Roger was the kind of captain one could trust with their back in the face of a powerful enemy.
But Rono's path was already decided.
He would not accept the invitation.
"Hey, don't be like that. Sailing with me would be fun!"
Roger refused to give up. His instincts told him that Rono was no ordinary person — he would make an exceptional companion.
Just like Luffy in the future, Roger possessed that strange but frighteningly accurate intuition.
"I refuse."
Roger's eyes dimmed for a moment.
"Unless…"
"Unless what?"
Hope returned instantly. His eyes lit up.
"Show me you're strong enough. No one wants to follow a captain weaker than his crew."
As Rono spoke, he slowly released Conqueror's Haki.
The meaning was obvious.
If Roger wanted him as a crewmate, he would need to prove he deserved to be captain.
Roger burst into laughter.
"So that's it! I like that! If I'm weaker than my own crew, I'd have no face to invite you anyway!"
Roger was confident in his strength.
Unlike Luffy, who set sail at seventeen, Roger at this time was already a seasoned adult.
He would die at fifty-three in Sea Calendar Year 1498.
It was now 1483.
That placed him well past thirty-five.
Perhaps not yet at his peak —
But certainly at least Yonko Commander level.
Possibly even approaching Admiral-tier strength.
"Come on, Rono!"
Roger's excitement was palpable.
He unleashed his own Conqueror's Haki.
BOOM.
Roger's Conqueror's Haki dwarfed Rono's.
The sea began to churn violently.
Clouds twisted overhead.
Thunder rolled across the sky.
It felt as though extreme weather would descend at any moment.
The range was staggering.
Across the entire island, civilians collapsed unconscious without understanding what had happened.
So this is the future Pirate King…
Rono's eyes burned with intensity.
The stronger Roger was—
The more Rono could acquire.
Right on cue—
[Ding — Conqueror's Haki acquired. (Advanced)]
The moment the notification sounded, Rono felt a qualitative transformation within his body.
Then—
BOOM.
A surge of Conqueror's Haki exploded outward from him.
It collided head-on with Roger's.
Roger's eyes widened.
"Was he hiding his strength?"
He possessed Observation Haki. He had already gauged Rono's level earlier.
Rono should not have been capable of this.
Black lightning crackled through the air as their Conqueror's Haki clashed.
The sea roared.
Massive waves rose dozens of meters high.
Lightning split the sky.
For several minutes, neither side gained ground.
Then Roger laughed.
"This is incredible!"
To possess Conqueror's Haki at such a young age —
And at this level?
Rono's talent was terrifying.
Roger withdrew his Conqueror's Haki.
Then he drew his sword.
By its appearance, it was unmistakable —
The legendary blade Ace, one of the Twelve Supreme Grade swords.
Roger coated the blade in Armament Haki.
The sword turned pitch black.
Armament Hardening.
When Haki was infused into a weapon, its destructive power multiplied.
Over time, such weapons could even become permanent Black Blades.
The instant Roger activated it—
[Ding — Armament Haki acquired. (Advanced)]
A heavy, solid force surged into Rono's body.
Advanced Armament.
Again.
The system categorized skills into five ranks:
Beginner.Intermediate.Advanced.Top-Tier.God-Tier.
Advanced already represented the highest commanders of Emperor crews.
Top-Tier belonged to Admirals and Emperors.
God-Tier—
That likely required dedicating oneself to a single path.
Garp's Armament Haki at his peak would surely qualify.
Shanks' Conqueror's at full power likely reached that realm as well.
Peak Roger's three Haki types would almost certainly be God-Tier.
But this Roger had only just set sail.
"I'm getting serious now, Rono. Be careful!"
Roger warned him.
His Observation Haki told him Rono did not possess Armament earlier.
One direct strike could kill him.
Roger swung.
Rono remained calm.
"Armament — Hardening!"
Black Haki coated both his arms.
He met Roger's blade head-on.
CLANG!
The sound of metal collision rang like thunder.
The air seemed to rupture.
The ground beneath them cratered.
Shockwaves flattened nearby trees.
The sea rippled outward in violent rings.
Roger's expression darkened.
Advanced Armament Haki.
Again.
Had his Observation misjudged twice?
This kid was unbelievable.
After several seconds of struggle, Rono was blasted backward.
He crashed through multiple trees before finally stopping.
Though his Haki matched Roger's, his physical strength was still only Lieutenant Commander-level.
Being sent flying was inevitable.
But Rono did not care about the pain.
He was exhilarated.
Because in that exchange—
He had acquired even more.
He almost wanted to shout—
Thank you, Teacher Roger!
[Ding — Observation Haki acquired. (Advanced)][Ding — Swordsmanship acquired. (Advanced)][Ding — 958 Strength acquired.][Ding — 425 Speed acquired.][Ding — 698 Stamina acquired.][Ding — Combat Experience acquired. (Beginner)]