"Heh."
Raleigh showed no concern.
He simply crossed his arms and released his own Conqueror's Haki to seamlessly counter Roger's pressure.
'What?!' Roger's eyes widened in genuine surprise.
It had been a long time since he last saw Raleigh in the North Blue or heard any concrete news about his Haki progression.
He never imagined that a young Vice-Admiral could improve his Conqueror's Haki to such an extent so quickly—it was almost unbelievable!
Though Roger hadn't released his full Conqueror's Haki just now, it still wasn't something an ordinary Vice-Admiral could effortlessly withstand without flinching.
Among all the Conqueror's Haki users in the entire world, Raleigh's Haki could now easily rank within the top twenty alive.
A deep wariness and a flash of sharp killing intent flickered in Roger's eyes.
Just as he was about to exert more willpower, Raleigh spoke.
"I never expected you would still have the raw power to resist while heavily chained in Seastone. It seems there is some sort of secret deal between you and Garp," Raleigh noted smoothly.
A mocking smile appeared at the corner of Roger's mustache. "That old fool Garp can't restrict me at all. I'm not a Devil Fruit user, boy! How could Seastone completely restrict my Haki?"
Inside the dark prison block, two incredibly powerful Conqueror's Haki energies clashed violently in the air, simultaneously spreading rapidly outward through the facility.
The guards originally stationed at the entrance to the block, and the other weak pirates in the upper prison levels, couldn't withstand the residual Haki of these two monsters.
They collapsed to the stone floor one after another, foaming at the mouth and losing consciousness.
Raleigh smiled and casually sat cross-legged on the dirty ground just outside the bars, looking at Roger with a relaxed, arrogant expression.
"If you wish to stubbornly continue our Conqueror's Haki clash, I will gladly oblige you until your sick heart gives out. If not... let us discuss something that actually interests me."
Roger snorted coldly and completely withdrew his Conqueror's Haki.
"I wonder what grand instructions the famous 'Pirate Butcher' Vice-Admiral has for a dying man?"
Raleigh shifted to a more comfortable position on the stone floor, glanced around the gloomy environment, and after a moment of contemplation, asked.
"How is the accommodation here, Gol D. Roger?"
Roger curled his lips into a wide grin. "Not bad! The food is decent. Except for the total lack of freedom, of course."
He pointed casually at the thick steel bars in front of him and the reinforced steel plates overhead.
"These are all just shackles preventing people from pursuing true freedom."
Raleigh couldn't help but sneer, his eyes turning glacial.
"Freedom? Shackles? It seems even now, at the very end of your life, you show no remorse for your sins, Prisoner Roger."
"What exactly is this romantic 'freedom' you pirates constantly speak of? Randomly plundering innocent civilians? Casually slaughtering unarmed people who get in your way?" Raleigh leaned forward, his voice dropping to a whisper.
"All this grand talk of 'freedom' and 'dreams' is just a shameful, pathetic cover for you pirates."
"Under these beautiful banners, you can completely deceive yourselves while killing and plundering, telling yourselves these atrocities are just 'necessary steps' on the path to pursuing your grand dreams. But lies remain lies, Roger. The common people of this world see the truth clearly—pirates are nothing but despicable scum who deserve to be hanged."
Roger's expression remained completely unchanged, his smile never wavering.
He waited for Raleigh to finish his condemnation before speaking.
"What true pirates seek at sea is pure companionship and ultimate freedom, Raleigh. Killing is only an unfortunate part of the journey. Without these things, how could we possibly call ourselves pirates?" Roger argued calmly.
"Besides, we really don't want to kill anyone. But the Marines and the Kings cling too desperately to what they might lose, resisting our freedom with their lives. The strong aren't always maliciously targeting the weak—sometimes, the weak just die from getting caught in a casual strike. That is the reality of the sea."
Clap. Clap. Clap.
Slow, mocking applause echoed through the damp prison cell. Raleigh applauded expressionlessly.
"As expected of the Pirate King. Your twisted, sociopathic awareness is truly different from ordinary criminals. You naturally believe that bearing the romantic name 'pirate' means you are somehow justified by the universe, so you actually feel absolutely no guilt for your massacres because you genuinely believe you are morally right."
There was no emotion in Raleigh's eyes as he reached into his coat, took out a highly detailed nautical chart, and placed it flat on the ground outside the bars.
Roger looked down at the paper.
His pupils suddenly dilated in sheer panic before quickly returning to normal.
In just a fraction of an instant, Roger controlled his facial emotions, not allowing any movement that might reveal his true thoughts.
But Raleigh's Observation Haki had clearly caught every single micro-reaction, including the momentary tension in Roger's chained muscles.
Raleigh revealed a dark, mocking smile.
"So... even the fearless Pirate King knows true fear. But why would you be so incredibly nervous when I produced a simple map of the South Blue?"
Raleigh tapped the map with his finger. "Let me guess. You were born right here in Loguetown, in the East Blue, with no remaining family to speak of. So... what exactly in the South Blue could possibly make the Pirate King tense up like a frightened animal?"
Raleigh leaned in close to the bars, his eyes locking onto Roger's.
"Could it be... your hidden wife? And your unborn child?"
The exact moment Raleigh's words landed, a massive scarred hand covered entirely in pitch-black Armament Haki violently shot through the bars toward Raleigh's throat.
But unfortunately for Roger, the cell was specifically designed to hold monsters!
Due to the heavy Seastone prison constraints bolted to the wall, even when Roger stretched his arm out completely, his Haki-coated fingers could only stop a few centimeters away from Raleigh's smiling face.
Seeing the desperate attack couldn't reach him, Roger slowly withdrew his right hand, gripping the thick steel bars so hard the metal began to creak.
"What exactly do you know, Marine?" Roger asked, his voice completely stripped of its usual warmth, replaced by a terrifying coldness.
Raleigh laughed.
But this time, it wasn't a mocking laugh—it came from the depths of his heart!
"HAHAHAHAHA! So even the mighty Pirate King has his mortal weaknesses! This is truly fascinating."
After his laughter died down, a deeply troubled, sympathetic expression returned to Raleigh's face.
"What a pity that you will soon be dead, Roger. You won't be around to witness me finding your hidden wife and son."
Clank! Clank! Clank!
Roger's violent, desperate movements caused his heavy Seastone chains to rattle loudly against the stone walls.
"Raleigh! The child is completely innocent! You can do whatever you want to me, you can torture me, but my child is innocent!" Roger roared, his composure entirely shattered.
Raleigh had always found the people in this world quite hypocritical and amusing, because they only saw the concept of "innocence" clearly when they themselves were the ones suffering.
"Gol D. Roger... years ago, simply because your crew members were mocked by a local army, you went on a brutal killing spree in the Darons Kingdom on Kogesi Island. That tantrum resulted in the horrific deaths of five thousand elite soldiers. Then, you and your crew just walked away laughing, leaving behind a field of bloody corpses and countless grieving widows and orphans."
Raleigh's eyes narrowed into slits of pure, hateful ice.
"Did you ever consider what would happen to the kingdom that lost its entire defensive force? From what I know, the King of Darons treated his people with great leniency, and the kingdom's soldiers weren't oppressive villains. On the contrary, they fought bravely to protect their homes against pirates... which is precisely why they stood their ground and were slaughtered by you."
Raleigh stood up, looking down at the broken King.
"You didn't think about their innocent wives and children when you butchered them over an insult. So why the hell should I consider your feelings when dealing with your family?!"
"Don't worry, Roger," Raleigh smiled warmly. "After your execution tomorrow, I will definitely dedicate my resources to finding your wife and child. Once I do, I will bring them in chains to the Darons Kingdom. If the widows and orphans there are willing to forgive your descendants for your sins... then I will spare them."
Raleigh turned and walked away down the dark corridor, departing without a single moment of hesitation.
Only the completely desperate Gol D. Roger remained in the gloomy prison cell, gripping the bars as he was left alone with his agonizing thoughts.