Chapter 18: Edd War Began - Roger vs Golden Lion

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The air hummed with a low, ominous vibration. Everything was shaking. The void twisted, creating ripples, and the turbulent sea suddenly calmed. 

A fierce, suffocating, and overpowering aura rapidly surged, covering a vast area ahead and spreading even further as if it knew no bounds.

"Crack!" The sound of breaking echoed as fine cracks appeared on the sturdy surface of the Marine warship.

Saul, Simbu, and the other officers stood frozen, their expressions visibly shifting to shock and terror. 

They stared ahead at the figure with his back to them—the young man in the white Marine Justice cape, fluttering in the wind—unable to comprehend what had just happened.

Looking past Arashi, they could see the five pirate ships ahead. 

Just a moment ago, the pirates had been laughing arrogantly, but now their faces were frozen in fear, their eyes rolling back as they lost consciousness.

"Thud!" The sound of bodies hitting the deck echoed as the pirates, weapons in hand, collapsed one by one like wheat being cut down. 

Even the fierce winds died at that moment, and the thunder in the sky went silent. 

Above Arashi, the dark clouds twisted and spun violently, forming a massive vortex.

"What is this?!" Simbu exclaimed in shock. "It's Conqueror's Haki!!"

The crew's Marines fell silent. Every eye focused on the young man standing at the front.

Arashi slowly exhaled, his gaze piercing and intense as he looked ahead. 

He knew that facing the endless fleet of the Flying Pirates, possessing only Conqueror's Haki, was far from enough. 

Unlike the events in the movies, in this battle, he would be up against the Golden Lion Shiki at his true peak, along with countless elite New World pirates under his command. 

Even with Conqueror's Haki, it would make little difference. 

The retreat was undoubtedly the best option. But right now, against these five pirate ships, he was confident.

An invisible sense of majesty spread across the sea. The near-maximum level of Conqueror's Haki Arashi wielded was unimaginably powerful. 

Even weaker Marine officers of rear admiral rank couldn't withstand it. 

However, what made Arashi's heart sink was that on the pirate ships ahead, a dozen figures were still standing, having withstood the impact of his Haki.

"This kid…?" one pirate, wearing a captain's hat and wielding a longsword, muttered in shock. 

"He's awakened Conqueror's Haki!" The terrifying aura reminded him of their leader, Shiki. 

Looking around, he saw that all his subordinates had passed out, rendered completely unable to fight.

Two massive presences surged through the sea breeze the next moment, shaking everyone present.

"Shiki's got Roger!" the pirate captain exclaimed, his voice tense. 

His gaze locked onto the black-haired youth ahead, and he tightened his grip on his longsword. 

"This might be tricky," he muttered, "but I'm no pushover!" In the next second, he waved his hand, eyes sharp with determination.

"Take them out!" he ordered.

Those who could remain conscious after the Conqueror's Haki blast were undoubtedly elites, officers of high rank. 

As the pirate ships closed within tens of meters, both sides let out battle cries and sprang into action.

Meanwhile, the Oro Jackson slowly stopped, its massive hull bobbing with the waves.

"Roger, this is bad!" Rayleigh said gravely. "The Flying Pirates have deployed their entire fleet—they're determined to get us!"

"Hahahaha!" A man with a captain's hat and a handlebar mustache laughed heartily. 

"Relax, Rayleigh! We'll be just fine!" He slowly lifted his head, stepping to the ship's bow to look at the golden, lion-like figure towering above them.

"Shiki, we meet again!" Roger called out.

Golden Lion Shiki looked down, laughing as well. "Jihahaha! Roger, join forces with me. If we combine our strengths, the entire world will be ours!"

Roger smiled, shaking his head slowly. "I'm afraid you're going to be disappointed."

"Roger!" Shiki's voice grew stern. "You don't seem to understand the situation you're in. There's only one path for you to take!"

"That's to follow my orders!" Golden Lion Shiki roared, unleashing a violent surge of energy that radiated outward in all directions. 

Roger's aura erupted from below at the exact moment, matching Shiki's intensity. 

"I've always had only one goal, and I'll never work under anyone," Roger declared. "Shiki, your ambition is too grand!"

Their gazes clashed, and the sheer force of their wills split the space around them in two. 

Suddenly, a wave of Conqueror's Haki from afar collided with their energies, forming a third zone in the otherwise unyielding standoff. 

Almost simultaneously, both of them turned their heads towards where Arashi stood. 

Even Rayleigh, Scopper Gaban, and the others showed signs of surprise on their faces. 

The Conqueror's Haki coming from Arashi was as powerful as the two titans facing off.

"Jihahaha!" Shiki laughed loudly. "Looks like I missed an interesting one just now!" 

His eyes flashed with interest as he recalled the Marine warship and the black-haired youth on board. 

"But my target has always been you, Roger!" With that, Shiki's gaze sharpened and instantly leaped into the air, diving straight down.

"Bring it on, Shiki!" Roger shouted back, leaping high into the sky. 

Lightning crackled through the air as the two figures collided with tremendous force. 

"Divine Departure!" 

"Lion Slash!" 

The impact of their clash sent shockwaves rippling outward, creating a massive whirlwind and even causing the sea below to dip into a deep crater, making the surrounding ships sway violently.

Then, someone inadvertently looked up. 

"My god!" 

"The sky… it's splitting open!" 

The expressions on the faces of those watching were filled with shock, terror, and awe.

"Jihahaha!" Shiki laughed once more. 

"It's only you, Roger! In this era, you're the only one I truly recognize and want to conquer completely!" 

He swung his dual swords, Oto and Kogarashi, clashing with Roger's weapon, filling the air with the sound of metal striking metal.

"Well, I appreciate the compliment but ain't not swing that way!" Roger grinned, still making jokes. The battle between the two shook the entire sea. 

Before long, their crew members and officers joined the fray, engaging in combat.

"Shing!" The flash of a blade's aftermath alone brought screams as it sliced through more than a dozen pirate ships. 

This was a battle beyond imagination, with the shockwaves quickly spreading across the entire sea, even reaching Arashi and his group in the distance.

"Boom!" The Marine warship exploded, flames bursting into the sky. 

The deck beneath Arashi's feet groaned, and the ship swayed violently as the wind howled like a beast. 

Arashi looked at the distant sky, now discolored and streaked with lightning, and felt a deep sense of awe at the terrifying destructive power of these mighty figures.

Then, his eyes shifted forward. He bent his knees slightly and suddenly sprang into action. 

"Boom!" Like a spring uncoiling, his body shot high into the air. 

The fierce Conqueror's Haki around him created a backdrop of black and red, while a subtle energy wrapped around his arms, concentrating in his fists. 

Black and red lightning crackled between his arm and fingers. He uses the full power of Conqueror Haki-Infusion

"Buzz!" At the peak of his jump, Arashi clenched his fist, his knuckles cracking echoing in the air.

"Galaxy Impact!" he roared, unleashing a powerful black-and-red lightning strike from his fist.

<End Chapter>

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