Childhood friends.
Forr comrades.
Seniors who watched him grow.
ntors who once taught him.
All of them now stood before him—so close, yet impossibly distant.
Complicated emotions had no place in a real man's heart. At most, they caused a fleeting hesitation—
And then he would continue forward, unwavering.
"Roldy! Why did you choose to beco a pirate?!"
Tokikake and Gion had grown up with him. They believed they understood him better than most.
His betrayal of the Marines had been shocking—but not entirely unimaginable, given his temperant.
What they couldn't accept—
Was that he had beco a pirate.
The very thing he once despised.
Standing on the opposite side of Marine justice.
How had the justice-driven boy beco a pirate feared for his ruthlessness?
"Tokikake."
Dragon cut him off.
Dark green winds roared around him.
Words like that wouldn't sway Roldy.
And sure enough—
Their forr friend wore a faintly mocking smile. Whether it was directed at them—or himself—was unclear.
"Damn it! Roldy's unforgivable!"
Tokikake, the archetypal Marine golden boy, born and raised in the holy land of Marineford, had entered service with every advantage.
A few minor missions, and he had already risen to Marine Headquarters Major.
The chosen son of destiny.
But could soone like him truly understand the world's ugliness?
Tokikake rolled up his sleeves and charged recklessly toward the Golden Lion Pirates.
A single glance from Sengoku froze him in place.
"Enough talking!" Shiki roared. "Sengoku, today's interference will be the stupidest decision of your life!"
Shiki didn't care how many pirates died.
The New World had no shortage of them.
Especially not among the vicious criminals under his banner.
"Empty threats don't suit you, Shiki," Sengoku replied coolly. "Let's see who laughs last."
He raised his hand.
The Marine warships surged forward at speeds two to three tis their normal sailing pace.
New technology.
Unexpected.
Shiki's pirates hadn't anticipated it.
More than ninety percent of their descending shells splashed harmlessly into the sea behind the fleet.
Before they could readjust—
The Marines were within a nautical mile of the island.
"Charge!"
Pirates onshore fired desperately at the approaching fleet.
It barely slowed them.
From the decks of the Marine ships, over a hundred figures leapt into the air.
They ran across the sky using Geppo (Six Powers).
Field-grade officers ford the first assault wave.
"Kill them!"
Not to be outdone, notable pirate fighters rushed forward to intercept.
As the first clash erupted—
A second wave launched.
Fewer in number.
But the cloaks they wore marked them as commanders.
Veteran Rear Admirals and several Vice Admirals ford the spearhead.
Less than two hundred elites—
Enough to secure a landing and unleash the Marines' nurical superiority.
Among them, Roldy clearly saw Dragon, Sakazuki, and others.
Tokikake and Gion followed close behind, claiming the vanguard position yet shielded by senior officers.
They didn't realize it—
But they were protected.
Instead, they charged fearlessly.
"Roldy!"
Tokikake's courage bordered on madness.
He chose Roldy as his opponent.
Midair, his body underwent violent transformation.
Dense black bristles erupted across his fra.
His face twisted, tusks erging.
A massive wild boar.
His roar was half-beast, half-man.
Armant Haki coated his hairy fists.
"Do you know what I beca because of you, Roldy?!"
He roared.
For reasons even he didn't understand—
Roldy blurted:
"For you… I beca a werewolf?"
The unexpected line nearly made Tokikake stumble mid-charge.
He interpreted it as mockery.
Fury burned hotter.
He had grown.
He was now a Marine Headquarters Major.
He had captured pirates worth tens of millions.
Even Fleet Admiral Kong had called him a genius.
"Things are different now! Take this!"
Boom!
Roldy did not dodge.
Did not defend.
He stood still.
Watched the fist grow in his vision—
And allowed it to slam into his face.
"Ha! Are you so terrified of this genius that you forgot to run? Surrender! In the na of a future Admiral, I swear I'll beg the Fleet Admiral to spare you!"
He didn't understand the gravity of Roldy's cris.
His arrogance was almost innocent.
Roldy had already raised his hand to strike—
But paused.
The Armant Haki around his fist dissipated.
He opened his hand instead.
In the next instant—
Tokikake was lifted into the air, a massive hand wrapped around his throat.
"When did—?!"
He hadn't even seen it happen.
Roldy's arm extended slowly, hoisting him higher.
Tokikake struggled desperately, prying at the grip—
But it was like iron.
He looked down with difficulty.
Roldy was still smiling.
Not a single mark on his face.
"Your strength hasn't changed at all, Tokikake."
The grip tightened.
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