Roger vs. Vic (Seeking Flowers)

"Hahaha... I like your style, Vic." Roger laughed heartily.

Roger coated his arm in Armament Haki, veins bulging on his forehead, and swung his fist with full force at Patri Vic.

Patri Vic covered his arm in Armament Haki as well and struck back.

The two powerful forces collided, black electrical sparks crackling around their bodies.

A visible ripple, like a raging storm, swept outward in all directions.

Many of the watching pirates, unable to withstand the aftershocks of the clash, fell to the ground.

Both Roger and Patri Vic wore calm expressions on their faces.

Their fists remained locked for a full minute before they each pulled back.

But the next second, they vanished from their spots and clashed together again.

Patri Vic seized an opportunity, coated his fist in Haki, and drove it with all his might into Roger's face.

At the same time, Roger's fist also landed on his face.

"Bam! Bam!"

Both took a punch to the face, then flew backward, carving long trenches into the ground.

"A commander of the Rocks Pirates really is no joke." Roger wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth in praise.

In the contest of Body Technique and Haki, the two were evenly matched.

"You're not bad either." Patri Vic smiled.

This wasn't just a polite remark—he genuinely thought Roger's strength was impressive.

Even at this stage, before he'd fully grown, Roger possessed such terrifying power. No wonder he could become the Pirate King in the original story.

"He's holding his own against our captain?" Gaban pushed up his glasses, a hint of surprise in his voice.

In the first half of the Grand Line, their captain Roger's strength was absolutely fearsome.

They rarely encountered anyone who could stand against Captain Roger without being overwhelmed.

Sure enough, every commander of the Rocks Pirates was a monster.

"The Rocks Pirates are renowned throughout the entire New World. If one commander can match our captain, just how terrifying must their captain, Rocks, be?" Gaban pondered deeply, a cold sweat breaking out on his forehead.

"At that level, even our captain probably couldn't win." Rayleigh said with a hint of unease.

The Roger Pirates had always wanted to head to the New World, because in the first half of the Grand Line, the three of them together could already handle most pirate crews.

But going to the New World meant they might run into the Rocks Pirates. They hadn't been too concerned about them before.

Now, though, Rayleigh realized that a single commander of the Rocks Pirates could match their captain.

And the Rocks Pirates had no shortage of commanders. If they clashed with the Rocks Pirates in the New World, they'd definitely lose!

Rayleigh thought that after Patri Vic and Roger's fight ended, he should seriously discuss with the captain about waiting a while longer before heading to the New World.

After all, going too early with insufficient strength would only invite danger.

"Hahaha... Vic, if you weren't part of the Rocks Pirates, I'd really want to invite you to join my crew." Roger laughed heartily.

Patri Vic was different from the vicious pirates Roger had in mind—his personality suited Roger just fine.

And his strength was undeniably formidable.

Though Roger wanted to recruit Patri Vic, he knew that as a commander of the Rocks Pirates, there was no way he'd join.

"I can't join your crew, but how about you join the Rocks Pirates?" Patri Vic teased with a joking tone.

"Sorry, Vic, I don't think I'd get along with the Rocks Pirates... but you and I get along just fine." Roger shrugged in response.

He'd never seen the Rocks Pirates in person.

But from the news reports about their deeds, he knew that his own ideals were different from theirs.

So Roger wouldn't fit in with the Rocks Pirates, and naturally, he wouldn't choose to join.

Still, Patri Vic suited Roger's tastes.

Whether the two could become close friends, however, remained to be seen.

After all, they were both pirates, standing on different sides. When they met again in the New World, they'd likely draw their blades against each other.

"I get along with you too." Patri Vic said calmly.

It was precisely because Roger's personality suited him that he was willing to drink with Roger and spar with him.

"Gurarara... Vic, if you're done, let me have a turn." Whitebeard cut in from the side.

Seeing that Roger's Body Technique and Haki could match Patri Vic, Whitebeard grew interested in him.

Even though they were in Paradise, Whitebeard could tell Roger wasn't weak.

"Edward, our fight has only just begun." Patri Vic replied with a slight smirk.

"Vic, I'm going to get serious now." Roger drew the blade at his waist and spoke solemnly.

Roger was a master swordsman. In their earlier fight, he hadn't used his swordsmanship—only clashed in Haki and Body Technique.

The moment he drew his sword, it proved that Roger acknowledged Patri Vic's strength—his opponent's power was worthy of a serious fight.

"Then I won't hold back either," Patri Vic said calmly.

Roger gripped his blade and charged swiftly toward Patri Vic.

"Shwoosh!"

Roger swung his rapier with both hands, slashing forward fiercely.

A crimson Sword Qi surged like a primordial beast, rushing toward Patri Vic with overwhelming, world-shattering force.

Patri Vic's entire body was coated in Armament Haki, his arms crossed before him as he withstood the attack with sheer physical strength.

"Squeak..."

A long trench appeared on the ground as Patri Vic's body was pushed back dozens of meters by the force of the blade.

On his Haki-covered arms, a trace of blood slowly seeped out.

Even with Haki coating, Roger's attack had still inflicted damage—though it was negligible to Patri Vic.

"You're no ordinary brat," Whitebeard praised, watching Roger.

A single Sword Qi had sent Patri Vic flying dozens of meters and even drawn blood.

If he hadn't seen it with his own eyes, he wouldn't have believed Roger came from "Paradise."

"Our captain has the qualities of a king," Gaban replied smugly.

"It's just Conqueror's Haki—nothing to brag about," Roger said flatly.

"Don't get distracted while fighting, Roger."

Patri Vic had already charged forward while Roger turned to speak.

His body was infused with the power of Ninja Body Technique, a crushing pressure like a mountain bearing down on Roger.

A Haki-coated fist slammed toward Roger's face.

At the critical moment, Roger's rapier blocked in front of his face, absorbing the blow, but his body carved a trench dozens of meters long into the ground.

"Is that the power of a Devil Fruit?" Roger asked, shaking his slightly numb arm.

With Ninja Body Technique activated, Patri Vic's strength and speed had both skyrocketed.

Even Roger was somewhat surprised by the sheer brute force.

"What if I said I've never eaten a Devil Fruit?" Patri Vic replied with a helpless smile.

People always assumed he had a Devil Fruit, but he really hadn't eaten one—he was just not "ordinary."

"Do you think I believe that?" Roger laughed.

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