About ten miles off the coast of the island, a Marine warship lay anchored upon the calm sea.
At the bow stood a West Blue Branch Rear Admiral, his hands resting firmly on the railing as his sharp gaze fixed on the distant island now little more than a dark silhouette against the horizon.
His expression was grave.
His entire posture… tense.
"…Have they made contact yet?"
His voice was low, almost to himself.
"Ghost Hand Rowan… and the Two-Sword Pirates…"
The orders from Marine Headquarters were clear.
Stand by.
Observe.
Wait.
Only when both pirate forces had exhausted each other whether through mutual destruction or one side being critically weakened was he to advance and suppress them.
A clean sweep.
A decisive victory.
At least… on paper.
But the reality was far less certain.
If he succeeded
If he truly managed to eliminate both crews in one operation
That merit alone would be enough to earn him a transfer to Marine Headquarters. From there, promotion to a central Rear Admiral position would be inevitable. Given time, even returning as a Branch Vice Admiral would not be out of reach.
It was an opportunity.
A dangerous one.
"…Hmph."
He exhaled slowly.
Allowing pirates to slaughter one another before stepping in…
It was not honorable.
But honor did not write history.
Victory did.
And when this was over, the report would read:
"The Marines suppressed both the Ghost Hand Pirates and the Two-Sword Pirates in a decisive engagement."
One against two.
A glorious victory.
West Coast – Water Island
The western coastline of the island was unusually sparse in civilian traffic.
The reason was obvious.
Three massive sailing ships each comparable in size to a Marine warship were docked at the pier, their flags bearing the unmistakable emblem of the Two-Sword Pirates.
Unlike Ghost Hand Rowan's small, elite crew, the Two-Sword Pirates followed a fleet-based structure, boasting large numbers and significant firepower. In direct confrontation, they were capable of clashing head-on with standard Marine warships.
Of course
They did not accept just anyone.
Strength was the minimum requirement.
At this moment, a large crowd had gathered some were members of the Two-Sword Pirates, while others were hopeful recruits.
At the center stood a burly pirate, his body covered in scars, arms folded as he loomed over the crowd.
"As long as you can take three of my punches," he declared loudly, "you're in. Who's next?!"
His voice carried a domineering confidence.
The crowd exchanged uneasy glances.
After a brief hesitation, one man stepped forward.
"If it's just blocking three punches… I can handle that."
He raised his arms defensively.
The scarred pirate grinned.
"That's right. I'm not even that strong compared to the others on this crew."
Then
His eyes sharpened.
"Let's see what you've got."
Bang!
His fist shot forward like a cannon.
The man barely managed to cross his arms before impact
Crack!
The sound of bones breaking echoed.
He was sent flying backward, blood spraying from his mouth as he collapsed violently onto the ground.
"…Too weak."
The scarred pirate withdrew his fist, disappointment evident.
"Anyone else?! We're heading to the Grand Line soon! This is your last chance!"
The crowd recoiled.
Fear spread visibly.
Some stepped back.
Others avoided eye contact entirely.
Even those tempted by the opportunity hesitated three punches from this man was not something most could survive.
"No one else?!"
The pirate frowned, clearly dissatisfied.
Behind him, another pirate laughed.
"You idiot, you're using full strength right from the start. Who would dare step up?"
"Huh? Is that so?"
The scarred pirate scratched his head awkwardly, but quickly regained his stubborn tone.
"You have to use full strength eventually. Anyone who can't handle that is useless anyway."
Laughter spread among the pirates.
But then
The atmosphere shifted.
The crowd parted.
A figure stepped forward.
A young man wearing a leather cap.
Calm.
Unhurried.
Every gaze turned toward him.
"Oh? Another one?"
The scarred pirate looked Rowan up and down, noting his lean frame.
A grin spread across his face.
"Alright. I'll go easy on the first punch."
But the moment his words fell
His eyes flashed with ferocity.
He lunged forward.
Bang!
The punch roared through the air
Powerful.
Unrestrained.
Despite his words, it carried nearly the same force as before.
Many in the crowd instinctively flinched.
They expected the same outcome.
Another broken body.
Another failure.
But
Thud.
The punch stopped.
Frozen mid-strike.
Caught.
Blocked
By a single hand.
Rowan's hand.
Casual.
Effortless.
"…What?"
"He… stopped it?"
Shock rippled through the crowd.
The scarred pirate's eyes widened in disbelief.
His full-force punch
Caught… like nothing?
Murmurs erupted instantly.
"Who is that guy…?"
"That strength… that's not normal…"
The tension rose sharply.
At that moment, one of the Two-Sword Pirates' officers stepped forward. His gaze sharpened as he assessed Rowan.
Anyone capable of blocking that punch so easily…
Already qualified.
"Hey. What's your name?"
"Rowan."
His voice was calm.
Unwavering.
The officer paused briefly.
The name…
Familiar.
But he brushed it aside and grinned.
"Rowan, huh? Congratulations. You're qualified to join the Two-Sword Pirates."
Silence.
Absolute silence.
No cheers.
No envy.
No reaction.
The atmosphere… turned cold.
Eyes locked onto Rowan.
Wide.
Uneasy.
Recognizing.
The officer slowly noticed it.
The way everyone was staring.
The way the air itself felt… heavy.
His smile stiffened.
Cold sweat formed on his forehead.
Then
Rowan spoke.
Calm.
Unhurried.
"Did you misunderstand something?"
The officer froze.
Rowan looked at him directly.
His gaze… steady.
"When did I say I wanted to join you?"
A faint pause.
Then
"Or…"
A slight tilt of his head.
"…are you planning to invite me to become your captain?"
The words landed like a hammer.
In any other situation, such arrogance would have triggered instant violence.
But now
No one moved.
No one spoke.
The officer's face went pale.
His lips trembled slightly.
"You… you're…"
Recognition finally struck.
Like lightning.
The bounty.
The rumors.
The name that had shaken the entire West Blue
Ghost Hand Rowan.
And now
He was standing right in front of them.