If it hadn't been for getting caught and beaten by Garp this time, Rowen might've only discovered the fatal flaw of the Black Prison Thunder Realm when facing someone like Kaido or Orrick.
This is a space created by the Goro Goro no Mi (Thunder-Thunder Fruit) Awakening's Third Stage Assimilation, where even light is devoured by the thunder and controlled by Rowen, existing and vanishing at his will.
Anyone who enters this space must constantly endure the erosion of the Power of Assimilation from the thunder. And because the space is filled with this power, oxygen and other essential elements are nearly nonexistent...
But therein lies the problem!
Nearly nonexistent doesn't mean completely gone.
When the air completely disappears and forms a vacuum, the atmospheric pressure would instantly destroy the framework built by the internal lightning, unless Rowen exerts effort, using the Power of Assimilation to resist the pressure.
Unlike Dragon, the leader of the Revolutionary Army, and his Kaze Kaze no Mi (Hurricane-Hurricane Fruit), not to mention whether Rowen's lightning could create a vacuum, the consequences of doing so would force him to waste most of his energy just resisting the atmospheric pressure.
That's why the Black Prison Thunder Realm isn't truly an anoxic zone. The clearest proof? Rowen can move freely inside without being affected.
While the erosion from the thunder's Assimilation can be explained by Rowen's use of the Goro Goro no Mi, how is he able to function without oxygen?
Garp keenly noticed this and made use of it.
"Fame isn't without merit; I can't afford to be careless when dealing with you!"
Holding up his Electromagnetic Barrier while floating in the seawater, Rowen used his lightning sense to "see" Garp, who was surrounded by the Black Prison Thunder Realm, veins bulging as he struggled against its effects.
Martial artists who've pushed their bodies to the limits possess a level of sensitivity that ordinary folk can't understand. Since oxygen was concentrated around Rowen, it was like a parched traveler in the desert spotting an oasis, or a fishing boat in a storm catching sight of a lighthouse on the horizon...
Every cell in Garp's body instinctively pointed him toward Rowen's position, without the need for his brain. This was the reason he had swung his fist at empty air.
Rowen had moved in an instant, and the oxygen had yet to disperse, leading Garp to misjudge Rowen's position.
"But... since I've figured it out, the miracle should fade away."
Inside the Black Prison Thunder Realm, Garp activated his Busoshoku Haki (Armament Haki) to resist the thunder's corrosion while constantly twisting his body, trying to pinpoint Rowen's location.
"This way... not here! This way... also not here!"
"Then is it here?!"
Shuā!
A punch shot out, revealing the lightning in the void, but it struck nothing.
"Nowhere to be found... he really figured it out!"
Garp's expression grew serious. Without the guidance of oxygen, trapped in this space engulfed by thunder, he was effectively blind.
It was also clear that escaping in any one direction was futile.
Even if the range of the Black Prison Thunder Realm had limits, and Garp's attacks could pierce through the obstructing lightning, Rowen was a user of the Goro Goro no Mi, a being with unparalleled speed! As long as Garp tried to follow Rowen's movements, he would always find himself at the center of the Black Prison.
"Is this finally the end?" Feeling the oxygen in his body depleting, Garp felt a sharp pain in his chest. His Iron Fist, once clenched tightly, slowly relaxed and hung at his side.
"Human abilities do have limits... just a bit of oxygen..." Garp sighed with a hint of sorrow in his eyes.
If he had enough oxygen, given his immense physical development, he could withstand the thunder's corrosion for ten days or even half a month.
And ten days or half a month would be more than enough for others to notice something was wrong, exposing the fact that Rowen had gone to war with him.
At that point, his plans would be shattered.
But in life, there are no "ifs." A loss is a loss.
"After all... in the end, I couldn't even stop one."
Ace, Luffy, Rowen... He, known as the "Marine Hero," had stopped countless world-ending crises, overcoming every kind of danger. When everyone was in despair, he was the one to stand up, bringing hope and miracles to the world. Known as the Justice Iron Fist of the sea, he was a great hero in the hearts of the people...
And yet, this very man couldn't stop even a single grandchild.
"You shouldn't have stopped. Why did you try to stop?" Rowen placed his hand on the outer layer of the Black Prison, silently closing his eyes.
"Teach once told me that a person's dreams never end... Whitebeard also said that the will of D will be passed down through generations, even if the bloodline is severed. Some things can't be stopped, because the very concept of stopping doesn't exist!"
"Do you understand? Your efforts are completely meaningless!"
"Old bastard!!"
Pū chī...
Suddenly, Garp's skin began to dry up rapidly, cracking like a field parched by a drought, revealing mottled fissures. Streams of white smoke billowed from those cracks, with dust specks sparkling like stars, emitting a dazzling light, swirling in the endless black space.
Momentary Magnificence, Momentary Magnificence...
When the flame in his chest faded, all that remained was truly Momentary Magnificence.
Garp's bulging, muscular body, which never showed signs of age, visibly shrank rapidly, becoming emaciated.
Hearing Rowen's voice, his gradually clouded eyes suddenly sparked with light.
"No, it will never be like that!"
With great effort, he dragged his weakened body, slowly spreading his feet and preparing to pull back his fist.
"As long as I keep fighting, even if I die, something will remain."
"Don't be reckless; your body's about to collapse!" Noticing Garp's movements, Rowen's face went pale.
"How can it be meaningful to throw a punch when you don't even know where I am?!"
"Shut up!!"
"Meaning, meaning, meaning... Everything has to have meaning; are you a nitpicker, you little brat?!" Garp impatiently picked his nose before suddenly calming down and slowly grinning.
"These years, I've really been happy, Rowen... Watching the Marines grow stronger day by day, the era of pirates gradually fading... I'm truly, truly happy."
"That bastard Dragon is no good; I heard if it weren't for the imminent war with Orrick, he would've been executed this year. So, if Luffy does anything stupid, you make sure to take care of it."
"You want me to help you look after Luffy? You want a Marine Admiral to look after a pirate? Are you out of your mind?!"
Rowen gritted his teeth. "If you want to look after him, then live and look after him by yourself! Once he becomes the Pirate King, who do you think will be the first person he'll want to tell?! Kids are always closer to their grandparents, don't you understand? Huh?!!"
"There's no need! Just looking at him makes me angry! If he comes to gloat in front of me about becoming the Pirate King, I'd rather die!"
"So..."
Garp suddenly tightened his fist, launching a powerful punch.
"Please, Rowen!"
Bang!!!!
Whether it was fate or coincidence, Garp's seemingly random punch just so happened to strike at Rowen, who was floating on the outskirts of the Black Prison.
A terrifying force exploded, tearing through the lightning net and the ocean, sending surging waves like a cannonball. The punch whizzed past Rowen's ear.
Shū...
A streak of blood appeared on Rowen's face as he slowly widened his eyes, watching the figure gradually dissipate within the Black Prison, his breath halting.
"...Safe travels, old bastard."
(End of this chapter)
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