Could true equality ever exist?
Rowan's answer was no.
During the discussion that afternoon, after explaining freedom and equality, Clover questioned whether such ideas could ever truly be realized.
Rowan calmly denied it.
No society could ever achieve absolute equality, because no system could fully restrain the ever-changing nature of the human heart.
In any world, in any race, as long as individuals possess independent thought, their creativity will always be accompanied by desire.
And it is precisely desire that drives human innovation.
Relative equality.
Relative freedom.
That was Rowan's answer.
Equality meant the right to live. Life above all else.
Freedom meant no slavery, no oppression, and the ability to live freely as long as one did not violate the law.
In the future Rowan described, pirates would become relics cast aside by history, and the Marines would truly serve as protectors of the people under a system governed by law.
Technology would ensure abundant energy and resources.
Power would be monitored and restrained.
In such a world, living, even living well, would no longer be difficult.
As for the idea that those who slay dragons would one day become dragons themselves…
Rowan's answer was clear.
"When the will of the people awakens, it will never be extinguished. The vast majority, the ordinary people of this world, will drag anyone who tries to rise above them back down."
"The most important thing for the Revolutionary Army has never been weapons or strength. It is ideology. The courage to resist, to fight, and to stand against injustice."
"As long as that spark spreads and ignites the people of this sea, even if someone sits upon the throne again, they will be pulled down."
Night fell over Ohara.
Inside the Tree of Knowledge, Dragon looked across the endless shelves.
Holding the Float ability, he activated it.
The entire library trembled.
Under precise control, books began to rise one by one. Shelf after shelf floated into the air, moving in orderly lines out of the Tree of Knowledge and toward the ships at the port.
The scholars directed the process carefully, coordinating both inside the library and at the harbor, ensuring that the massive transfer would not fall into chaos.
At the port, Roger sat on the bow of a ship. He reached up, about to remove his mask, but Rowan stopped him with a glance.
"If you get exposed, you won't be coming out again. The prison always needs someone to handle interrogation and punishment. You'd fit perfectly."
Roger sighed and lowered his hand.
He understood very well what his existence meant.
Even in this half-alive state, the return of the Pirate King would shake the entire world.
After a moment, he looked at Rowan. "I always feel like you know too much. Sometimes… even more than I do."
Rowan did not respond.
Roger continued, "Do you know your own surname?"
Rowan smiled slightly. "D? I have a surname, but it doesn't include D, and it doesn't need to. The reason I don't use it anymore is because no one else carries it."
He paused, then looked at the scholars directing the transfer.
"D was never a surname in the beginning. It represented a will. A will to oppose those so-called descendants of the gods."
"So what if everyone in the Revolutionary Army carries that will now?"
"You went to Laugh Tale, saw the truth, and chose to believe in destiny. You regretted arriving too early and placed your hopes on someone in the future."
"But I don't."
"After Loguetown, I even considered that maybe such a person might never appear. If that's the case, does this world remain in darkness forever?"
Roger frowned.
D did not matter.
Destiny did not matter.
What mattered was that there were people in this world spreading the will to resist.
Those people, and those who would inherit that will in the future, were the true meaning of D.
After a long silence, Roger exhaled. "I really don't know how you understand all this. Sometimes it's terrifying."
He continued, "Plant a seed, and when that seed grows into a towering tree, no one will be able to stand above the world ever again."
The port fell quiet.
Only the voices of the scholars directing the transfer remained.
Rowan looked at his hands.
Planting seeds…
At first, when he was one year old and his home was destroyed, when his family was killed, all he wanted was revenge.
To kill every Celestial Dragon in Mary Geoise.
To hang the Five Elders.
To judge Im.
But now…
After countless lessons, the seeds he planted in others had also taken root within himself.
It was not something grand.
It was simply his values, shaped by memory.
And every time he saw suffering in this world, it stirred something within him.
By the time dawn approached, both Dragon and Rowan were completely exhausted after taking turns managing the transfer.
Every bookshelf in the Tree of Knowledge, including the underground research materials, had been moved.
It was delicate work. Dumping everything together would have driven the scholars mad.
At the moment of parting, Clover remained firm in his decision.
He would not leave.
He chose to make this place his grave.
Some scholars stayed with him.
Olvia had originally intended to remain as well.
But she was forced onto the ship.
Along with her eight-year-old daughter.
Nico Robin.
"Are you really not leaving? That future… you should want to see it yourself."
"This is my homeland. At my age, dying here is a fitting end."
"That's not really a reason…"
Rowan sighed. "We're still too weak. The forbidden century has been touched. They will react violently, and all we can do is avoid it."
"They may not know exactly how many scholars Ohara has, but they will never believe there are none. Even one or two survivors is something they won't accept."
"You plan to sacrifice yourself so your companions can escape, to make the enemy feel at ease, and let the rest continue their research in hiding. Isn't that your intention?"
Clover shot him an annoyed look. "You're still young. Being too smart is not always a good thing."
Then he turned to look at Robin, who was leaning over the ship's railing.
"The future of this world belongs to the young. Someone like me, who is already close to death, should at least make himself useful before the end. Clinging to life would be meaningless."
Rowan did not respond.
He chose to respect that decision.
"We'll send another batch of mixed books tonight. Leaving it empty would look suspicious."
"Alright."
Two weeks later.
Marine Headquarters, Marineford.
After the training camp ended, Rowan's file was retained at headquarters and assigned under Kuzan.
However, due to the surge of pirates entering the Grand Line from the Four Seas, the Marines were stretched thin, and Kuzan had been operating in the New World.
It was only today that he returned.
But the reason for his return was not Rowan. A newly promoted Colonel with the title of "monster" did not carry that much weight.
Fleet Admiral's office.
Knock knock.
"Come in."
Kuzan stepped in, looking somewhat tired. "You called me back in a hurry. Did something happen?"
Sengoku looked up slightly, frowning at his tone.
The candidates for the three Admirals had already been submitted to the World Government. Normally, while the Fleet Admiral was appointed by them, the Admirals were mostly decided by the Marines.
But this time, the decision had been delayed.
At the same time, the Buster Call authorization currently in Sengoku's possession had been reassigned. The Golden Den Den Mushi would be handed over to CP for execution.
Target: Ohara.
Designated Vice Admirals: Sakazuki, Kuzan…
Sengoku, who also came from the South Blue, was somewhat familiar with Ohara. Years ago, when Clover had gone to sea as an explorer and was labeled a pirate, Sengoku himself had taken part in the pursuit.
That island was the greatest repository of knowledge in the world.
The homeland of scholars.
The location of the Tree of Knowledge.
So in the end… they had crossed the line.
"Take a look," Sengoku said, pushing the document forward.
Kuzan opened it.
On the first page, the Buster Call order was written clearly.
Joint operation with CP9.
Target: Ohara, West Blue.
It was less a notice and more a direct command. There was no explanation, no reasoning.
"What did the people on that island do?" Kuzan asked.
Sengoku replied calmly, "They attempted to overturn the world. No matter their reasons, the World Government will not allow them to exist. Even if it is Ohara, a place renowned across the world for its scholars."
Overturn the world?
Those scholars?
Kuzan found it hard to believe. Even pirates considered them too poor to bother robbing.
A group with no combat power… how could they possibly threaten the world?
"Shouldn't we verify this first?" Kuzan asked. "What power do they have to overturn anything?"
Sengoku pressed his fingers against his temple.
Following Garp had clearly influenced this young Vice Admiral.
But he had not learned how to ignore things either.
Knock knock.
Sakazuki entered, saluted, and glanced at the document.
"A group of scholars attempting to overturn the world. Such evil must be completely eradicated to serve as a warning to all."
Sengoku felt a headache forming.
The two men before him were pillars of the Marines' future, candidates for Admiral.
But their personalities were completely opposite, just like their Devil Fruits.
"The research into the forbidden century is strictly prohibited by the World Government," Sengoku said. "The scholars of Ohara have violated that law."
Kuzan's brows tightened.
Sengoku continued, "Within that lost history lie ancient weapons. Power capable of overturning the world. Those scholars are trying to bring that power back into existence."
Sakazuki clenched his fists. "They were clearly forbidden, yet they still chose to touch them. Ignoring the law for their own desires. They must pay the price, and not a single one of them can be allowed to escape."
Sengoku nodded slightly. "A week ago, CP agents were already dispatched to investigate Ohara. You can depart now."
"Understood."
"Understood."
Sakazuki turned and left immediately, pushing the door open without hesitation, while Kuzan glanced at him before preparing to leave as well.
"Kuzan."
The voice stopped him mid-step.
Sengoku spoke again. "That brat from the training camp you specifically asked for has already boarded a CP ship and headed to the West Blue ahead of you."
Kuzan paused, then quickly thought of Spandine.
"Bang."
Sengoku slammed his hand on the desk. "That little bastard, you better discipline him properly, understand? Before this, he casually arrested an exploration ship from Ohara, and the reason was simply because one of the female scholars was good-looking."
"After those scholars were rescued, the one who arrested them, Rowan, didn't even know who they were!"
Kuzan scratched his head, momentarily at a loss for words. "If I remember correctly, that kid isn't even seventeen yet, right?"
Sengoku shot him a look. "He's still one month away from turning seventeen on record. The fourth 'monster' produced by the training camp. You should understand what that title represents."
"His entry into headquarters was complicated, and that CP9 Spandine seems to get along with him just fine. But since you asked for him, then it's your responsibility to straighten out this disgrace of the Marines."
Kuzan sighed and muttered under his breath, "That's going to be troublesome."
Less than half a day after returning to headquarters, once supplies were restocked, Kuzan's warship departed Marineford through a special route toward the West Blue.
Lying on the deck, Kuzan pulled his eye mask down, but his mind remained restless.
The documents he had just read kept resurfacing.
The scholars of Ohara, the Void Century, the ancient weapons said to destroy the world.
For years, the World Government had prohibited research into that century under the claim that those weapons could bring destruction.
But was that really the truth?
The South Blue incident flashed through his mind again.
If the information had not been leaked back then, how many pregnant women would have been killed?
And afterward, the truth would likely never have come to light.
It would have simply disappeared.
Just like everything else.
Mariejois…
Kuzan exhaled slowly.
The masked man at Sabaody, using his face, had done what he himself once wanted to do but never dared.
He had heard that the lawless zone of Sabaody had become much quieter recently. Slave traders and traffickers had been slaughtered to the point of fear, and even the Celestial Dragons rarely came down anymore.
Kuzan let out a faint, self-mocking chuckle. "What a joke."
The adjutant beside him immediately stood straight and saluted. "Vice Admiral Kuzan, is something wrong?"
Kuzan lowered his eye mask slightly and looked toward the endless blue sea ahead. "Nothing wrong with you. I was talking about how ridiculous this world is."
The adjutant looked confused, but Kuzan had already laid back down, pulling the eye mask over his eyes again.
Out of sight, out of mind.
That was something he had learned from Garp.
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