Roger sighed heavily. They'd found a few rubbings of the Poneglyphs, but they couldn't understand a single word. Ritter knew that in the Roger Pirates, it had been Oden who could decipher the ancient text.
Lazily lying on the deck, Ritter called out to Roger, "There's a samurai from Wano nad Kozuki Oden on Whitebeard's ship. He can read the Poneglyphs."
Roger's eyes lit up with a rare flash of excitent at the news.
"Captain, what sche are you cooking up now?" Rayleigh adjusted his glasses, a hint of a smile tugging at his lips.
"If Ritter told about him, then that ans he's fated to be one of us!" Roger burst out laughing. "That guy's on Whitebeard's ship right now we'll just go and 'borrow' him for a while!"
Ritter raised an eyebrow. "Whitebeard isn't exactly the reasonable type. How do you plan on convincing him?"
Roger clenched his fist, battle spirit blazing in his eyes. "How else? We'll fight him first and talk later!"
Rayleigh shook his head in exasperation. "Here we go again another spectacle in the making..."
Shanks and Buggy eagerly crowded around. "Captain! Are we going to fight the Whitebeard Pirates again?!"
The last ti, they'd shalessly ganged up on them. Shanks and Buggy had been fuming for days over it.
Can't win? Then mob them. If the little guy can't fight, what else is he supposed to do?
Roger ruffled their hair and laughed uproariously. "Kuahahaha! That's right! Just don't go crying when those brats on their side get scary!"
Shanks clenched his fists, a fire lit in his eyes. "I won't lose!"
Buggy chid in confidently, "I-I won't either!"
Ritter stretched and stood up. "Buggy, this ti you better fight properly. If you run away, I'll spin you like a top."
He cracked his neck, looking out over the sea. "Let's go. I've been wanting to see just how strong the Whitebeard Pirates really are."
With the Roger Pirates actively searching, the Oro Jackson cut across the azure sea, racing toward the Whitebeard Pirates.
anwhile, aboard the Moby Dick—
"Pops! The Roger Pirates have been spotted ahead!" the lookout shouted from the crow's nest.
Whitebeard sat atop his custom chair, the corners of his mouth curving upward. "Gurararara... Roger, that rascal. Never thought we'd bump into them here."
Two legendary ships gradually drew near and finally made landfall on the sa island.
Roger stood proudly at the prow, hands on his hips. "Whitebeard! Long ti no see!"
Whitebeard let out a low chuckle. "Gurararara... Roger, what kind of trouble are you bringing this ti?"
Roger's eyes burned with battle lust. "Nothing much just felt like fighting you again! We'll talk after!"
Whitebeard snorted. "Gurararara... Roger, then bring it on!"
No sooner had the words left his mouth than their Conqueror's Haki collided with a deafening roar. The sky instantly darkened, storm clouds rolling in, and massive waves churned across the sea.
Marco and Jozu headed straight for Shanks and Buggy.
"This ti you're not sand-blinding again," Marco said, blue flas sprouting from his wings as he hovered midair, his tone teasing.
Shanks grinned. "Don't worry. This ti I'll beat you head-on!"
Without warning, Shanks charged. His blade sliced through the air, aiming straight for Marco's chest! Marco flared his wings, narrowly dodging, and whipped his right wing like a burning whip, forcing Shanks back with a searing gust of wind.
Shanks' swordplay had lost its earlier roughness each strike was sharp and precise. His nascent Observation Haki let him faintly predict Marco's evasions.
But Marco had the edge in experience. Using his phoenix form's agility, he danced around Shanks' attacks.
Suddenly, Shanks changed his rhythm his blade coated in a slick black sheen!
"Swish—!" One slash split Marco's flas apart, leaving a cut on his shoulder!
Marco's eyes narrowed. "Armant Haki?! You little brat…"
Panting, Shanks grinned wildly. "Ritter told —'To hurt a Mythical Zoan, you need real Haki!'"
Marco finally got serious. The kid's growth was terrifying. His phoenix flas surged, eyes fierce. "Then I'll show you... the real power of the Phoenix!"
"Phoenix Brand!"
His wings unfurled and burst into flas, slamming toward Shanks like a fiery missile!
Shanks didn't dodge. Both hands gripped his blade as he focused every bit of Haki into the tip—"Divine Departure!"
Well, it was a simplified imitation of Roger's technique, but it looked the part.
Boom—! The fire was split in two.
Marco managed to claw Shanks away at the last second, putting so distance between them.
But Shanks was visibly spent. That "Divine Departure" was far too draining.
Marco's flas slowly healed his wound. Mythical Zoans really were monsters when it ca to stamina. His eyes, though, no longer held mockery.
Shanks vs. Marco. Shanks lost, but it looked like the start of a future friendship.
Now, let's shift the focus to Buggy—
He stood before Jozu, a large bundle strapped to his back—full of throwing knives, if one looked closely.
There was no trace of the fear from the original tiline. His eyes brimd with confidence. He grinned at the diamond-skinned Jozu. "Hey, diamond freak! Don't expect to get flattened by this great lord again!"
Jozu cracked his fists together, sparks flying. "Don't get cocky, red-nose! You're just a cheap trickster!"
"Who said I'm using cheap tricks?" Buggy crossed his arms. "Co on. Less talk, more fighting."
Jozu's gaze sharpened. With a heavy stomp, his diamond-coated fist ca crashing down on Buggy!
Boom—!
The ground cratered, dust flying—but Buggy's body had already scattered. Jozu's punch hit nothing but air.
"Can't hit ~ can't hit ~" Buggy's head floated above Jozu, grinning cheekily while one of his disembodied hands made a face at him.
Buggy (internal monologue): Ritter bro, your promises really ca true. Ehehe...
Jozu roared in fury. His arms expanded, diamond coating gleaming viciously. Spinning around, his fists rained down like a storm!
"Diamond teor Fists!"
Buggy's scattered pieces weaved through the barrage effortlessly. With a little bit of Paper Art from the Six Powers, he floated like confetti in the wind. All the while, he taunted, "Harder! I haven't even broken a sweat!"
Veins bulged on Jozu's forehead. He changed tactics and slamd the ground.
Boom—!
Chunks of rock exploded outward, forcing Buggy's parts to regroup.
Seizing the chance, Jozu's diamond arm swept in from the side!
"No escape this ti!"
At the last mont, Buggy smirked devilishly.
His body scattered again—but this ti, every piece held a knife.
From every angle, blades stabbed at Jozu!
Shlick shlick shlick—!
Even his diamond armor showed thin cracks. Jozu winced, faltering, just as Buggy's right hand snuck behind and shoved him hard!
"Off you go!"
Jozu staggered and nearly fell. Regaining his balance, he looked back in disbelief. "You… you actually hurt ?!"
Buggy's floating head bead. "How about that? Every knife's coated in Armant Haki. You know how many months I trained for this, huh?!"
Jozu's expression turned serious at last. He took a deep breath, diamond glow intensifying. "Then try this!"
He charged like a tank—no longer flailing, but aiming his crushing blows with precise force.
Buggy now moved with practiced ease. His constant splitting made brute-force attacks almost useless.
(in dramatic narrator voice) "Buggy—free to split however he wants!"
But Buggy wanted to test sothing new. He suddenly reached out and touched Jozu's diamond arm—
"Split!"
A bizarre scene unfolded! Cracks spread across Jozu's diamond surface like sothing was trying to pry it apart!
Only for an instant—but enough for Buggy's knife to slip into the fissure!
Shlunk!
Blood spurted! Jozu grunted and leapt back, staring in shock at his wounded arm. "You… you can affect my powers too?!"
Buggy retrieved his knife and casually wiped off the blood with a handkerchief. "So? Want another round?"
Ritter had theorized: If Buggy can split himself, could he split soone else's attack? If his fruit awakens, could he even disrupt Haki like Law's Room cuts things that resist logic? Why not? The Chop-Chop Fruit never said it only works on himself...
Jozu gritted his teeth, about to charge again—when—
BOOM—!
An explosion blasted between them! From the smoke, one of Buggy's disembodied hands dangled a round bomb.
"Damn! Just a little bit more! Gotta make quieter Buggy Bombs next ti."
Buggy's fighting style was shalessly underhanded. With so many pieces floating around, who would notice if one went missing mid-fight?
As the smoke cleared, Jozu knelt on one knee, his diamond body scorched but otherwise unhard. Still, he had to admit he couldn't do anything about Buggy.
He glared up, only to see Buggy reassembled and laughing loudly.
"Victory secured! A flawless win for Lord Buggy!"
Jozu stayed silent for a mont then chuckled. "Interesting... next ti, I won't lose."
Buggy waved as he walked back to his crewmates. "Bring it on anyti!"
Internally, Buggy was already exploding with joy.
Guys, it happened. IT HAPPENED.
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