Even Roger and Golden Lion, who considered themselves well-traveled conquerors of the seas, couldn't help but feel terrified.
This was the true power of nature—everyone had to submit to this destructive force.
The continuous lightning strikes easily pierced through anything standing in their path.
Whether people or sturdy ship hulls, everything faced the same fate of being obliterated.
"Captain Shiki, save us!"
Pirates from a ship with a breached hull screamed in panic.
In such dangerous conditions, taking on water meant certain death without leaving a complete corpse.
Their only hope now rested on Golden Lion Shiki's ability—only he could save the pirate ships from sinking to the seabed.
A dark shadow flashed in Shiki's eyes. He never expected things to suddenly develop to this extent.
Originally, he had planned to bury Roger and his crew in this sea. Now, it was uncertain whether even his dozen ships could safely escape.
"Shut up, you fools!"
Golden Lion roared frantically, lightly tapped his toes, raised both hands forcefully overhead, and fully activated the power of the Fuwa Fuwa no Mi.
"Rise!"
Faced with the crisis, Golden Lion unleashed his strength without reservation.
Dark red lightning continuously flickered in and out of existence in the void, stirring up winds and waves centered around Golden Lion's fleet.
A mighty hurricane wreaked havoc beneath the approaching tsunami, draining the color from everyone's faces aboard the ship.
"Shiki, this is rather sly of you."
Roger's expression darkened as well, and for good reason.
Golden Lion was clearly setting a trap for Roger.
Though he was fully utilizing his Devil Fruit ability to lift his fleet into the sky, he was also manipulating the surrounding airflow with his Conqueror's Haki, leaving Roger's ship trapped and struggling in the violent currents.
"You forced my hand, Shiki."
As soon as the words fell, an overwhelming, visible aura erupted from Roger, far surpassing that of Golden Lion.
"It's here—the Captain's world's strongest Conqueror's Haki!"
Watching the awe-inspiring Roger, a seed buried deep within Shanks' heart began to sprout.
However, Shanks and Buggy could barely withstand Roger's fully unleashed presence for a few minutes before collapsing unconscious.
Just as they were about to hit the deck—
Crackle!
A figure snatched them up amid a flurry of sparks.
Black-red lightning danced along the blade, accompanied by the roaring fury of thunder in the air.
"Divine Departure!"
This strike from Roger far exceeded any he had unleashed in his previous clashes with Golden Lion.
It represented the pinnacle of swordsmanship in the world—unless Roger advanced further in the future, this strike would remain the peak of his lifetime.
"No!"
Golden Lion's pupils dilated in shock as he witnessed the terrifying Sword Beam.
He never imagined Roger could deliver such a blow under these circumstances.
He had assumed that by keeping his distance from Roger's ship, Roger would be powerless to retaliate.
"Lion's Thousand Ravine!"
Pushed to his limits by the threat of death, Golden Lion executed a slash he was immensely proud of.
Yet, caught off guard, his attack failed to hold against Roger's onslaught.
"Argh! Roger, you damn bastard!"
Golden Lion spat a mouthful of blood, and his fleet, halfway airborne, suddenly spiraled out of control, plunging from the sky toward the ocean.
The hundred-meter-high tsunami loomed ever closer, its earth-shaking tremors reverberating across the space.
"Rise!"
Boom!
The turbulent sea seemed suppressed by an unseen force, sinking several meters in an instant.
Violent currents surged upward from the sea's surface, meeting the falling pirate ships head-on.
Golden Lion's eyes burned crimson—at the last moment before impact, he unleashed his power once more, reversing the situation with sheer strength.
Even Roger and his crew, who were evading the tsunami, couldn't help but admire Golden Lion's feat.
"Truly worthy of a legendary pirate who dominated the New World—to turn the tables in such a dire situation."
Scopper Gaban couldn't hold back his admiration. He bore no ill will toward Golden Lion.
To him, Golden Lion embodied the essence of a pirate—no one fit the title better.
Few in the world could single-handedly reverse such a disadvantageous scenario.
Of course, two such individuals were present in these very waters.
Roger spoke gravely, "Alright, crew, Shiki isn't our enemy right now—this tsunami is!"
Even the predictive power of Observation Haki struggled to keep up amid the storm's chaos.
Roger stood at the bow, struggling to steer the ship's direction.
The storm and tsunami had arrived so swiftly and terrifyingly that even the Roger Pirates, accustomed to the New World's harsh weather, found themselves in constant peril.
Had it not been for the crew's formidable strength, allowing them to overcome even the slightest mishap with sheer power, the entire ship would have long since sunk beneath the waves.
"Rayleigh, it's up to you!"
"Understood!"
Silvers Rayleigh's figure instantly appeared at the ship's side, his renowned sword flashing as he swung it rapidly.
He unleashed dozens of Sword Beams in succession, shattering a towering wave over ten meters high just as it formed, preventing it from crashing into the ship.
Such sudden emergencies were so numerous that even Roger, with his Observation Haki's foresight, couldn't avoid them all.
The path the Oro Jackson was currently taking was already the safest route Roger could find.
"What do we do next, Roger?"
After destroying the wave, Rayleigh stood beside Roger.
Less than a hundred meters away loomed the sky-obscuring tsunami—an insurmountable chasm they could never evade.
"Shall we gamble, Rayleigh?"
A wild grin spread across Roger's face.
"Gamble on what?"
Hearing Roger's words, a familiar memory seemed to surface in Rayleigh's mind, and he smiled in response.
"Let's bet on whether we'll survive."
"If I win, we'll hold a bonfire party!"
Roger's eyes held a resolute determination, just as they always did when he made decisions.
"Fine, I'll take that bet."
At this life-or-death moment, Rayleigh naturally chose to trust his old friend Roger.
Even if they lost the bet, the worst outcome would be dying together—at least they'd have company on the journey to the afterlife.
"Full power ahead—we're charging through!"