One Piece: Peace Shattered By Roger (Completed)

"Who dares speak?!"

Brand's sharp eyes turned toward the corner where the voice came from, his gaze as piercing as if he'd found a fly in his soup.

"What's wrong with this world? Pirates everywhere... They're scum who shouldn't even exist," the man in the corner said, lighting a cigar. Leaning back in his chair, he took a long drag, exhaling thick smoke that hung in the air like his disdain.

"You're serious, aren't you?" Brand asked, standing upright. His small eyes gleamed with murderous intent. It had been years since anyone had dared insult him like this.

Brand was notorious for his cruelty. Any slight against him was met with lethal retaliation, no matter the effort or cost.

With his hands clenched into fists and veins bulging on his forehead, Brand walked toward the man in the corner. His voice was low and bloodthirsty: "You'll pay for those words. I'll hang you from the mast of this ship and let you starve to death as you smell the food below!"

The man didn't flinch. Instead, he coolly exhaled a cloud of smoke and stood up, revealing a massive, steel-reinforced arm.

"You talk too much," the man said as the mechanical arm shot forward.

"Wait—what—!" Brand's usual bravado faltered, his tiny eyes widening in terror.

Before he could react, the steel arm grabbed him and sent him hurtling through the air. With a deafening explosion, Brand was launched from the restaurant like a cannonball, his body disappearing into the horizon.

The infamous pirate leader with a crew of a thousand was gone in an instant, his life snuffed out like a candle.

---

"Wow, Z! The legendary Marine General, reduced to bullying a petty pirate leader in some random restaurant. How far you've fallen!"

A mocking voice echoed from the entrance.

The man who had sent Brand flying turned to see the newcomers. It was none other than Kaizen, Fujitora, and Buggy.

Z, formerly known as "Black Arm" Zephyr, stood there stoically. His once-proud Marine career had been marred by betrayal and tragedy. Losing his arm to a pirate-turned-Shichibukai had shaken his faith in Marine justice. Now, with a seastone prosthetic and his own secret agenda, he operated outside Marine authority.

When he saw Kaizen, his stern gaze hardened.

"Kaizen. Fate has a strange way of bringing us back together," Z said, his voice laced with bitterness.

"It's less about fate and more about unfinished business, isn't it?" Kaizen replied smoothly, his tone unreadable.

"You cost me everything! My arm, my pride, my faith in justice—this is all because of you!" Z growled, placing his hand on his mechanical arm.

"I didn't cut off your arm. If you're looking for revenge, go find Whitebeard," Kaizen said with a shrug, clearly unbothered.

"Don't play dumb! None of this would've happened if it weren't for you!"

Kaizen raised his hands in mock surrender, smirking slightly. "What do you want? A fight?"

Z narrowed his eyes but then surprised everyone by sitting down instead. "Fighting you would be pointless. I have bigger things to focus on."

Kaizen tilted his head, studying Z's expression carefully. "Fair enough. We're not here to cause trouble either. Just hungry. Let's keep the peace, shall we?"

With that, Kaizen, Fujitora, and Buggy sat at a nearby table.

---

While Kaizen and Fujitora remained calm, Buggy was visibly sweating.

Buggy muttered to himself in a panic, "Why did we have to run into him of all people? Black Arm Z! If he realizes who I am, I'm finished!"

Trying to make himself as inconspicuous as possible, Buggy lowered his head and avoided eye contact.

"Captain Buggy, you've been acting strange this whole time. What's wrong?" Kaizen's voice suddenly boomed, echoing through the restaurant.

Buggy froze, his face pale. Kaizen's words might as well have painted a target on his back.