CHAPTER 44: Marineford Shaken
In the distance
Aboard the remaining Marine warships, countless eyes were fixed on the vessel where the battle had taken place. From afar, however, the details were obscured by smoke, distance, and the haze of shattered sea spray.
"…The sounds stopped."
"Is it over? Ghost Hand Rowan should have been suppressed by the Rear Admiral."
As the relentless explosions, impacts, and tearing noises abruptly ceased, tension rippled across the Marines. Their grips tightened around rifles and sabers, expressions strained with anticipation.
"Of course it's over."
A branch Rear Admiral from the West Blue exhaled a stream of cigar smoke, his tone calm and assured.
"Rear Admiral Ghost Spider is an elite officer of Headquarters, stationed on the Grand Line. A mere pirate from the West Blue could never threaten him."
His words carried authority
But in the next instant
CRACK !!
A violent, unnatural sound tore through the air.
"What was that?!"
The Marines flinched, all eyes snapping back toward the battlefield.
From the distant warship
The hull groaned.
Twisted.
Warped unnaturally, as if seized by an invisible force.
Then
BOOM!!
The entire vessel folded inward from its center and exploded into splintered wreckage.
Silence.
Then chaos.
"The warship… it was destroyed!"
"That's impossible! Rear Admiral Ghost Spider was on that ship!"
Shock and horror spread like wildfire. Officers seized telescopes, hands trembling as they forced their eyes to confirm what they refused to believe.
Below, the shattered remains of the warship split apart, crashing into the sea and sending towering waves in all directions.
Amidst the wreckage
A figure stood.
Covered in blood.
Still.
Unyielding.
Like a specter risen from slaughter.
"…That's Ghost Hand Rowan!"
The recognition struck instantly.
Fear followed just as quickly.
The warship was gone.
Rowan stood alive.
Then where
Where was Rear Admiral Ghost Spider?
An unthinkable conclusion crept into their minds.
No one dared voice it.
No one wanted to accept it.
Impossible.
A Headquarters Rear Admiral losing to a pirate from the West Blue?
It defied everything they believed.
And yet
Before doubt could settle
Rowan moved.
Swoosh!
His figure blurred across the sea's surface, charging directly toward the remaining warships.
"He's coming!"
"Where is Rear Admiral Ghost Spider?!"
Panic erupted.
Discipline cracked.
Even as they raised rifles and cannons, fear had already taken root.
Bang! Bang! Bang!
Gunfire rang out.
Bullets tore through the air
But not a single drop of blood followed.
Rowan landed on the deck.
And stepped forward.
Hum
Space distorted.
The deck beneath his feet warped violently, rippling like waves under immense pressure.
CRACK! CRACK!
The structure gave way instantly.
He dropped into the lower deck
and released his power.
BOOM!!
A violent surge of warped force exploded outward from within the ship's core.
Planks twisted.
Beams collapsed.
The entire hull folded inward like crushed paper.
The fourth warship
Was annihilated.
"Retreat! Retreat immediately!!"
On the final remaining vessel, terror finally broke all restraint.
The commanding Colonel shouted hoarsely, voice cracking as he ordered a full withdrawal.
No formation.
No counterattack.
Only survival.
The warship turned sharply, fleeing the battlefield in complete disarray.
On the drifting wreckage of the fourth ship
Rowan stood alone.
Breathing heavily.
Blood covered his body, staining what remained of his clothes. His posture remained upright, but the strain was undeniable.
The battle had taken its toll.
The clash with Ghost Spider had drained him far more than expected.
Without the awakening of Kenbunshoku Haki (Observation Haki) at the critical moment, even victory would have come at a far greater cost.
The destruction of the third and fourth warships had pushed his stamina to its limit.
Now
Even standing required effort.
If the final warship had chosen to fight instead of flee
The outcome might have shifted dangerously.
But Rowan remained calm.
He understood the Marines.
Four warships destroyed.
A Headquarters Rear Admiral defeated fate unknown.
That alone was enough to shatter morale.
They would not return.
Not today.
Not against him.
"…Still."
He exhaled slowly, glancing at the blood on his arms.
"A Headquarters Rear Admiral isn't to be underestimated."
"I misjudged him slightly."
His wounds, though numerous, were shallow. His enhanced physique had already begun stabilizing them blood clotted, flesh tightening.
A short while later
A familiar ship approached through the debris.
Robin stood at the helm, guiding it carefully through floating wreckage.
As it drew near, Rowan gathered what strength he had left
and leapt aboard.
"Captain… Rowan…"
Robin's voice carried rare urgency as she approached, eyes scanning the blood covering him.
"It's nothing."
Rowan waved a hand dismissively.
"Just superficial."
He motioned toward the medical supplies.
Robin quickly retrieved them, her Devil Fruit ability blooming into motion multiple hands gently cleaning and dressing his wounds with precise care.
Upon confirming the injuries were not severe, her expression eased slightly.
Far away
At Marine Headquarters.
Marineford
Inside a high-ranking office, a plaque bearing the words Absolute Justice hung prominently upon the wall.
Behind the desk sat Sakazuki, the Fleet Admiral of the Marines, his presence radiating oppressive authority.
Before him stood Doberman, delivering a formal report.
"You've handled recent matters satisfactorily."
Sakazuki's voice was measured, though heavy with underlying force.
Then his gaze sharpened.
"But…"
"What is happening in the West Blue?"
The temperature in the room seemed to rise.
Doberman's expression tightened slightly.
"I intended to report it once resolved. It was… a minor matter. A pirate incident in the West Blue."
"Minor?"
Sakazuki's voice dropped.
"The Government expended effort suppressing this information. Marine reputation was nearly compromised and you call it minor?"
Doberman lowered his head.
"My error. I have already dispatched Rear Admiral Ghost Spider. His last report confirmed the target's location. The situation should have been resolved within days."
The tension eased slightly.
Sakazuki reached for the report
But before he could continue
BANG!
The office doors burst open.
A Marine Colonel stumbled in, drenched in sweat.
"Re Report!!"
"The West Blue fleet led by Rear Admiral Ghost Spider… has suffered catastrophic losses!"
"Four warships destroyed!"
"Rear Admiral Ghost Spider… is missing in action!"
Silence.
Absolute.
Even the air froze.
Sakazuki's pen halted mid-motion.
Then
His gaze lifted.
Slowly.
"What… did you say?"
The temperature in the room spiked.
Doberman's expression shattered completely, shock flooding his face.
Ghost Spider
Defeated?
By a pirate… from the West Blue?
The implications were immediate.
Severe.
Unacceptable.
What had once been dismissed as a minor disturbance
Had now escalated into a full-blown crisis.
April, Year 11 of the Great Pirate Era.
In the waters near Shipwright Town
Ghost Hand Rowan defeated a Headquarters Rear Admiral.
Four Marine warships were sunk.
When the report reached Marineford
The entire Headquarters was shaken.