One Piece: I'm not Roger

The two stood facing each other, their presence as sharp as drawn blades. Shanks let out a faint, bitter smile. He could clearly feel the gap between himself and Captain Roger, but that gap only fueled his determination. Having something to chase made everything worthwhile.

Shanks unsheathed Gryphon. The blade darkened instantly as Conqueror's Haki wrapped around it like burning flames, and his pupils took on a deep crimson hue.

"Captain Roger, I haven't wasted a single day practicing what you taught me."

Aether's eyes shifted to the same dark red. He drew Ace, drawing out the lingering power within the blade. Conqueror's Haki surged violently, matching Shanks' presence without the slightest weakness.

Level 83 plus 15

Level 98

Aether had reached his peak state, even surpassing Roger's prime to a small extent.

"Shanks, if you want my acknowledgment, then show me everything you have."

"Then be ready, Captain."

A thunderous explosion followed.

Both of them moved at the same time, closing the distance in an instant. Their blades swung toward lethal points, colliding like streaks of dark red lightning.

"Divine Departure."

"Divine Departure."

Boom.

The clash released countless arcs of crimson lightning. Their Conqueror's Haki infusion collided head-on, tearing through the sky and scattering the clouds, letting sunlight pour down onto the battlefield.

The shockwaves swept across the island, flattening vegetation and stirring the sea into violent motion.

Their blades never touched directly. Instead, they pressed against each other through compressed Haki, creating a destructive point of collision.

The ground beneath them shattered apart.

Both Aether and Shanks smiled, fully immersed in the fight. This was the kind of battle they had been waiting for.

As more Haki poured in, the pressure at the collision point reached its limit.

Boom.

A devastating shockwave erupted.

Aether leaned back slightly, his feet firmly rooted. Shanks, however, was forced back two steps. The difference between them was already clear.

Still, neither intended to end things so quickly.

Their figures blurred as they resumed attacking, blades flashing in rapid succession. Each strike aimed for a vital point, each movement carrying lethal intent.

Clang.

Aether blocked Shanks' strike and stepped forward, forcing him backward and disrupting his footing. Then Ace slashed downward toward Shanks' head without hesitation.

Clang.

Shanks caught the attack with one hand, his posture bending slightly under the pressure.

Clang.

With a swift motion, he deflected the blade and spun, his counterattack sweeping toward Aether's neck with equal killing intent.

Aether blocked the strike and responded instantly.

Clang. Boom.

They exchanged blows relentlessly. Every collision of Advanced Conqueror's Haki sent tremors through the island, and even a distant cliff was sliced apart by the stray sword energy.

Fortunately, this was only a peripheral island of Sphinx. Otherwise, the destruction would have been far worse.

Even so, the shockwaves had already begun to affect the main island.

Ten minutes later

Clang.

Rayleigh raised his sword, deflecting a stray slash of energy. Watching the two fight without restraint, he shook his head.

"Have they forgotten there are people watching? They're going too far."

Beckman nodded in agreement. While the two captains fought freely, it was up to others to deal with the aftermath. After just ten minutes, it was already obvious that Shanks was being pushed back.

"Roger's strength is truly on another level."

If things continued like this, it would take Shanks a long time to reach that height, especially if Aether continued to grow stronger.

With his youth restored, no one could predict how far Roger's power might go.

At that moment, both Rayleigh and Beckman noticed a shift in the battle.

After being forced back dozens of meters, Aether did not close the distance again. Instead, he gripped his sword with both hands. A different kind of power began to gather, distinct from Advanced Conqueror's Haki.

A crimson aura wrapped around the blade as a terrifying force condensed.

"Ikoku Sovereignty."

A massive shockwave surged forward, spanning dozens of meters as it rushed toward Shanks.

Shanks immediately recognized it. He had faced this technique many times while clashing with Charlotte Linlin.

Dodging was no longer an option.

"Divine Departure."

Without hesitation, he swung his blade, splitting the incoming force in two. However, the attack did not stop there. The remaining power engulfed him completely.

The Ikoku Sovereignty carved through half the cliff behind him and tore a massive trench across the ocean, stretching for nearly a thousand meters. It took over ten seconds for the seawater to close the gap.

When the aftermath faded, Shanks was kneeling on one knee more than ten meters back, a deep trail marking where he had been pushed.

He held Gryphon in front of him, fully coated in Haki. His cloak had vanished, torn away by the blast. His clothes were disheveled, and several shallow cuts lined his body.

After a few heavy breaths, he looked up with a wry smile.

"Captain Roger, let's stop here. I lost. I didn't expect you to use Ikoku, and it's even stronger than Charlotte Linlin's."

Seeing that Shanks had no intention of continuing, Aether sheathed Ace.

Continuing the fight would likely result in serious injuries. Still, this outcome did not mean Aether had absolute victory.

At his current level, defeating Shanks completely would take hours. The borrowed power within Ace would not last that long.

The final outcome remained uncertain.

"Let's call it even, Shanks. I wasn't sure I could defeat you either."

To others, those words sounded like modesty from someone clearly in control. Anyone with enough strength could tell Shanks had been suppressed from the beginning.

Only Aether understood the full picture. He was already looking forward to how strong Shanks would become in the next two years.

SS rank character Shanks has developed high-level friendliness toward the host. Reward, 50000 EXP

Slightly altered the fate of Shanks. Reward, 10000 points

SS rank character Beckman has developed medium-level friendliness. Reward, 20000 EXP

Members of the Red Hair Pirates have developed positive emotions. Rewards distributed accordingly

Even with nearly one hundred thousand EXP and twenty thousand points gained, it was not enough for Aether to level up at this stage.

As the two returned, Aether noticed Marco approaching.

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