"Kid, stop talking nonsense. I can't give you Roger's body."
"Then I'll just have to take it by force."
The moment Kaoru Tsubasa heard Garp's words, he leaped forward, both swords drawn.
"Don't get cocky, brat!"
Garp instantly coated his fists with Armament Haki, his knuckles gleaming with steel-like power. His punch collided with Kaoru's blades, sending the younger man crashing into the ground.
Boom!
Dust and rubble burst into the air.
"Tch…" Kaoru clicked his tongue, slowly pushing himself up. "Still not used to this weakened body…"
When he was in Redoria, every one of his abilities had been at the maximum level. But this physical clone was far weaker.
"Boy, with strength like that, you think you can steal Roger's body from me?" Garp laughed, shaking the dust off his hand.
Kaoru's eyes sharpened."Dual Sword Style—Secret Technique—Twin Dragon Flash!"
He coated both Ace and Lightning with Armament Haki. Even though this version of him was weaker, his mastery of Haki remained formidable—already at its peak before he left Redoria.
Garp sensed the immense pressure emanating from Kaoru's blades, his expression turning grim."Steel Bone—Star Crushing Fist!"
Clash!
Their powers met with an earth-shattering impact. A wave of force ripped through the square, and before anyone could react—
Boom!
Garp was sent flying backward, crashing through a row of buildings.
Gasps filled the air.
"V–Vice Admiral Garp… was knocked down… by that kid?!" a Marine stammered in disbelief.
Coughing, Garp shoved aside the debris and stood up, blood dripping from his lip. "Damn… I didn't expect you to get that strong in just ten years."
Before Kaoru could reply, a massive golden Buddha loomed behind him.
"Great Buddha Shockwave!"
"Oh, crap—"
Kaoru barely managed to twist around and reinforce his back with Armament Haki before the attack hit.
BOOM!
The blast engulfed him, but when the smoke cleared, Kaoru stood unharmed—his blackened Haki glinting under the light.
"It's Admiral Sengoku! Run!"
Panic spread through the crowd. Pirates scattered in all directions—even Dracule Mihawk turned to leave. At this point in time, he wasn't yet the "Greatest Swordsman in the World." He was still vulnerable to capture—and even more infamous as the Navy Hunter.
"I didn't expect the great Admiral Sengoku to resort to a sneak attack."
Kaoru turned his head slightly, his tone sharp and mocking. His entire body remained covered in Haki, wary of any other tricks from the "Old Fox."
"Hmph," Sengoku scoffed. "To deal with pirates like you, I'll use any means necessary."
Kaoru narrowed his eyes. "Sengoku… do you really believe that you Marines—and the World Government—represent true justice in this world?"
"Of course!" Sengoku's voice thundered, full of conviction. "The Navy is justice itself!"
It was easy for him to say that now. He had just taken the title of Admiral, having spent years chasing the likes of Rocks D. Xebec. In his eyes, pirates were nothing but chaos and evil. Compared to them, the crimes of the Celestial Dragons were far easier to overlook.
Kaoru's voice grew calm but cold. "We'll see, Sengoku. One day, you'll understand that the Celestial Dragons have brought more suffering to this world than any pirate ever could."
He knew that many pirates were not born evil. Some had fled the tyranny of the Celestial Dragons. Others had turned to the sea simply because they were starving—homeless, powerless. And once they tasted freedom and strength, they desired more.
How did they keep that power? By ruling through fear—turning on the weak, just like the kings they once hated.
"Enough of your nonsense!" Sengoku barked.
Kaoru raised his blade, pointing Ace at the golden Buddha."Then stop me if you can. I'm taking Roger's body today—and if you stand in my way, I'll cut you down too."
Sengoku stared at him for a long moment. Then, unexpectedly, he said, "I'll let you take Roger's body."
Kaoru blinked, momentarily thrown off. "That easy?"
Sengoku's eyes glinted. "But I have one condition."
Kaoru exhaled slowly. "Let's hear it."
"For the next ten years," Sengoku said, "you will not appear on the seas. I don't care where you hide, but you're to stay out of sight for ten years. No sailing, no fighting, no showing your face."
The demand wasn't born from mercy—it was strategy. Kaoru's strength was terrifying. He had defeated Garp in one strike. Sengoku needed time—ten years—for the next generation of Marines to rise. He believed that by the time Kaoru aged and weakened, the new Navy would be strong enough to surpass him.
He couldn't have known that Kaoru Tsubasa would never age in the next decade—not even a single day.
"…Fine," Kaoru said at last. "I accept. I'll stay off the seas for ten years."
Sengoku nodded. Then he turned to Garp, who met his gaze silently and stepped away from Roger's corpse.
Kaoru walked up to the execution platform, knelt beside Roger's lifeless body, and gently placed a hand on his chest."Rest easy, Captain," he murmured.
With a soft flicker of light, Roger's body vanished into Kaoru's system space.
Without another word, he turned and began to leave."See you around, Sengoku."
Sengoku said nothing. Garp watched him disappear into the distance, his expression unreadable.
Later, aboard the Navy ship returning to Marineford, Sengoku gave his next order."Issue a new bounty," he said firmly. "For the Speed Sword Ghost, Kaoru Tsubasa—fifty-three billion berries."
"Yes, sir!" the Marine replied, saluting.
—
Meanwhile, Kaoru had already found Shanks and Buggy, who had escaped earlier.
"Brother Kaoru! The captain's body—?" Shanks asked anxiously.
"It's here."
Kaoru summoned Roger's body from his system space. The two young pirates fell to their knees beside it, tears streaming down their faces.
"Captain…" they cried in unison, clutching at the man who had changed their lives.
Kaoru didn't speak. He simply stood nearby, watching silently as they grieved.
After a while, Shanks wiped his eyes and looked up. "Brother Kaoru, what should we do with his body?"
"I'll take him back to Redoria," Kaoru said softly. "It's the safest place for him now."
What he didn't tell them was that he planned to try the System Lottery Shop, hoping to find an item that could resurrect Roger someday.
He stored Roger's body once more into the system space and turned to Buggy."Buggy, don't forget our deal."
Before either of them could respond, Kaoru's body shimmered—and dissolved into mist.
Only Shanks and Buggy remained, their eyes still wet with tears, staring into the empty air where he had stood.