One Piece: Hell Pirates

Barbosa's objection made Xiao and Beaver—who were already about to leave the hall—pause and wait for Captain Diger's confirmation.

Barbosa had long been dissatisfied with Jack. Jack never cared about the affairs of the Diger Pirates and was always out causing trouble. It was usually left to Diger and Barbosa to clean up the mess.

Even though Barbosa's bounty was 100 million berries less than Jack's, in terms of strength, he was no weaker. The only reason for the gap was that Barbosa had spent years managing the vast territory of Ten Kings Island, rarely stepping out to fight, while Jack ran wild and caused chaos—earning him a higher bounty.

Hearing Barbosa's objection gave Diger a headache. One was his son, the other his most trusted right-hand man. Their constant conflict left him in a bind.

But honestly, Jack had been a massive disappointment. That said, it was rare to see him calm down and express interest in marriage. As an old man, Diger also wanted to see a grandchild before he kicked the bucket. If Jack didn't win over Angel, who knew how long he'd stay single, bouncing from girl to girl?

If this chance slipped away, Diger feared he might die of old age without ever seeing the next generation.

"Barbosa," Diger said seriously, "I swear on my name as Captain, this is the last time. If Jack screws up again, you don't have to deal with him anymore."

That promise from a captain to a subordinate showed how much respect Diger gave Barbosa.

Hearing that, Barbosa nodded reluctantly, his expression blank. If things went wrong again, so be it—but he couldn't keep challenging the captain's authority.

With the captain's approval, Xiao and Beaver quickly boarded the speedboat to back Jack up. They had no intention of dragging this out like Jack—cutting the knot was faster than whining about it.

After the meeting, Barbosa returned to Caspian Island, looking grim.

If the Hell Pirates really decided to go to war with the Diger Pirates, this era might just return to the chaos of the Rocks Era.

The Hell Pirates, with their flying island, might survive. But the Diger Pirates? They'd be crushed. In that case, the officers would either need to find their own escape route or die with honor on the battlefield.

Barbosa paced back and forth in his hall, trying to think of a solution, but nothing came to mind. All he could do was hope Brook feared the Diger Pirates' strength and the threat of the Rocks Pirates enough to back off and give up Angel.

"Father, what's wrong? You look so tense today."

A young woman walked in—fair-skinned, with golden-brown wavy hair that cascaded over her shoulders. Her skin was delicate like fine porcelain, her tall frame elegant. Her presence pulled Barbosa iout of his troubled thoughts.

"Karina, war could break out again soon," Barbosa said, gently stroking his daughter's hair. "This one's different. The Diger Pirates might not survive. I want you to hide your identity and seek shelter in one of the World Government's allied nations."

Even Barbosa couldn't see a way to win a war against both the Hell Pirates and the Rocks Pirates at the same time.

"Is it really that serious?" Karina asked, startled. "Everything seemed pretty stable lately."

She followed the news. The Hell Pirates had returned to the Grand Line and the West Blue, and the Rocks Pirates were still rebuilding their strength. But the past two years of non-stop war had drained the pirate world. Many crews had gone into hiding, and manpower was scarce—even for giants like the Rocks Pirates.

With the Hell Pirates back in the West Blue, the Rocks Pirates still hadn't recovered fully. They didn't even have enough people to hold their islands, let alone start another war—unless someone gave them the perfect excuse.

"It's that damn idiot Jack," Barbosa muttered bitterly. "He charged into Hell Pirates territory, trying to snatch Angel back. If war breaks out over this, the Rocks Pirates will definitely take the chance to launch their own offensive. It'll be total chaos. I won't be able to protect you then—so go into hiding now."

He wished he could beat Jack to death. Of all the women in the world, Jack just had to go after a core crew member of another Overlord's crew. That was practically spitting in Brook's face.

And if Brook didn't fight back, how could he call himself a real captain? Who would follow a crew that couldn't even protect its own?

"So it is Jack causing trouble again," Karina said with a sigh. She knew how much her father resented Jack. He even named his pet monkey "Jack" just so he could yell at and slap it whenever he was pissed off.

"If war breaks out, keep your identity hidden. I'll assign a few bodyguards and send you along Jevaler Caravan's route. Head toward the Kingdom of Prodians or Dressrosa—both are part of the World Government. Understand?"

Barbosa doted on his daughter more than anything. If she wanted something, he'd find it for her, no matter what. He was the definition of a doting father.

"I'm sorry, Father… It's my fault. I never liked fighting or training. Now you're forced to worry about me."

Karina looked down in guilt. If she were as powerful as Angel, maybe her father wouldn't be so anxious.

"Silly girl," Barbosa said with a smile. "Spoiling you is the best part of my life. Don't worry—I'll handle everything. Maybe it'll just be a short trip, and you'll come back soon."

He gave her a comforting smile, but deep down, he didn't believe his own words. If Brook was serious, things were bound to explode. Frankly, Barbosa was hoping Xiao and Biff failed—at least then, war could still be avoided.

---

New World – Bristol Sea – Squid Island

The Roger Pirates were throwing a party on Squid Island. The surrounding waters were filled with squid, so the whole island reeked of grilled squid, and nearly every dish on the table featured it.

"Rayleigh, good thing Brook tossed us some gold," Roger said, laughing. "Otherwise, we wouldn't be able to live this lavishly."

Looking at his crew drinking and feasting like kings, Rayleigh sighed. Even if Shakky had given them a hundred kilograms of gold, it wouldn't have lasted long.

Suddenly, several cannon blasts shattered the peace.

A pirate ship flying the flags of the Hell Pirates and Ewald Pirates came speeding toward the island. Behind it, a smaller, jet-black pirate ship—flying the Diger Pirates' flag—was chasing it relentlessly, bombarding it with cannon fire.

------------------------

Roger put down the wine glass in his hand and turned to look at the ominous black pirate ship approaching the island. He could feel a wild, beast-like presence radiating from it—but instead of fear, he felt thrilled. Every cell in his body seemed to buzz with excitement.

"Oi, Rayleigh! A strong guy's coming! I'm going in!!!"

Roger grinned ear to ear, adjusted the sword on his waist, and sprinted forward like a kid rushing into an amusement park. In the blink of an eye, he'd already crossed a massive distance.

"Damn it, Roger! That's the flag of the Diger Pirates! Get your ass back here!!!"

Rayleigh shouted after him, but he knew deep down that Roger was already in full battle mode. His itch for a good fight always took over. Still, that wasn't just any enemy—that was the banner of Overlord Diger, one of the strongest pirate crews out there. Not someone they wanted to pick a fight with over a few berries!

If it had been the Butcher Pirates or another weaker crew, it would've been fine. But Diger's Pirates were legendary. Even Brook's Hell Pirates couldn't compare to their strength right now.

"Haha! Forget it. He's already charging in. Might as well back him up!"

Gaban clapped Rayleigh on the shoulder and laughed, then grabbed his dual axes and bolted after Roger, eager not to miss out on the action.

The rest of the crew followed suit. Once they saw their captain run in, they all roared in excitement and rushed into battle like madmen heading on an adventure.

"What a bunch of lunatics..."

Rayleigh sighed, adjusting his glasses. But then his calm, scholarly demeanor vanished. A sharp light flashed off the lenses, and he drew his twin-edged sword with a dominating presence.

As the saying goes: Like captain, like crew.

Roger was reckless and fearless. His crew? Just as powerful—and just as crazy.

—

On the other side of the island, Teach Angel, Uncle Bull, and the rest of their group had abandoned their ship and moved inland. Their goal? Lure Jack Sparrow straight into Roger's path.

They weren't sure if Roger's crew was really as strong as Captain Brook claimed, but Brook had said Roger was the type to get stronger the tougher the opponent. His potential and explosive power were off the charts.

"Angel! Stop running! Come back to Ten Kings Island with me! I'm serious about you!"

Jack Sparrow shouted as he chased after her through the trees. He'd made up his mind—he was going to bring Angel back before Brook and the others returned and things got messy.

Worst case? He'd treat her better and toss Brook some compensation. Jack was sure Angel would recognize his sincerity, and Brook would come around.

"Jack, you dreadlocked idiot! Get lost already!"

Angel snapped as she ran. "There's a real powerhouse on this island who'll protect us! You better turn around before Captain Brook returns—or you're dead meat!"

She was sick of this stalker attitude. Jack had even dared to attack Brook's crew in their own turf. That was pure disrespect for the Overlord.

"Angel... no one's stopping me today! Just stop resisting already!"

Jack's expression darkened. He could feel Angel slipping further from him, but that only made him more determined to win her back.

Suddenly—

"Yo! You don't treat a beautiful lady like that!"

A loud, cheerful voice rang out as a figure crossed paths with the fleeing group. "And attacking Brook-senpai's crew on his turf? That ain't cool."

Roger charged out of the forest with his sword Ace already unsheathed. Without hesitation, he swung a vicious strike at Jack Sparrow, who was chasing from behind.

Jack barely had time to react. He unsheathed his blade and met Roger's slash head-on, intending to cut him down on the spot.

But the moment their swords clashed, Jack's eyes widened in shock. The sheer force behind Roger's blow sent vibrations through his arms. He quickly switched to a two-handed grip to withstand the pressure.

The swords collided with a blinding spark and a thunderous boom that echoed across the island. Winds howled as sand exploded into the air.

"Who the hell are you?!"

Jack roared as he was forced back, skidding dozens of meters across the beach. His feet carved deep trenches in the sand. He was stunned—he'd never been knocked back so far by someone he didn't recognize. What a disgrace!

His carefree expression shifted to fury. With a snarl, he slashed his sword, unleashing a powerful beam of sword energy straight at Roger like a bolt of lightning.

Roger's pupils shrank slightly at the incoming attack, but instead of fear, his eyes lit up with excitement. He let out a booming laugh as an overwhelming wave of Conqueror's Haki exploded from him in a shockwave. The air around him rippled violently.

With a mighty swing, the sword Ace unleashed a blast of sword energy that collided with Jack's beam midair. The resulting impact tore through the sky, triggering a deafening sonic boom that rocked the island.

But the clash wasn't over.

In the next instant, Jack was in Roger's face again, slashing with even more fury. His attacks were wild, fast, and packed with power.

Roger grinned, twisting his body to dodge the deadly arcs. With every dodge, he retaliated with brutal counterattacks. The beach turned into a battleground of flashing blades and raw fury.

The clash became so intense that their movements blurred. Swords rang out again and again, each strike shaking the air with raw power.

Watching from nearby, Teach Angel and Uncle Bull were speechless.

They knew Roger was strong—but this? This was insane. He was going toe-to-toe with Jack Sparrow, the number one underling of the Diger Pirates!

"What kind of monster is this guy?" Bull muttered.

"A rookie? My ass! This guy's a damn overlord in the making! And his bounty's lower than ours?! What the hell is the Navy doing?!"

Even Angel was in disbelief.

Then, suddenly, Jack roared—not a normal roar, but a shockwave blast of sound that rolled across the beach like a cannon. The shockwave pierced ears and rattled skulls.

Pirates all around dropped to their knees, clutching their ears as blood trickled down. Their faces were pale, drenched in sweat. The sound wave was beyond brutal.

"No way... Jack's got some kind sound-based ability?!"

Angel stared in shock. "That wasn't Haki. That was something else entirely... like a Devil Fruit power!"

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