Golden Lion vs Gaban! Roger Poaches Talent!

"Hey, hey, hey! Newgate! You guy, you just start swinging without even saying hello?

That's way too dishonorable! At least wait for me to dock and let everyone get into formation before we fight!

We've known each other long enough, and we've brawled plenty of times; we're practically old acquaintances, aren't we?

Is this how you treat a friend?! You're really hurting my feelings!"

Though Roger complained, his movements were as swift as lightning.

His blade was already unsheathed, the muscles in his right arm bulging. The swing looked simple, yet a majestic, heaven-splitting power erupted from it!

"Divine Departure!"

A deep, blood-red slash, wreathed in black-red lightning-like Haki, tore through the sea!

It surged toward the most violent point of the shockwaves within the giant wave, striking straight ahead!

Wherever the slash passed, space distorted, and the seawater was automatically pushed aside by the invisible, sharp aura!

"BOOM—!!!"

An earth-shattering collision erupted less than a hundred meters from the bow of the ship!

The crimson slash slammed fiercely into the white-capped giant wave carrying the shockwaves!

In an instant, the light was blinding, and the roar was deafening!

Turbulent, violent energy swept out in every direction!

The sea waves and the shockwaves held their ground against the black-red slash for a few seconds, eroding and annihilating each other.

Eventually, the momentum of the tsunami was gradually contained and dissipated.

But the sea surface was now churning violently, as if it were boiling.

Although Roger's slash had shattered the core shockwaves and the raging tide, its own power was mostly spent, and the crimson glow had dimmed significantly.

Yet, it still had momentum, and like a wounded but undiminished red dragon, it continued to shoot toward Whitebeard, who stood tall on the shore!

The residual Haki lightning crackled and popped.

Newgate didn't change his expression, a hint of admiration flashing in his eyes.

He raised Murakumogiri once more and swung down, meeting this residual Divine Departure head-on!

"BOOM—!!!"

The pitch-black blade of Murakumogiri collided violently with the crimson slash!

Whitebeard stood as steady as a mountain, not moving an inch!

On the other side, the Roger Pirates took this opportunity to dock and disembark.

Rayleigh, who had been silently observing Luo Tian, slowly stepped forward, adjusted his glasses, and spoke in a calm tone:

"You must be the young man who unleashed the 'Slash Wave' and 'Thousand-Slice Valley' from this island earlier, right?"

As soon as these words were spoken, Luo Tian, who was standing beside Shiki and also observing the Roger Pirates, felt a slight jolt in his heart.

Slashes? Was he referring to the "Lion Threat: Slash Wave" and "Lion Threat: Thousand-Slice Valley" that he had imitated while sparring with Shiki earlier?

Could it be... those slashes that flew toward the open sea didn't miss entirely, but actually hit their ship? Or at least, were clearly sensed by them?

So... the Roger Pirates suddenly turned and docked here not by coincidence, but because they were drawn in?

"Hahahaha!" Roger, standing to the side, laughed heartily, his eyes looking at Luo Tian with a playful glint:

"Looks like Rayleigh has already spilled the beans. That's right, kid!

Those slashes earlier were quite enthusiastic! Especially that 'Slash Wave'—it nearly shaved the mast right off our ship!

If it weren't for Rayleigh's quick reflexes, we'd have had to swim the rest of the way today!"

Clearly, there was a hint of joking in his words.

Hearing this, Newgate and Shiki suddenly realized, turning to look at Luo Tian with expressions that seemed to say, "So it was you, kid, who brought these guys over."

At this moment, Gaban, who had been carrying his battle axe the whole time, spoke with undisguised appreciation:

"Hey! Kid, to reach such a level of swordsmanship at your age, and to be able to force both me and Rayleigh to act—not bad! You've got a bright future!

It looks like it won't be long before you truly surpass this guy Shiki and become the new legend of swordsmanship on these seas! Hahaha!"

However, while Gaban was praising Luo Tian, he had accidentally wounded Golden Lion Shiki, who stood nearby.

Shiki thought to himself: Damn it! I'm just standing here and I still get hit!

You want to praise this kid, fine, but you don't have to use me as a stepping stone for comparison, talking about "surpassing Shiki"—that's where you're wrong!

I am Golden Lion Shiki, a core executive of the Rocks Pirates, feared throughout the New World for years. Is the title of Flying Pirate just for show? Do I have no pride?!

Within the Rocks Pirates, if Whitebeard or Luo Tian tease me, that's "family business."

But you, Gaban, an outsider and a combatant of the Roger Pirates, speaking like that in this setting—the nature of it is completely different!

This is a blatant provocation and an insult!

If word of this gets out, that he, Golden Lion Shiki, is "about to be surpassed" by a newcomer, and it was said by an opponent himself—where would he put his old face?!

Shiki's rage instantly soared to its peak! He felt his dignity had been severely provoked!

"Gaban! What kind of joke are you playing!"

Shiki let out a furious roar and "swished" his twin blades, Oto and Kogarashi, from his waist, the blades humming with energy!

He couldn't even be bothered to waste more breath, directly activating the power of the Float-Float Fruit to lift his feet off the ground.

Crossing his twin blades before his chest, he transformed into a streak of golden light, charging rapidly toward Gaban on the shore!

"Holy crap! Is that really necessary?! I was just saying that!"

Having just finished speaking, Gaban was startled to see Shiki charging at him like a lion whose tail had been stepped on; he hadn't expected such a massive reaction.

But he was, after all, a combatant of the Roger Pirates, and his initial shock was instantly replaced by a surge of battle intent.

"Bring it on!" He let out a low shout, immediately grabbing his giant axes and meeting the charge without showing a hint of weakness!

Shiki and Gaban clashed, one descending from the sky with twin blades, unleashing a sky full of golden slashes.

The other wielded twin battle-axes, using brute force to break through finesse, the axe blades wreathed in Haki as he swung upward!

"Clang! Boom!!"

Their figures crossed in mid-air, blades and axes colliding violently, erupting in dazzling sparks and a thunderous roar.

They immediately used the momentum to leap into the air, fighting their way toward the open beach area in an instant.

I would like to call this battle—the Battle of Buggy, or perhaps...

The rest of the people on both sides wore subtle expressions at the sight, but no one stepped in to stop them.

Roger and Whitebeard were even happier to watch the spectacle, both choosing to remain as bystanders.

For powerhouses of their caliber, this kind of sparring sparked by a "verbal spat" was actually a good opportunity to gauge an opponent's current strength and state, provided no one lost their life.

Just as everyone's attention was slightly drawn away by the intense battle between Shiki and Gaban on the beach, another voice rang out, pulling the focus directly back to Luo Tian:

"Hahahaha! Interesting, too interesting! Kid, I think you're quite to my liking!"

Roger laughed heartily, his gaze burning, and right in front of Whitebeard, he issued an invitation without the slightest hesitation:

"The Rocks Pirates are so gloomy, what's the point of staying there?

Why don't you consider joining our Roger Pirates?!

Come adventure with us and seek the truth of the world; that's what you call freedom and joy!"

Luo Tian was an officer of the Rocks Pirates, and from the perspective of their factions, the two sides were effectively enemies.

Yet, Roger had poached him without a second thought, which went to show how much he valued Luo Tian's strength and talent.