After a long silence, voices could be heard outside the hospital room.
Knowing there was no point continuing her probing, Tsuru stood up and walked toward the door.
"This time, we'll grant your wish."
"But the candidates for the three Admiral positions have already been decided."
"The highest rank you can reach for now is Admiral Candidate."
Rowan smiled.
"I'm already more than satisfied."
"After all, those three monsters are far stronger than I am."
"Vice Admiral Sakazuki's punch still hurt quite a bit."
As the door opened, the noisy group outside immediately fell silent the moment they saw Vice Admiral Tsuru.
"V-Vice Admiral Tsuru..."
The cigar in Smoker's mouth nearly fell out. He hadn't expected Tsuru herself to come visit the boss.
Beside him, Aul, Dibar, and Tashigi quickly saluted.
"No smoking in the hospital."
Tsuru glanced at Smoker before turning to Tashigi.
"Tashigi, come with me."
With that, she led Tashigi away.
Only after they had gone some distance did Smoker extinguish his cigar and mutter,
"So we already knew the boss would be fine... but Vice Admiral Tsuru personally coming to visit him... the boss has quite the reputation."
Aul pondered for a moment but said nothing, simply walking into the open hospital room.
As classmates from the same Marine academy class, Rowan chatted with the two of them for quite a while.
In truth, Rowan felt that the two standing before him probably didn't have long to live.
After all, in his memories, both of their Devil Fruits belonged to different people in the future.
A Devil Fruit only reincarnates after its previous user dies.
Compared to the Spring-Spring Fruit, the Swamp-Swamp Fruit's additional abilities suited his future plans much better.
Perhaps he could transfer its user to G-5.
Meanwhile, Tsuru had brought Tashigi to her staff office.
Sitting back in her chair, Tsuru looked at her.
"You've always been a clever girl."
"Then this time... you should understand Vice Admiral Rowan's objective as well, shouldn't you?"
Tashigi nodded and explained her own conclusions.
Tsuru then asked,
"And what about you, Tashigi?"
"What do you think of the World Government?"
The instant those words fell, Tashigi's heart tightened.
As expected Vice Admiral Tsuru, who was always busy, wouldn't summon her just for a casual chat.
So she no longer trusted her?
After only a brief moment of thought, Tashigi answered,
"We have no way of changing the World Government's decisions."
"But the existence of the World Government is what keeps these seas stable."
"As long as every pirate is eliminated..."
"The world will definitely become a better place."
Tsuru quietly watched her.
"Is something wrong, Vice Admiral Tsuru?"
"No."
Tsuru slowly shook her head.
"You may return."
"Vice Admiral Rowan is your direct superior now."
"It wouldn't be appropriate to leave during his hospital visit."
With that, Tsuru lowered her head and resumed working through her documents, paying Tashigi no further attention.
After saluting and leaving, Tashigi immediately understood what Tsuru had meant.
Once distrust had taken root it couldn't simply be undone.
From now on, she would only be a Marine officer under G-5.
Her superior would only be Vice Admiral Rowan.
No longer Tsuru.
The moment the office door closed behind Tashigi, Tsuru set down her pen.
Narrowing her eyes, she reviewed everything she had learned at the hospital, trying to organize her thoughts.
She knew exactly what conviction Baterunomi had once held.
She also understood the true meaning behind his words.
He had found another path for the conviction he once believed in.
That conviction had been the courage to stand up even against the Celestial Dragons.
Without the World Government Baterunomi would have become an excellent Marine.
But now the only possible path remaining for him seemed to be one that stood in opposition to the World Government.
And what had given him such overwhelming confidence?
Confidence great enough to restore both his former strength and his Haki?
The answer was already obvious.
"So what about Rowan?"
"The Marine whom Baterunomi had already acknowledged back when he served in the West Blue."
Her earlier test had been perfectly natural.
Tashigi's response had also been perfectly normal.
An hour later, in the hospital ward, Rowan left behind a Shadow Clone while his real body instantly appeared at the Shimotsuki Dojo in Shimotsuki Village, East Blue.
Beneath the Flying Thunder God kunai hanging inside the room, Rowan didn't rush outside. Instead, he took a Den Den Mushi that was lazily chewing on leaves out of a drawer.
"Purururu..."
The call connected almost immediately.
"Morley," Rowan asked without wasting any time, "has the Marine base commander at Las Gasp Town in the West Blue been recruited?"
The Den Den Mushi mimicked a burly man, though the voice it produced was distinctly feminine.
"Please wait a moment, sir. I'll check right away... Las Gasp Town's Marine base commander..."
The giant Morley muttered to herself while searching through the records. After quite some time, she replied,
"Yes, sir."
"Baterunomi, commander of the Las Gasp Town Marine Base, has already been ideologically liberated."
Rowan felt a headache coming on.
Still, this wasn't Morley or the others' fault.
Aside from Dragon, Ginny, Kuma, and a few others, no one in the Revolutionary Army knew about his second identity.
And with their infiltration policy, it was impossible for every minor development to be reported back to Baltigo.
That was how today's coincidence had come about.
After hanging up, Rowan's expression grew serious.
"So... it really was a test."
"If I'd shown even the slightest panic back then... I might've exposed myself."
Thinking of that, Rowan pulled out another Den Den Mushi from the drawer and dialed another number.
"Sir."
"The Marine commander at Las Gasp Town in the West Blue has already joined the Revolutionary Army."
"But he's most likely under surveillance now."
"So I need headquarters to arrange things naturally and get him transferred away from Marine Headquarters and back to the West Blue."
The Den Den Mushi copied Dragon's face, which briefly froze.
"Las Gasp Town?"
"So... this Baterunomi was your superior back when you served in the West Blue?"
If that were the case, suspicion really could be directed toward Rowan.
"Understood."
"I'll handle it immediately."
Rowan nodded.
"Once Baterunomi returns to the West Blue, he'll only be the commander of a minor branch base."
"They won't keep focusing their attention on me."
After finishing the call, Rowan saw that night had already fallen, so he immediately returned to the Marine Headquarters hospital.
He couldn't underestimate Tsuru and Sengoku.
One was Marine Headquarters' Chief Staff Officer.
The other had long been known as the "Wise General."
Both were exceptionally intelligent.
Sometimes, all it took was a single flash of inspiration for them to piece things together.
His plan within the Marines had only just begun.
If he were exposed now, everything he'd built would be wasted.
Night soon settled over Marine Headquarters.
A huge figure, well over two meters tall even while crouching, landed outside the hospital window with a light jump.
"Looks like I guessed right a guy like you wouldn't be injured that easily."
Kuzan glanced at Rowan.
"Did Sakazuki really not realize you lost on purpose?"
Rowan shot him a look.
"If you're visiting a patient, use the front door."
"Crouching outside the window in the middle of the night like that would scare someone with a weak heart to death."
"Sakazuki wasn't actually trying to kill me."
"He's one of the people who opposes the Seven Warlords system too."
"Any Marine would hate that system."
"After I convinced and defeated Onigumo, I fought Sakazuki for quite a while."
"Once I'd admitted defeat, there was no way he'd keep attacking."
Kuzan nodded.
"Fair enough."
"But since you're already back at Headquarters..."
"How about tomorrow we head out together? Take me back home for a visit."
Rowan answered without even thinking,
"Next time."
"I've only just 'recovered' from my injuries."
"If I'm completely healed already, people will start talking."
"I've only just earned this reputation."
"I can't let it be overturned."
Next time... again?
Kuzan let out a long sigh.
That had already become many "next times."
However, given the current situation, it really wasn't appropriate.
"Oh, right."
"If possible, get your classmate back to Las Gasp Town as soon as you can."
"He joined the Revolutionary Army, but something he said here earlier probably caught Tsuru's attention."
Kuzan froze for a moment before laughing.
A few years ago, during his trip to the West Blue, he'd already begun suspecting Baterunomi.
Turns out his suspicions had been correct.
But he immediately recalled the entire chain of events that had led him to deduce Rowan's identity.
If it was Staff Officer Tsuru then Rowan could really be in danger.
"Will you be alright?"
Rowan replied,
"It shouldn't be a major problem."
"The Marines are the Marines."
"Their stance isn't exactly the same as the World Government's."
"Compared to Baterunomi, who's just a branch base commander in the West Blue, they'll naturally be more cautious when it comes to investigating me."
Kuzan nodded.
"Understood."
"I'll go see him tomorrow."
"As an old classmate, it won't raise any suspicions."
After all, it would make no sense for someone pretending to be seriously injured to risk exposing himself just to visit a former superior from the West Blue.
"I've already informed headquarters as well."
"By tomorrow, they should find a way to notify him too."
"On your end, you need to give him a legitimate reason to leave."
Rowan paused before continuing,
"Maybe you can use what happened in his past as an excuse."
"After all... there are still World Government people here in Marineford."
The following day, another incident, neither major nor minor, occurred at Marine Headquarters.
As old classmates and friends, Kuzan sought out Baterunomi.
The two of them appeared to have a fierce argument.
Their voices could clearly be heard from the officers' quarters.
It seemed to be about something that had happened many years ago.
Even the words "Celestial Dragons" could be heard during the quarrel.
In the end, Colonel Baterunomi stormed out in anger, left Marine Headquarters, and returned to Las Gasp Town in the West Blue.
After hesitating for another two days, Tsuru finally withdrew her attention from Rowan once Baterunomi had left.
A mere branch base commander in the West Blue.
Even if he really was part of the Revolutionary Army, he wasn't worth paying too much attention to.
Besides, the Revolutionary Army and the Marines weren't always on opposing sides.
And that Baterunomi.
Had known Zephyr.
Had once been Vice Admiral Rowan's superior.
Was also Kuzan's academy classmate.
His connections were simply too extensive.
In the end, Tsuru chose not to voice her suspicions.
She already had more than enough matters demanding her attention.
At this point she was simply too busy to investigate any further.
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