Having gotten the answer he wanted Rowan finally relaxed. After thinking for a moment he looked seriously at Whitebeard Newgate.
"I can indeed obtain more of those light orbs from earlier. But as things stand I think the Whitebeard Pirates may still become enemies of the Revolutionary Army in the future."
"Gurararara..." Newgate burst into laughter. "Still as arrogant as ever, aren't you? But brat, do you really think I wouldn't be able to stop you?"
Rowan calmly replied,
"It's not arrogance. It's the Revolutionary Army's bottom line. In the world we're trying to create there will be no need for pirates."
"You may not be the ones harming ordinary people but pirates as a whole cannot be allowed to continue existing in the future we're planning."
Pirates won't be allowed to exist? Newgate frowned and thought about it for a moment.
"So that's what you mean. If this world truly welcomes its dawn then afterward the Whitebeard Pirates won't need to call ourselves pirates anymore."
This time it was Rowan who paused. He had originally assumed that Whitebeard, having lived his entire life as a pirate, would never agree to something like that. But Rowan had clearly forgotten.
Back when Newgate was still a child he had originally gone to sea because there was simply no way for him to survive otherwise.
In that instant Rowan felt like probing a little further. "Then as the World's Strongest Man perhaps you might also have a dream of changing the world?"
"Gurararara, brat don't get carried away!" Newgate immediately saw through Rowan's intentions. "If you know that much about me then you should also know I have no interest in poking the World Government's hornet's nest."
As he spoke Newgate's thoughts drifted back to what he had experienced at God Valley.
"After witnessing something like that the only one who could still keep charging forward was Roger. That's why he became the Pirate King instead of anyone else."
"Whether it was me, Big Mom, or that undying Kaido who's now making waves in the New World, none of us who were aboard the Rocks Pirates could compare to that bastard Gol D. Roger in that regard."
After hearing that answer Rowan stopped trying to recruit him. Instead he stood up with a smile.
"Actually I suppose I should thank you. Or rather I should thank the Rocks Pirates for attacking God Valley. If it hadn't been for all of you back then even an infant like me, barely a year old, might never have escaped from God Valley."
Seeing Rowan stand Newgate grinned. "Leaving already? Why not stay for a feast? I'm sure my sons have plenty of questions they want to ask you. Come to think of it, you're only twenty-two, aren't you?"
"Almost twenty-three." Rowan shook his head. "I'll pass on the feast. Having to constantly babysit and train the younger generation gets pretty exhausting."
As he finished speaking Rowan flicked out a kunai embedding it into the mast. "I'll come back around this time tomorrow and bring you some medicine.
Wouldn't want you getting bitten to death by some dog one day."
Newgate immediately frowned. "I'm Whitebeard! What kind of damn dog could possibly bite me to death, you bastard brat?!"
Rowan waved dismissively.
"I'm not trying to save you. I simply believe this world won't allow anyone to remain aloof forever. Those with ambition are waiting for their opportunity and one of the strongest men of the previous era will naturally become one of their targets."
"I'm looking forward to that future. The future where you'll have no choice but to make a decision. When this world is overturned and a new order is established you and your sons can continue traveling the seas under the name of adventurers."
"And your homeland will finally see real change as well. One person's strength will always be limited. Revolution and dreams aren't things that can be accomplished through force alone. So I'm looking forward to seeing how you'll change."
With those words Rowan vanished directly from the deck of the Moby Dick.
Whitebeard leaned back in his enormous chair frowning as he contemplated Rowan's words. Roger had turned himself in and been executed.
Golden Lion had stormed Marineford alone only to be imprisoned in Impel Down. Then a few years ago he'd cut off his own legs and escaped.
Perhaps this world really wouldn't allow an old relic like him to remain aloof forever. But so what? Although his body was deteriorating with each passing day he was happy every single day.
He brought treasure back to his homeland and the smiles on the children's faces were genuine. That was enough. If that day truly came in the future finding a good place for these sons of his to belong wouldn't necessarily be a bad thing either.
"Gurararara, boys! It's time for a feast!"
Amid Whitebeard's booming laughter Marco and the others returned. Once they reached the deck everyone started looking around for Rowan.
"What are you standing around for, Thatch? We're having a feast!"
As the ship's cook Thatch glanced around. "Pops, where's that gentleman from the Revolutionary Army?"
Whitebeard glanced at the wine barrels. "Gone. I agreed to his request and he said dealing with a bunch of rookies like you was annoying so he teleported away."
Thatch stared at his old man. "So he didn't leave anything behind?"
Marco's expression turned serious. "That guy shouldn't be that kind of person. Since Pops agreed to his request then by the rules of honor he should've left something in return, right?"
Taking advantage of Marco's distraction Whitebeard gulped down an entire bowl of wine. Marco sighed helplessly at the sight.
"Pops, you should know that since those light orbs can heal your hidden injuries we'll get our hands on them no matter what."
Whitebeard glared at him. "Do I look like someone who doesn't follow his doctor's orders? He's bringing them tomorrow. Didn't you see the dart stuck in the mast?"
Everyone's expressions instantly changed and cheers erupted across the deck.
"A feast! A feast! Let's celebrate Pops getting healthy!"
"Commander Thatch, it's been a whole night and a whole day! I'm starving!"
"Drink! Sing! Celebrate! For Pops! For the Whitebeard Pirates!"
Amid the uproar Thatch happily rushed into the kitchen followed by a whole string of people going to help. Jozu transformed into diamond and called over the rookies to help carry barrels of wine onto the deck.
With his drinking ban lifted the laughing Whitebeard immediately downed another huge bowl of wine. Marco raised a hand as if to stop him but ultimately decided against it.
That gentleman from the Revolutionary Army would be coming back tomorrow anyway. With Pops' physique there was no way a day of drinking would kill him. It should be fine.
"Marco."
"Pops?"
"You know, that guy is twenty-two this year. Hmm, almost twenty-three."
Marco froze. How is that possible? His mind went blank. He had already guessed that the gentleman wasn't someone from the older generation but he'd never imagined the man would actually be so much younger than him. A bounty of 3.2 billion berries.
A high-ranking member of the Revolutionary Army perhaps even one of its founders. Combat power at the very pinnacle of the world.
And despite all that he was still traveling from place to place working tirelessly for his dream. How could someone like that possibly be only twenty-two?
"That's the only piece of information that brat was willing to reveal. He didn't tell me not to tell you so it obviously doesn't matter."
Whitebeard continued drinking.
"Come to think of it a baby from back then could only have been one of God Valley's original inhabitants. His country was erased and everyone there was treated as prey and slaughtered. The hatred of a destroyed homeland, the vengeance of an exterminated family..."
At that moment Whitebeard couldn't help feeling as though fate itself was at work. If the one who ultimately overthrew Mary Geoise really was that brat.
Meanwhile in the Fleet Admiral's office at Marineford, on the Den Den Mushi connected to the G-1 Branch in the New World Sakazuki who had only just arrived there was giving his report.
"Can you confirm that the Whitebeard Pirates and the Cloaked Man fought?"
The Den Den Mushi mimicked Sakazuki's grim expression as he replied, "It was definitely them. And the uninhabited island that used to be here has disappeared."
For a moment Sengoku nearly dropped his glasses onto the desk. Those words had genuinely startled him. Destroying an island and making an island disappear were two entirely different concepts.
A Buster Call could destroy an island such as Ohara in the West Blue several years ago but it absolutely couldn't make an island vanish entirely even if it was only a small uninhabited island.
"Disappeared?!" Sengoku's voice abruptly rose. "Even Whitebeard's Tremor-Tremor Fruit can only easily shatter a small island. That's not the same thing as making it disappear, Sakazuki!"
Sakazuki was already simmering with anger and immediately snapped back,
"That Revolutionary Army bastard's control over flames seems to have gotten even stronger. According to the surveillance from G-1 even though our men stayed far away because they were afraid of getting caught in the aftermath they could still see enormous pillars of fire shooting into the sky."
"If that were all then the Flame-Flame Fruit could accomplish something similar. But that man clearly isn't a Flame-Flame Fruit user!"
"The waters surrounding the island boiled and evaporated. The enormous amount of steam made it impossible for the Marines at G-1 to see clearly."
"All they knew was that nine pillars of fire eventually converged triggering continuous explosions. It wasn't until the power of the tremors shattered the flames and steam that they finally saw Whitebeard, and he was injured! Do you understand what that means, Fleet Admiral Sengoku?!"
"The island wasn't erased. It was shattered beneath those nine towering pillars of fire, burned into charcoal, then shattered again into ash and debris before sinking into the sea! The entire sea is still surging with waves but there isn't even a trace of the island left. The heat hasn't dissipated either. That temperature is higher than my magma and not just by a little!"
After Sakazuki's furious explanation Sengoku finally understood why the island had seemingly disappeared.
"Sakazuki, we already knew that the Cloaked Man's flames can reach temperatures close to six thousand degrees. But explosive flames capable of causing violent detonations, this is the first time we've seen anything like that."
Sakazuki's expression darkened after Sengoku pointed it out. Back during the Ohara incident that bastard had already used his numerous abilities to hold him back.
And now despite clearly wielding flames he possessed a blade whose temperature far surpassed ordinary fire. It practically made the Magma-Magma Fruit look like a joke. Glancing at the new weapons fitted over his arms Sakazuki clenched his fists.
"He was lucky he ran away this time!"
The Den Den Mushi perfectly imitated Sakazuki's expression causing Sengoku to frown. In truth Sengoku didn't regard the Revolutionary Army in the same way he regarded pirates.
Besides with that man's teleportation ability even if he hadn't run away what exactly could Sakazuki have done to him?
"Enough. Keep watching the Whitebeard Pirates from your end. I'll report the details to the World Government."
The Den Den Mushi was immediately hung up from the other end without giving the Fleet Admiral the slightest bit of respect. Sengoku didn't care.
Rubbing his forehead he began considering how he should report this matter. As far as pirates were concerned Fish-Man Island was Whitebeard's territory and the destroyed island wasn't far from the point where ships resurfaced into the New World after leaving Fish-Man Island.
So had the Cloaked Man gone to Fish-Man Island? There had indeed been Fish-Men among the slaves he'd freed at Mary Geoise but claiming that he'd gone all the way to Fish-Man Island simply to escort them home would be ridiculous.
Just then the door to the Fleet Admiral's office was kicked open.
"Sengoku! I'm taking leave! Leave! Leave!"
There was only one person in the entire Marine Headquarters who would kick open his door while shouting like this. That damned old bastard with the dog hat. Suppressing the urge to blast him with a Buddha shockwave Sengoku said, "Denied!"
Garp casually picked his nose. "I'm only here to inform you. Whether you approve it or not I'm going back to the East Blue for a vacation."
"I have to go back and see my grandson. You think I'm like you? You're already this old and still all alone. You've only got an adopted son and he doesn't even seem to be around."
Sengoku closed his eyes nearly snapping the pen in his hand.
"You damned old bastard! Do you have any idea how busy I am right now? If you'd been willing to accept a promotion to Admiral back then do you have any idea how much pressure that would've put on the pirates, you bastard?! Borsalino is investigating the Mary Geoise incident, Sakazuki is stationed in the New World, and then there's that damn disciple you trained who's exactly like you! Where the hell is Kuzan?"
Garp scratched his head. "I saw him by the abandoned warships this morning. His training should be over by now so at this hour he's probably sunbathing."
A vein bulged on Sengoku's forehead. "GET OUT!"
"Okay." Still eating rice crackers with the same hand he'd just used to pick his nose Garp turned around and left the office without another word heading straight for the harbor.
Although leaving Luffy in Bell-mere's care should be fine he still had to be careful. He couldn't let the brat grow up crooked. That troublesome son of his had run off and founded some Revolutionary Army and who knew if he'd ever have another child.
At least he'd left Garp with one grandson. There was no way Garp could allow this one to go astray too.
This time when he returned he absolutely had to use his Fist of Love to make becoming an outstanding Marine Luffy's goal in life!
And then there was Ace. Thinking about that grandson Garp suddenly felt that the rice crackers in his hand didn't taste quite as good anymore.
Ace's way of thinking had already begun to diverge. In Garp's eyes there wasn't anything inherently wrong with it nor had Ace inherited the will of his biological father. But that path would be far more difficult.
"Haa..." With a sigh Garp carefully put away his rice crackers.
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