"Captured by slave traders in Sabaody again?"
Dragon smiled slightly. "They do have potential. Some of them have strong enough will that, with proper training, they could develop Haki in a short time."
Beside him, Kuma also smiled. "It seems this time you've saved quite a few people again. When the time comes, the leader and I will handle the transfer."
Under the white mask, Rowan waved his hand. "I do want to save a group of people this time, but they're not slaves from Sabaody. They're archaeologists from Ohara. I've already captured them, and they're currently locked in the ship's cabin."
Dragon froze for a moment.
A second later, he reacted. "Why would you capture them? They're not pirates… wait. Did the Marines order it? If that's the case, Ohara is in danger."
Rowan glanced at him. "You seem to know quite a bit."
In his memory, Dragon had known Clover. But something like researching the Void Century was not something you casually talked about.
Then again, considering how obsessed those scholars were with knowledge, it was not hard to imagine them asking anyone and everyone.
Only after Ohara's destruction did Robin truly learn caution.
"The World Government definitely knows about Ohara researching history," Rowan continued.
"But whether they've touched on the forbidden history of eight hundred years ago is still uncertain."
He paused briefly. "That said, it's only a matter of time. They've been far too obvious. In their pursuit of knowledge, they've completely ignored their own value."
Dragon's expression grew serious. "Has the Marines discovered something?"
Rowan shook his head. "No. I'm just a Major. I've only seen Sengoku from a distance during his appointment. I wouldn't have access to that kind of information. But Spandine might know something."
Before Dragon could respond, Rowan continued, "Right now, what matters is getting these archaeologists to the Revolutionary Army. They don't understand their own value, but we do."
He looked directly at Dragon. "We don't have the strength to confront the World Government yet, and those scholars won't listen to persuasion. You know what they're like."
Dragon frowned, then nodded.
He knew very well how stubborn they were. Every year they risked their lives to sail out, barely able to feed themselves, wandering from place to place in search of history. If they found even a half-rotten book, they could cling to it for a month, eventually spending everything they had to obtain it.
That was what scholars were like.
"I'll go warn them," Dragon said. "And we'll keep an eye on West Blue."
Kuma spoke next. "If that's the case, when something happens to Ohara, we can act independently."
Rowan nodded. "That's what I'm thinking too. Three days from now, at Water Seven, I'll create an opportunity for you to act. Also, the ship behind the warship is important. Kuma, send it to our base in the first half of the Grand Line."
"Understood."
"Understood."
Three days passed quickly.
Coincidentally, the day after encountering the exploration team, Rowan ran into his first target for the graduation assessment and ended the battle within ten minutes.
The targets selected by Zephyr were not weak. Almost every pirate on that ship had sin values in the triple digits. Rowan took all their souls.
Meanwhile, in the ship's cabin, Olvia had already made up her mind.
Despite everyone trying to stop her, she was prepared to sacrifice herself if necessary.
But for three whole days, nothing happened.
Other than the Marines bringing food, no one came to see them.
It was not until the warship docked at Water Seven that she realized something.
That Marine…
He probably cared more about money.
He was going to sell their ship first.
And then…
The cabin door was suddenly forced open.
A man wearing a white mask broke the lock and released all of them.
"Who are you? Why are you saving us?"
"Where are the Marines?"
"Hurry! Check if our ship is still there!"
"It's behind the warship! Quick, let's go!"
The scene instantly became chaotic.
Rowan watched them in silence, feeling slightly speechless.
In his memory, it was said that Zoan Devil Fruits carried a will of their own. Luffy's Nika form and Yamato's Okuchi no Makami were clear examples of this.
If that was the case, then perhaps the Tree of Knowledge in Ohara also carried a will, one that drove generations of scholars to act so bravely, and so foolishly.
The group rushed onto the exploration ship, heading straight for the cabin where their records were stored.
Only Olvia and the young man with broken glasses remained behind.
"Get on the ship. Go inside," Rowan said.
The two exchanged glances.
Olvia bowed slightly. "No matter what, thank you for helping us."
Rowan glanced at the time. "If you don't leave now, the Marines will be here. That officer is strong. Even we might not be able to stop him."
The young man also bowed. "We are deeply grateful."
Soon, both of them boarded the ship.
Kuma, standing beside Rowan, finally understood.
To them, history was more important than their lives.
"Shall we begin?" he asked.
Rowan exhaled slowly. Holding the Float ability, the energy within his body surged.
In the next moment, the exploration ship began to rise into the air.
At the port, the shipwrights of Water Seven were stunned by the sight.
Someone who often read newspapers immediately threw down his tools and ran, shouting as he went, "A great pirate has arrived! Golden Lion Shiki is in Water Seven! Inform Marine Headquarters immediately!"
Rowan almost laughed at the scene. Shiki had just taken the blame for something he had nothing to do with.
The ship rose into the air, and inside the cabin, the scholars were thrown off balance, unable to understand what was happening.
"Uncle Kuma, I'll leave it to you."
Kuma nodded, then leapt up. Using the power of the Paw-Paw Fruit, he positioned himself level with the ship. With a single palm strike, a bear-shaped air bubble enveloped the vessel and shot it forward at high speed.
With the Float ability reducing the ship's weight to the minimum, it became much easier for Kuma to send it flying.
"Uncle Kuma, you should go first. If the Marines hear about Shiki, an Admiral might arrive at Water Seven. It's too close to Marine Headquarters."
Kuma nodded again. "Be careful. I'll see you shortly."
After Kuma left, Rowan vanished from the spot.
The books of Ohara contained records of the ancient kingdom's technology. In the future, Vegapunk's Egghead and even the Mother Flame would originate from that knowledge. The value of these scholars was beyond question.
With a loud crash, the ship fell from the sky. The massive bear-shaped air imprint struck the sea, sending waves surging outward.
Inside the cabin, the scholars were tossed around and many of them threw up. Yet when they regained their senses, the first thing they did was not clean themselves, but rush to check whether the books and stone records were intact.
Only after confirming everything was safe did they collapse in relief, clutching their heads as they slowly recovered.
The ship needed time to travel from Water Seven, but Rowan could simply use spatial transfer once Kuma arrived. By the time the vessel landed, Rowan and Kuma had already been waiting at the hidden port on the deserted island for quite a while.
Even so, none of the scholars had come out yet.
"Uncle Kuma, your stability needs some improvement," Rowan said.
Kuma adjusted his hat. "The others have said the same. It works fine for individuals, but when using it on a ship combined with Float, maintaining internal stability is difficult."
At that moment, Olvia and the bespectacled man slowly emerged from the ship, supporting themselves against the walls. When they saw Rowan's mask, they immediately understood.
"It was you?"
Rowan nodded. "It was. Water Seven is too close to Marine Headquarters, so we had to let you board first."
The man steadied himself, though his legs were still shaking. "Then… who exactly are you?"
Rowan replied calmly, "Revolutionary Army instructor, Spark. And beside me is one of the top commanders of the Revolutionary Army, Kuma."
Revolutionary Army.
The two exchanged looks. After more than six years sailing the Grand Line, they had certainly heard of that name. But why would the Revolutionary Army save them and bring them here?
Before they could continue questioning, Rowan rubbed his neck. "Call everyone down first. Talking like this is tiring. I'll answer whatever you want afterward."
Olvia stopped the man from speaking further and signaled him to gather the others. She stepped off the ship first.
It was not trust that drove her decision, but realization. This was no longer anywhere near Water Seven. They had crossed the Calm Belt and reached a deserted island near the Red Line, whose towering cliffs could be seen clearly in the distance.
To move an entire ship across such a distance in such a short time meant the people before them were far beyond anything they could resist.
Soon, all the scholars were helped down, still unsteady on their feet.
Rowan gestured for them to follow, and together with Kuma led them to a nearby gathering area.
Kuma had people prepare tea for them, knowing they needed time to recover. Otherwise, with their already rigid thinking, persuading them later would only become harder.
A young man serving tea was visibly excited. When he handed a cup to Rowan, his hands trembled.
Kuma smiled at him. "Calm down, Ahu. Spark will be here for a while."
Ahu scratched his head, embarrassed, then looked at Rowan with respect. "It's been a long time since you last came to teach us. Recently it's been the other instructors, but we heard they were all trained by you, so we've been studying seriously."
It was not just him. Many people from the base had gathered around.
Rowan accepted the cup, though with the mask he did not drink. "There's no need for that. I only help you understand why you fight. In the end, only we can save ourselves, isn't that right?"
Ahu straightened his back, and his voice rose without hesitation. The others joined in.
"They will not pity us. They will not give us anything. They will never wake up one day and change!"
"They only drain our blood, stand above us, and divide us into slaves, commoners, non-member nations, and member nations!"
"We refuse to be slaves! We refuse to live only to survive! We refuse to be exploited forever, and we refuse to let our descendants suffer the same fate!"
"We will resist! We will revolt! We will overthrow them and change this world!"
"All who are oppressed, unite! All who suffer, unite! All who refuse humiliation, unite!"
The declaration thundered through the air.
Under the mask, Rowan's expression grew serious, not because of the words themselves, but because his Observation Haki clearly sensed something.
Their presence was growing stronger.
Ahu, and all the others who shouted, were becoming stronger. The change was subtle, and it receded slightly after the declaration ended, but their conviction had undeniably deepened.
Their will was feeding back into their Haki.
Rowan placed the cup down and stood, extending his hand. "I believe in this as well. We will win, and we will overturn everything unjust."
After shaking hands, Ahu saluted, then looked at the scholars. "Sir, are they new comrades?"
Rowan paused briefly. "They will be. Because like us, they are also part of the oppressed."
That answer softened Ahu's attitude even further, and he began speaking to them warmly while handing out tea.
Olvia watched Rowan, hesitating.
"Wait a moment," Rowan said, stopping her.
After some time, all the scholars were brought into a large wooden building.
Rowan faced them and spoke first. "Scholars of Ohara, your actions have already drawn the attention of the World Government. The history of eight hundred years ago is their forbidden zone."
"I know what fate awaits Ohara, and that is why I brought you here."
The room erupted instantly.
"We've been discovered?"
"What do we do? The knowledge of Ohara must not be destroyed!"
"We just obtained new clues, how can we stop now?"
"History belongs to the entire world, they cannot…"
"We must go back and warn the doctor. All records must be moved!"
Not a single one of them worried about their own lives.
Every one of them was thinking only about the books, the records, and the preservation of history.
Knowledge mattered more to them than life itself.
So this was the will of Ohara.
In this world, willpower manifested everywhere, endless and unbroken.
"Why should we believe you?" Olvia finally asked.
Rowan shook his head slightly. "I don't need you to believe me. I'm simply telling you what I know. Your actions have been too reckless. Without the strength to protect yourselves, that kind of courage can also be called foolishness."
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