A massive golden island hovered above Holy Water Island, and a gleaming golden battleship descended from the sky, stunning the locals and even the Roger Pirates with the insane wealth of the Hell Pirates.
"Roger, Long time no see!!"
Brook greeted Roger with the enthusiasm of an older senior welcoming a younger one. Over a year had passed unknowingly, and Roger had grown even stronger during that time.
Roger, Rayleigh, and Jabba were surprised by the overwhelming aura coming from the four core fighters of the Hell Pirates. They were secretly sizing them up and comparing strength.
"Brook-senpai, your crew is seriously powerful!"
Roger stared at Redfield and the others with shining eyes. As a battle junkie himself, he couldn't hide his excitement at the chance to face such powerful opponents. The moment he sensed them, he felt a strong itch to fight.
"I'll introduce you to the Four Kings of the Hell Pirates—Red Earl Redfield, Golden Lion Shiki, Whitebeard Newgate, and the Scarlet Soul Witch, Linlin!"
Brook gave his introductions with flair, hyping up his crew with pride. Then, he turned and introduced the Roger Pirates to his own crewmates as well.
"Damn, that's sick. We definitely gotta spar one day!!"
Roger was already drawn in by their energy. These Hell Pirates had more firepower than his imagination.
"I think... these guys might even be stronger than Nagli, Byrnndi World, and Cone Pepper..."
Jabba muttered under his breath to Rayleigh, both shocked and relieved. Thank the sea these guys weren't enemies—otherwise, they'd be forced to retreat.
The Roger Pirates had faced countless pirate crews and Marine fleets on their journey. Most of the battles ended in victory or a stalemate—except that time with that rabid Vice Admiral.
"Hahaha~ That's what I thought, Roger. But hear Brother Brook speak so highly of you... kinda pisses me off!"
Golden Lion Shiki stepped forward, cigar in mouth, exuding a blatant, overpowering confidence. His Haki flared up, wild and unruly.
Provoked by the challenge, Roger responded instantly, unleashing his own Conqueror's Haki, clashing head-on with Shiki's aura.
"You've awakened your Conqueror's Haki too?"
Shiki was startled, but before he could finish processing it, Rayleigh also unleashed his own powerful Haki, stunning the Hell Pirates even more.
When the hell did Conqueror's Haki become so common? Shakky and Fisher Tiger clenched their fists, excited for the future!
Even Redfield looked surprised—two kings on Roger's ship? He was so pumped he let out his own Conqueror's Haki, entering the clash without hesitation.
Seeing everyone throwing down, Charlotte Linlin joined the party too. Another massive wave of Conqueror's Haki crashed into the battlefield, and the sheer pressure made both crews struggle to breathe.
But it wasn't fear—it was adrenaline. They were witnessing a once-in-a-lifetime clash that made their spirits tremble with thrill.
And Brook? He noticed something building up in Newgate. His fists clenched, veins bulging, eyes blazing. Something was awakening in the man.
Could it be...?
Brook's eyes gleamed. The aura was surging—Newgate was finally about to awaken!
Sure enough, after holding it in for a while, Whitebeard Newgate finally erupted with his own dominant will. His Haki surged, wild and uncontrollable, forcing his way into the clash. Though it was his first awakening and his control was rough, the force was undeniable.
"Yohohoho~~"
Brook laughed like a madman. Just like that, Newgate awakened. As expected, Roger really was a man of fate. Brook was beyond thrilled.
Above Brook, a towering figure of a Death God made of pure soul energy rose, standing at the heart of the six-way Haki collision—like the Lord of the Underworld, basking in the storm of wills.
Antonio captured the scene in a painting that would shake the world for generations—the eternal image of one emperor and six kings.
Even in the Holy Land Mary Geoise, atop the Empty Throne, Im suddenly raised his/her head, looking toward the New World.
On Beehive, Rocks stopped his training and stared into the distance, wide-eyed.
From Madagascar's Ten Kings Island, Diger trembled as he felt the momentum. The tide of the era was here...
In the snowy northern kingdom, the aging Ice Demon sighed, then closed his eyes to rest...
From Babao Island, Cone Pepper stirred. From Fox God Island, Nagli stood up. All those blessed with Conqueror's Haki felt it—the storm was here.
As Brook's laugh echoed, the illusion of the Death God grew more solid. Tempered by the Six Kings' Haki, even Brook himself felt as if he were ascending. Like a god in the making.
Captain of the Hell Pirates, Emperor of Hell.
After tanking the pressure of six conquerors, Brook finally exploded with his own overwhelming force. With a thunderous roar, he sent all six of them flying back, ending the clash in a violent crescendo.
The six Conquerors gasped for breath, staring at Brook standing alone in the middle. Their expressions were a kaleidoscope of awe:
—Linlin gazed with admiration.
—Redfield looked possessed.
—Shiki seemed humbled.
—Newgate showed worship.
—Roger held deep respect.
—Rayleigh was just plain shocked.
"Yohoho~ This is f***ing amazing!!!"
Brook was on a high. His soul felt like it had reached an untouchable level, like he'd gained mastery over fate itself. With this power, he could dominate the battlefield, even drag souls into his own Underworld at will.
"This is insane! From today on, the six of you won't be beneath any Overlord. The future is ours!!!"
Brook shouted, and the Hell Pirates erupted in cheers, their voices echoing across the sea.
"LONG LIVE CAPTAIN BROOK!!"
Roger stared at Brook and his crew with a lingering gaze. He saw a pirate crew as bonded and powerful as his own. This was the rise of a true Overlord.
"Gurarara~, Roger! Come on, drink with me!!"
Newgate, newly awakened, was hyped beyond belief. He called out to Roger with a wild smile. Brook had called him a child of fate—and now, fate delivered again. Meeting Roger had triggered his awakening.
"Haha, damn. You Hell Pirates got four Conquerors on one ship... You guys are ridiculous! I officially call you the strongest!"
Roger grabbed the massive bottle Newgate offered. It was as tall as him, but he lifted it with one hand, downing it like nothing. His gut must be bottomless!
"Hahaha~ We're partying tonight, Roger! Tomorrow, we fight again!!"
Shiki's whole vibe changed. After being completely convinced by Brook, his thirst for power calmed down. He felt more heroic—less tyrant, more brother-in-arms.
-----------------
The Hell Pirates and the Roger Pirates held a grand banquet on Holy Water Island to celebrate Whitebeard Newgate's awakening of Conqueror's Haki and Brook's further boost in strength!
"How amazing! You can actually turn rocks into food!!"
The Roger Pirates' crew were blown away by Chef Streusen ability after eating the Kuko Kuko no mi, but they also respected his solid cooking skills. A bunch of Roger Pirates' chefs gathered around to learn from him.
Rayleigh, meanwhile, was clearly captivated by Shakky in her half-vampire form. She was even more alluring than the last time they met—dangerous, cold, and totally his type. Her wild, sinister aura definitely stirred something in him.
Golden Lion Shiki, Whitebeard Newgate, and Roger hit it off right away. The three powerhouses were laughing, drinking, and raising hell together like old friends. They were without a doubt the loudest and rowdiest trio at the banquet.
Meanwhile, the aloof Redfield sat alone, quietly sipping his drink. Jabba, who also had a prideful air about him, joined him in silence. They didn't talk much, just drank in peace, watching the party unfold.
Sniper Hiruba locked eyes with his old rival, Peter from Roger's crew. A fire lit in both their eyes—they hadn't forgotten their long-standing sniper rivalry.
Fishman Tom was surrounded by Roger Pirates' shipwrights who came to sincerely ask him for advice. He gladly shared knowledge and even picked up a few new tricks himself. Elsewhere, pirates were bonding left and right. Fishman Tiger, who rarely saw such camaraderie among pirate crews, found himself making real friends for the first time.
Big Mom Linlin, Stussy, and Shakky sat near Brook, chatting with Rayleigh across the table. Within the Roger Pirates, Rayleigh had more influence than even Roger himself—while Roger was a force of nature, most saw him as a carefree clown.
"Senior Brook, let's be honest," Rayleigh said solemnly, eyes shifting briefly to Shakky before settling on Brook. "Even though we don't know why you really asked us here, we're not joining any so-called Overlord Alliance, and we sure as hell aren't getting dragged into some pointless Overlord War."
Brook nodded calmly. "Didn't I already tell you over the Den Den Mushi? I know you guys are adventurers, not conquerors, so I'm not here to pressure you.
"I really just wanted you to check out my island and explore. If some pirates cause trouble, teach 'em a lesson. If you run into any of the Rocks Pirates, don't bother fighting—just retreat."
That said, if a Rocks commander actually entered his waters, Roger probably would charge in and start a war.
"Hah... looks like you do understand Roger," Rayleigh sighed. "Let's hope it doesn't come to that."
Still, when Shakky pushed over a chest filled with hundreds of kilograms of gold as "travel funds," Rayleigh quickly folded. He may have been principled, but gold still talked. Especially when Roger's crew was always broke thanks to their captain's antics.
They survived by robbing pirate crews and beating up local tyrants. Roger had no clue how expensive life actually was. Rayleigh handled all the logistics alone.
"Yohoho~ Don't worry," Brook laughed. "The Rocks Pirates and Diger Pirates are already locked in a standoff. No strong crew would dare cause trouble in my territory. With your strength, you guys can wipe the floor with those rookie punks."
Brook wasn't taking chances—this was just an insurance move. Even if he lost a few islands, it wouldn't really hurt the Hell Pirates.
With that, Rayleigh accepted the commission, took the gold, and finally joined the celebration.
The banquet wrapped up with drunken cheers and piles of roasted meat...
---
The Next Day
Even after all that partying, everyone was up early and energized. They gathered at an open area, excited for the showdown between Golden Lion Shiki of the Hell Pirates and Captain Roger of the Roger Pirates.
Whitebeard Newgate didn't join the match—he was still getting used to his Conqueror's Haki, and the destructive power of his Tremor-Tremor Fruit made friendly sparring nearly impossible.
Shiki had insisted on fighting Roger instead of Rayleigh. He didn't care about "king vs king" or "general vs general." Brook, meanwhile, didn't join the match at all.
Redfield and Rayleigh had their own match—a pure sword duel. Since Rayleigh didn't know Advanced Armament Haki (Ryuo), they kept it clean and didn't go all out.
When Shiki faced off with Roger, he instantly felt how terrifying Roger's swordplay was—combined with high-level Armament Haki, it was overwhelming. Shiki, having split his training time across his Devil Fruit and swordsmanship, fell short in comparison. Even though he'd learned the Flowing Armament Haki technique, Roger's raw strength and mastery over high-level Haki made it ineffective.
"Flowing Haki? Damn, I really want to learn that. Can you teach me?" Roger asked with shining eyes. He saw how powerful it was and knew it could help him level up.
Flowing Armament—where one's Haki flows through the air or into objects—was basically a dream technique for a non-Devil Fruit user like him.
"Hmph, I've already mastered it!" Shiki huffed, then switched tactics.
"Lion's Might: Claws of Hell!"
No longer obsessed with lion-themed aesthetics, Shiki—on Brook's suggestion—had developed various terrain-based attacks. His claws, made from earth and armed Haki, slammed down on Roger.
Roger dodged and smashed them, but they quickly reformed and attacked again. As more soil converged under Shiki's control, Roger found himself overwhelmed—but not for long.
Again and again, Roger shattered through the soil and charged straight at Shiki, forcing close combat and doing serious damage. Shiki posed a big threat with his large-scale attacks, but Roger's relentless assaults were brutal.
The fight dragged on for two whole days and nights. In the end, it was interrupted when the Diger Pirates suddenly summoned the Hell Pirates to the front lines.
The sword duel between Redfield and Rayleigh was fierce but even. Redfield held a slight edge, and Rayleigh eventually called off the match. There was no clear winner.
Originally, Redfield was supposed to fight Roger next, but duty called—the Hell Pirates had to respond to the conflict brewing at the frontline.
Still, these two battles were a feast for the crews. They learned a lot and were thoroughly entertained.
Snipers Hiruba and Peter also had a quiet sniper duel, disappearing without a trace. Nobody knew who won. They came back pale and injured, clearly having taken hits—but at least neither died.
If either of them had died, their reckless secret battle might've sparked real bad blood between the two crews.
Back on Holy Water Island, Roger and Rayleigh watched as the massive golden island sailed away, feeling oddly unsatisfied.
After this farewell, who knew whether the Hell Pirates would fall to Rocks—or rise to become the next overlords?
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