Inside the Hijacked Liner, in a secluded storage room.
A short, pink-haired kid wearing thick glasses, looking utterly terrified, was pushing a large wooden barrel. He was stopped by three pirate grunts—one skinny, one fat, one dark-skinned.
"Well now, look what the coward dragged in! Something useful for once, huh, Koby? We were gettin' kinda thirsty," the skinny pirate sneered, a malicious grin spreading across his face.
"Th-this belongs to the crew's spoils! If Miss Alvida finds out, she'll kill us!" Koby stammered, looking fearfully at the three pirates.
"She won't find out if you don't tell her. Right, Koby?" the dark-skinned pirate grinned, his expression turning threatening.
"Y-yes! Yes, sir! You're absolutely right!" Faced with the threat, Koby immediately put on a fawning, subservient expression.
"Alright, let me crack this thing open!" The fat pirate raised his fist, ready to smash the barrel open violently.
CRACK!
The next instant, a pair of fists shot out from inside the barrel, connecting squarely with the fat pirate's chin and knocking him out cold.
"AAAAHHH! Slept great!!!"
A boy wearing a straw hat popped out of the barrel, grinning widely and yelling.
"Who the—?!" The remaining skinny and dark-skinned pirates shouted in shock and anger.
"Huh? Why's he sleeping on the floor? He'll catch a cold," the straw-hatted boy wondered aloud, looking curiously at the unconscious fat pirate.
"IT'S YOUR FAULT, YOU IDIOT!!" Both pirates snapped, their faces contorting with rage.
"You little brat! You knew we were pirates, didn't ya?! You lookin' for trouble?!" The skinny pirate drew his sword, leveling it at the boy.
"Got any meat? I'm starving," the straw-hatted boy completely ignored him, turning instead to the stunned Koby.
"LISTEN WHEN SOMEONE'S TALKING TO YOU!" the skinny pirate roared.
"Fine! Have it your way! Die, brat!" The skinny pirate yelled, raising his sword to strike the boy down.
"Hm?" The straw-hatted boy turned, just about to react, when suddenly—
WHAM!
An immense, terrifying force struck the skinny pirate. He went flying backward instantly, the sickening crunch of shattering bones echoing through the room as he slammed against the bulkhead and fell silent.
"Y-you..." The last remaining pirate—the dark-skinned one—stared in absolute terror at the handsome young man who had suddenly appeared.
"Ah... Ah..." Koby watched the scene unfold, paralyzed by fear.
A single bare-fisted strike had silenced that pirate grunt. The sound of his bones breaking was horrifyingly clear and sharp.
That kind of power—it was even more terrifying than Miss Alvida with her iron mace!
"Who're you? You're pretty strong! Why did you help me?" the straw-hatted boy asked, grinning broadly.
"Name's Rowen. I'm a passenger on this ship. These pirates hijacked it, so I'm cleaning them up," Rowen replied with a smile, looking at the legendary Monkey D. Luffy.
Yep. He's real.
Then, his gaze shifted to Koby, who was cowering in the corner like a terrified clown.
Finally. Found him.
A slight smile played on Rowen's lips.
"Rowen? I'm Monkey D. Luffy! Nice to meet you!" Luffy grinned.
"Nice to meet you too," Rowen replied, smiling back.
"AAAAHH!!!" Just as Rowen and Luffy were introducing themselves, the last pirate grunt let out a terrified shriek, grabbed his two unconscious comrades, and fled as fast as his legs could carry him.
"Oh no! If he goes and gets his buddies, they'll come back and kill you both!" Koby cried out in panic upon seeing the pirate escape.
"I'm hungry," Luffy said, completely ignoring Koby and rubbing his stomach.
"I actually brought some food from the party upstairs. You like meat?" Rowen offered with a smile, pulling out some pre-prepared food.
"MEAT!!!" Luffy's eyes lit up like stars as he stared at the food Rowen produced. He immediately began stuffing his face, devouring everything ravenously.
"Rowen, you're a really good guy!" Luffy mumbled between mouthfuls, grinning.
Rowen just chuckled at that.
"Read Traits."
A blinding, brilliant golden light flared into existence.
————
Luffy Traits: Superhuman Physique (Deep Purple), Conqueror's Haki (Unawakened) (Pale Gold), Powerful Connections (Special), Sun God (Apex Gold), Gomu-Gomu Fruit [Disguise] (Deep Purple), [Human-Human Fruit, Mythical Zoan, Model: Nika (Unawakened) (Apex Gold)].
Superhuman Physique (Deep Purple): Possesses physical capabilities far exceeding ordinary humans. Can rapidly absorb vast amounts of nutrients to strengthen himself. Incredible stamina provides ample fuel for Devil Fruit abilities. (Physique-type Traits can level up as the owner's body grows stronger).
Conqueror's Haki (Unawakened) (Pale Gold): The disposition of a king, possessed by only one in several million! Cannot be acquired through training. Initial mastery allows the user to overwhelm weaker-willed individuals into unconsciousness with sheer willpower.
Further mastery enables basic Conqueror's Haki Infusion (Deep Gold). Complete mastery of Infusion, combined with sufficient personal presence, allows one to reign as an Emperor on the seas (Apex Gold).
Powerful Connections (Special): Possesses one of the strongest networks of relationships in the world. If facing a fatal crisis, has a chance to turn disaster into fortune.
If pushed into a truly desperate situation, may randomly trigger one of the following effects: Pursuit by 'Fire Fist' Portgas D. Ace at full power; Intervention by 'Hero of the Marines' Monkey D. Garp's 'Fist of Love'; Arrival of 'Revolutionary Leader' Monkey D. Dragon; Rallying of the entire Red Hair Pirates crew led by Emperor 'Red-Haired' Shanks. (Special Traits cannot be upgraded).
Sun God (Apex Gold): The Sun God of the current era, a warrior who brings hope to the people. As long as people's hope remains, he can rise again stronger than before, fighting on endlessly.
Gomu-Gomu Fruit [Disguise] (Deep Purple), [Human-Human Fruit, Mythical Zoan, Model: Nika (Unawakened) (Apex Gold)]: Appears to be the Paramecia-type Gomu-Gomu Fruit (Deep Purple), but is actually the legendary Devil Fruit, the Human-Human Fruit, Mythical Zoan, Model: Nika (Apex Gold).
————
Golden Legendary!
Absolutely stacked! What an insanely powerful setup.
Even though Rowen had expected something impressive, seeing it laid out like this still made him incredibly envious.
And this was Luffy just setting out to sea. Compared to other pirates, he was operating on a completely different level—it was almost unfair.
Hmm, Sun God (Apex Gold)? Rowen contemplated this Trait. It was currently Luffy's only active Apex Gold Trait.
Other potential Apex Gold Traits, like the Human-Human Fruit, Model: Nika itself or the fully mastered Conqueror's Haki Infusion, were still dormant.
So, the Sun God (Apex Gold) ability: "As long as people's hope remains, he can rise again stronger than before, fighting on endlessly."
Ah, so that's why he kept getting back up over and over again when fighting Kaido in the original story.
Rowen understood now. What a ridiculously broken Trait.
But when he saw the Powerful Connections (Special) Trait, even Rowen, who knew the original plot inside and out, almost couldn't keep a straight face.
This was the first time Rowen had ever encountered a 'Special' Trait.
Yep, definitely the adventures of a super-privileged kid, complete with a 'summon the entire Red Hair Pirates crew' buff.
Forget about actually beating Luffy—even if you managed to push him into a corner, if this Trait triggered and Garp, Dragon, and Shanks all showed up together? Even Whitebeard in his prime would probably be overwhelmed.
However, Rowen's target wasn't Luffy. It was—
"You. You're one of Alvida's crew too, aren't you."
Rowen turned his gaze towards Koby—the boy who would later be known infamously as the "Hero"—and stated calmly.
<><><><><><><><>
~# Keep the chapters coming — Support with Power Stones!
~# Every 200 Power Stones = 1 Bonus Chapter
You. You're one of Alvida's crew too, aren't you."
Rowen looked at Koby—the clown reviled by countless people, later known as the "The Hero."
He thought inwardly.
"Read Traits."
————
Koby Traits: Navigation (White), Conqueror's Haki (Unawakened) (Pale Gold), Faction Betrayal (Special), Faction Fortune (Apex Gold).
————
Even though he'd half-expected it, Rowen cursed silently.
A Special Trait—another damn Special Trait.
One Special, one Pale Gold, and one Apex Gold.
And that Apex Gold Trait was already active? Basically the same treatment as Luffy! Was this clown the original author's golden boy or something?!
The threshold for an Apex Gold combat-related Trait was typically an ability on par with an Admiral's strength, or potential destined to reach at least Admiral level in the future.
Of course, non-combat Traits like Nami's Navigation (Deep Purple) or Climate Sense (Pale Gold) operated on a different scale.
Which meant possessing an Apex Gold combat potential Trait essentially guaranteed becoming a top-tier powerhouse, at least Admiral-level, down the line.
But Koby? Him? Did he even deserve that?
And this pathetic excuse for a pirate actually possessed Conqueror's Haki? The disposition of a king?
Looking at Koby, with his thick glasses and utterly cowardly demeanor, Rowen felt a surge of disgust.
He quickly reviewed the Trait descriptions.
————
Navigation (White): Basic navigation skills, suitable for sailing in relatively calm waters.
Conqueror's Haki (Unawakened) (Pale Gold): The disposition of a king, possessed by only one in several million! Cannot be acquired through training. Initial mastery allows the user to overwhelm weaker-willed individuals into unconsciousness with sheer willpower.
Faction Betrayal (Special): At a critical moment, will commit an act of betrayal, causing significant losses to their affiliated faction. (Special Traits cannot be upgraded).
Faction Fortune (Apex Gold): When an iconic powerhouse of the user's affiliated faction falls, their 'fortune' or 'legacy' will transfer to the user, greatly increasing their strength. (Requires being near the target when they fall).
————
"..."
Reading the descriptions, Rowen decided to retract his earlier question about Koby being the author's golden boy.
This piece of trash was DEFINITELY the author's goddamn favorite!
No wonder! No wonder this clown, despite being utterly pathetic, could somehow become the so-called "Next Generation Marine Hero."
No wonder when Garp met his end on Hachinosu Island, this clown Koby inexplicably powered up so drastically.
It was all because of this Faction Fortune (Apex Gold) Trait!
This clown basically absorbed all of Garp's "Marine Hero" legacy to boost himself!
"Falls" didn't necessarily mean death—just the definitive end of their era on the seas. As long as Koby was within range when it happened, he could snatch their 'fortune'.
Luffy's power-up on Onigashima—even with his Sun God (Apex Gold) Trait—at least came after Kaido beat him senseless with that club multiple times.
But Koby? Thanks to Faction Fortune (Apex Gold), he just needed to be nearby when an iconic figure from his side fell, and bam—massive power boost.
Combine that with the Faction Betrayal (Special) Trait... it was practically designed to work together.
Rowen finally understood. No wonder this clown had the gall to jump out and try to stop Akainu during the Summit War. And no wonder Akainu, despite his ruthless personality, actually wasted time listening to this clown's whining, delaying things significantly.
He was being influenced by the Trait.
Faction Betrayal (Special): Causes significant losses to their affiliated faction at a critical moment.
From the Marines' perspective, that delay allowed the Red Hair Pirates to arrive, enabled Luffy's successful escape, and let the remnants of the Whitebeard Pirates withdraw. Weren't those massive losses?
And later on, it was because of this same clown, Koby, that the era of the Marine Hero, Monkey D. Garp, came to a definitive end.
And then Koby used his Faction Fortune (Apex Gold) Trait to absorb that legacy and strengthen himself.
Back when Rowen was still on Earth reading this unfold, he'd cursed the original author's entire family line more times than he could count.
But now? For Rowen, the stronger Koby's Traits were, the better.
Rowen glared at Koby, a sharp glint in his eyes.
"What? You're one of them too?" Luffy asked, still munching on the food Rowen gave him, looking over at Koby.
"I... I am, but there's a reason—" Koby stammered hesitantly.
"If you're part of Alvida's crew, then stay down."
Rowen had no time to listen to this clown's excuses. He lashed out with a powerful kick, fueled by his Beast Strength, knocking Koby unconscious instantly.
"Rowen! He wasn't even fighting back! Why'd you kick him?" Luffy asked, swallowing his food as he looked at the unconscious Koby.
"Because he betrayed his crewmates," Rowen stated seriously, looking directly at Luffy.
Luffy's personality wasn't exactly that of a naive saint; he just generally didn't attack people who couldn't fight back.
That was probably Shanks's influence.
"Betrayed his crewmates?" Luffy blinked.
"That's right. He's part of Alvida's crew, yet he warned us about them. Betraying your comrades like that—it's the most despicable thing you can do on the seas. Comrades are precious people you should be able to entrust your life to," Rowen declared firmly.
Whether Koby was forced into Alvida's crew or not didn't matter. Right now, his faction was the Alvida Pirates.
On the surface, he acted weak and subservient, doing Alvida's bidding. But secretly, he was constantly plotting to betray them and join the Marines.
Yet, even after joining the Marines, he'd still backstab them occasionally, causing significant losses to their faction. He was the ultimate clown.
Among the Marines, Akainu might be disliked by many for his "Absolute Justice," but Akainu wasn't a clown.
A powerful person could be evil, bad, or extreme—but they absolutely couldn't be a clown.
Koby's very existence seemed designed purely to disgust people.
"Oh, I see."
Luffy nodded in complete agreement upon hearing Rowen's passionate words about comrades.
After all, Rowen had given him lots of food, including meat, when he was starving.
And Rowen's understanding of what comradeship meant resonated deeply with Luffy.
As for Koby? At this point, Luffy had only just met him. Thanks to Rowen's intervention, they hadn't even exchanged more than a couple of sentences.
Luffy's earlier question was purely due to Shanks's influence—not attacking the defenseless.
Now that he understood Rowen's reason for attacking, Luffy almost felt like applauding.
Guys who betray their comrades were exactly the type of people Luffy wanted to punch the most.
"Plunder."
Rowen focused his gaze on the unconscious Koby, his eyes flashing.
To plunder a Trait, the target needed to be in this unconscious state.
Do you think a clown like you deserves to possess Traits like these?!
Gimme that!
VMMMM!
Visible only to Rowen, Koby's Traits flowed out and were absorbed into his own body.
Success!
A grin spread across Rowen's face.
————
Rowen Traits: Navigation (White), Beast Strength (Blue), Conqueror's Haki (Unawakened) (Pale Gold), Faction Fortune (Apex Gold).
————
Talk about an upgrade! A massive upgrade!
Before, Rowen only had the single Blue Beast Strength Trait. Now, he instantly gained one Pale Gold and one Apex Gold Trait.
As for the Faction Betrayal (Special) Trait? Rowen naturally left it behind. Like he'd thought earlier—a strong person could be evil, bad, or extreme, but never a clown. That Trait was purely disgusting.
With the Strongest Trait System, Rowen didn't need to rely on such clownish abilities to gain power.
Besides, Special Traits couldn't be used to upgrade other Traits, making it useless to him anyway.
The Navigation (White) Trait, however, might still have some minor use out on the sea.
—[First-time plunder of a Gold-tier Trait detected. Reward granted.]—
—[Conqueror's Haki (Pale Gold) has been Awakened.]—
A notification screen, visible only to Rowen, materialized before him.
An unexpected bonus! Nice.
Rowen's eyes gleamed with anticipation.
<><><><><><><><>
~# Keep the chapters coming — Support with Power Stones!
~# Every 200 Power Stones = 1 Bonus Chapter
Check Traits."
Rowen thought, feeling energized as he looked at his newly awakened Conqueror's Haki Trait.
————
Rowen Traits: Navigation (White), Beast Strength (Blue), Conqueror's Haki (Pale Gold), Faction Fortune (Apex Gold).
Conqueror's Haki (Pale Gold): Initial mastery of Conqueror's Haki. Can be precisely controlled to overwhelm weaker-willed individuals into unconsciousness. The weak do not even possess the right to look directly upon a King!
————
Rowen closed his eyes—sensing a formidable—controllable power within him.
With just a thought, he could unleash this power, causing the weak to faint instantly.
He hadn't expected such a reward for acquiring his first Gold Trait. Not only had his Conqueror's Haki awakened, but he'd also skipped the two years Luffy spent training with Rayleigh to control it in the original story.
He could already use his Conqueror's Haki with precision.
When Conqueror's Haki first awakens, like Luffy's initial bursts in the story, it's uncontrollable—an indiscriminate wave of pressure affecting friend and foe alike.
Only after dedicated training can it be precisely controlled to avoid affecting allies. This was the level Luffy reached after training with the 'Dark King' Rayleigh for two years.
However, since both stages primarily involved using Haki to intimidate the weak into unconsciousness, the Trait itself hadn't undergone a qualitative change; it remained Pale Gold level.
Only by evolving further—reaching the stage where Conqueror's Haki could be preliminarily infused into attacks—would it evolve into a Deep Gold Trait.
That was the level Yamato displayed in the original story.
A Deep Gold combat Trait typically corresponds to the strength level of a Yonko Commander or an Admiral Candidate, or the potential to definitively reach that level.
Although Rowen's Conqueror's Haki could currently only knock out the weak,
In the East Blue, there was Virtually no one who could remain conscious when faced with precisely controlled Conqueror's Haki. It was more than sufficient for now.
Possessing Conqueror's Haki meant Rowen now held the ticket to becoming one of the truly top-tier powerhouses on these seas.
Once he fully mastered Conqueror's Haki Infusion and possessed sufficient presence ('Kingly disposition'), it would upgrade to an Apex Gold Trait, allowing him to reign as an Emperor on the seas.
The so-called Yonko/Admiral level.
Furthermore, because Infused Conqueror's Haki attacks were so overwhelmingly powerful, their sheer offensive capability surpassed even that of Admirals who couldn't use the technique.
A full-power strike from such a peak individual could overwhelm Yonko Commanders or Admiral Candidates, who couldn't even withstand a single blow.
Below the level of Emperors and Admirals, all are mere ants!
Fortunately, Rowen had already secured his pass to reach that level.
With the Strongest Trait System at his disposal, Rowen was confident that fully mastering Infused Conqueror's was only a matter of time.
"Ahhh, that hit the spot!"
At that moment, Luffy finished devouring all the food Rowen had given him, patted his belly, and grinned widely.
With his Superhuman Physique (Deep Purple) Trait, that amount of food was naturally far from enough to truly satisfy Luffy's appetite.
But that was because the Trait allowed him to rapidly digest and absorb massive amounts of nutrients to strengthen himself, enabling his astonishing eating capacity.
To simply stop feeling hungry, however, the food had been sufficient.
"Hey, Rowen, are you a pirate?" Luffy asked, looking at him.
"Not yet. I'm just a passenger on this ship," Rowen replied honestly, not bothering to hide it.
"Then how about it? Wanna join my crew? Be my nakama?" Luffy grinned.
Rowen had already demonstrated considerable strength.
But Luffy didn't choose his crewmates based solely on strength.
What truly made Luffy decide to invite Rowen was his earlier speech about comrades.
Because of Shanks's influence, Luffy valued his comrades above all else.
Rowen's words had resonated deeply with him.
"Oh, so you're a pirate too?" Rowen asked, pretending not to know, a smile playing on his lips.
Just as planned. He invited me.
Preparing the meat beforehand and giving that speech about comrades definitely worked.
Not only did it prevent any issues regarding Koby, but it also significantly boosted Luffy's opinion of him.
So, should he accept the invitation from this future Emperor, the current Sun God?
Rowen's eyes flickered thoughtfully.
"Yep! I'm the man who's gonna be King of the Pirates!" Luffy declared, his mouth stretching into that infectious, signature grin, teeth bared.
—[Invitation detected from Monkey D. Luffy. Accept? ]—
—[Accepting allows equipping Traits from affiliated crew members.]—
—[Upon acceptance, the affiliated faction for Faction Fortune (Apex Gold) will be updated to Pirate Faction.]—
A notification screen, visible only to Rowen, appeared before him.
This made Rowen blink instinctively, thinking he must have misread it.
After carefully rereading and confirming he hadn't made a mistake, a flash of genuine surprise and delight crossed Rowen's eyes, despite all the High-tier Traits he'd already acquired.
What an incredible, unexpected bonus!
It would be a lie to say Rowen wasn't extremely envious of Luffy's Traits. It was arguably one of the most potent potential combinations in the entire One Piece world.
But actually plundering them? That was impossible.
Even though this was Luffy just starting out, before awakening Nika's power,
And his Gomu-Gomu Fruit, without Gear Second and other developed techniques, was only at the Deep Purple level (meaning he could skillfully use its basic properties),
Luffy was still likely too much for the current Rowen, who only had Beast Strength and a basic Conqueror's Haki blast.
After all, Luffy also possessed the disposition of a King. The chances of knocking him out with just a Haki blast were slim.
Besides, even if Rowen somehow won, could he—still relatively weak and undeveloped—possibly handle the inevitable retaliation from Garp, Dragon, and Red-Haired Shanks?
As the saying goes, a wise man doesn't stand under a crumbling wall. There were plenty of other ways to acquire powerful Traits without putting himself in such immediate, overwhelming danger.
But now... things were different. He hadn't expected the System could allow equipping Traits from fellow crew members!
By joining the Straw Hat crew, he could potentially access Luffy's incredible Traits.
And the Faction Fortune (Apex Gold) Trait worked just as Rowen suspected—becoming a pirate would align it with the Pirate Faction.
This meant that whenever iconic figures of the Pirate Faction met their end, as long as Rowen was present, he could potentially absorb their 'fortune' and significantly boost his own power.
The most iconic figures in the Pirate Faction were naturally the Four Emperors.
And arguably, the Seven Warlords of the Sea—though nominally affiliated with the World Government—mostly operated their own pirate domains and possessed legitimate rights to plunder; they likely counted as part of the Pirate Faction too.
And what faster way was there to eventually confront the Emperors, Warlords, and other iconic figures of the Pirate Faction than by joining the Straw Hat crew?
Whether it was equipping Luffy's super Traits or positioning himself to benefit from the fall of major pirate figures via his Faction Fortune (Apex Gold) Trait, joining the Straw Hats was clearly the optimal choice.
Besides, Luffy himself was quite admirable. Rowen had already considered joining the Straw Hats as a viable option anyway.
Since Rowen wasn't fully developed yet, the Grand Line still held uncertainties. Traveling with the main protagonist crew offered the safest path for him to grow stronger steadily.
And now, with such a massive benefit waiting for him? There was no need for further hesitation.
"Alright then. Looking forward to working with you, Luffy."
Rowen extended his right hand towards Luffy, his smile radiating genuine brilliance.
Looking at Luffy, it was as if Rowen could already see those amazing super Traits slowly becoming his own. Naturally, his smile was incredibly bright.
Koby Traits plus Monkey D. Luffy's Traits... the future is certainly looking exciting.
"Shishishishi! Looking forward to it too, Rowen!"
Luffy grinned back just as brightly.
Rowen was his very first crewmate.
Detected acceptance of Monkey D. Luffy's invitation. You are now a member of the Straw Hat Pirates.]—
—[Faction Fortune (Apex Gold) faction updated to: Pirate Faction.]—
—[Traits from Straw Hat Pirate members can now be equipped. Currently available target: Straw Hat Captain, Monkey D. Luffy.]—
—[Available Traits for Equipping: Superhuman Physique (Deep Purple), Sun God (Apex Gold), Gomu-Gomu Fruit [Disguise] (Deep Purple). Equip?]—
————
After Rowen confirmed his acceptance of Luffy's invitation, the notification screen, visible only to him, appeared.
Very user-friendly—the Strongest Trait System displayed the three equippable Traits from Luffy, each with an "Equip Now" option next to it.
The Powerful Connections (Special) Trait couldn't be equipped, as it stemmed from Luffy's unique background and relationships. However, as Luffy's comrade, Rowen would still benefit indirectly from it, so it didn't really matter.
Rowen thought for a moment, then mentally selected 'Yes' for Superhuman Physique (Deep Purple) and Sun God (Apex Gold).
He chose not to equip the Gomu-Gomu Fruit [Disguise] (Deep Purple).
Before awakening into the Human-Human Fruit, Mythical Zoan, Model: Nika, the standard Gomu-Gomu Fruit was just average among Paramecia types.
To draw out significant power from it required developing techniques like Gear Second, Third, and Fourth.
And based on information from the original story, using those Gears consumed the user's lifespan. For Rowen, who could simply plunder the abilities of others as Traits, the trade-off wasn't worth it.
Later, once Luffy awakened and gained Nika's power, Rowen could just equip the Nika ability directly.
That ridiculously broken Nika-exclusive power of imagination—that was the true strength of the fruit.
After Rowen made his selections, two new Traits appeared on his status.
————
Rowen Traits: Navigation (White), Beast Strength (Blue), Conqueror's Haki (Pale Gold), Faction Fortune (Apex Gold);
Superhuman Physique (Deep Purple) (Equipping...): [||.....]
Sun God (Apex Gold) (Equipping...): [|...]
————
Simple and clear. However, compared to direct plundering, the progress bars for equipping were definitely slow.
The Superhuman Physique (Deep Purple) was okay; after a short while, the bar had visibly moved, at least slightly.
But the Sun God (Apex Gold)? That progress bar hadn't budged at all—at least, not noticeably to Rowen's eyes.
Well, it made sense. It was an Apex Gold Trait, after all. Equipping it completely would surely take a long time.
Fortunately, Rowen had now joined the Straw Hat crew. He had plenty of time to let the equipping process run. He wasn't in a rush.
Being able to equip them at all was infinitely better than just staring helplessly at Luffy's powerful Traits, unable to plunder them at his current level.
Sooner or later, these Traits would belong to Rowen anyway.
He could test things out later, see if there were ways to speed up the equipping process.
"Alright! Let's set sail! First, we need to find a boat. Mine got swallowed by that giant whirlpool," Luffy said, adjusting his straw hat with a grin.
Having found his first crewmate, Luffy was in an excellent mood.
"If we find a boat, I actually know some basic navigation," Rowen replied with a smile.
This was precisely why Rowen had bothered plundering Koby's Navigation (White) Trait.
Rowen hadn't forgotten that in the original story, before Nami joined as their navigator, Luffy basically just drifted aimlessly.
And in the story, it was Koby the clown who used his basic navigation skills to guide Luffy to find Zoro.
Now that Rowen had dealt with Koby, he naturally needed to take that Trait to temporarily fill the role of the Straw Hat Pirates' navigator.
"You're a navigator too?! That's great! It's really great that I got you on the crew, Rowen!" Luffy exclaimed, genuinely surprised and happy.
"It's just basic navigation, really. I wouldn't call myself a proper navigator. It's fine for sailing in calm waters like the Four Blues, but my skills aren't good enough for the Grand Line—Luffy, you want to become King of the Pirates, right? You definitely have to go to the Grand Line," Rowen said with a smile.
"Of course! You have to conquer the Grand Line to become King of the Pirates! I promised someone," Luffy declared, holding his straw hat in his hand, his eyes filled with reminiscence.
Rowen knew Luffy was referring to his promise with the Emperor, Red-Haired Shanks.
"In that case, finding a navigator who can handle the Grand Line is absolutely necessary," Rowen stated, the image of a certain beautiful woman he'd danced with not long ago flashing through his mind.
"Shishishi! Crewmates and stuff, of course I'll find more! I'll definitely find them!" Luffy plopped his straw hat back on his head, laughing optimistically.
CRASH!
Just then, a figure crashed through the deck ceiling from above, landing heavily right in front of Rowen and Luffy with the force of a wild boar.
"So you're the brats causin' trouble for my crew, huh?!"
A monstrously ugly creature, barely resembling a human, wielding a giant iron mace, snarled, revealing a cavernous mouth.
Above the shattered hole in the deck, numerous pirate grunts peered down.
"Doesn't look like 'Pirate Hunter' Zoro," Alvida sneered after scanning Luffy and Rowen, her grotesque mouth twisting into a vicious grin.
"Zoro?" Luffy looked puzzled.
"Koby! You useless waste of space! Are you still alive down there?!" Alvida bellowed down at the motionless Koby lying nearby. Getting no response, Her boar-like face contorted with annoyance.
She didn't care if Koby was alive or dead; she was furious that she wasn't hearing his usual fawning praises.
"Who's this rude old lady?" Luffy asked curiously, pointing directly at Alvida.
"!!!" The Alvida Pirate crew members on the deck above froze in terror, too scared to speak.
"Hahaha! That's 'Iron Mace' Alvida. She has a bounty of 5 million Beri," Rowen couldn't help but chuckle at Luffy's bluntness.
"Read Traits."
He then focused on Alvida.
————
Alvida Traits: Iron Mace Wielder (Blue), Super Thick Skin (Blue).
Iron Mace Wielder (Blue): Can effortlessly wield an incredibly heavy iron mace that ordinary people cannot lift.
Super Thick Skin (Blue): Even falling from a ten-story building, the owner's fat, thicker than a wild boar's hide, allows them to emerge unharmed.
————
Seeing Alvida's Traits, Rowen couldn't suppress the smirk forming on his lips.
'Super Thick Skin'. Yep, pretty accurate description.
Luffy's comment, combined with Rowen's laughter, was the ultimate insult in Alvida's eyes.
"DIE! Both of you damn brats!" Alvida roared, raising her massive iron mace to crush Rowen and Luffy.
WHOOSH!
Using his Beast Strength, Rowen pushed off the floor powerfully. He and Luffy leaped up through the hole Alvida had just made, landing smoothly on the main deck.
"My name's not 'damn brat'! It's Monkey D. Luffy! I'm a pirate! Nice to meet you!" Luffy announced with a grin.
"Who cares what a little brat like you is called!" Alvida charged up after them.
"What a scary old lady," Luffy commented with a sigh.
"BRAT!" Alvida's eyes were completely bloodshot with rage now.
Her pirate grunts knew this was their cue to act. If they didn't, an enraged Alvida would surely bash their heads in with her mace later.
With battle cries, they swarmed towards Luffy and Rowen, intending to overwhelm them with numbers.
"Hey! Ganging up on us isn't fair!" Luffy shouted, preparing to fight back using his Gomu-Gomu abilities.
"Leave this to me."
Rowen reached out, stopping Luffy.
A dark, crimson-black light suddenly flared within his eyes.
Rowen! Can you handle all these guys?" Luffy asked with concern, watching Rowen step forward to face the Alvida Pirates alone.
"Don't worry. Dealing with trash like this? My abilities are way more efficient than yours for this, Luffy," Rowen replied, a confident smirk playing on his lips. The dark, crimson-black light in his eyes seemed to shimmer faintly.
"Trash? You got some nerve, brat! Think you're 'Pirate Hunter' Zoro or something?" Alvida snarled, veins bulging on her forehead. Combined with her boar-like features, she looked even more grotesque.
Right now, 'Pirate Hunter' Zoro's reputation among East Blue pirates was formidable.
Even pirates with bounties in the tens of millions were wary of him.
"Zoro? Of course not. But..."
Rowen's eyes suddenly sharpened. The next instant, the terrifying crimson-black light within them solidified, erupting outwards with insane ferocity.
"Remember this name—'Sky Sovereign' Rowen! The man who will, in the future, stand above all!"
BOOM!!!
Conqueror's Haki exploded outwards.
Crackling arcs of crimson-black energy roared through the air.
Every single member of the Alvida Pirates caught in this terrifying blast—including Alvida herself—froze with looks of utter horror.
The next moment, their eyes rolled back into their heads, and they collapsed, unconscious.
Thump! Thump! Thump!
Bodies littered the deck.
The entire Alvida Pirate crew was wiped out in an instant.
Under the pressure of Conqueror's Haki, the weak don't even have the right to look directly upon a King!
The crimson-black light in Rowen's eyes gradually subsided.
"SUUUUGEEEEEE!!!" (AMAZING!!!)
Luffy stared, jaw dropped, as Rowen took out the entire Alvida crew—including that rude old lady—with just a look.
His eyes went wide, and he started yelling excitedly.
Got to admit, Luffy really knew how to provide positive reinforcement for his comrades.
Seeing Luffy's exaggerated amazement, combined with the feeling of unleashing Conqueror's Haki for the first time, left Rowen feeling pretty damn good.
"But... I feel like I've seen that power before. When I was little, something like this happened too," Luffy mused after his initial burst of excitement, a thoughtful, faraway look in his eyes.
He remembered when he and his brothers were captured by some thugs. Just when he was in danger, the thugs had suddenly fainted.
"That's called Conqueror's Haki. Under its influence, anyone with a weak will instantly passes out," Rowen explained calmly, looking at Luffy.
Luffy was likely remembering the time 'Fire Fist' Portgas D. Ace first awakened his own Conqueror's Haki to protect young Luffy from danger.
But afterwards, Ace, disgusted that this power came from the bloodline he despised—that of the Pirate King, Gol D. Roger—completely sealed it away.
Rowen wouldn't judge Ace's actions.
He wasn't Ace; he hadn't lived through Ace's suffering. He wouldn't stand on high from an outsider's perspective and casually say, "It's foolish not to use the power you have."
After all, for Ace, his mother died because the Marines were relentlessly hunting Roger's bloodline.
And throughout his childhood, because of that same bloodline, he was shunned by everyone, treated as someone who shouldn't even exist.
In modern terms from Rowen's old world, it was a classic case of childhood trauma stemming from his family background. Ace just wanted to escape that influence.
But if he hadn't sealed away his Conqueror's Haki, given Ace's potential, he likely wouldn't have met the tragic end he did in the original story.
Ultimately, Ace just didn't have the disposition—the Kingly Spirit—required.
However, for Rowen, Ace's choice, and the upcoming Summit War, were extremely advantageous.
Whitebeard—the man known as the 'World's Strongest Man'—was undoubtedly the current figurehead of the Pirate Faction.
When his era ended, how much stronger would Rowen become thanks to his Faction Fortune (Apex Gold) Trait? Rowen eagerly anticipated finding out.
Furthermore, Rowen was absolutely determined to acquire Whitebeard's Tremor-Tremor Fruit.
The difference between top-tier Devil Fruits and garbage ones was greater than the difference between humans and pigs.
That early notion—likely born from insufficient information—of "There are no useless Devil Fruits, only useless users," had long been debunked by later events in the story.
The inherent potential cap of each Devil Fruit ability was clearly defined.
A fruit's power depended fundamentally on the fruit itself, supplemented at most by the user's stamina and physique (since activating abilities consumes the user's energy).
The fact that Sabo, immediately after eating the Flare-Flare Fruit, could wield its power at a level equal to, or even greater than, Ace's was clear proof.
But for any given Devil Fruit user, their power ceiling based solely on the fruit was fixed the moment they ate it. Further growth relied on mastering Haki and other skills.
A powerful Devil Fruit, upon being eaten, could instantly elevate someone to at least the level of a Warlord.
The reason Whitebeard was called the man capable of destroying the world was solely due to the power of the Tremor-Tremor Fruit.
Rowen had no intention of letting Blackbeard snatch such a Supreme Devil Fruit.
The Summit War—Rowen absolutely had to participate.
Starting now, he needed to get stronger, fast, so he could claim the biggest prize during that pivotal conflict.
A determined glint shone in Rowen's eyes.
"But Rowen, when you said you're gonna stand above all... that sounded really cool! 'Sky Sovereign' Rowen... Shishishi! That's a great nickname!" Luffy exclaimed. At this point, he didn't grasp the true significance of Conqueror's Haki; he was far more interested in Rowen's declaration.
"The Pirate King's first mate—the man known as the 'Right Hand of the Pirate King'—his epithet was 'Dark King'. Since you aim to be the Pirate King, I figured 'Sky Sovereign' would be a fitting title for me, as your comrade," Rowen explained with a smile.
It wasn't that Rowen was being overly dramatic just for show. This was his debut on the world stage, essentially.
And everyone knew, in the world of One Piece, the shutters of the World Economic News Agency's cameras were everywhere.
Rowen naturally wanted a relatively cool-sounding epithet for himself.
Otherwise, who knew what kind of ridiculous nickname those Marine guys might slap on him later?
Rowen's method for choosing was simple. The Pirate King's Right Hand, Silvers Rayleigh, was the 'Dark King' (Meiō - Underworld King/Pluto).
The three Ancient Weapons in the One Piece world were 'Pluton' (Meiō - Underworld King), 'Poseidon' (Kaiō - Sea King), and 'Uranus' (Ten'ō - Sky King/Heavenly King).
'Dark King/Pluton' was taken by Rayleigh. 'Sea King/Poseidon', for someone else.
That left 'Sky King/Uranus' (Ten'ō). It sounded good. 'Sky Sovereign' was a suitable adaptation.
His declaration about standing above all in the future also served as a neat explanation for the epithet's origin.
Furthermore, this was also a test for Rowen.
—[Detected increase in bond with equipping target. Trait equipping progress increased.]—
A line of text appeared on the notification screen, making the corner of Rowen's mouth curve upwards slightly.
Just as expected.
Oh, I see! 'Sky Sovereign'—that really is a cool title! Shishishi!" Luffy beamed after hearing Rowen's explanation about the epithet.
Becoming the Pirate King was Luffy's entire goal for setting out to sea. Having his very first crewmate acknowledge his dream so strongly naturally made Luffy incredibly happy.
—[Detected increase in bond with equipping target. Trait equipping progress increased.]—
Seeing the notification only he could see, Rowen's eyes gleamed.
Just as I thought. There are ways to speed up the Trait equipping process.
Bonds, huh? Very fitting for this kind of world.
Noticing the significant jump in the progress bar for Superhuman Physique (Deep Purple), and the fact that the Sun God (Apex Gold) bar had finally started moving, Rowen allowed himself a small smile.
Choosing the epithet 'Sky Sovereign' wasn't just because it fit the One Piece world and appealed to Rowen's own aesthetic sensibilities from Earth.
More importantly, using the reasoning behind the title was Rowen's way of testing the Trait equipping speed.
Luffy's dream was to become Pirate King; Rowen's explanation naturally strengthened their connection.
And since Luffy was the target for equipping Traits, Rowen needed to test if improving their relationship would accelerate the process.
Now, it seemed clear that it worked.
Heh. Worth making that slightly dramatic speech.
Rowen scanned the sky but didn't spot any News Coo birds.
Then again, in the One Piece world, News Coos were practically omnipresent. Rowen, who hadn't awakened Observation Haki yet, couldn't pinpoint their exact location anyway.
But he'd know soon enough from the next news report whether his chosen epithet had spread across the seas.
After all, when it came to Conqueror's Haki, the president of the World Economic News Agency, Morgans, definitely knew its significance.
Despite some later complaints about too many Conqueror's Haki users appearing in the New World, if you actually counted, fewer than twenty individuals in the entire original story were confirmed to possess it.
And those weren't even all active in the same era.
Possessing Conqueror's Haki truly meant having the disposition of a King.
Because awakening Conqueror's virtually guaranteed the ability to learn both Observation and Armament Haki, and ensured the user could train their Haki to a reasonably high level at minimum.
In other words, simply awakening Conqueror's Haki meant the user inherently possessed the potential for at least Warlord-level strength.
For a Conqueror's Haki user to emerge in the East Blue—that news definitely had enough weight for Morgans to make a story out of it.
Anyway, now that he'd joined the main crew, Luffy's Powerful Connections (Special) Trait meant Rowen didn't need to worry too much about attracting unbeatable pirate or Marine pursuit before he was strong enough.
So, there was no real need for Rowen to keep a low profile.
That concept of "disposition" or "presence" mentioned in the story was likely a crucial factor in Haki strength. Therefore, acting humbly or staying low-key was probably detrimental for aspiring powerhouses in the One Piece world.
Look at Blackbeard—hiding his ambition on Whitebeard's ship before getting the Dark-Dark Fruit. Because he played the part of a harmless underling for too long, his own kingly disposition withered, to the point where he actually considered just living out his days on Whitebeard's ship.
In the One Piece power system, pretending to be weak to ambush the strong ('playing the pig to eat the tiger') ultimately just turned you into a real pig.
Only by building a fearsome reputation, using the blood of other strong opponents as stepping stones, could one reach the pinnacle of this world.
"Alright, we took care of these guys! Let's hurry up and find a boat so we can set sail again!" Luffy grinned, looking at the Alvida Pirates littering the deck.
Swish! BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!
Just as Luffy finished speaking, cannonballs slammed into the deck of Alvida's pirate ship.
In the distance, Marine warships were rapidly approaching.
"Marines! As pirates, we gotta make a quick getaway! Let's go, Rowen!" Luffy exclaimed. He was certainly familiar with Marine ships; his own grandpa commanded vessels much larger than these.
"Got it." Rowen smirked slightly.
He had no intention of plundering Alvida's 'Super Thick Skin' Trait.
Fat held absolutely zero interest for him.
<><><><><><>
"Whew! What a haul!" Nami muttered, having successfully looted all of the Alvida Pirates' treasure. She loaded the heavy sacks onto a small boat.
Spotting the approaching Marine warships in the distance, Nami prepared to make her own escape.
WHOOSH! SPLASH!
Just then, a small lifeboat launched itself off the deck of the hijacked liner and crashed into the sea nearby, sending up a wave.
"Whoa!" Nami shielded herself from the spray and looked over. Onboard the lifeboat were the boy in the straw hat and a familiar figure.
"Y-You're..." Nami's eyes widened.
Isn't that the guy from the liner earlier?
"Looks like the young lady thief achieved her goal," Rowen commented with a smile, observing Nami—now out of her dress and in her thief attire, clutching the bags filled with Alvida's treasure.
Nami instinctively hugged the treasure sacks tighter.
"You know her, Rowen?" Luffy asked curiously.
"We crossed paths briefly," Rowen replied casually.
"Oh, okay! But we gotta hurry up and get outta here!" Luffy shouted, seeing the Marine ships getting closer.
"Set sail!"
"Well then, until we meet again, Miss Thief. My name's Rowen," Rowen said, looking at Nami. He knew this wasn't the time for extended conversation. Besides, Nami's next destination was the same as theirs.
Pushing too hard now might backfire.
Without waiting for Nami's reply, Rowen used his Navigation (White) Trait to steer the small boat, quickly heading away from the approaching Marine vessels.
"Rowen?" Nami murmured the name, then quickly steered her own boat away using her superior navigation skills.
As for Rowen's "until we meet again," Nami didn't pay it much mind.
The sea's enormous. What are the chances of running into him again?
<><><><><><>
"Hahahaha! That was fun!" Luffy laughed heartily after they had completely lost the Marine warships.
"Hey, Rowen, that 'Pirate Hunter' the rude old lady mentioned—do you know anything about him?" Luffy asked.
"I've heard the name. Supposedly a crazy strong swordsman. They call him a 'demon in human form'," Rowen replied with a smile.
"A demon?! Sounds tough!" Luffy grinned excitedly.
"What? Interested in him?" Rowen asked, feigning ignorance.
Koby, that disgusting clown, had been removed from the equation by Rowen.
So, regarding Zoro, Rowen himself would need to nudge the plot forward.
But without Koby around, Rowen didn't mind playing the role of plot-mover for a bit.
"I wanna be King of the Pirates, so I gotta go to the Grand Line! Besides you, Rowen, I need more strong crewmates! If that guy's any good, I wanna ask him to join!" Luffy declared with his trademark grin.
"Well then, let's go check him out. I hear he's currently in Shells Town," Rowen said, pulling out a sea chart he had prepared earlier.
He'd acquired the chart from the luxury liner.
"Alright! Course set! Let's go, Rowen!" Luffy was fired up.
"Roger that." Rowen smirked, equally interested.
Roronoa Zoro... I wonder what kind of Traits worth equipping the man known as the true heart of the Straw Hat crew possesses.
World Economic News Agency Headquarters.
"News! News! Isn't there any major news worth reporting?!"
Morgans, the president of the World Economic News Agency—who usually appeared in his Bird-Bird Fruit, Model: Albatross hybrid form—was extremely agitated right now.
"Damn this 'Balance'! Damn the World Government! Damn the Seven Warlords!" Morgans roared, slamming his fist (wing?) on the desk.
Ever since this cursed Warlord system was fully established, creating the so-called 'Three Great Powers' balance between Marine Headquarters, the Seven Warlords, and the Four Emperors, the number of significant news stories hadn't just declined—it had practically vanished!
Most of the Warlords were busy managing their own pirate kingdoms. Granted legitimate plunder rights by the World Government, the Marines wouldn't pursue them.
And the Four Emperors stayed within their territories in the New World; the Marines wouldn't dare rashly start a war with forces like them either.
So, day-to-day, the Marines mostly just chased small-fry pirates who weren't worth mentioning.
The big-name pirates with high bounties either became Warlords, sought protection under an Emperor, or simply vanished from the world stage, living anonymously. This damn tranquil sea was disgustingly dull!
That Great Treasure, the One Piece—how many pirates were still truly chasing it, still holding onto that dream?
Morgans was sick and tired of these days without any major news.
"More news coming in? East Blue? Is there actually news from the weakest sea that's worth my personal attention?" Seeing the incoming data and images, Morgans' interest was instantly piqued when he noted the location.
As the world's largest news organization, the World Economic News Agency had an incredibly vast structure.
To ensure no major news was missed, Morgans had operatives stationed everywhere, responsible for capturing scoops.
While most were deployed along the Grand Line, there were operatives in the Four Blues as well.
When an operative in the Four Blues captured something newsworthy, it would go through layers of review, moving up the chain of command.
For this news to reach his desk meant that after multiple levels of scrutiny, this report from the East Blue was deemed worthy of the personal attention of the World Economic News Agency president himself.
"This... This is..." Morgans leaped to his feet as he saw the power unleashed by the young man calling himself 'Sky Sovereign' Rowen in the submitted materials.
The sequence of numerous photographs combined with the written report created an effect similar to watching a video.
"Conqueror's Haki! No doubt about it! That's Conqueror's Haki!" Morgans felt every cell in his body buzz with excitement.
After stagnating for so long, these dull seas had finally produced a newcomer possessing the disposition of a King!
"The man who will stand above all, calling himself 'Sky Sovereign'... What arrogance! Hahaha! Arrogance is good! That's what makes it newsworthy!" Morgans burst out laughing.
If some ignorant fool who didn't know their place made such a claim and called themselves 'Sky Sovereign', Morgans would just scoff. Idiots like that popped up every year on these seas, oblivious to their own mortality.
But when someone possessing Conqueror's Haki said it—especially a man so young who could already control it with precision—that was the ambition and disposition of a true King!
That was worth reporting.
No—this deserved the front page! A massive scoop!
The last newcomer who had excited him this much was 'Fire Fist' Portgas D. Ace—the Flare-Flare Fruit user who had since joined the Whitebeard Pirates and become their Second Division Commander.
Back then, Morgans had harvested quite a few juicy stories from Fire Fist Ace.
But damn it, Ace ended up getting recruited by Whitebeard, and the news stream dried up.
After that, the seas became disgustingly quiet again.
But now...
Morgans stared at Rowen's photo, his eyes practically glowing.
Conqueror's Haki! And from such a young newcomer who could already control it precisely! Plus, such blatant arrogance! This was even more sensational, more worthy of extensive coverage, than Fire Fist Ace had been initially!
And there was more worth reporting!
Morgans looked at the name provided in the self-introduction of the kid wearing the straw hat in the report.
"Monkey D. Luffy—Captain of the crew 'Sky Sovereign' Rowen joined. Monkey? D? Hahahaha!" A strange, almost predatory grin spread across Morgans' beak.
As the head of the World Economic News Agency, Morgans was all too familiar with that surname.
Wasn't that the family name of the Marine Hero, Monkey D. Garp, and the Revolutionary Leader, Monkey D. Dragon?
Judging by age, this Straw Hat kid had to be Dragon's son, Garp's grandson.
That old geezer Garp—his son becomes the leader of the Revolutionaries, and now his grandson sets out to sea as a pirate?
And this grandson has a crewmate who awakened Conqueror's Haki and calls himself 'Sky Sovereign'—isn't that deliberately mirroring the epithet of the Pirate King's Right Hand, the 'Dark King' Silvers Rayleigh?!
Is this kid aiming to become the next Pirate King?
The grandson of Marine Hero Monkey D. Garp wants to become the Pirate King? This family—all three generations—was certainly interesting!
There was so much material here! Absolutely worth extensive coverage!
Hmm, let's hold off on reporting about the Straw Hat kid for now. The first priority is Rowen.
You eat one bite at a time; big news should be released piece by piece.
Morgans had been starved for excitement for far too long. Now that he'd finally snagged a major story—and one that looked like it could provide continuous, developing reports—he needed to grip it tightly and milk it for all its worth.
Compared to the sheer impact of Conqueror's Haki, the Straw Hat kid's currently demonstrated power wasn't eye-catching enough yet.
What was the most important thing in news? Grabbing attention instantly!
And what could possibly grab more attention than a newcomer claiming he'll stand above all, calling himself 'Sky Sovereign', and possessing Conqueror's Haki?
Once he had the world's eyes fixed on this, he could follow up with ongoing reports about the crew.
Besides, with the 'Monkey D.' name involved, Morgans didn't have to worry too much that excessive hype might attract disaster and get the crew wiped out prematurely, leaving him with no future stories. Garp wouldn't let that happen easily.
This kind of news—one he could trumpet loudly and without reservation—he hadn't encountered anything like it in far too long!
Morgans' eyes gleamed with avarice.
"Get this photo distributed worldwide! Spread the name 'Sky Sovereign' Rowen across the globe!
Tell all those rotten trash on these seas—those who've lost their dreams and are practically decaying—that a new King is about to be born! These stagnant waters are finally going to boil again! Hahahaha!" Morgans roared with laughter.
On his desk lay a close-up photo of Rowen.
In it, Rowen's eyes blazed with overwhelming power—captured at the very instant he unleashed his Conqueror's Haki.
Soon, the front-page story featuring Rowen was printed.
Beneath the close-up photo of Rowen, the headline screamed in bold type: [I WILL STAND ABOVE ALL!]
Of course, the news of Straw Hat Monkey D. Luffy's debut was included as well, with Morgans making sure to heavily bold the Monkey D. initials.
Carried by countless News Coos, this report would soon spread throughout the entire world.
The long-stagnant seas were about to erupt!
<
Meanwhile, completely unaware that his goal had been achieved and that his front-page story was about to spread across the entire world, Rowen—was currently using his Navigation (White) skill to sail with Luffy.
"Landfall ahead. That's our destination—Shells Town," Rowen announced, comparing the approaching landmass to his sea chart, a smile gracing his lips.
After a tedious journey on the open sea, nothing brought more joy than spotting land. Seeing your actual destination? That doubled the happiness.
Thanks to Rowen's advance preparations, this trip, unlike Luffy's previous solo voyages, didn't involve starving for days.
Plus, this stretch of the East Blue was remarkably calm. So, for Rowen, equipped with the Navigation (White) Trait, the journey had been relatively smooth.
"Shishishi! We got here so fast! Guess we really do need a navigator for the Grand Line! Oh, right! And a musician too!" Luffy declared enthusiastically.
Before Rowen joined, Luffy's entire journey consisted of aimlessly drifting in the small boat he'd brought from Windmill Village.
Experiencing the speed and precision of reaching a destination like this just once had gotten Luffy completely hooked.
But since Rowen had mentioned his own navigation skills weren't sufficient for the Grand Line, finding a proper navigator naturally moved up Luffy's priority list.
Of course, a musician was still essential.
"A musician, huh? Not a bad idea," Rowen chuckled, amused by Luffy's priorities.
Luffy's fixation on having a musician was real. Though, in the original story, the Straw Hats wouldn't get one until they confronted the Warlord, 'Gecko' Moria.
Rowen had already confirmed through his System during their voyage:
Although the Seven Warlords were nominally affiliated with the World Government, they were fundamentally still powerful pirates, belonging to the Pirate Faction.
Within the Pirate Faction, they were the most prominent figures right below the Four Emperors.
Taking down a Warlord would also trigger Rowen's Faction Fortune (Apex Gold) Trait.
If that was the case, then confronting Moria would truly kill two birds with one stone.
Moria's current strength was among the lowest of the Warlords—practically a free meal delivered right to their doorstep.
But before Moria, there was another troublesome Warlord they'd have to deal with.
The Warlord 'Sir Crocodile'—user of the Logia-type Sand-Sand Fruit, Crocodile.
Rowen's eyes narrowed slightly.
The Sand-Sand Fruit, even among Logia types, was easily a top-tier powerful Devil Fruit. Acquiring that ability alone, based purely on the fruit's power, guaranteed at least Warlord-level strength.
Add Haki into the mix, and reaching the level of a Yonko Commander or Admiral Candidate would be relatively easy.
Of course, Rowen's true ultimate target among Logias was that fruit—the one considered practically invincible even within its own category: the Rumble-Rumble Fruit.
Speed, offensive power, destructive range—all rolled into one. A cataclysmic force of nature. A practically perfect Devil Fruit ability.
That was a Devil Fruit ability Rowen absolutely had to obtain.
Through his research into the Trait System over the past few days, Rowen had received confirmation: he could possess multiple Devil Fruit abilities.
The System could turn Devil Fruit powers into Traits and allow him to plunder them. Each plundered Devil Fruit ability existed as a separate, distinct Trait.
Furthermore, because he was turning others' abilities into Traits and equipping/using them—rather than directly eating the fruits—
Rowen could wield the plundered Devil Fruit powers without suffering the standard side effects of eating a fruit (like weakness to seawater or inability to swim).
And even if he acquired multiple Devil Fruit abilities, since each power existed as a separate Trait, there was no risk of them conflicting and causing him to explode.
Considering Blackbeard's unique body structure, which allowed him to contain multiple Devil Fruit powers,
Rowen's System—which converted powers into individual Traits and negated the side effects—was arguably far superior.
Theoretically, there was no upper limit to the number of Devil Fruit abilities he could possess.
In that case... the Sand-Sand Fruit, the Rumble-Rumble Fruit, the Tremor-Tremor Fruit, the Human-Human Fruit, Mythical Zoan, Model: Nika...
All these powerful Devil Fruit abilities—he wanted them all!
But before that, Rowen needed to focus on strengthening himself as much as possible.
After all, in the future, both Crocodile (user of the Sand-Sand Fruit) and Enel (user of the Rumble-Rumble Fruit) were arguably defeated largely due to Luffy's protagonist plot armor.
Rowen preferred to hold his destiny firmly in his own hands.
Besides, unleashing Devil Fruit powers required immense stamina and a strong physique as fuel.
Therefore, Traits that enhanced his physical capabilities were what Rowen needed most right now.
And conveniently, apart from Luffy, there was another man in the Straw Hat crew destined to possess one of the most formidable physiques on the seas.
The Pirate Hunter, Roronoa Zoro.
Rowen steered the small boat towards the shore, looking at the town ahead—Shells Town—a slight smirk playing on his lips.
<><><><><><>
"Weird. Why are the people here so scared when they hear the Marine Captain's name?"
While searching for Zoro, Luffy, being his naturally outgoing self, directly asked the townsfolk for directions.
But while their fear upon hearing Zoro's name was understandable, they seemed even more terrified when they heard the name of the local Marine Captain, Morgan.
"Marines aren't always the good guys for civilians. A corrupt Marine can cause even more destruction than some pirates," Rowen commented slowly.
Knowing the original story, Rowen understood this was because the Marine Captain here, 'Axe-Hand' Morgan, ruthlessly oppressed the townspeople.
For ordinary citizens, pirates were naturally detestable. Most pirates weren't like Luffy and his crew—who were, strictly speaking, more like adventurers chasing a dream.
However, aside from a few extremely vicious pirates who engaged in wanton murder and pillaging, most pirates primarily harmed civilians through robbery.
After all, the more atrocities they committed, the higher their bounty would climb, attracting stronger Marine pursuit and drawing the attention of bounty hunters.
While robbery was certainly bad, it was nothing compared to someone like Morgan, who abused his power to exploit the people under his command.
Or even worse, scum like Captain Nezumi—one of the key figures responsible for allowing Arlong to tyrannize Nami's hometown unchecked. That was a true nightmare.
If civilians encountered vicious pirates, they could still seek help from good Marines. But if they encountered corrupt Marines like these? That was a disaster where calling for help was utterly futile.
Rowen, having come from Earth, despised such corrupt individuals the most.
As they walked, the two eventually arrived at their destination.
The Marine base of Shells Town.
A man was tied to a crucifixion post in the courtyard.
The Pirate Hunter, Roronoa Zoro.
"Look, Rowen! That must be the guy!"
Following Luffy, Rowen climbed up the high wall overlooking the Marine base courtyard. He looked down at the man tied to the execution post. Though his head was bowed, an almost palpable, beast-like aura radiated from him.
For Rowen, who possessed the Beast Strength (Blue) Trait, this aura felt even more intense.
Truly worthy of being called a 'Demon in human form' even right at the start of his journey.
Rowen mentally acknowledged Zoro's presence, then thought inwardly.
"Check Traits."
————
Zoro Traits: Three-Sword Style (Deep Purple), Demonic Physique (Deep Purple), Asura Aura (Special), Conqueror's Haki (Unawakened) (Pale Gold).
Three-Sword Style (Deep Purple): A unique sword style utilizing one sword in each hand, with a third held in the mouth for the killing blow. Possesses biting strength greater than an adult hyena.
Demonic Physique (Deep Purple): The physique of a demon clad in human skin. No matter how extreme the training, no matter how damaged the muscles and bones become, they can fully recover and grow even stronger.
Asura Aura (Special): A unique, demon-god-like power. When imbued into techniques, allows them to unleash strength far exceeding conventional limits.
————
Just as I thought. Zoro does have Conqueror's Haki.
Rowen nodded, looking at Zoro's Conqueror's Haki (Unawakened) (Pale Gold) Trait.
As one of the Straw Hat crew's main three combatants in the original story—arguably second only to Luffy—Zoro was meant to parallel the Pirate King's Right Hand, the 'Dark King' Silvers Rayleigh.
And Zoro's lineage wasn't simple either. Otherwise, how could he possess a power like Asura Aura (Special), capable of manifesting illusions of three heads and six arms to wield nine swords?
For someone like Zoro, possessing Conqueror's Haki wasn't surprising at all.
The Asura Aura (Special) Trait was classified as 'Special' because it primarily enhanced the user's own techniques, allowing them to hit harder. Its effectiveness ultimately depended on the user's base strength.
However, reading the description for Three-Sword Style (Deep Purple)—specifically the note about having biting strength greater than an adult hyena—Rowen almost couldn't keep a straight face.
But it was true. Zoro's finishing blows invariably came from the sword held in his mouth—his Wado Ichimonji, one of the 21 Great Grade Swords.
Judging by Zoro's performance in his ultimate attacks, his bite strength was truly astonishing—far beyond what any mere hyena could manage.
Currently, Zoro hadn't even mastered the ability to cut steel ('Ken-go') yet; he was still primarily a swordsman relying on brute force.
Thus, his Three-Sword Style was currently only at the Deep Purple level—similar to Luffy's Gomu-Gomu Fruit before developing powerful techniques like Gear Second and Third.
For Rowen, the most crucial Trait Zoro possessed was undoubtedly the Demonic Physique (Deep Purple) Trait.
A powerful physique allowing complete recovery and strengthening of muscles and bones, no matter how extreme the training or severe the damage?
Rowen's eyes gleamed.
No wonder!
No wonder Zoro could endure such extreme training regimens without permanent injury!
According to official data, Zoro slept only three hours a day, spending every other waking moment engaged in brutal training.
Any normal person undertaking such a regimen would likely suffer catastrophic muscle and bone failure, leading to death.
Yet Zoro not only survived but thrived, his physique developing to monstrous levels.
It was all thanks to this Demonic Physique (Deep Purple) Trait.
Furthermore, during the raid on Onigashima, Zoro managed to block—albeit momentarily—a combined attack from two Emperors, Kaido and Big Mom!
That was a joint attack infused with the Conqueror's Haki of two peak Emperors! While he only held it off for an instant, the fact remained that he survived, merely suffering shattered bones and torn muscles throughout his body.
Anyone else present at that time would likely have been obliterated without a trace.
And afterwards, following treatment, Zoro's body actually became stronger, allowing him to defeat King the Wildfire, the lead All-Star of the Beasts Pirates!
While Law's Op-Op Fruit abilities certainly played a role in his recovery,
this Demonic Physique (Deep Purple) Trait was undeniably a key factor.
Even with every bone and muscle fiber shattered, he could recover and grow stronger. This Trait absolutely had the potential to become Gold-tier!
It was just that Zoro, having only recently set out to sea, hadn't yet developed his physique to its later, formidable state. That's why, for now, it was ranked Deep Purple, similar to Luffy's Superhuman Physique.
Crucially, this Demonic Physique Trait didn't conflict with Luffy's Superhuman Physique Trait at all.
In fact, they were perfectly complementary!
Luffy's Superhuman Physique allowed him to consume and absorb nutrients from vast amounts of food that would overwhelm ordinary people, strengthening his body.
Zoro's Demonic Physique allowed for limitless extreme training, strengthening muscles and bones through cycles of damage and repair.
With the massive nutritional support provided by the Superhuman Physique, the recovery process enabled by the Demonic Physique could potentially be accelerated even further!
And those abundant nutrients could fuel even more intense, high-load training facilitated by the Demonic Physique!
Combining these two Traits would effectively merge the greatest physical advantages of both Luffy and Zoro into one body.
In terms of sheer potential, wouldn't that rival even the monstrous physique of Kaido?
No! In terms of potential alone, it might even be comparable to the ultimate natural-born monster, whose physical stats were arguably top-tier from birth—the Emperor, Big Mom!
While Big Mom, Charlotte Linlin, might have ranked lower among the Emperors in terms of overall combat performance (due to her complacency, obsession with tea parties and having children, and abysmal battle IQ),
her base physical stats were undeniably among the most terrifying in the world.
As a child, relying solely on her innate monstrous physique, she could severely injure adult Giants. Her natural durability even surpassed that of Kaido after eating the Fish-Fish Fruit, Model: Azure Dragon—a top-tier Mythical Zoan!
While the Superhuman Physique and Demonic Physique Traits individually couldn't compare to Linlin's innate monstrousness,
if combined? Their potential for limitless growth might actually allow one to eventually rival that natural-born freak of nature.
Combining these two Traits—it was practically a passport to becoming a true monster!
Rowen's eyes shone with intense desire.
This Trait... I absolutely must obtain it.
Of course, the method was simple: get Luffy to recruit Zoro onto the crew. That would naturally allow Rowen to start equipping Zoro's Traits.
"Hey. You two."
Just then, Zoro, who had been the object of Rowen and Luffy's scrutiny, slowly lifted his bowed head, revealing a pair of eyes as fierce as a wild beast's.
"You're annoying." Zoro stated coldly.
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Shishishi! He's got personality! If we just untie the ropes, we can let him go, right?" Luffy grinned, completely unfazed by Zoro's intense, beast-like stare.
Having been frequently tossed into packs of wild beasts for training by his unreliable grandpa Garp since childhood, Luffy was all too familiar with that kind of gaze.
Those are the eyes of a wild animal.
In fact, Zoro's glare was even sharper than those of the beasts he remembered.
Although Luffy hadn't witnessed Zoro's strength yet, just based on that intense gaze, his instincts told him Zoro was strong.
Thump!
Just then, a ladder appeared against the wall. A little girl climbed up and held a finger to her lips, signaling cutely at Rowen and Luffy.
"Shhh."
The little girl gestured for caution, then hopped down from the wall and ran towards Zoro.
"Hm? What is it?" Zoro asked, his fierce eyes softening considerably as he looked at the approaching girl. His tone, though no longer icy, was still tinged with impatience.
"Big brother, you must be hungry, right? I brought rice balls," the little girl said, offering a bright smile. She held a carefully wrapped bundle of rice balls close to her chest.
"It's my first time making them, but I put my heart into it!"
"Kid, you wanna die? Get lost," Zoro replied instantly, his expression unchanging even at the sight of food, despite having had nothing to eat or drink for twenty days.
His harsh words were meant to protect her, to avoid implicating her.
"Even if you don't want to involve the girl, you don't need to push her away like that."
A calm voice interjected.
"Who the hell are you? I told you already, you're annoying," Zoro snapped, his face hardening as he watched Rowen jump down from the wall.
"This is a child's heartfelt gesture. A child's sincerity is more precious than gold," Rowen said, gently patting the little girl's head reassuringly as she looked crestfallen that Zoro wouldn't eat her rice balls.
Rowen definitely didn't want this sweet girl's kindness trampled by that scumbag Helmeppo.
"Shishishi! Well said, Rowen!" Luffy declared, hopping down from the wall to join Rowen.
Although he had wanted to observe Zoro a bit longer—after all, Luffy's standards for crewmates went beyond just strength—since his nakama had decided to step in, Luffy wouldn't just stand by and watch.
Luffy would always fully support his comrades' decisions.
"You're Zoro, right?" Luffy asked, grinning at the tied-up swordsman.
"Yeah. And who are you guys?" Zoro asked, his icy demeanor thawing slightly after hearing Rowen's words, though his tone remained unfriendly.
"I'm Monkey D. Luffy! The man who's gonna be King of the Pirates!" Luffy declared proudly, pointing at himself with a grin.
"Rowen. Luffy's comrade," Rowen added, a slight smile playing on his lips.
"King of the Pirates? Are you an idiot?" Zoro deadpanned, his eyebrow twitching as he looked at Luffy.
"But Rowen, what did you mean? Why did you say Zoro didn't want to involve the little girl?" Luffy asked curiously.
"Simple. Judging by how the townspeople react to the Marines here, the local Marine Captain can't be any good. And the name 'Pirate Hunter' Zoro is pretty famous throughout the East Blue right now. As a renowned bounty hunter, he wouldn't be tied up here unless there was a specific reason," Rowen explained smoothly.
While he couldn't reveal he knew the plot because he was a transmigrator, knowing the plot made it easy to deduce a logical explanation based on the current situation.
Rowen then turned to the little girl.
"But why don't you tell us the details? Since you risked coming here to bring him food, this must involve you somehow, right?" Rowen asked gently.
"Big brother, my name is Rika," the girl introduced herself politely, then proceeded to explain what had happened.
The son of the local Marine Captain Morgan, Helmeppo, frequently paraded around town with his so-called pet—a vicious dog.
At the restaurant Rika and her mother ran to make a living, the dog started harassing customers and causing chaos. Rika bravely tried to stop it, which drew Helmeppo's ire.
Zoro intervened, easily dealing with Helmeppo and his dog. But Helmeppo threatened to use his father's authority to have everyone present executed.
Therefore, Zoro made a deal with Helmeppo: he would allow himself to be tied up here for a month without food or water. If he survived, Rika and the others would be spared.
Today marked the twentieth day.
"Wow, you're amazing! If I went more than three days without eating, I'd definitely starve to death!" Luffy exclaimed. After hearing the story, he had already decided he wanted Zoro to join his crew.
"My willpower is completely different from yours. I will survive," Zoro declared with a determined grin.
"Definitely a man of steel. It'd be a waste for him to die here," Rowen said appreciatively.
When it came to sheer willpower, Zoro was absolutely top-class. Later in the story, Zoro would endure the full measure of pain extracted from Luffy by Kuma's Paw-Paw Fruit—suffering horrific injuries and massive blood loss—
And when questioned by Sanji, he would deliver the iconic line, "Nothing... happened."
"Die here? What are you talking about? I only have ten days left to fulfill the agreement. I will survive," Zoro retorted coldly, assuming Rowen doubted his ability to last the final ten days.
"I'm not questioning whether you can survive. I'm questioning whether you really think trash like him—who abuses his father's power to oppress civilians—will actually honor his promise to you," Rowen stated calmly.
"Hahaha! He's right!" Just then, an obnoxious laugh echoed through the courtyard.
A young man, clearly dressed like a spoiled brat relying on daddy's influence, swaggered towards them, flanked by two Marine soldiers.
"Helmeppo," Zoro muttered, realization dawning in his eyes, which turned exceptionally cold.
"I was originally planning to tell you tomorrow, right before your execution. But since someone already figured it out, executing you today works just fine too," Helmeppo sneered, laughing mockingly at Zoro.
"You bastard," Zoro growled, his eye twitching.
"Hahaha! The famous 'Pirate Hunter' dying by my hand! My name, Helmeppo, will surely spread far and wide across the seas now! Hahaha!" Helmeppo gloated arrogantly.
WHOOSH! SMACK!
While Helmeppo was lost in his arrogant laughter, an elongated fist shot out and slammed squarely into his obnoxious face, sending him flying.
"What a scumbag," Luffy commented coldly, retracting his rubber arm after punching Helmeppo.
"W-what the hell are you?!" Zoro stared, dumbfounded, at the completely inhuman feat he had just witnessed.
"Luffy ate the Gomu-Gomu Fruit. He's a rubber man," Rowen explained with a calm smile.
~ Long Chapter ✍️
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"Gomu-Gomu Fruit? Rubber man?" Zoro stared at Luffy in disbelief.
Devil Fruits—things like that actually existed?
"You bastard! How dare you hit me?! My dad will kill you!" Helmeppo shrieked, clutching his rapidly swelling face where Luffy had punched him.
Pow! Pow! Pow!
Luffy's response was another barrage of punches.
"S-Stop! Stop it! If you keep hitting him, you'll really get yourselves killed!" The two nearby Marine soldiers, initially stunned by Luffy's rubber abilities, snapped back to reality as Helmeppo neared unconsciousness. They moved to intervene.
"Could you please not interfere with our captain's business?" Rowen asked calmly, the crimson-black light flickering faintly in his eyes.
VMM!
The next moment, an invisible wave washed over the two Marines. Their eyes rolled back, and they instantly collapsed, unconscious.
"W-What was that...?" Zoro watched, stunned. This man named Rowen merely narrowed his eyes, and Zoro's instincts screamed as a terrifying power surged from him, instantly knocking the two soldiers out cold.
Having never witnessed such power before, Zoro was utterly incredulous.
"That's called Conqueror's Haki. The weak can't maintain consciousness under its pressure," Rowen explained with a faint smile, the crimson-black light receding from his eyes.
"Conqueror's Haki?" Zoro murmured the unfamiliar term.
Since setting out, he'd become a bounty hunter out of necessity—needing money to survive—trading pirates for cash.
His formidable strength had earned him the title 'Pirate Hunter', but he'd never encountered powers as bizarre as these before.
Whether it was Luffy's rubber abilities or this man Rowen's power...
The sea truly is vast.
"Ah, much better. That scumbag needed a beating," Luffy sighed contentedly, looking at the now unconscious Helmeppo.
"Check Traits." Rowen thought inwardly, focusing on the knocked-out Helmeppo.
————
Helmeppo Trait: Reformed Boost (Pale Purple)
Reformed Boost (Pale Purple): Can undergo a redemption arc. Upon redemption, strength increases.
————
Even weaklings like him has a Pale Purple Trait?
And this scumbag had used his father's power to torment countless civilians!
Yet he could inexplicably get redeemed and become stronger? The original author's logic was baffling sometimes.
But... even though it's a Pale Purple Trait, it's completely useless to me.
Just as Rowen had that thought, another notification appeared.
—[Traits of Purple tier or higher can be converted into fixed Upgrade Materials.]—
—[Upgrade Materials can be used to enhance existing equipped Traits.]—
Reading the screen, Rowen confirmed the details, a slight smile touching his lips.
So that's how the System's upgrade function works.
Waste not, want not, I suppose.
"Plunder."
Helmeppo's Trait was instantly absorbed by Rowen.
"Convert."
Rowen focused on the Reformed Boost (Pale Purple) Trait.
—[Conversion complete. Current quantity of Potential-type Pale Purple Upgrade Materials: (1). ]—
Having used the function, Rowen now fully understood.
Basically, he could convert unwanted Traits into upgrade tools to enhance the Traits he did want.
However, White and Blue tier Traits couldn't be used for upgrades.
Also, only Traits fully plundered could be converted. Traits equipped from crewmates, being more like mirrored copies, couldn't be used as upgrade materials, even though Rowen could use them freely without restriction once fully equipped.
Only Traits of Pale Purple tier or higher, obtained through direct plunder, could serve as upgrade fuel for Rowen's own Traits.
Combat-related Traits were categorized as either Potential-type or Strength-type.
For example, the Faction Fortune (Apex Gold) plundered from Koby was a Potential-type Trait.
Luffy's Sun God (Apex Gold) was also Potential-type.
Rowen's already awakened Conqueror's Haki (Pale Gold), which could be directly used in combat, was a Strength-type Trait.
Traits like Luffy's Superhuman Physique (Deep Purple) and Zoro's Demonic Physique (Deep Purple) were also Strength-type.
For Strength-type Traits related to physical prowess (like Physique), the displayed tier represented the current level of power the owner could exert. It didn't indicate the Trait's ultimate potential ceiling.
The same applied to combat skill Traits like Zoro's Three-Sword Style (Deep Purple) and Luffy's Gomu-Gomu Fruit (Deep Purple).
Potential-type Upgrade Materials could only upgrade other Potential-type Traits, not Strength-type Traits.
Seeing this limitation, Rowen felt a slight pang of disappointment. If direct upgrading were possible, he might have considered using the Faction Fortune (Apex Gold) to boost his Conqueror's Haki.
While Faction Fortune (Apex Gold) had immense potential, it still paled in comparison to a fully mastered Conqueror's Haki - Infusion (Apex Gold).
That represented true Emperor/Admiral level power.
Still, while disappointing, the limitation made sense. Potential was just potential, not actual strength.
Being able to directly convert potential into overwhelming power would be like creating something from nothing, violating fundamental laws of reality.
This realization deepened Rowen's sense of being in a real world. Even with his powerful System, basic principles still applied.
To truly reach the pinnacle of this world, the System merely provided the ticket. Becoming the strongest ultimately depended on his own efforts.
Rowen smirked slightly. Good. That makes it interesting.
Let's see just how far I can go.
—[Kingly Disposition increased. Conqueror's Haki intensity increased.]—
Another notification flashed.
Just as I suspected. The strength of Conqueror's Haki is tied to that concept of 'Kingly Disposition' from the story.
Rowen noted this inwardly.
It confirmed the correctness of his decision to make a high-profile debut and claim the 'Sky Sovereign' epithet.
In the One Piece world, only by building a fearsome reputation, using the blood and failures of enemies as nourishment, could one truly stand at the absolute top.
Looks like I'll need to be even more high-profile in the future. Get that bounty nice and high.
Anyway, with Luffy's connections backing him, he didn't need to worry too much about attracting unbeatable enemies prematurely.
Rowen resolved his future course.
Having clarified his path, Rowen continued examining the upgrade function.
It required ten Upgrade Materials of the same tier to raise a Trait by one sub-level.
For instance, the Potential-type Pale Purple material obtained from Helmeppo—ten of these could upgrade another Potential-type Pale Purple Trait to Potential-type Deep Purple.
Compared to others who had to train slowly over time, this method was incredibly fast.
Rowen was quite satisfied. From now on, even useless Traits of Purple tier or higher could serve a significant purpose.
And without his most valuable (albeit pathetic) Pale Purple Trait, Helmeppo was now utterly worthless.
"You guys are pirates, right? Why are you getting involved in this mess?" Zoro asked at that moment, clearly confused.
"When you see scum like that, you gotta punch 'em!" Luffy declared matter-of-factly with a grin, then looked straight at Zoro.
"Hey, you! Wanna be my nakama?" Luffy extended the invitation.
"Why would I want to become a villain?" Zoro retorted, baffled by Luffy's logic.
"But I've already decided you're gonna be my nakama!" Luffy stated with absolute certainty.
"Hey! Will you listen when someone's talking?!" Zoro snapped.
"But if you don't agree, you'll just die here, right? A man like you must have ambitions you need to fulfill. Are you really content to die here?" Rowen interjected calmly.
"..." Zoro fell silent instantly.
Die here? How could he possibly be content with that?
If he were, how could he have endured twenty days without food through sheer willpower?
To become the world's greatest swordsman, to make his name echo even in the heavens—that was his promise to his deceased childhood friend, Kuina.
It was Zoro's ambition!
"Oh yeah! You're a swordsman, right? Where are your swords?" Luffy suddenly asked.
"That guy took them," Zoro replied, glancing towards the unconscious Helmeppo.
"Huh? Then I'll go get your swords back for you! If you want them back, you gotta be my nakama!" Luffy grinned, then grabbed the unconscious Helmeppo and started dragging him away.
"Hey! Wake up! Where are Zoro's swords? If you don't tell me, I'll beat you up some more!" Luffy yelled, slapping Helmeppo's face.
"Luffy, the Marine base is that way," Rowen called out, pointing in the opposite direction of where Luffy was heading.
"Oh, right! Thanks, Rowen!" Luffy quickly changed direction and dashed off again.
"That guy... he really doesn't listen to anyone," Zoro muttered, his eyebrow twitching as he watched Luffy disappear.
"And you actually acknowledge him as your captain?" Zoro asked, looking at Rowen who had stayed behind.
"Luffy might seem like an airhead most of the time, but he's incredibly reliable when it counts," Rowen replied with a smile, then turned to Rika.
"You should head home now, Rika. Things are about to get chaotic here," Rowen said gently.
"But..." Rika hesitated, looking down at the now slightly cooled rice balls in her hands.
"Give them here," Zoro suddenly said.
Rika blinked, then her small face broke into a radiant smile.
"Here you go, big brother!"
Watching Zoro hungrily devour the rice balls she made, Rika's smile grew even brighter.
"Delicious. I'm full," Zoro said after swallowing the last bite, a faint smile on his face.
"I'm so happy! Thank you, big brother!" Rika beamed, then looked towards Rowen, understanding that it was because of him that Zoro had eaten her food.
"See? Isn't a child's sincerity more precious than gold?" Rowen smiled, observing the scene.
"Yeah," Zoro admitted, a genuine smile gracing his own features.
BOOM!!!
Just then, a massive explosion rocked the area.
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