Ignoring the two children as they left, Rowan removed his mask and lowered his cloak, revealing an utterly ordinary face.
After leaving the alley, he casually asked for directions before heading toward the northern side of Dressrosa, the only entrance leading to Green Bit.
Walking leisurely across the suspension bridge that connected the island, Rowan advanced at an unhurried pace.
Splash!
Water exploded upward as a Fighting Fish leaped directly toward him.
Yet in the very next moment, it lost its target entirely.
The fish shot past Rowan and plunged into the water on the opposite side.
Immediately afterward, dozens of Fighting Fish burst from the sea like raindrops, charging toward the only living person on the bridge.
"Ah."
A kunai flew from Rowan's hand.
After piercing through five or six Fighting Fish, it continued forward at incredible speed and embedded itself deep into a giant tree trunk on the opposite shore.
Rowan's figure vanished from the bridge instantly.
In the blink of an eye, he appeared beside the tree where the kunai had landed.
Pulling the weapon free, he dropped lightly to the ground.
The next moment, Rowan looked toward the depths of the primitive forest.
A tiny figure was secretly observing him from among the trees.
"Could you take me to meet your king?"
"The Tontatta Tribe."
A red blur flashed toward him.
The newcomer wore a round hat and had two insect-like antennae protruding from her forehead.
"Big human, what are your intentions?"
"You crossed the bridge filled with Fighting Fish so easily."
"Are you here to destroy the Tontatta Kingdom?"
Hearing that, Rowan shook his head.
"I'm here because I need the Tontatta Tribe's help."
"I'm a good person."
The moment those words left his mouth, the tiny female Tontatta buzzed around him like a bee, her wings vibrating rapidly.
After circling him once, she finally let out a sigh of relief.
"Whew... so you're a good person!"
"You scared me just now."
"I thought you were one of those bad people who wanted to destroy the kingdom."
Dressrosa had once been ruled by the Donquixote Family, one of the Twenty Kings who founded the World Government eight hundred years ago.
Back then, the Tontatta were enslaved.
The wealth produced by their labor made the kingdom prosperous, but that prosperity had been built entirely upon slavery.
Later, the Donquixote Family ascended to Mary Geoise and became Celestial Dragons.
The Riku Family inherited the throne.
King Riku personally knelt before the Tontatta and begged for their forgiveness, allowing them to settle peacefully in Green Bit.
The Tontatta all shared a common flaw.
They trusted strangers far too easily.
And until they realized they had been deceived, they rarely doubted anyone.
However, Rowan had no intention of exploiting his foreknowledge to achieve his goals.
His visit here was partly to prepare for the kingdom's future liberation.
"So what should I call you, good human?"
Bian flew another circle in front of him before asking:
"Do you need our help?"
"But all we're good at is growing plants."
"We might not be able to help you very much."
After thinking for a moment, Rowan replied:
"If I tell you my real name, it could bring trouble to the Tontatta Kingdom."
"So you can call me Shinhuo."
"Or Mr. Shinhuo."
He paused briefly before adding:
"Mr. Cloaked Man works too."
"That's what the World Government and the Marines call me, although I don't particularly like it."
Bian thought seriously about it.
"Then I'll call you Mister."
"But a big human like you would have a lot of trouble entering the kingdom."
Rowan nodded.
"You can report my arrival to your chief first."
"I'll wait outside."
A short while later, a squad of Tontatta soldiers appeared.
After listening to Bian's explanation, they did not immediately begin questioning whether Rowan was a good person or a bad person.
As they traveled deeper into the ancient forest, Rowan's Observation Haki continued to spread outward, sensing countless presences hidden among the greenery.
Eventually Bian departed to report his arrival.
Meanwhile, Rowan stood quietly among the dense vegetation and fruit orchards.
Four hundred years ago, Mont Blanc Noland had arrived here.
He had driven away the so-called villains who threatened the Tontatta and taught them advanced agricultural techniques.
As a result, he became a legendary hero in their history.
Still, despite Green Bit's small size and limited population, there were surprisingly many Devil Fruit users among the Tontatta.
Bian herself was one of them.
She possessed the Bug-Bug Fruit, Model: Hornet.
Her speed was extraordinary, and her combat ability was far from weak.
"Mr. Cloaked Man."
A voice suddenly called out.
Rowan turned and looked over.
It was the chief of the Tontatta Tribe, Gancho, the elderly dwarf with glasses and a long white beard that nearly reached the ground.
Rowan gave a slight bow.
"Chief Gancho, I've come here seeking Princess Mansherry's help."
The Tontatta chief flew closer and carefully examined Rowan.
Then he waved his staff.
"You're not the Cloaked Man at all!"
"You're trying to deceive the Tontatta Kingdom!"
In an instant, all the Tontatta warriors accompanying him raised their sharp spears, ready to attack at any moment.
However, Rowan immediately pulled up his cloak and put his mask back on.
"Oh, it really is the Cloaked Man."
"You weren't deceiving us after all."
Gancho's words instantly dissolved the tense atmosphere.
Even Rowan found himself speechless at how quickly the dwarves trusted and then abandoned their suspicions.
Deciding not to remove the mask again, he asked,
"Chief, have you seen my wanted poster?"
Gancho nodded.
"The charge was something like attempting to destroy the world."
"But the World Government aren't good people, so we don't believe them."
"However..."
Gancho looked at Rowan.
"Princess Mansherry isn't back yet."
"But you probably need the princess's power to heal a friend or family member, right?"
"If that's the case, someone will need to voluntarily donate blood."
"Still, what are you planning to offer in return for the Tontatta Tribe's help?"
He tapped his staff against the ground.
"The last human child who came here tried to repay us by cooking a meal."
"The entire Tontatta Kingdom had diarrhea for three straight days!"
"So if you're thinking of cooking for us too, that's absolutely, absolutely, absolutely not allowed!"
A meal?
Rowan immediately thought of Sanji at his current age.
It seemed that little brat had unintentionally damaged his reputation before they had even met.
"I brought some books about agriculture."
"I thought they might be useful to you."
Before coming here, Rowan had specifically asked the scholars of Ohara for a suitable volume from their collection.
Originally it was intended as a gift.
Now it turned out to be perfect.
The result was immediate.
After flipping through the enormous book, which was larger than he was, Gancho instantly agreed to provide assistance.
Several dwarves gathered around the book, studying its contents with great interest.
Meanwhile, a small dwarf dressed in green quietly observed Rowan from nearby.
About an hour later, Princess Mansherry, who had apparently run away after getting upset about something, was finally brought back.
A healing dandelion was planted on Rowan's arm.
The golden healing sphere it produced was many times larger than what an ordinary person could generate.
The sight left the Tontatta amazed by just how powerful Rowan's physique was.
Soon, after obtaining five or six Healing Dandelions, Rowan vanished.
Testing later confirmed that the healing spheres could compensate for Law's lack of stamina.
Satisfied with the results, Rowan returned to Dressrosa.
Back in Green Bit, Gancho had already skimmed through most of the book.
"Mr. Cloaked Man is much more generous than that human child from before."
"This book is extremely important to the Tontatta Tribe."
"Thank you very much."
Rowan replied:
"I'm glad it's useful."
"However, after about a month, I may need a small number of Healing Dandelions every day."
"At that point, I'll have to trouble Princess Mansherry again."
"Also, as repayment, if the Tontatta Tribe ever faces a problem you cannot solve in the future, you can contact me."
"When that day comes, I'll appear and help you."
Gancho did not refuse.
At present, the Tontatta lived peacefully thanks to King Riku's kindness.
The people of Dressrosa also held great affection for the fairies.
Yet as chief, Gancho understood the value of Rowan's promise.
After all, the man standing before him carried a bounty of 2.6 billion Berries.
That kind of favor was not something to be dismissed lightly.
After leaving a Flying Thunder God marker in Green Bit, Rowan returned to Lovers' Avenue and headed toward the King's Plateau.
Along the way, using the Flying Thunder God Technique, he infiltrated deeper and deeper into the royal palace grounds without being discovered by a single person.
Only when a young girl accurately pinpointed his location and led the Royal Army directly to him was his presence finally exposed.
"Hm?"
Rowan raised an eyebrow.
Appearing directly in front of the young princess, Rowan completely ignored the Royal Army soldiers surrounding him with swords and rifles and casually asked:
"By the way, can your Devil Fruit ability really see places four thousand kilometers away?"
Fourteen-year-old Viola immediately stumbled backward two steps.
Her face was filled with panic as she stared at the intruder before her, too frightened to answer.
She had merely been playing around with her ability.
Yet somehow she had accidentally discovered an infiltrator.
"I remember your Devil Fruit can also see a person's current thoughts and emotions."
"Though, in theory, a Paramecia Devil Fruit's abilities should still be resisted by Haki."
As he spoke, Rowan stood up and looked toward the newly arrived man.
Riku Dold III.
The current King of Dressrosa.
"Mr. Cloaked Man..."
King Riku had clearly witnessed Rowan's teleportation ability just moments ago and naturally recognized who he was.
Unlike the trusting Tontatta, however, the king's eyes were filled with uncertainty and caution.
A man with a bounty of 2.6 billion Berries.
A senior Revolutionary Army figure branded by the World Government as someone seeking to destroy the world.
A mysterious identity.
And now he had suddenly appeared in Dressrosa.
There was no way King Riku could afford to be careless.
Looking at him, Rowan said:
"I originally planned to make a quiet visit, have a conversation with you, and then leave."
"But it seems I underestimated how capable Dressrosa's Second Princess is."
"I was discovered."
Viola hid behind her father's back.
She peeked out occasionally but didn't dare look directly at Rowan.
The man knew about the powers of the Glare-Glare Fruit.
If she accidentally offended him, things could become dangerous.
King Riku thought for a moment before stepping aside.
"Mr. Cloaked Man, this way, please."
"Your Majesty!"
Tank Lepanto, commander of the Royal Army, immediately protested while maintaining his vigilance toward Rowan.
"Your Majesty, you cannot trust this man so easily!"
King Riku smiled and patted him on the shoulder.
"There's no need."
"If Mr. Cloaked Man wished to do something, then with the speed of that teleportation ability we just witnessed, no one here would be able to stop him."
"But—"
Before Lepanto could continue, he met the king's firm gaze.
In the end, he could only signal the Royal Army to clear a path.
King Riku then patted Viola's head.
"Your ability can make guests uncomfortable."
"So would you mind coming later?"
The little princess nodded.
However, she still whispered quietly:
"This man feels very, very strong."
"Stronger than my brother-in-law."
"I can't see him clearly, but... I don't think he has any ill intentions right now."
Her voice was soft.
Yet Rowan heard every word clearly.
He merely smiled at the girl before following King Riku toward the royal palace's council chamber.
The chamber was completely empty.
Even the Royal Army guards had been dismissed by King Riku.
Moreover, he didn't sit upon the throne at the top of the room.
Instead, he simply sat down on the palace steps.
"Mr. Cloaked Man."
"Dressrosa has no desire to become involved in the conflict between the Revolutionary Army and the World Government."
"At the last World Conference, I cast an abstention vote on every proposal concerning the Revolutionary Army."
Rowan casually waved a hand.
"You misunderstand, King Riku."
"I didn't come to Dressrosa with any malicious intent."
"Nor do I plan to start a conflict with the World Government here."
King Riku hesitated.
"Then... what exactly brings you here?"
Rowan looked directly at him.
"I've come to offer a promise."
"A promise of a future transaction."
"Whether that transaction ultimately happens or not will depend entirely on Your Majesty's own decision."
A promise of a transaction?
King Riku looked somewhat confused.
Still, he continued the conversation.
"What kind of transaction?"
"As far as I know, the Revolutionary Army has very little presence in the New World."
"And Dressrosa doesn't seem to possess anything that could significantly help the Revolutionary Army."
Rowan smiled faintly.
"Perhaps Your Majesty does not know much about the Revolutionary Army."
"While it is true that we currently have very few operations in the New World..."
He paused briefly before continuing,
"If one day in the future all the people of Dressrosa were to fall into suffering, I would like to know whether King Riku would be willing to give up the throne of the Riku Family for the sake of his citizens."
The moment those words were spoken, King Riku froze.
Although Dressrosa had become somewhat poorer after reconciling with the Tontatta eight hundred years ago, abandoning the wealth once built upon their exploitation, the kingdom still prospered.
Thanks to the royal family's compassion, the people lived relatively comfortable lives.
Under such circumstances, King Riku had never seriously considered the possibility of his nation falling into catastrophe.
"Mr. Rowan... why would you say such a thing?"
Rowan merely shook his head.
Then he placed a Den Den Mushi on the floor beside him.
"The reason will become clear when that day arrives."
"If, when the time comes, you are willing to abandon the throne of the Riku Family for the sake of your people, contact me."
"You're not a foolish man."
"So I believe you'll understand the significance of this Den Den Mushi."
As soon as he finished speaking, Rowan vanished from the room.
King Riku sat silently, staring at the Den Den Mushi left behind.
He did not believe Dressrosa possessed anything the Cloaked Man desired.
After all, a bounty of 2.6 billion Berries alone was enough to demonstrate the man's terrifying influence.
Combined with that instantaneous teleportation ability, even reporting the matter to the World Government or the Marines would accomplish nothing.
Furthermore, King Riku did not particularly trust the World Government.
The Donquixote Family had ruled this nation eight hundred years ago.
The philosophy behind their rule was something he could never accept.
Knock, knock.
"Come in."
Letting out a sigh, King Riku looked toward the doorway.
There, peeking her head around the corner as cautiously as possible, was his second daughter, Viola.
"Has that scary gentleman left?"
King Riku smiled.
Putting away the Den Den Mushi, he asked:
"Why do you describe him that way?"
"I thought he seemed rather friendly."
Viola's eyes widened.
Stretching her arms as far apart as possible, she made a huge circle.
"That man felt terrifying!"
"More terrifying than the biggest, biggest Sea King!"
"And my Devil Fruit ability couldn't completely see through him either."
"I could only catch fragments of what he was thinking."
King Riku fell silent.
Bits and pieces of information regarding the Revolutionary Army surfaced in his mind.
So was this about liberating Dressrosa?
But the current Revolutionary Army, if exposed, would immediately face the full might of the World Government.
Which meant everything would have to be done from the shadows.
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