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"Just you?"
The moment Rayleigh spoke the words, a thick silence fell over the small group.
Trens, Jason, and Crocodile were the most visibly stunned. They'd fought alongside Rojen and knew his terrifying capability, but facing a figure like Zephyr, a former Admiral, alone? That felt like reckless suicide, even for their captain.
"Absolutely not!" Crocodile's denial was immediate and harsh.
Rayleigh's eyes, however, merely narrowed. He didn't reject the idea outright, instead pausing, his gaze thoughtful as he studied Rojen. Finally, he asked, "Are you talking about the power you used against Kizaru?"
"That's exactly right." Rojen met his gaze with a confident smile, turning to survey the others. "You should all know by now that I have something up my sleeve, a unique reserve of power that can dramatically amplify my strength for a short time. Enough to reach, maybe even surpass, Admiral-level power!"
Crocodile and Trens exchanged confused glances. They were still in the dark, but Jason's eyes lit up with sudden understanding.
"Captain," He gasped, realization dawning, "You mean the power you used to beat Kizaru?"
"The one and only," Rojen confirmed. "It's a strength I've accumulated over a long time. I have a gut feeling that if I unleash it again, taking down another former Admiral won't be a problem at all."
With a system balance of $1.8 billion, Rojen felt an almost unsettling confidence. He knew he held a trump card that would see them through the chaotic wars he could sense coming.
The two newest members of his crew, Crocodile and Trens, remained utterly bewildered, a sight that made Jason burst into a loud, booming laugh.
"Oh, you two really don't know!" Jason grinned, shaking his head. "The captain didn't just fight a Marine Admiral, he defeated that bastard, Kizaru!"
Defeated an Admiral?!
The revelation hit Crocodile, Trens, and the other six members of the Dragon-Elephant crew like a physical blow. Crocodile, who prided himself on his current strength, lost his cool completely.
"You have to be joking!" He hissed, disbelief written all over his scarred face.
Admiral-level combat power was a benchmark of existence that was almost mythical. Even now, with all his ambition and power, Crocodile knew he wouldn't last five seconds alone against one.
The fact that the four of them had managed to severely injure Zephyr was a result of insane luck: Rojen's massive, overwhelming attack coupled with a perfectly timed surprise assault.
And yet, their captain had actually defeated someone of that caliber!
Rojen merely kept his easy smile, turning his attention back to Rayleigh, a flicker of genuine curiosity in his eyes. How exactly did this former second-in-command of the Pirate King know such a closely guarded secret? The Marines certainly wouldn't have publicized their defeat just to save face.
After a brief, tense discussion in the bar, everyone dispersed to rest, the weight of Rojen's bold claim hanging heavy in the air.
The following day, Rojen didn't rush into action. Instead, he wandered the Sabaody Archipelago alone, gathering intelligence.
"The Marine presence is overwhelming; the pirates are totally pinned down."
Rojen walked the quieter streets, his thoughtful eyes observing the landscape. Patrols of Marines were a constant sight, while pirates had all but vanished from the surface. Though the port was technically under pirate control, most crews were now hiding, unwilling to risk open movement.
He spent the day traversing nearly a quarter of the archipelago, forming a solid mental map of the Marine deployments.
As dusk settled, he returned to the bar to meet Rayleigh.
"What's the situation?" The two sat at a secluded table, their voices low.
"I have a good understanding of the deployment in districts 1 through 15," Rojen murmured, taking a sip of his drink.
"I scouted 30 through 45," Rayleigh replied. "In my area, there isn't a single pirate, just Marines everywhere. It seems yesterday's incident has completely enraged them. They've brought in reinforcements from Headquarters, and they're all elite troops."
Rojen's expression hardened. The death of the Celestial Dragons and the wounding of Zephyr had undoubtedly triggered a massive response. Even with the Golden Lion's current authority preventing the very top-tier fighters from moving, a massive influx of elite personnel was still disastrous.
"It's the same on my end," Rayleigh confirmed with a grim shake of his head.
Just then, the door swung open and Jason and Crocodile rushed in, their faces excited.
"Captain, guess what we found!" Jason shouted, grinning widely.
"What is it?" Rojen asked, setting his glass down. Rayleigh looked up with interest.
"We found a pirate gathering spot!"
…
In the cavernous gloom of an underground warehouse, a massive crowd of pirates was packed together, eyes nervously scanning the room.
The arrival of Marine reinforcements the day before had sent a shockwave through the pirate community. Sensing danger, most crews immediately began searching for a safe place to hide.
This specific underground warehouse, located in District No. 24, belonged to a pirate captain named Mona. Mona was an ambitious man who had originally planned to use this spot, the basement of a massive auction house he'd purchased, as a base of operations before heading to the New World. He never imagined it would serve as an emergency shelter.
When the massive battle broke out, Mona and his crew arrived first. Seeing many pirates on the surface hopelessly trapped in fierce battles, he made a calculated decision: he would save them.
Mona was a shrewd operator who often used his pirate identity to run lucrative side businesses, so he deeply understood the value of connections. This was a golden opportunity to gain a massive network of indebted allies.
Taking advantage of the chaos and the Marines' focus on the large-scale fighting, Mona and his crew rescued one pirate crew after another.
By the time they finished, the underground warehouse housed over 1,300 pirates.
"Sorry to keep you all down here, but the Marines are thick as flies out there. It's far too dangerous to move," Mona said, flashing a wide, hospitable smile.
"Mona, we owe you one. If you ever need help, just call," a deep voice rumbled. It came from a man wearing a captain's hat, a severe scar running across his face. He had a fencing sword strapped to his waist and carried an undeniable air of authority.
Mona looked at the man, a pirate with a bounty of around $150 million, and his smile widened even further. Yes. The purpose of the rescue was already being achieved.
He didn't need all of them to feel indebted, just a sizable portion. That alone would make his future travels on the Grand Line much smoother.
"Thank you, Mona."
"Man, I thought I was dead. Good thing you stepped in."
"Thanks for watching over us."
One after another, the pirates voiced their gratitude. Despite their fierce reputation, pirates often valued a certain code of loyalty and fairness. An act of life-saving kindness would not be repaid with betrayal.
Listening to the chorus of thanks, Mona's grin stretched from ear to ear.
"No need to thank me! We're all friends here!"
Mona was genuinely delighted. He could never have dreamed that the basement of his auction house would serve such a vital, strategic purpose.
Here, he had over 1,300 pirates, and he had saved every last one of their lives!
(End Of This Chapter)