Boom!
Another mushroom cloud of soaring lava erupted. Before the violent aftershocks could subside, sword energy burst from the molten rock, shooting straight into the sky, tearing everything apart and spreading outwards.
The soaring mushroom cloud was instantly shredded by the sword energy, creating a thousand-meter diameter clearing centered on the two figures.
Sakazuki was breathing a little heavily, his body covered in more prominent cracks, from which trickled streaks of blood. Roger's coat was tattered, revealing his upper body, which was heavily burned.
Roger reached out and tore off his captain's coat, tossing it aside. He looked at Sakazuki with some bewilderment:
"Navy brat, do we have some deep-seated hatred?"
Sakazuki's abilities manifested as arm guards, and he looked at Roger with a cold expression, saying:
"No, we don't."
"It's just that the justice I bear cannot allow you to live in this world."
Hearing Sakazuki's words, Roger burst into laughter, as if he had heard a joke, and said meaningfully:
"Justice?"
"Navy brat, the darkness in this world is far greater than you can imagine."
Sakazuki was unfazed by Roger's veiled implication and replied indifferently:
"You are correct."
"However, I don't believe a villain who has just slaughtered thousands of people has any right to speak."
Roger's smile slowly faded, his expression calm as he stared at Sakazuki and nodded:
"I understand."
Buzz—!
Conqueror's Haki wrapped around his long sword. He gripped the hilt with both hands, and terrifying sword energy shimmered on the blade's edge, making one's hair stand on end...
Roger looked at Sakazuki with an incredibly serene gaze:
"Don't die too easily, navy kid."
Ching—!
A spine-chilling sword hum echoed, and a resplendent sword light streaked across, seemingly cleaving through space, appearing directly before Sakazuki.
The ends of Sakazuki's two arm guards seemed to harbor supervolcanoes, with a dizzying, scorching red glow emanating from within. He looked at the sword light that had appeared before him:
"A mere pirate, don't be so presumptuous."
"The Navy bears..."
An immeasurable burst of force erupted from the ends of his two arm guards.
"The Justice of the World!!!!"
Sakazuki's unique Conqueror's Haki erupted, his aura of Haki accompanied by a roar, as magma propelled his arm guards to collide with that dazzling sword light.
BOOM!!!
Endless white light flared...
--------------------
The Thousand Sunny.
The crew of the Roger Pirates watched the sword light and lava erupting from the island, waiting. Roger was always like this; though he was often carefree, he cared deeply for his comrades.
He always led from the front, a captain who inspired immense reassurance...
At this moment, Sanbell walked up to Rayleigh and said apologetically:
"I'm sorry, I've implicated everyone..."
Rayleigh smiled and patted Sanbell's shoulder:
"Don't worry about it. If Roger were here, I believe he would have done the same as Shikar."
Sanbell still felt a little embarrassed. Rayleigh comforted him:
"Don't overthink it. For Roger, comrades are the most important thing."
After speaking, Rayleigh's lips curved slightly. Lost in thought, he gazed at the island where the battle raged. This was truly Roger...
--------------------
On the other side of Drum Island, Sakazuki's warship had just arrived not far from the island.
The clashes within the island were clearly visible from the warship. Karor, holding Sakazuki's Justice cape, frowned as he looked towards the island.
His Observation Haki clearly sensed the state of the two figures on the island. Sakazuki's aura was noticeably weaker than Roger's.
Enel, having eaten the Rumble-Rumble Fruit and using electromagnetic waves combined with his natural talent, had a wider Observation Haki range than Karor.
Sensing Sakazuki's desperate stance, he was both shocked and confused... He looked at Karor:
"Brother Karor... why is Uncle Sakazuki..."
Unable to articulate his thoughts, Karor finished Enel's sentence:
"fighting so desperately?"
Enel nodded. Karor handed the Justice cape he was holding to Enel.
Enel took the cape, bewildered. Karor looked at Drum Island:
"Because someone has to carry out Justice."
Enel lowered his gaze to the cape. The word "Justice" on it exuded such majesty and solemnity...
In his young heart, something seemed to break through the surface.
"Justice, huh..."
Endless white light erupted on the island...