ONE PIECE: THE GREAT VOYAGE

[49] Roger Pirates, D's Will!

The ship sailed forward as usual, the calm sea rippling gently under the breeze.

Caesar, standing near the railing, closed his eyes slightly, enjoying the tranquil sea wind brushing against his face. But suddenly, his expression shifted—his brows furrowed, and his gaze sharpened.

"What's wrong, Caesar?"

Gnaly, noticing the change in his demeanor, looked at him strangely.

"I feel a strong presence."

"...What?!"

At Caesar's words, the nearby pirates scrambled for their binoculars.

The view shifted through the mist, cutting past the rolling clouds to reveal an approaching ship.

One of the crew members, peering through the telescope, suddenly trembled violently.

Boom!

The telescope slipped from his grasp and crashed onto the deck.

Caesar arched an eyebrow at him. Since when did Rocks Pirates members turn into cowards?

The trembling pirate fell to his knees, his voice shaking.

"I-It's... the Roger Pirates!"

A smirk crept onto Caesar's lips as he raised an eyebrow.

"Roger…?"

The man who would one day become the Pirate King, the one who would usher in the Great Pirate Era?

A commanding presence soon approached from behind.

Rocks D. Xebec strode forward, his steps heavy with authority. By now, the two ships were nearly within range of each other.

Caesar's gaze lifted toward the other vessel, and his pupils contracted.

Standing on the deck of the Oro Jackson was a middle-aged man wearing a straw hat, his signature broad grin stretching across his face.

His eyes, filled with determination, carried none of the silence or calmness of a man facing death.

Caesar's curiosity deepened. He couldn't help but study this man—Gol D. Roger, the future One Piece.

Rocks' excitement was evident as he caught sight of Roger.

"Jihahahaha… Roger, we meet again."

Roger removed his straw hat and grinned.

Despite his infamous reputation, his smile was warm, almost disarmingly cheerful.

"Yeah, it's been a while."

Roger's nonchalance only fueled Rocks' excitement further.

"Join me, Roger. Be my right-hand man."

Rocks' voice carried across the sea, booming with authority.

"I believe in your strength. If we join forces, the Celestial Dragons and the World Government would fall in an instant.

"The dawn of a new era would be within reach."

A gust of wind billowed around him as his Haoshoku Haki flared, causing the ship's wooden planks to creak.

"Together, we could rebuild the Great Kingdom."

Caesar's eyes narrowed. A Great Kingdom?

The ambition in Rocks' gaze was undeniable.

He made it sound so… inevitable.

For a moment, Caesar envisioned it. The world, reshaped by their rule.

Roger, however, merely chuckled. He lowered his head slightly, casting a shadow over his eyes with the brim of his hat.

Then, in a steady voice, he spoke.

"Sorry, Rocks. I still want to sail freely."

The Roger Pirates behind him remained unfazed—none of them were surprised.

They had heard these kinds of proposals before.

And they knew their captain's answer would never change.

Gol D. Roger would never serve under another man.

From the side, a young Silvers Rayleigh observed in silence. His sharp gaze locked onto Rocks.

The two pirate crews stood at a tense standstill.

On one side, the Rocks Pirates—ruthless, bloodthirsty, their killing intent palpable.

On the other, the Roger Pirates—calm, unwavering, some watching cautiously while others remained relaxed, as if they had expected this outcome.

Rocks' expression darkened.

"Why?"

His voice, laced with irritation, turned colder.

"With your talent and my power, world domination would be child's play…"

"And restoring the Great Kingdom—isn't that a dream we all share?"

Roger's chuckle deepened.

Underneath his straw hat, his eyes were unreadable.

"The Great Kingdom may have fallen… but the Will of D will never die."

"One day, its successor will rise again to rebuild what was lost."

"That is the course of history."

"And you and I… we are merely players in that grand design."

Rocks' jaw tightened. His stormy gaze locked onto Roger.

He hated being denied.

Especially by Roger.

"Tch. So you really won't take me seriously."

His aura flared again, sending waves of pressure rippling through the air.

Caesar's anticipation only grew.

---

[50] Rage, and the Golden Lion's Judgment

Crack. Crack…

An immense wave of Haoshoku Haki surged from both captains.

The sheer force made the air itself tremble.

BOOM!

A deafening impact split the sky as their wills clashed.

Crew members began collapsing one after another.

The decks of both ships splintered, unable to withstand the pressure.

Caesar, Whitebeard, and other high-ranking members of the Rocks Pirates watched with rapt attention.

At the same time, Golden Lion Shiki's eyes gleamed with intrigue.

"Roger… you underestimate me."

Rocks' voice was laced with fury as his Haki surged even stronger.

Suddenly, the clouds above them burst apart, splitting in two.

The ocean roared beneath them.

The very sky seemed to bow to their battle.

Winds howled like a raging typhoon, toppling weaker pirates into the sea.

Both ships groaned under the relentless waves of pressure.

Caesar clenched his fists, eyes flickering between the two.

Roger's Haki was undeniably strong—not as sheerly destructive as Rocks', but possessing a different kind of power.

A will that embraced everything.

In Roger, Caesar saw a force of nature.

His respect for the man grew.

Then, in the blink of an eye—

Boom!

The two men charged at each other, leaping into the air.

Their fists met midair.

Black and red lightning erupted.

The sky cracked.

The force sent shockwaves rippling through the sea.

Crew members with Haoshoku Haki found themselves entranced by the battle.

The strong… yearned to challenge the strong.

BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!

Each clash sent more sparks flying.

Then, as suddenly as it began—

Roger landed back on his ship, his aura settling.

A hearty laugh escaped his lips.

"Hahahahaha! Let's leave it at that. I'm not looking for a war right now."

He waved casually, his ship already drifting away.

"See you next time, Rocks."

His carefree voice echoed across the sea.

Silence lingered.

Then—

"Tch! Running away so fast…"

King John clicked his tongue, then turned to Golden Lion Shiki.

"Shiki! Use your Float-Float Fruit! Chase him down!"

"Yeah, yeah! With your ability, we can still catch up!"

Rocks turned to Shiki as well, expectant.

But Shiki only took a long drag of his cigar.

Then, a grin spread across his face.

"Jihahahahaha… Nah."

"That guy's… pretty interesting."