The moment Luffy and the others showed up, Roger was already itching to jump into the fray. Especially when Luffy charged recklessly to save Ace, Roger felt a pull, like a call from a kindred spirit. If Orochimaru hadn't been holding him back, he might've rushed out right then and there! But now, Lin Xuan had finally given the green light, and Orochimaru loosened his grip. Free at last, Roger didn't hesitate for a second—he bolted forward.
Seeing this, Rayleigh felt a twinge of unease. Gritting his teeth, he followed close behind. Watching the two of them charge into the chaos, a faint smirk curled on Lin Xuan's lips. "This ought to stir things up and leave everyone speechless," he thought, his eyes glinting with anticipation. What he was really looking forward to was the moment Roger's appearance would send shockwaves through the battlefield—maybe even the whole world—racking up fame for him in the process.
Under Lin Xuan's eager gaze, Roger and Rayleigh burst onto the battlefield. The fighting was so chaotic that no one noticed two new figures at first. Even those who did catch a glimpse didn't recognize them. Roger, who'd been hyped to make a grand entrance and scare the pants off everyone, felt a pang of disappointment. This wasn't the dramatic scene he'd pictured!
He turned to Rayleigh, grumbling, "What's wrong with this world? I've only been dead for twenty years, and nobody recognizes me anymore?"
Rayleigh bit back a retort. He wanted to point out the obvious: most of the people fighting here were either kids or not even born twenty years ago. Of course they wouldn't know Roger! Still, seeing his old captain so dejected, he opened his mouth to offer some comfort—maybe mention how Roger's final words sparked the Great Pirate Era. But before he could get a word out, Roger's face lit up like he'd spotted treasure.
"Hey, isn't that Buggy?" he exclaimed, eyes wide with excitement. "That kid's all grown up now!"
Without missing a beat, Roger started waving wildly and shouting, "Yo, Buggy!"
Buggy, who was busy fighting while secretly wishing he could bolt from this chaotic battlefield, froze at the sound of that voice. It was so familiar—too familiar. "That sounds like Captain Roger," he muttered, then shook his head with a bitter laugh. "No way. Roger's been dead for twenty years. I'm hearing things!"
But before he could shake it off, that same voice called out again, louder this time. "Hey, Buggy, didn't you hear me?"
Buggy's eyes widened in disbelief. Was this real? Slowly, stiffly, he turned around. There, a few dozen meters away, was a man waving at him. It was none other than Roger himself.
"What the—?!"
The sight of Roger hit Buggy like a cannonball. His body literally split apart from shock, his jaw dropping to the ground. Roger, unfazed, just laughed. He knew all about Buggy's Chop-Chop Fruit powers, thanks to that scare from Shanks years ago.
"Buggy, you're still as entertaining as ever!" Roger roared with laughter. "Hahaha!"
Buggy, still reeling, pulled himself together—literally—and floated toward Roger. The closer he got, the more stunned he became. His voice cracked as he screamed, "It's really Captain Roger! No way! How is this possible? Am I… am I dead? Is that why I'm seeing you?!"
His face went pale, and he stared at Roger, wide-eyed and trembling. Roger, loving the reaction, decided to lean into the moment. With a mischievous grin, he nodded solemnly. "Yup, you're dead. The Grim Reaper sent me to drag you to the underworld!"
"What?! No! I'm not ready to die!" Buggy wailed, panic setting in. "I've got so much left to do!"
Then he spotted Rayleigh nearby and gasped again. "Vice-Captain Rayleigh? You're dead too?! Well, I guess you've lived long enough, so that makes sense. But me? I'm still young! Why'd I have to go so soon?!"
He broke down, tears streaming as he sobbed dramatically. Roger doubled over, laughing so hard he could barely stand. Rayleigh's mouth twitched, barely holding back the urge to snap at Buggy for calling him old. Finally, he stepped forward, cutting through the chaos. "Enough, Roger. Are you done messing around? Weren't you here to save Ace?"
Roger's laughter died down, and he scratched his head sheepishly. "Right, right, my bad. Got carried away with the joke."
Buggy froze mid-sob, blinking in confusion. "A joke? Wait… what's going on here?"
Rayleigh started to explain, but before he could—
Boom!
A deafening crash interrupted him. Garp, locked in a fierce clash with Whitebeard, was sent flying, smashing into the ice nearby and leaving a massive crater.
"Garp!" Roger's eyes lit up like he'd just spotted his best friend. In a flash, he was at Garp's side, pulling him into a bear hug. "Man, it's been forever! I missed you!"
Garp, dazed from the impact, blinked up at him. "Where am I? Who's this guy?"
It took a moment for his brain to catch up. When he finally got a clear look at Roger's face, his eyes nearly popped out of his head. "Roger?! How is this possible?!"
His shout echoed across the battlefield, silencing the chaos in an instant. Every head turned toward Garp, and when they saw the man standing in front of him, the entire battlefield froze in shock.
No one could speak.
Even Sengoku, towering in his golden Buddha form, and Whitebeard, mid-battle, stared with expressions like they'd seen a ghost. What was happening? How was Roger, dead for twenty years, standing there?
Roger, soaking in the stunned silence, flashed a cheeky grin and waved at the crowd. "Hey, everyone! Long time no see! Didn't expect you all to still be kicking, huh?"
The battlefield remained dead silent, every face frozen in disbelief.
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T/N:
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