A thunderous kick slammed down with overwhelming force!!!
When that kick, wreathed in crackling black-and-red lightning and flames, struck his chest, Rayleigh felt as though a mountain had crushed him.
Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom—!
Chunks of earth shattered one after another, mountain peaks crumbling under the impact.
At this time, the young Dark King Rayleigh's eyes rolled back white, his mouth opened wide, and he spewed out three liters of blood.
Finally, he collapsed into a deep pit, falling into a brief state of unconsciousness.
"Hey!!!"
"Rayleigh!!!"
Roger and the others shouted, beads of cold sweat forming on their foreheads.
Fortunately, most strong members of a main crew have the miraculous ability to sit up again after such blows—Rayleigh was no exception.
After lying down for a few seconds, his pupils slowly returned to his eyes, he coughed up a few more mouthfuls of blood, then clutched his chest and forced himself to stand.
"So damn painful..."
"You bastard..."
Seeing the pained look on their first mate's face, along with the countless mountains shattered by a single kick, all the crew members of the Roger Pirates grew grim.
Even though Orin still looked like a young man, he was unbelievably difficult to handle!!!
"Oi!!! Everyone, go all out!!!"
"Yeah! If word got out that the Roger Pirates were wiped out by some brat, we'd be a laughingstock!!!"
Of course—
Though Orin was indeed strong, he still didn't frighten the Roger Pirates. Roger himself was the first to charge forward with his blade, only for Orin to counter with Ace, parrying his strike.
Their Conqueror's Haki clashed violently.
"You brat, you're far too arrogant!!!"
With a grin tugging at his lips, Gaban swung his twin axes, both covered in that same crackling black-and-red lightning, straight toward Orin.
Sensing danger, Orin's smile widened.
Clang—!
His free arm instantly turned jet black, likewise infused with Conqueror's Haki, and crossed in front of him, forcibly withstanding the twin axes' strike.
Roger and Gaban together launched a furious assault on Orin.
"To think one man would dare provoke the Roger Pirates—don't you die on us too easily, brat!!!"
Strangely, even though Orin had left them battered and feeling pressured, neither Roger nor Gaban—and not even Rayleigh, who had been floored by a single kick—held much malice toward him.
Perhaps it was his bearing.
Or maybe they could sense Orin harbored no true hostility or killing intent toward them.
The destructive shockwaves of their battle spread outward. Orin withstood the combined assault, though the pressure was immense, his organs feeling as if they were being crushed.
Even Orin nearly coughed up blood from blocking two top-tier Haki-infused attacks, but he swallowed it back down by sheer willpower.
He couldn't lose reputation!
Feet planted firmly, Orin's muscles tensed, his monstrous strength exploding to its peak.
Step—
He pressed forward. Roger and Gaban's expressions changed simultaneously—an irresistible force was bearing down on them!
Irresistible, not because of Joy Boy-level Conqueror's Haki techniques, but because of pure, raw physical power.
After taking their combined strikes, Orin harnessed his brute strength and forced both Roger and Gaban back together.
The ground tore open in a deep trench beneath their feet. Though it caused no real harm and couldn't break through their defenses, the sight gave a dangerous illusion: that Orin alone could fight them both.
Seeing this, Roger, who had been enjoying the fight, immediately flared up.
Gritting his teeth, he roared:
"We're fighting, not getting shoved around!!!"
Orin, however, only chuckled:
"Doesn't it sound cool though? 'Roger and Gaban of the Roger Pirates were forced back when fighting me.' Don't you think that has a nice ring to it~?"
"Dammit!!!"
Just like Luffy in the future, the young Roger's childish temper flared instantly.
Gaban, calmer, noticed Roger's anger and tried to warn him:
"Oi, Roger! Don't let this guy get in your head!!!"
But Roger wasn't listening. Pouring even more Conqueror's Haki into his strikes, he pushed his legs harder, trying to stop the backward slide forced by Orin.
Even Gaban was secretly straining.
But…
They quickly realized something despairing—this was no simple feat.
"What kind of monster strength is this!!!"
"Even Whitebeard or Big Mom might not match this brat's raw power!!!"
Orin only burst into loud laughter.
"Hahahahahahaha!!! I may not have much advantage over you in Haki, but when it comes to sheer strength—I won't lose to anyone!!!"
Still clashing Haki, Orin bulldozed forward, pushing the two of them like a living battering ram.
And his advance led straight toward the rest of the Roger Pirates.
The crewmates, knowing they couldn't wield Conqueror's Haki Infusion, had only been supporting from the sidelines, guarding the Oro Jackson and the apprentices.
But now, seeing Orin charging directly at them, they had no choice. Every one of them drew their weapons.
"Don't underestimate us—we're the Roger Pirates!!!"
Plowing straight into the crew, Orin looked at all those familiar faces, at so many of his former mentors, and a smile tugged at his lips.
It had been a long time, everyone.
In a blink, Orin vanished from before Roger and Gaban, ending their contest.
Both men felt the pressure vanish and were stunned for a moment, but quickly sensed his presence—he had reappeared among the crew.
Roger's expression shifted drastically.
"Oi!!! Everyone, watch out!!!"
Before his words finished, Orin was already at the bow of the Oro Jackson. Surrounded on all sides by the crew, he smirked faintly.
"Once we're done with this fight today, I'll consider myself fully graduated."
After leaving the Roger Pirates, thanks to his special Observation Haki, Orin had always remembered the techniques the crew taught him.
By the time he had mastered them, however, the Roger Pirates had long since disbanded, their members scattered across the seas.
Now, seeing those who had once taken good care of him, Orin decided to use these techniques—not particularly powerful, but filled with memories.
The first to face him was a burly fish-man.
He clenched his fists, meeting Orin's gaze fearlessly, both hands instantly coated with Armament Haki.
"Sunbell-san, Fish-Man Karate may not be as straightforward as Fist, but I'm quite proficient at it too~"
Orin likewise coated both hands with Armament Haki, mimicking his stance.
"This is..."
"Fish-Man Karate!!!"