"Out of the way! Move!"
"What happened here?"
The Flower Country Patrol Guard arrived swiftly on the street. Their eyes widened at the sight of the body sprawled across the cobblestones and the young man in the leather hat calmly surveying the scene.
Ghost Hand Rowan.
Though the corpse was partially unrecognizable, closer inspection revealed it to be White Bear, captain of the White Bear Pirates.
"Did Ghost Hand Rowan clash with the White Bear Pirates?" one patrol officer murmured nervously. At this level of threat, a pirate of Rowan's caliber was beyond their ability to control. Any harm to civilians or nobles would have been catastrophic.
After brief questioning and inspection, the patrol captain found that no innocents had been injured and breathed a sigh of relief.
While fighting was technically prohibited in the Flower Country's entertainment districts, these regulations primarily protected civilians and nobles. Pirates of moderate skill were still subject to enforcement, but threats like Rowan were exceptions to any rule.
By the time the chaos in the district had settled, Rowan and Robin had already departed. News of Ghost Hand Rowan killing Captain White Bear over a disagreement spread instantly, becoming the hot topic of the day.
For eliminating the captain, Rowan gained 15 Talent Proficiency points. He immediately allocated them to his Warp-Warp Fruit, enhancing its range and precision. With these points, the fruit's proficiency reached 190 points, far enough for Rowan to use it efficiently without overstraining his body.
"The White Bear Pirates' total assets are considerable over 30 million Berries," Rowan noted.
After wiping out the White Bear Pirates, he collected their treasure. Searching their ship yielded over 30 million Berries in currency.
Robin glanced at the stacks of cash. "This is likely all the plunder they recently brought to the Flower Country for liquidation."
Rowan nodded. There were no jewels or gold, only Berries, which made handling it much simpler.
"That brings our total to over 120 million Berries. Still, it might not be enough to acquire the Adam Wood branch," Robin remarked, fully aware of the legendary timber's value.
Rowan casually tossed the chest into the cabin. "It will be enough eventually."
He avoided plundering civilians but had no qualms about seizing pirate loot. In less than two days, Rowan had already killed and looted six pirate crews, crushing countless smaller bands along the way.
Initially, he had not intended such widespread slaughter. But after three pirate crews were destroyed, rumors spread among survivors, alleging that Rowan aimed to exterminate all pirates. Several crews banded together to oppose him.
The result was predictable.
Even combined, pirate crews with bounties of 20–30 million were inconsequential against Rowan's overwhelming power. When he struck along the coast, sinking two pirate ships in succession and leaving the waters crimson with blood, the hastily assembled forces collapsed entirely.
The Flower Country's official forces were alerted, but they wisely refrained from intervening, allowing the pirate purge to play out.
After these encounters, Rowan's total wealth approached 300 million Berries.
Additionally, he gained 25 Talent Proficiency points, which he immediately allocated to the Warp-Warp Fruit, bringing its proficiency to 215 points. With his current physical condition, his body could now fully handle the fruit's power.
Now, standing in his cabin, Rowan could use the Warp-Warp Fruit to manipulate the entire ship. He could Moonwalk through the air, land on a warship, and instantly warp it into a ball. Even cannon fire small or medium caliber was largely ineffective against him. Only a massive, giant-class cannon could pose a genuine threat.
"The Warp-Warp Fruit and my physical conditioning are finally balanced. Next, I need to increase my Agility Enhancement as quickly as possible," Rowan muttered.
In a head-on confrontation, two or three combatants at Rear Admiral Bastille's level would be no match for him. Even users of Armament Haki could struggle if their Haki wasn't fully developed.
Yet, in terms of raw speed, Rowan's current pace was only slightly above Bastille's. Against opponents skilled in Observation Haki or exceptional mobility, he might find himself in challenging situations capable of overpowering them but not striking them effectively. Speed, once his greatest advantage, was now a potential limitation.
"Captain, the auction starts in an hour," Robin said, knocking gently on the cabin door. She had already confirmed the time and location of the rare wood auction days prior the Adam Wood branch was the centerpiece of the event organized by the Flower Country officials.
"Let's go," Rowan replied.
Robin manifested four arms, each holding a large suitcase. Rowan smiled and took two of them from her hands.
"You're quite considerate, Captain," Robin teased, her lips curling into a playful smile.
"It's just that four arms are too conspicuous," Rowan replied, walking past her.
A faint curve appeared on Robin's face as the extra arms dissolved into petals, vanishing into the air. She donned a hat and followed Rowan ashore, heading toward the Rare Wood Auction House.