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Loguetown Marine Branch, Captain's Office.
"Hiss! Hiss! Hiss!" Dense smoke filled the entire room, completely obscuring the interior.
BANG!
The office door burst open frantically.
"Captain Smoker! Terrible news!" A Marine soldier rushed in, his face pale with horror.
"Word from HQ! Straw Hat Monkey D. Luffy's crew is heading towards Loguetown! The captain, Straw Hat Luffy, is a pirate with a 45 million Beri bounty!" The soldier paused, sweat suddenly drenching his forehead, his expression turning fearful.
"And among the Straw Hats—is Sky Sovereign Rowen—with a bounty of 100 million Beri!" The Marine yelled the last part, as if shouting could bolster his courage.
100 million Beri!
In all his ti stationed in Loguetown, he had never seen such a high bounty! That kind of bounty, even on the Grand Line, signified an absolutely major pirate!
"100 million? Not small fry, then. That bounty..." A figure slowly erged from the thick smoke inside the office.
"Captain! They defeated Clown Buggy's crew, and the Fish-Man Arlong's crew! And 'Sky Sovereign' Rowen killed Captain Nezumi of the 16th Branch!! They're vicious pirates!" the soldier yelled urgently, seeing Smoker's seemingly nonchalant reaction.
"Calm down. All your shouting ruined my concentration. Failed again," Smoker grumbled, standing up. He opened the window, letting the smoke dissipate from the office. He had been training his Smoke-Smoke Fruit abilities.
"So. What were you saying?" Smoker turned around.
"HQ says the Straw Hats are estimated to arrive in Loguetown today!" the soldier reported, snapping to attention, though the cold sweat and fear in his eyes were still evident.
A 100 million Beri pirate! About to land in Loguetown!
"Don't panic. Since I've been stationed here... has a single pirate who entered this town ever escaped?" Smoker stated calmly, pulling on his signature 'Justice' coat and lighting two cigars simultaneously.
"N-No, sir!" Hearing Smoker's confident words, the soldier swallowed hard, his fear of the 100 million Beri pirate diminishing slightly.
"Then stay calm. Don't disrupt my rhythm. Even if it's 100 million Beri... it makes no difference," Smoker declared. His confidence stemd from the Devil Fruit he had eaten.
The Logia-type Smoke-Smoke Fruit.
Here in Loguetown, just before the entrance to the Grand Line, a Logia user was virtually invincible against pirates from the Four Blues.
Even a 100 million Beri pirate was no exception.
"Report! Pirates sighted at the harbor! Requesting your imdiate presence, sir!" Just then, another Marine soldier burst into the room.
"It must be the Straw Hats! They've arrived!" the first soldier exclaid.
"45 million... and 100 million... Hope they're interesting fellows," Smoker muttered, heading outside.
"So expensive... The money I borrowed isn't nearly enough," Zoro sighed, looking at the swords displayed in a shop window, his eye twitching. But there was no way he was going back to Nami for more money. Triple interest... borrowing too much would bankrupt him completely.
"But I can't enter the Grand Line with just one sword... Rowen, do you have any spare cash?" Zoro asked, turning hopefully towards Rowen.
"Money? I have no interest in money," Rowen replied, glancing at Zoro, a powerful curve to his lips.
"So... you're—" Zoro's eye twitched even harder.
"—Completely broke," Rowen finished, spreading his hands empty. 'Of course, I'm not interested in money when I don't have any!'
"....." Zoro covered his forehead.
Just then, Rowen's lips curved into a knowing smile as he looked towards another direction.
Found her...
"It's rude to call Captain Smoker a monster!" a high-pitched female voice declared earnestly.
"Shut up! Our boss got thrown in jail because of that bastard! We're gonna dump your corpse right in front of him!" Two rough-looking pirates snarled nacingly at the woman holding a sword protectively before her.
"I understand. I will accept your challenge," Tashigi replied seriously.
"Huh? Hahaha! What can a woman like you do?!" the two pirates laughed contemptuously.
"Die!" They charged, swinging their swords at Tashigi.
Clang!
Seeing this, Zoro instinctively moved to draw his sword. He couldn't stand watching bullies pick on the seemingly weak.
But the next mont—
"Rowen?" Zoro looked surprised as Rowen placed a hand on his arm, stopping him.
"Watch. That woman—isn't weak," Rowen comnted, looking at Tashigi with a faint smile.
Zoro imdiately focused his attention. He knew Rowen possessed Observation Haki, capable of sensing others' strength through their presence.
SHINK!
With a swift draw, Tashigi crouched low, executing a beautiful iaijutsu slash!
The two pirates collapsed instantly.
"Amazing!" The surrounding crowd gasped in awe.
"That must be Observation Haki, right? Incredible," Zoro remarked, seeing Tashigi easily defeat the two pirates just as Rowen predicted.
Rowen didn't explain, simply smiling as he watched Tashigi.
"Hah!" Tashigi, holding her elegant finishing pose, prepared to sheathe her sword.
"Whoa!" Suddenly, Tashigi tripped over her own feet, inexplicably falling face-first onto the ground. Her glasses flew off, landing near Rowen and Zoro.
"Hahaha! Can't figure out if she's strong or just clumsy!" the crowd chuckled good-naturedly.
"Ow ow ow... Wh-Where are my glasses?" Tashigi mumbled, groping blindly on the ground.
"Here are your glasses," Rowen said, picking them up and offering them to Tashigi with a smile.
"Th-Thank you so much!" Tashigi looked up towards Rowen, unable to see his face clearly without her glasses, but offered a grateful smile.
"Y-You! Kuina?!" Zoro gasped, his pupils constricting in shock the mont he saw Tashigi's face clearly.
This woman... looked exactly like his deceased childhood friend and rival!
"Kuina? Who's that?" Tashigi asked curiously, taking her glasses back from Rowen and putting them on.
"Sorry. This guy's an idiot," Rowen interjected smoothly with a smile.
"....." Zoro's eye twitched. If Curly-Brows had said that, he would have started a fight imdiately. But coming from Rowen... he couldn't really argue. Not after failing so miserably to learn Haki under Rowen's tutelage.
"Thank you so, so much! I don't know how to repay you!" Tashigi bowed repeatedly, endearingly clumsy.
"Don't ntion it. I just picked up your glasses. However... if it's alright... could you perhaps do a small favor?" Rowen asked, smiling at the adorably clumsy Tashigi.
"Eh?" Tashigi looked bewildered.
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