Light exploded.
The two sword forces collided—
BOOM!
The shockwave tore across the deck like a hurricane. Crew members were flung backward, scrambling to stay upright as the ship groaned beneath the pressure.
Gaban squinted through a veil of white fog shielding him from the blast.
"Now that's a clash!" he shouted. "Who's still standing?!"
The fog slowly parted.
Reith skidded backward, boots carving twin trenches into the deck. His hands trembled, blood seeping from between his fingers—but his eyes remained sharp, unwavering.
"The odds just shifted!" Gaban yelled. "What are you waiting for—raise the stakes!"
"It's not over!" Reith snarled, lunging again.
Roger lifted his sword, approval glinting in his eyes.
Their blades met again and again.
Reith attacked relentlessly—vertical slashes, sweeping arcs, sudden thrusts—pouring everything he had into each strike. But he knew it wasn't enough.
A frontal assault won't win.
So he vanished.
"There it is!" Gaban groaned. "Little Wraith's most disgusting trick! Ugh—truly masterful!"
The blood-red fog churned.
Reith's silhouette flickered in and out, appearing for an instant before dissolving again. He struck from behind—Black Tide first, mist blade immediately after.
Roger spun, blocking just in time.
Reith reappeared elsewhere, fog condensing into a spear that he hurled forward. The instant the spear flew, Black Tide followed from another angle.
Roger dodged.
Reith vanished.
Again.
And again.
The Fog Ghost danced through the battlefield, never staying long enough to be caught.
But Roger had sixteen more years of battle behind him.
He didn't even bother using the Voice of All Things.
Though the fog disrupted Observation Haki, Roger's perception was monstrous—and eventually, inevitability caught up.
Clang!
Black Tide was knocked from Reith's hands.
He crashed onto the deck, blood trailing from the corner of his mouth. Disappointment flickered in his eyes.
Roger stepped forward, laughing softly.
"Ha-ha! You did great, Little Wraith."
He reached down and pulled Reith to his feet.
Reith wiped his mouth, eyes burning with resolve.
"Captain… I'll become stronger."
Roger grinned and ruffled his hair.
"I know you will."
"Oi! Don't look at me like some proud father, you idiot!" Reith shot back, grinning despite himself.
The sun dipped low, bathing the deck in warm orange light.
Reith sat against the railing, stretching his aching arms. Black Tide rested beside him.
Roger plopped down next to him and offered a bottle of rum.
"Care for a sip?"
Reith took a long gulp—and immediately winced.
"Shh—still disgusting."
Roger laughed, handing him a glass of orange juice instead.
"You did damn well today. Give it a few more years… you might really knock me down. I'm looking forward to it."
"Your Observation Haki's a cheat," Reith muttered.
Rayleigh approached, sunset glinting off his glasses.
"You're nineteen," he said calmly. "And you fought Roger like that. That alone is absurd."
Gaban chimed in with a grin.
"Next time, at least make the captain sweat!"
Reith snapped upright.
"You bastard! I challenge you to a duel!"
Laughter erupted across the deck.
The Oro Jackson sailed onward beneath the fading sun—
carrying monsters, dreams, and an era that had only just begun.