~ As Usual. Bonus Chapter Every 100 Powerstones :)
~ 18 Advanced Chapters Available on Patreon!
The Sea Restaurant, Baratie.
An ocean-going restaurant located in the Sambas Region of the East Blue.
Its exterior resembled a giant ship, with fish-shaped figureheads at both ends.
Many people journeyed here specifically to savor the delicious cuisine prepared by the owner and head chef, Zeff. Even high-ranking Marine officials were known to dine here.
After their voyage, this distinctive floating restaurant finally ca into view for Rowen and the crew.
"SUGEEE! What a huge ship!" Luffy exclaid, drooling as he stared at the unique design of the Baratie. Just looking at it whetted his appetite.
Beep! Beep! Just as they prepared to approach the Baratie, a horn blared.
"M-Marines?! A Marine warship?!" A vessel, much larger than the rry, rapidly closed in on them, the prominent Marine insignia clearly visible on its main sail.
The mont he saw the warship, Usopp broke out in a cold sweat and cried out in alarm.
"Tch. Annoying guys showed up," Zoro muttered, sensing trouble.
"Hm?" Rowen was observing the approaching warship with interest, then noticed Nami hiding behind him, amused.
"Uh... force of habit," Nami murmured, realizing Rowen was looking at her. She blinked, her cheeks flushing slightly.
Ever since Orange Town, whenever danger arose, Rowen had consistently protected her. Nami had unconsciously grown accustod to seeking shelter behind him.
The mont she saw the Marine warship, her instincts kicked in, and she automatically moved behind Rowen.
But she had to admit... she felt incredibly safe behind him.
Nami watched as Rowen subtly shifted his stance, positioning himself to shield her even better, and pressed her lips together.
Safety... For Nami, who had witnessed Bell-mère's murder firsthand and whose hotown, Cocoyasi Village, was still suffering under Arlong's tyranny, that feeling was unbelievably precious.
"Never seen that Jolly Roger before," a voice called out from the deck of the Marine warship. A man wearing a white patterned suit, with pink hair, dark skin, and iron-ringed gauntlets, appeared before Rowen and the crew.
He squinted at the Straw Hat Pirates' flag.
"I am Marine Lieutenant 'Double Iron Fist' Fullbody! Who's the captain?! State your na!" Fullbody demanded, raising his fist.
"I'm Luffy!" Luffy stepped forward and yelled back.
"I'm Usopp!" Usopp chid in, joining the commotion.
"I'm the captain! We just decided on the flag!" Luffy glanced at Usopp, then yelled again, asserting his captaincy.
"I drew the flag!" Usopp added proudly.
Rowen watched Luffy and Usopp's antics with a strange smile. He wondered if Luffy did it intentionally—when facing obviously weak opponents, Luffy simply introduced himself as 'Luffy'. But against stronger foes, his introduction beca, 'I am Monkey D. Luffy'.
"Luffy? Never heard of you. Just so small-tir," Fullbody sneered dismissively.
Like Morgan before him, Fullbody was a Marine who believed titles were everything.
"A naless pirate crew... What an eyesore. Maybe I should just sink you," Fullbody's gaze swept over the rest of the crew on the rry.
Then, his eyes landed on Rowen, standing not far behind Luffy.
"!!!" Fullbody rubbed his eyes, then stared intently at Rowen's face, widening his eyes.
Cold sweat began to form on his brow.
"Sk- 'Sky Sovereign' Rowen?!!!" Fullbody gasped, certain his eyes weren't deceiving him.
"A small fry like you dares call himself 'Iron Fist'? Sa title as the Marine Hero?" Rowen asked, looking at Fullbody with amusent.
Taking the sa epithet as the Marine Hero—Monkey D. Garp, and parading it around Garp's ho sea, the East Blue... This Lieutenant certainly has guts.
"SUGEEE! Your reputation is amazing, Rowen! Even Marines from Headquarters know you!" Usopp exclaid, looking at Rowen with reverence.
As expected of a real pirate!
"..." Hearing Rowen's mockery, Fullbody's eye twitched, but he didn't dare retort.
He only dared use the 'Iron Fist' title here in the East Blue, the weakest sea, to stroke his own ego. Back at Marine Headquarters, he was just an insignificant lieutenant with no title whatsoever.
But this man before him—'Sky Sovereign' Rowen—was entirely different!
A user of Conqueror's Haki! A super rookie who had burst onto the scene!
Normally, a Lieutenant like Fullbody wouldn't know much about the power of Conqueror's Haki.
After all, since the formation of the 'Three Great Powers' balance between the Emperors, Marines, and Warlords, major clashes between Conqueror's Haki users had beco rare.
But the World Economic News Agency's report on 'Sky Sovereign' Rowen had caused quite a stir even at Marine HQ.
Although Fullbody was unimportant at HQ, being stationed there had its advantages—access to far more information than available elsewhere.
The disposition of a King! Anyone who awakened it was destined to beco a renowned powerhouse on the seas!
Rumor had it that even the three esteed Marine Admirals didn't possess this power.
Rumor also had it that anyone who awakened this power was imdiately marked for grooming as a future Marine Admiral.
At worst, they'd beco an Admiral Candidate.
Awakening Conqueror's Haki at such a young age... Even though this man arrogantly called himself 'Sky Sovereign', no one within the Marines who understood the true value of Conqueror's Haki dismissed him as rely overconfident.
Arrogance was expected from soone possessing the disposition of a King.
Word was, HQ was already discussing what bounty to place on this man's head. So whispered it would be an unimaginably terrifying number.
These rumors filled Fullbody with intense envy. If he could awaken Conqueror's Haki, he wouldn't need to borrow the 'Iron Fist' title just to feel important in the weakest sea!
A Marine Admiral! Imagine the glory! The power!
Why did soone awaken such incredible power... only to beco a damn pirate?!
But... if I could capture this guy... maybe I could skyrocket through the ranks?
Fullbody sotis entertained such fantasies.
And now, he had actually encountered this super rookie.
Looking at Rowen's faintly mocking smile, Fullbody felt countless beads of cold sweat form.
This man... just standing there... radiated terrifying strength.
Now that he was face-to-face with him, Fullbody realized he didn't even have the courage to attack.
He rembered now! Damn that World Economic News Agency!
In their report, they had only emphasized the surna 'Monkey' and the mysterious initial 'D' for the kid nad Luffy, heavily bolding them.
Fullbody, his attention consud by the na 'Sky Sovereign' Rowen, had completely forgotten the na 'Luffy', failing to recognize the kid's identity imdiately.
What now?! Didn't he just... say he was going to sink the pirate ship 'Sky Sovereign' Rowen was on?!
More cold sweat dripped down Fullbody's forehead.
"Marine Hero? Who's that?" Luffy suddenly tilted his head, the title sounding vaguely familiar.
"You don't even know the Marine Hero? Garp the Hero! That's common knowledge across the seas!" Nami exclaid, exasperated with Luffy.
At the World Governnt level, the initial 'D' was an absolute taboo. Compounded by the existence of Garp's son, the Revolutionary Leader Monkey D. Dragon...
Official propaganda handled Garp similarly to how Gol D. Roger was changed to Gold Roger.
Garp was publicly known only as 'Garp the Hero' or 'Garp the Fist'.
The full na 'Monkey D. Garp' was known only to a select few across the seas.
"Oh! You an Gramps!" Hearing the na, Luffy shivered, unpleasant mories flooding back.
"GRAMPS?!!!" Nami, Usopp, and even Zoro stared at Luffy with expressions of utter disbelief.
Johnny and Yosaku hugged each other tightly, gaping at Luffy in shock.
"W-Wait... My brain feels scrambled," Nami clutched her head, shaking it slightly.
"Garp the Hero is your grandfather?! Your actual grandfather?!" Nami asked Luffy incredulously.
"Yeah! Gramps is super scary!" Luffy recalled Garp's 'training' thods, a flicker of genuine fear crossing even his normally carefree eyes.
Rowen watched Luffy, amused.
This family... truly is full of extraordinary individuals.
Garp's son, Monkey D. Dragon, beca the leader of the Revolutionary Army.
And Luffy... Garp, wanting him to beco a Marine, subjected him to ridiculously harsh training.
Throwing him into bottomless ravines, abandoning him in jungles teeming with ferocious beasts at night, tying him to balloons and letting him float away...
All while yelling at Luffy to beco a strong Marine! It was no wonder young Luffy developed such a deep-seated psychological aversion to the idea.
Even if Luffy hadn't t Shanks, becoming a Marine under those circumstances would have been impossible.
"Regardless of who Luffy's grandfather is, he's a pirate now. The man who will beco King of the Pirates," Rowen interjected, summarizing the situation for the still-stunned crew.
"That's right! Shishishi!" Luffy instantly snapped out of his Garp-induced funk, grinning broadly and yelling.
——
—[Bond increased. Trait equipping progress increased.]—
——
Handling Luffy... easy peasy.
Rowen smirked, then turned his attention back to the now slack-jawed Fullbody on the warship opposite them.
"I hear... you were planning to sink our pirate ship?" Rowen asked, smiling faintly at Fullbody's stunned expression.
"!!!" Fullbody was now completely frozen, utterly dumbfounded.
~ 18 Advanced Chapters Available on Patreon!
sp-atreon/dragonnx
(Just remove the hyphen to access Patreon normally.)
~# Keep the Chapters coming — Support with Power Stones!
~# Every 100 Power Stones = Bonus Chapter
Reviews
All reviews (0)