Roger burst into laughter, stepped back, and casually snapped off a tree branch, weighing it in his palm.
"Hahahaha! Kids, try this!"
Reed: Look at him. That's copyright infringement right there. And nobody's stopping him?
Hawk Eye: Hmph. Hawk Blood Bun!!!
Anne narrowed her eyes. The greatsword in her hands swept out horizontally, its blade gleaming with the dark sheen of Armament Haki.
"Anne Style: Demon Assault!"
Her small body lunged forward in an instant. The heavy blade carved a fierce arc through the air, slashing straight toward Roger's shoulder. This move was inspired by Uncle Reed's Mist God Style: Demon Strike. Back then, Reed's swordsmanship had not yet fully merged with the blood mist, making it easier for Anne to imitate. Without relying on any mist at all, this was pure sword technique combined with Armament Haki, and the strike even tore faintly through the air with a sharp whine.
Roger raised an eyebrow. The branch flicked up lightly to meet it.
Clang!
The branch collided with the massive blade, producing a crisp metallic sound. Anne's hands trembled violently, nearly losing her grip, but she grit her teeth, stabilized herself, and used the rebound to spin and sweep her second blade horizontally toward Roger's lower body.
At the same time, Ace attacked from the side with his longsword and flintlock pistol.
"Dual Swordsman: Gunblade Slash!"
The sword tip aimed straight for Roger's throat, but the muzzle of the flintlock twisted at an odd angle, targeting the space below Roger's abdomen and above his knee.
Little Roger: Oh no. It's coming for me.
The move was deliberately deceptive, a vicious trick Ace had invented himself. After all, Uncle Reed always said, winning is winning.
For the first time, Roger felt a hint of unease. He watched Ace closely, though he still laughed on the surface.
"Flashy!"
With a flick of his wrist, the branch swung sideways, blocking Ace's sword and yanking hard.
Crack!
Ace's longsword flew out of his hand, but the flintlock trigger had already been pulled.
Bang!
The lead bullet screamed forward, only to be deflected at the last moment by Roger's branch, bouncing away just before it could smash into his knee.
"What?!" Ace's eyes went wide.
Sabo's blade arrived silently.
Unlike Ace's wild aggression or Anne's overwhelming force, Sabo's swordplay was as precise as a surgeon's scalpel. Every strike targeted gaps in Roger's movement. This was the refined thrusting style he had honed at Genzo's dojo.
Swish. Swish. Swish.
Three rapid thrusts aimed at Roger's wrist, elbow, and shoulder.
A glint of approval flashed through Roger's eyes. The branch moved like a shadow, intercepting each strike with exact precision.
"Not bad. Who taught you that?"
Sabo did not answer. He abruptly shifted tactics.
"Reverse Blade: Swallow Return!"
The blade flipped suddenly, slashing at Roger's wrist from an impossible angle.
"Oh?" Roger finally showed genuine surprise.
A sharp light flashed in Roger's eyes as he twisted his wrist.
Smack!
The branch snapped out at an even trickier angle, striking Sabo's hand. Sabo hissed in pain, his momentum faltering. Roger closed the distance instantly, the branch darting toward Sabo's throat like a venomous snake.
At that critical moment, Anne's greatsword slammed in from the side.
"Anne Style: Dragon Tail!"
The blow was brutal. Roger was forced to withdraw and step back. Ace seized the opening, retrieving his sword, and together with Sabo attacked again from both sides.
"Dual Swordsman: Crossfire Lance!"
The flintlock fired. Ace rushed in immediately. Reed's combat philosophy had never been about single killing blows. In ancient times, people could identify a warrior's school just from their opening move. Bullet and blade intertwined into a deadly cross.
Roger laughed loudly. The branch spun in his palm.
"Divine Evasion!"
The god moved, subtly, silently. Even though Roger was ill and far weaker than in his prime, sustained only by pure gold keeping his body going, the children still could not truly match him.
"Bloom!"
A violent burst of force exploded outward. The three kids were blasted backward several steps. Ace was flung away outright. Sabo's hand bled freely. Anne's greatsword plunged deep into the ground before she could stabilize herself.
Dust filled the courtyard.
Roger stood where he was, the branch still intact. He grinned.
"Not bad. You forced me to use that."
The pupils of all three children shrank.
Ace clenched his fists until they cracked, fury blazing in his eyes.
"You… you dared to use that move?!"
Beneath Sabo's top hat, his gaze turned icy.
"Divine Evasion. That was Father's technique."
Anne's greatsword hummed, Armament Haki coiling around the blade like black fire.
"…Unforgivable."
Roger froze.
"Wait, you…"
"Shut up!!!"
Ace roared and leapt into the air. His sword was infused with unprecedented Haki as he brought it crashing down. The blade had no form, yet it carried boundless rage.
Sabo's figure flickered like a ghost. His sword pointed straight at Roger's throat.
"Do not defile my godfather's swordsmanship!"
Anne swung her greatsword. The ground cracked with a thunderous roar.
"Give back… Father's move!"
The trio's assault was several times more ferocious than before. Every step carried the resolve to fight to the death.
Roger blocked frantically. Cracks began to spread along the branch under the relentless onslaught. He was being pushed hard. He could easily shatter their weapons if he chose, but watching them fight so recklessly, Roger saw Reed's shadow in them. He was genuinely afraid they would hurt each other the same way Reed did, repaying blood with blood.
That said, it was not that he dared not move.
"Hey! Let me explain!"
"Explain what?!" Ace roared. "A scoundrel like you could never understand what Father means to us!"
Sabo's blade grazed Roger's cheek, drawing blood.
"Even if he is gone, you have no right to profane a god!"
Anne's sword grew heavier, killing intent filling her eyes.
"Uncle said… Father is… the greatest pirate…"
Roger's heart trembled.
Before the words fully faded, Anne ripped the greatsword free and charged like a cannonball.
"Anne Style: Evade God!"
"Dual Swordsman: Divine Evasion!"
"Reverse Blade: Divine Evasion!"
Reed: Why are you all staring at me? When you're out in the world, you have to teach people a lesson. Let them know who has their backs. We'll see who dares to disrespect me.
The massive blade came crashing down with enough power to split mountains and shatter stone. Roger raised his guard, then suddenly realized Ace and Sabo had already repositioned beside him.
Ace's sword stabbed toward his back.
"We got him!"
Sabo's short blade swept across his throat.
"It's over!"
A three sided pincer. Anne aimed with overwhelming force at Roger's head, Sabo targeted his heart from behind, and Ace went straight for Little Roger.
Roger's pupils contracted sharply.
"Kuhahahaha!!!"
Amid his wild laughter, his figure suddenly blurred.
"What?!" All three attacks missed at once.
Roger reappeared behind them and lightly tapped the backs of their heads with the branch.
"Over here."
Bang. Bang. Bang.
The three children stood there, panting, bodies shielding Rouge, eyes locked on Roger. Anne had already pulled out Reed's summoner. Once activated, blood mist would envelop them, turning them invisible and creating a blood mist clone of Reed.
The courtyard fell silent.
Roger looked at his empty hand. The branch finally snapped in two. He then looked at the three children standing like they were facing a terrifying enemy.
And suddenly,
"Kuhahahaha!!!"
He bent over laughing, tears almost spilling out.
"That was amazing! Absolutely amazing!"
The three kids stared at him.
"???"
Rouge finally snapped. She rushed forward and twisted Roger's ear hard.
"You rogue! Do you have to provoke the kids into fighting like this?"