One Piece: Starting in God Valley as a Slave

Bullet's face was steaming with rage. Akainu's magma attack had pushed him to the brink, and with a furious roar, he charged at Akainu like an unstoppable war machine.

Akainu snorted coldly, his hands transforming into molten magma as they collided with the ice-encrusted gauntlets on Bullet's fists.

Crack!

Akainu, standing firm on the spot, exerted enough force to shatter the ice beneath his feet. The two locked hands, their powers clashing momentarily before both stepped back and launched into a brutal melee of close combat.

In such a fight, Akainu had the advantage. His straightforward and ferocious combat style, bolstered by the devastating power of the Magma-Magma Fruit, proved more than a match for Barrett.

The ice gauntlets on Bullet's fists began to melt under the intense heat. Borsalino, observing from the side, clicked his tongue in amusement but didn't remain idle. With Akainu taking the brunt of the close combat, Borsalino had the freedom to unleash long-range attacks with the Glint-Glint Fruit.

Golden lasers pierced through the air, landing precise strikes on Bullet and leaving glowing marks on his body.

The combined assault strained Bullet's haki reserves. Despite his formidable devilish form, a power derived from the Clank-Clank Fruit and enhanced by his mastery of haki, the overwhelming force of two top-tier Admirals left him on the defensive.

Eventually, Borsalino seized an opportunity. With a light-speed kick, he sent Bullet crashing to the ground.

Back aboard the Oro Jackson, only Roger, Rayleigh, Shanks, and Buggy remained. The other core members had leaped into the fray, engaging Kuzan and the other Marines.

Rayleigh, noticing Bullet's plight, could no longer stay idle. Sparks of Conqueror's haki crackled around him.

Roger sighed, glancing at Rayleigh. "Go, but don't get too deep into it. You still have more important things to do."

Rayleigh nodded silently before vanishing from the deck. Shanks, gritting his teeth, drew his sword and charged after him without hesitation.

"Idiot!" Buggy shouted in frustration, but despite his words, his legs moved on their own. Grumbling, he leapt off the ship to join the battle.

Roger didn't stop them. His focus remained on Carl, who stood on the opposing side. Carl's eyes met Roger's, and the air between them seemed to hum with tension, bolts of lightning crackling intermittently.

Rayleigh's departure lit the fuse. With Buggy the last to leave the Oro Jackson, the aura surrounding Roger and Carl surged explosively.

The ice sheet beneath them trembled violently as their haki collided. Fighters on both sides halted, all eyes turning toward the two figures at the center of the battlefield.

Amidst this tense atmosphere, Roger and Carl vanished from their positions, reappearing moments later at the heart of the battleground. Their swords clashed with such force that lightning erupted, splitting the ice and sending waves of seawater surging upward. Kuzan hastily froze the rising waters to stabilize the battlefield.

For Roger and Carl, this was just a warm-up. Black and red slashes of sword energy crisscrossed the battlefield, their speed too great for the surveillance Den Den Mushi to capture. Their duel raged from the ground to the sky and back, leaving destruction in their wake.

The two forces on the battlefield resumed their clash, the sound of battle ringing out unendingly.

Boom!

With a resounding explosion, Roger and Carl reappeared, locked in a standoff on a single ice floe. The surrounding ice had been shattered into a fine mist.

Breaking the silence, Roger said, "Black Dragon, you should've disappeared from this world long ago! This world doesn't belong to you!"

Carl narrowed his eyes, a smirk playing on his lips. "Let me guess... Did someone named Joy Boy tell you that?"

Roger's brows furrowed. "Who are you, really?"

Carl chuckled. "I thought Joy Boy was supposed to know everything. Guess he's not as omniscient as you think."

Before Roger could respond, Carl's arm glowed crimson as he unleashed a powerful slash, sending Roger flying. Roger somersaulted mid-air and landed on another fragment of ice.

Carl raised a hand, using a gravitational force to pull Roger and the ice beneath him closer. His cursed blade, Muramasa, shot forth as a dark streak aimed at Roger's head.

Just as the blade was about to pierce Roger, his eyes turned a vibrant pink. With a thunderous roar, his Conqueror's haki erupted, deflecting the blade. Roger vaulted into the air as if propelled by an invisible spring.

Carl retrieved Muramasa with a flick of his wrist but was interrupted by a sudden burst of laughter from above.

"Hahahahaha!"

The laughter rang out unnervingly, drawing everyone's attention. Rayleigh, slashing through a group of Marines, looked skyward.

There, in the air, was Roger, laughing maniacally. His hair and clothes had turned into black flames, a ribbon of dark fiery clouds spiraling around him.

In the Holy Land of Mary Geoise, the Gorosei stood from their seats, stunned by the sight on their monitors.

Warcury gasped. "That form... It's Nika! He's the Nika Fruit user!"

Nusjuro's voice heavy. "It may not look exactly like the legend, but it must be the Nika Fruit. After 800 years... it's awakened again. Roger hid this well..."

Saturn, silent until now, glanced between the screens showing Roger and Carl.

"The situation doesn't favor Carl. Even if we hurry, we may not make it in time..."

The room fell silent as all eyes turned to Saturn, waiting for his decision.

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+210 chapters on p@treon/tambeerg