Roy stood atop the completed Susanoo, his gaze coldly fixed on the backs of Blackbeard and his crew as they fled in disgrace.
The corners of his mouth lifted slightly into a disdainful smile.
In his view, Blackbeard was nothing more than a clown—ambitious and cunning as he might be, yet utterly insignificant in the face of absolute power.
He felt no urgency to pursue Blackbeard; instead, he was more curious to see what tricks the man would pull in the days to come, how he would "scramble" across this sea.
Roy's eyes narrowed slightly, and the mysterious Mangekyō Sharingan within them began to slowly rotate once more.
Meanwhile, Hashirama Senju, while controlling his colossal wooden golem, found his thoughts swirling.
He had already deeply grasped the gap between himself and Roy—a chasm that could not be crossed.
The power Roy displayed, especially the mysterious abilities of the Mangekyō Sharingan, struck him as unfathomable.
With every exchange, Hashirama sensed that Roy still had more hidden strength left unrevealed.
"Even going all out, there's no hope of winning," Hashirama mused inwardly, a trace of resignation in his voice, yet more than that, a sense of respect for the stronger opponent.
"He truly is the one who summoned me." A look of acceptance crossed Hashirama's face; he felt no frustration over his inability to defeat Roy.
On the contrary, encountering such a powerful opponent in the afterlife and crossing swords with him was a rare opportunity.
He relished the battle itself, each clash and exchange igniting his passion for combat.
The fight between Roy and Hashirama blazed on, their techniques intertwining like a raging storm.
Roy commanded the full-body Susanoo, wielding its colossal blade, while Hashirama continuously unleashed Wood Release jutsu.
Under Roy's deliberate control, the battle appeared evenly matched on the surface.
The two exchanged blows in a balanced rhythm, neither gaining a clear advantage.
Yet in truth, Roy held the battle's tempo throughout, skillfully modulating his output to exert pressure on Hashirama without rendering him helpless.
At the edge of the battlefield, Ace and the others stared wide-eyed, their faces filled with shock as they watched the fierce clash.
They had never witnessed such a collision of power; the strength displayed by Roy and Hashirama made them acutely aware of their own insignificance.
Luffy's mouth hung wide open, his eyes gleaming with excitement and yearning; Nami and the others huddled together, their faces a mix of terror and concern.
This battle far surpassed their imagination, granting them a glimpse into the world of true powerhouses.
The intense battle between Roy and Hashirama raged on.
Their figures shifted ceaselessly across the barren desert, pushing deeper into its expanse.
Hashirama unleashed his formidable Wood Release techniques, bringing life to the long-arid land.
With his movements, trees sprouted from the ground one after another, growing rapidly.
Vines wound their way up the trunks, exuding a gentle fragrance, breathing vitality into the dead desert.
The once-boundless, sand-swept ancient desert began to transform dramatically under Hashirama's power.
Oases dotted the landscape, clear streams flowing and infusing the land with sources of life.
In the capital of Alabasta, King Cobra stood on the palace terrace, gazing toward the desert engulfed by battle.
His face reflected a mixture of shock and excitement, his eyes wide with awe at the overwhelming strength of Roy and Hashirama.
He had never imagined such power could exist, capable of transforming the desert's face in an instant.
To Alabasta, which had long suffered from drought, these newly formed oases were an invaluable gift.
"Such power is truly beyond imagination," Cobra murmured, his voice heavy with emotion.
"So this is the gift Roy spoke of—truly the finest gift of all."
His heart welled with gratitude toward Roy and Hashirama; these oases brought new hope to his nation and the promise of a better life for his people.
Princess Vivi stood quietly to the side, her gaze fixed intently on Roy's figure on the battlefield.
Her eyes shimmered with complex emotions—admiration for Roy's overwhelming strength, and something else, harder to name.
Roy's calm composure in battle, along with his mysterious and formidable abilities, captivated her.
"Who is he, really?" Vivi understood that Roy's arrival might bring profound change to Alabasta's future.
Her hands unconsciously clenched, and she resolved to learn more about this enigmatic man, who she believed would be key to Alabasta's prosperity.
The figures of Roy and Hashirama gradually vanished into the depths of the desert, leaving behind only the vibrant oases.
...
Sand swirled, blotting out the sky, shrouding the two figures entirely; the final outcome of the battle became uncertain, unknowable to any observer.
Just as speculation and debate over the battle's result were running high, a stunning announcement spread rapidly across the world.
Roy and Hashirama had each appeared unharmed in different places.
Judging by the circumstances, everyone arrived at the same conclusion: the two had fought to a draw in their breathtaking clash.
The news landed like a bombshell, sending shockwaves around the globe and stunning countless people.
Morgans, the renowned "Big News" of the journalism world, was beside himself with excitement.
He paced briskly before his desk, muttering to himself as his pen flew across the paper.
Soon, from a small fishing village in the East Blue to the mysterious New World, the battle was the subject of heated discussion.
At Marine Headquarters, the news sparked a wave of elation throughout the base.
Hashirama Senju, as a Fifth Emperor of the seas, was a figure who had even clashed evenly with Whitebeard; his terror was beyond doubt.
Now, the fact that Roy, the youngest Marine Admiral, had fought Hashirama to a draw was a resounding testament to the Marines' strength.
For pirates, the news brought stark surprise.
Though many had heard of Roy, the young Admiral, they had not truly grasped the full extent of his terrifying power.
In their minds, Hashirama was nearly invincible; that Roy could stand against him and tie struck fear into many.
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