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Pluton's trial voyage, to the uninformed, seemed like no big deal. No matter how massive the ship was, at most, it was seen as just another money-making tool. In this power-driven sea, with strength, anything can be obtained, right?
But some people were bound to be disappointed.
They only saw the ship as Shichibukai Fujitora's business venture. What they didn't know was that the Marines had long been prepared, secretly stationing a large number of soldiers aboard.
These soldiers were all personally selected by Rowen and Akainu, clean records, absolutely loyal, and handpicked elite. They removed their uniforms and disguised themselves as ordinary crew members while being stationed aboard.
To top it off, Admiral-candidate Momousagi was aboard to personally oversee everything, ensuring nothing could go wrong.
After covertly testing Pluton's combat capabilities, Rowen was confident: if Shirahoshi ever showed up again, it wouldn't end well.
This kind of world-destroying weapon, though comparable in strength to the Sea Kings in a one-to-one scenario, had a fundamentally different foundation.
Just one shot could flatten an entire island and even that was a minimal effort for Pluton.
The Sea Kings had their strength in numbers, scattered across the sea.
Pluton, on the other hand, relied on just one thing: as long as there were enough materials, it had unlimited ammunition.
That was Rowen's reason for baiting investors.
If he was going to spend money, he'd use it on the blade's edge.
Back at Marine Headquarters, just a few days later, a messenger arrived looking for Rowen.
"Admiral, someone wishes to meet with you. Fleet Admiral Akainu asked me to pass along the message."
"Oh? Who is it?"
"Seems to be a doctor who responded to the recent summons, but… sorry, I don't know the details."
"Got it…"
Rowen stubbed out his cigar in the ashtray, pulled his cloak over his shoulders, and stood up.
"Let's go. I'll meet them."
The meeting wasn't arranged at the Fleet Admiral's office. Originally, they were supposed to go straight to Sabaody Archipelago and take the bubble elevator up, but someone had requested to meet Rowen, so they made a detour to Marine Headquarters.
Marineford – Bay Port
Rowen boarded the battleship and looked toward Vice Admiral Momonga, who was overseeing security.
"Vice Admiral Momonga, did they say anything?"
Hearing this, Momonga, with his signature stiff purple hair and tiger-like strides, looked over in delight.
"You're finally here, Rowen. Just say what needs to be said and don't waste time!"
Aokiji was gravely wounded, it wasn't something that could be publicly disclosed. But for senior officers like Momonga, just below the level of Sengoku, it couldn't be hidden.
Now, because of this detour, they had to head back to Headquarters, a waste of precious time, and Momonga was clearly anxious.
"No problem, no problem… I'll keep it quick."
Rowen nodded, dropping his usual joking tone. Then he walked into the ship's cabin and knocked on the door of one of the compartments.
Knock, knock, knock!
"Come in, we've been waiting for you."
Hearing the voice, Rowen pushed the door open and stepped inside, closing it behind him.
"I'm here… So, what did you want to talk about?"
Inside were two characters very familiar to fans of the original series:
Dr. Kureha, the legendary doctor and teacher of Tony Tony Chopper, known as the 141-year-old witch from Drum Kingdom. And Dr. Crocus, ship doctor of the Pirate King Roger during his final years, and lighthouse keeper of Twin Capes.
Both had appeared in the original story, and each had a rich history.
One was the famed witch doctor of Drum Kingdom, capable of curing even the deadly Kaschea Disease, thought to be extinct. The other, a doctor who kept the ailing Roger alive in his final years, helping him fulfill his wishes.
Their medical skill was unquestionable, and their strength was extraordinary.
In fact, among all the people Rowen knew, they were the strongest in terms of medical ability.
Even Trafalgar Law would fall short, not because of skill, but because of age, experience, and perspective.
"So, you're the famous Marine Thunder God?" Crocus lowered the newspaper and adjusted his reading glasses.
"Didn't expect you to be so young!"
"And you, always reading newspapers at Twin Capes, are the last one I'd expect to say that…"
Rowen furrowed his brows thoughtfully, then chuckled.
"I see… So there are still people who think I'm just a fabricated figurehead, a symbol the Marines created?"
"Well, I'm afraid you'll be disappointed."
"Because, "
BOOM!!!
Accompanied by the faint roar of a dragon, an overwhelming aura exploded from Rowen's body. Everything in the room was blown into the air, and the sheer pressure pushed Crocus's chair backward until it hit the wall.
Ka-cha… ka-cha…
Without any visible impact, the wooden table's four legs suddenly snapped, shattering into splinters all over the floor.
Crocus stared wide-eyed in shock, cold sweat pouring down his forehead, his back completely soaked.
"This level of Haoshoku Haki… It's utterly unimaginable!"
Compared to Roger's Haki, Crocus felt that this young man's Haki might even be stronger!
Roger's Haki had that transcendent quality, pure, noble, fused with unshakable conviction. But even that hadn't shaken him as deeply as Rowen just did.
If Roger's Haki could be described as "unrestrained and vast like the ocean,"
Then Rowen's Haki was "domineering and violent like thunder and lightning"
overwhelming and terrifying.
At that moment…
Bang!
The door was suddenly kicked open. Vice Admiral Momonga rushed in, drawing his sword with a stern expression.
"Rowen, what happened? Is there a situation?!"
Rowen turned around casually.
"Nothing. Why would anything be wrong? Right… old man?"
Gulp…
Under Rowen's icy stare, Crocus immediately nodded repeatedly.
"Yes, yes! This old man isn't old enough to be courting death just yet!"
"Really?"
Vice Admiral Momonga sheathed his sword and scratched the back of his head.
"Alright then. Sorry to bother you."
With that, he turned and left, though he shot Rowen a clear warning glance that basically said: "Don't do anything reckless, you brat."
Once Momonga had walked off, Crocus stood up, made his way to the water dispenser, and tried to pour himself a cup.
But upon opening the cabinet, he discovered that all the cups, glass and ceramic, had been shattered into dust under that heaven-shaking pressure earlier.
Seeing this, Dr. Kureha sighed and shook her head.
"That's the first reason we wanted to meet you. Aside from you, no one else's words, not to mention whether they can be trusted, would even carry enough weight based on identity alone."
"So… what you're saying is you want me to spare him?"
Rowen wasn't slow, based on Momonga's behavior outside, he immediately understood what this was all about.
"Relax. If I wanted to kill you, I would've done it already. Back in the day, I wasn't nearly as highly ranked as I am now. If I'd killed you then, the merits would've earned me a promotion."
He gave Crocus a glance, watching the old man freeze on the spot.
"So rest assured, since I didn't inform the Fleet Admiral in advance, it means I had no intention of killing you. Saving Admiral Aokiji's life is your only bargaining chip. Once it's done, go retire in peace. I'll treat you as if you don't exist."
After all, any former crewmember of the Pirate King was someone the World Government wanted eliminated at all costs.
And if it weren't Rowen saying these words, Crocus wouldn't dare believe them, because no one else had the qualifications to make such a promise.
Crocus exhaled in relief but still added:
"A doctor shouldn't make bold promises before even examining the patient. That would violate our professional code… But don't worry, this old man doesn't want to die. I'll give it my all to save Admiral Aokiji!"
"Good. If you succeed, I'll prepare an additional reward as a token of appreciation."
As Crocus nodded, Rowen turned his gaze to Dr. Kureha, the 141-year-old "witch" who'd soon be 142.
"You have something you want to say to me, too, don't you?"
Rowen could tell, she was the one who really wanted to meet him. The eyes are the windows to the soul. Even when a person appears calm, their gaze reveals much.
Hearing this, Kureha stared at him in a daze, murmuring softly:
"So alike… It's uncanny…"
Rowen frowned.
"Hm?"
"I mean… You look so much like someone I once knew."
Snapping out of her thoughts, Kureha took a swig straight from her liquor bottle.
"Not in appearance, but your eyes. The look in your eyes… it's almost exactly the same!"
"Oh? Who was it? Don't tell me it was Gol D. Roger?"
"Roger didn't have that kind of dangerous look in his eyes."
Kureha said with visible unease:
"I'm talking about someone long since lost to time… someone whose entire existence was erased by the government."
Shua!
She raised her head and looked directly at Rowen, eyes filled with gravity. And then she spoke a single name:
"Rocks."
(End Of This Chapter)