One Piece: Peace Shattered By Roger (Completed)

At the end of the banquet, I looked around and saw that many people were drunk, slumped against tables or each other.

Those still drinking had rosy cheeks and hazy smiles.

Whitebeard looked around at his crewmates, who were muttering nonsense in their intoxication, then noticed Kaizen, who was sitting cross-legged not far away, drinking beer calmly as though unaffected by the revelry.

"Oi! Kaizen, I've been watching you for a while, and you haven't stopped drinking. Why aren't you drunk?"

Whitebeard-san approached Kaizen, slinging an arm around his shoulder.

"Maybe I have something on my mind. It's hard to get drunk when your thoughts are heavy," Kaizen replied, taking another sip.

"Something on your mind? What could trouble you so?" Whitebeard-san asked, glancing toward the villagers who had been relocated safely and wondering what Kaizen might be brooding over.

"I can't quite explain it... it's just a feeling of loss," Kaizen sighed. His peaceful life had been shattered, and now he was on the Marines' most-wanted list. The future would undoubtedly be hard, with challenges piling up one after another. How could he not feel troubled?

"Kaizen, it's taboo to be gloomy at a banquet. Take my advice—set your worries aside, drink deeply, and let them go for tonight. Deal with them once you wake up."

Whitebeard-san was adept at lifting spirits and offered his wisdom with a hearty tone.

"Hahaha! It's just my nature. My troubles tend to fester inside. But no need to worry, Whitebeard-san."

Kaizen answered with a brave, though lonely, laugh.

"Alright! If that's how you feel, then let's settle it with a fight."

Whitebeard-san decided to cheer him up in a different way.

"Huh? Us? Don't joke around; we'd destroy the island!"

Kaizen knew full well how destructive Whitebeard-san's power could be.

"Don't worry. I can control my strength. Are you underestimating me, thinking I'd go all out?"

Whitebeard-san dismissed Kaizen's concerns and continued with a hearty invitation.

"Come on, let's have a showdown between men. If you're not scared, you'll accept."

"With a challenge like that, how could I refuse?" Kaizen said, standing up from the ground.

Everyone's attention turned to them. It was like a jolt of energy that instantly sobered everyone up; their drowsiness turned to anticipation.

"How thrilling! It's been a long time since anyone's fought with Oyaji like this."

"This guy seems confident, but how can he hope to win against Oyaji? Just wait, he'll lose in no time!"

"Don't underestimate him. He's strong enough to withstand a punch from Admiral Zephyr without breaking a sweat. He's no joke."

"Hmph! Talk to me once he can take a punch from Oyaji!"

Most of Whitebeard's crew saw no hope for Kaizen. Only the villagers Kaizen had saved cheered for him.

"Do your best, Kaizen-sama!" Xiao Ai, the former tavern waitress, stood hidden in the crowd, watching Kaizen with clenched fists, silently cheering him on.

Whitebeard-san and Kaizen moved to an open area on the island.

Without further words, they assumed their stances.

"What an interesting battle this will be. I'm eager to see what you can do!" Whitebeard-san's battle spirit flared, ready to be unleashed.

"Oyaji! Are you going to get your weapon?" someone in the crowd asked.

"No need." Whitebeard-san glanced at Kaizen, who was unarmed, and waved off the suggestion.

This was a fair fight.

"Kaizen! Go ahead and take the first move!" Whitebeard-san said with a broad smile, eyes locked onto him.

"Then, I won't hold back," Kaizen replied and darted forward, his speed ghostly and quick.

Whitebeard-san grinned approvingly, pleased by Kaizen's attack.

In the next moment, their fists collided powerfully, Haki radiating outward with a violent force.

Whitebeard-san focused his gaze, eyes narrowing as he unleashed his Conqueror's Haki. Originally, he intended only to welcome Kaizen's strength, but Kaizen released his own Conqueror's Haki, a fierce aura that clashed with Whitebeard-san's, filling the area with the weight of a king.

"Hahaha! So, you have it too!" Whitebeard-san exclaimed joyfully.

With that, he took a step back, drew his fist back, and began to gather power, activating his Gura Gura no Mi (Tremor-Tremor Fruit) ability.

"Kaizen! This is my real attack. If you don't put all your strength into defending, you'll be sent flying!"

"Thank you for the warning," Kaizen replied, smiling calmly. He clenched his fists, covering them with a potent, dark Armament Haki that shimmered faintly with a golden light.

"Look! Oyaji's using that move!" someone in the crowd shouted as onlookers stepped back instinctively.

"Haah!"

With a shout, their fists collided once more, Haki surging forth like tidal waves. The impact caused the very space around them to crack.

The clash tore apart the space around them, yet their bodies remained unscathed. Their faces mirrored each other's smiles.

Not only that, but their combined Haki rippled outward, shaking the entire island.

"Look at the sky!" someone in the crowd pointed upward in awe.

Everyone looked to the sky to see clouds rolling away from the two fighters, spiraling outwards from the point of impact.

Even the clouds seemed to recoil from the force of their battle. Was this the power of a true clash of kings?

"I remember the last time Oyaji fought like this was two years ago, during a skirmish with Roger's crew."

The crowd was buzzing with amazement.

"Kaizen, was it? I've never heard of him before, but here he is, facing down both the Marines' top officers and Oyaji. This guy must've been hiding his power!"

The whispers in the crowd shifted from ridicule to admiration.

"Look, they're both smiling!" someone said, pointing at Whitebeard-san and Kaizen, who continued to exchange powerful blows.

"It seems they've both been waiting for a moment like this! The strong are drawn to the strong."

Excitement filled the air; it was thrilling to witness a battle of this intensity.

Whitebeard-san and Kaizen were truly kindred spirits, perhaps feeling mutual respect for the first time in ages.

"Heh-heh-heh! Aside from Roger and Garp, it's been a long time since I've enjoyed a fight like this. You're really something, Kaizen!"

Whitebeard-san laughed, unable to hide his exhilaration.

"Is that so? I feel the same. The turmoil in my heart feels like it's melting away."

Kaizen replied with a sincere smile.

Their fists met over and over, each strike blazing with a brilliance like meteors, a perfect expression of ultimate beauty.

This electrifying duel only ended when both fighters, drained of energy, finally fell to the ground.