Anger flashed in Mobley's eyes, but he also sensed that something was seriously wrong. Forcing himself to remain calm, he spoke to Rowan in a deep voice.
"What exactly do you want to ask?"
Rowan didn't hesitate. "First question: Was the incident in Tarro Town arranged by you and him?"
Mobley frowned. Instead of answering, he asked his own question.
"The Tarro Town incident? What exactly are you referring to?"
Rowan stared at Mobley for a long moment. Then he calmly reached into his pocket, pulled out a small recording Den Den Mushi, and tossed it over.
Mobley caught it, his expression darkening. He pressed play.
Soon, Rowan's earlier conversation with Capone Bege began to echo through the office.
As the recording played, Colonel Mobley and the several Marine Captains present exchanged shocked glances. None of them had expected anything like this.
"Damn it!"
Mobley's face twisted with rage. He glared furiously at Lycra, who was still pinned beneath Rowan's foot, as if he wanted to step forward and cut him down on the spot.
The expressions of the Marine Captains turned ugly as well. The lieutenants and ordinary soldiers who had heard the playback all wore looks of disbelief, as though they had just listened to something impossible.
"Major, take everyone below officer rank out of the room!" Mobley ordered sharply.
The Major hesitated only a moment before saluting and ushering all non-commissioned Marines outside.
Once the room was cleared, Mobley turned back to Rowan.
"This matter was my oversight," he said heavily. "But now that it has reached this point, it is no longer something I can settle myself. I must report this to my superiors."
Rowan remained silent, watching him calmly.
Mobley took a deep breath, turned, and left the office. He entered his own room next door and immediately picked up the Den Den Mushi on his desk.
Moments later, the call connected directly to Marineford.
"Is this Rear Admiral Stoloberry? This is Colonel Mobley of West Blue Branch. I have an urgent matter to report."
Marineford
At the very heart of Marine power stood Marineford, the headquarters commanding countless bases and branches across the world.
On the second floor of the fortress, a large office handled communications from every corner of the seas.
"What did you say?! How could something like this happen?"
Rear Admiral Stoloberry's half-closed eyes snapped fully open as he listened to Mobley's report. His expression turned severe.
Although the matter involved only a single branch, it directly affected the credibility and authority of the Marines. If handled poorly, it could escalate into a major scandal.
Without wasting time, Stoloberry stood up and walked into the office next door.
"Vice Admiral Doberman, there is a troublesome situation that requires your attention…"
Vice Admiral Doberman listened quietly as Stoloberry explained everything. His brow furrowed, and after a long pause, his gaze turned cold.
"This matter absolutely must not spread," Doberman said firmly. "If word gets out, Marine authority in the West Blue will suffer greatly. The World Government would not overlook such humiliation."
Stoloberry lowered his voice. "Then how do you propose we handle it?"
Doberman thought for a moment, then spoke without hesitation.
"Eliminate all involved."
His tone was icy.
"The official report will state that the culprit was killed on the spot during Marine pursuit. Captain Lycra died heroically in battle with the criminal."
Stoloberry had already guessed this would be Doberman's decision, but hearing it aloud still made him uneasy.
"Is that really the best course? Rowan didn't"
"The bounty order has already been issued," Doberman interrupted coldly. "Do you intend to ask the World Government to withdraw it?"
He gave Stoloberry a hard look.
"He is nothing more than a single bounty hunter. Compared to the dignity and reputation of the Marines, you should understand which matters more."
Stoloberry's expression shifted several times. In the end, he sighed and nodded reluctantly before leaving the office.
Doberman returned to the documents on his desk as if nothing of importance had occurred.
West Blue – Marine Branch
"Execute them all?"
Hearing the order transmitted from Marineford, Mobley showed no surprise. In truth, he had already expected such a decision.
After all, for a small-time bounty hunter like Rowan to force the Marines to admit wrongdoing and withdraw an issued bounty was practically unthinkable.
Hanging up the Den Den Mushi, Mobley's face turned extremely cold.
He walked back to Lycra's office, where Rowan still waited.
The atmosphere inside was tense and unnatural.
Rowan stood calmly with his foot planted on the collapsed Lycra. The disgraced Lieutenant Commander's face was pale as death.
The surrounding Marine Captains looked conflicted and uneasy.
They had believed Rowan was a criminal responsible for massacre. Now they knew the truth—that Lycra and the Capone gang had conspired behind their backs.
"Colonel Mobley," one Captain said nervously. "What did Headquarters decide?"
Mobley stepped forward and looked directly at Rowan.
"The order has been issued."
The moment the words left his mouth
Whoosh!!
Mobley exploded into motion. He drew his sword and lunged forward, slashing directly at Rowan without warning.
The power behind the strike far surpassed that of Lycra or Capone Bege. A faint but unmistakable Sword Aura shimmered along the blade.
Rowan lightly pushed off the ground, his body gliding backward like a drifting leaf, avoiding the attack effortlessly.
But Lycra was not so fortunate.
Mobley's slash had already included him within its range.
With a clean arc of steel, Lycra was cut down in an instant.
The sudden turn of events stunned everyone present.
"Colonel Mobley!"
"What are you doing?!"
Mobley lowered his bloodstained blade and spoke coldly.
"Headquarters has ordered that everyone connected to this incident be eliminated."
The Marine Captains fell silent.
Even if Rowan was innocent, the Marines would never withdraw a bounty already issued.
Rowan slowly straightened beside the wall.
"Well done," he said quietly.
A faint, chilling smile appeared on his face.
"So from today onward… I am officially a pirate."
Mobley pointed his sword at him.
"You will not leave this place alive, Rowan.
With Lycra as your companion in death, you can rest in peace!"
He charged again.
"Torrential Rain Slash!"
His blade moved like a raging storm, sealing off every direction and leaving Rowan no room to escape.
Yet Rowan showed no fear.
He exhaled slowly.
His body suddenly became light and fluid, swaying like paper in the wind.
Mobley's furious slashes passed through empty air again and again.
"This… Paper Art? The Rokushiki technique?! How is this possible?!"
Rowan didn't answer.
Using Paper Art to evade, he stepped forward and counterattacked with precise sword strikes.
After several exchanges, he suddenly activated his Devil Fruit power.
The two swords twisted violently in midair, warping into useless scrap metal.
Bang!!
Rowan followed with a brutal punch.
Mobley crossed his arms to block but the Warp-Warp Fruit power crushed through his defense. His arms twisted grotesquely, bones cracking beneath the force.
The surrounding Marine Captains finally reacted and rushed forward to assist.
But Rowan raised both arms.
Buzz!
A powerful distortion field erupted outward.
All weapons and fists froze in place before being blasted back violently. Swords shattered. Blades snapped apart.
Rowan looked down at the fallen Mobley.
Then he raised his leg and brought it down.
Blood splattered across the floor.
The remaining Marines froze in horror.
In the suffocating silence, Rowan turned toward the shattered wall.
"Go tell the high-ranking officers who gave those orders."
His voice was calm too calm.
"I never wanted to be a pirate."
"You forced me to become one."
He placed his hand against the wall. The stone twisted and collapsed inward.
"Right now, I may be nothing but an insignificant nobody."
"But remember my words."
"Your actions today will shape the future of this sea."
"I hope that one day, when that future arrives, you will not regret the choice you made."
Boom!
With a final distortion, the wall crumbled open.
Ghost Hand Rowan stepped through the rubble and vanished.
Only the echo of his footsteps remained along with the chilling silence he left behind.