~ As Usual. Bonus Chapter Every 300 Powerstones!
~ 18 Advanced Chapters Available on my Patreon
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3 CHAPTERS TODAY!!
PS : Robin is not going anywhere, This arc is practically centered around her!
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Before Rowen, the charging Lucci, Kaku, and Kalifa collapsed to the ground in agony—Arcs of crimson-black lightning crackled violently around their bodies, drenching them in sweat, their faces contorted in pain.
"WH-WHAT IS THIS POWER??" Kaku gasped, his eyes wide with horror.
Only now did Kaku realize how catastrophically wrong his earlier assessment had been.
He previously thought Lucci, their strongest, might have a slim chance against this man who defeated one of the World Government's Strongest Combatants...
But—
SLIM CHANCE MY ASS!
Before this man, they were as insignificant as ants!
He hadn't even lifted a finger—Yet, under this mysterious power, they were utterly helpless, forced to prostrate themselves at his feet—
What did it mean to be an Emperor??
Kaku writhed on the ground in agony. In this moment, he understood.
Without needing to lift a finger—the sheer majesty of an Emperor could force any who attempted to challenge them to grovel!
They, CP9—were like ants before this man. They didn't even possess the right to look him directly in the eye!
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"Ugh! NOOOO! IMPOSSIBLE!!!" Rob Lucci's eyes blazed red as he let out guttural snarls.
But under the torment of the crimson-black lightning, his roars sounded more like pathetic whimpers before an Emperor's might.
He was CP9's strongest killing machine. He was born for slaughter. The World Government's ultimate weapon!
WHY?! Why, before this man, did he possess not even a shred of resistance?? He couldn't even lift his head to look at the man's face—
—Lucci's head was pressed to the ground by the crimson-black lightning; no matter how hard he struggled, he couldn't lift it.
Even entertaining the thought of looking directly at this man made the Haki lightning coursing through his body rage even more violently, intensifying his agonized cries...
Why could a supreme powerhouse who had fully mastered Haōshoku Coating be called an Emperor?
Because before this power, even Marine HQ Vice Admirals could only kneel themselves under the might of Haōshoku Coating, under an Emperor's majesty!
Let alone a frog-in-a-well like Rob Lucci—
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Rowen's eyes blazed with an astonishing crimson-black light, arcs of Haki lightning occasionally flaring around him, exuding an incredibly terrifying aura.
CP9—hailed as the World Government's strongest direct subordinate department—was, in reality, just a unit that handled the government's dirty, unspeakable business.
Its members were orphans, selected and subjected to closed training, turned into killing machines mastering the Six Powers.
Since they were killing machines, they didn't need to know how vast the sea truly was—They only needed to know they belonged to the World Government's strongest direct department and must obey its orders implicitly.
As for encountering a truly formidable opponent and dying as a result??
Those killing tools were worthless in the World Government's eyes—they could always train more...
Thus, fools like Rob Lucci could be trained—ignorant of their own limitations, capable of uttering nonsense like "even an Emperor is worth killing."
No matter how much Rob Lucci snarled, how unwilling he was—before this crimson-black lightning, he couldn't even maintain his Zoan Devil Fruit transformation, reverting to his human form—
"Still think... an Emperor is worth killing?" Rowen's calm voice carried an irresistible, terrifying authority.
"Since you are CP9, directly subordinate to the World Government, then you should understand one principle—" Rowen looked down at Rob Lucci groveling at his feet, then pressed his foot onto Lucci's head.
"The so-called Emperor—has the power to reign over the seas. And what is power?" Rowen ground his heel into the head of this ant who dared offend an Emperor's majesty.
"It is the possession—of absolute violence, brat."
Rowen's words made Kaku and Kalifa tremble uncontrollably.
This man... He was right!
Why did the World Government possess the greatest power in the world?? Naturally, because the World Government wielded the strongest violence on these seas.
Power—on these seas, since ancient times—has always been the manifestation of violence.
Absolute violence begets absolute power!
The various departments directly under the World Government, Enies Lobby, Impel Down, Marine Headquarters, And the Seven Warlords. Which one wasn't an institution of absolute violence?!
They, as CP9, a direct department of the World Government—hadn't really understood this principle until this man spoke it.
To challenge an Emperor... who has absolute violence that even the World Government was powerless against—
What utter, ignorant folly!
Kaku and Kalifa's lips twisted in bitter regret.
Alas... it was too late!
And Rob Lucci—under the pressure of Rowen's foot—finally fell completely silent.
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"Wh-What's going on?! What 'CP9 directly subordinate to the World Government'?? Lucci, Kaku, Kalifa. why are you attacking Sky Sovereign Rowen?? Wh-What in the world is happening?!" Paulie, who considered Lucci and the others his friends, was completely bewildered.
Lucci had always spoken through the pigeon on his shoulder—now, he could speak on his own—and Kalifa and Kaku too, attacking Sky Sovereign Rowen for no reason.
Instinctively, Paulie wanted to rush forward and save them.
But Iceburg stopped him.
"Mr. Iceburg?!" Paulie stared wide-eyed.
"Calm down, Paulie! Lucci and the others—are World Government agents!" Iceburg, understanding everything now, stated, his expression incredibly grim.
He never imagined the World Government, to obtain Pluton's blueprints from him, would actually dispatch CP9 to infiltrate his company, remaining undercover by his side for seven years!
Such elaborate scheming...
Iceburg felt a chill run down his spine.
Lucci and Kaku were two of his five main foremen. Kalifa was his secretary. All people he deeply trusted... Fortunately, he had foreseen this possibility and entrusted Pluton's blueprints to Franky. Otherwise, the blueprints would have likely fallen into Lucci's hands long ago.
Looking at Rob Lucci, now silent and unmoving beneath Rowen's foot, Iceburg sighed, but also felt a sense of relief.
It seemed this crisis had been averted—
"You don't really think—handing the blueprints to Franky—was such a seamless plan, do you, Iceburg?" Rowen, sensing Iceburg's current emotions, commented with a calm smile.
"WHAT??" Iceburg stared wide-eyed.
"I told you. No conversation here escapes my ears... The name 'Cutty Flam'—they've already confirmed it. They were just waiting to deal with you, then confirm Franky's identity before making their move—" Rowen's words plunged Iceburg into an icy abyss.
Right!
Kalifa was his secretary—she knew all his movements. His meeting with Franky four years ago, he couldn't have hidden it from Kalifa...
Following that lead, with the World Government's resources, discovering Franky's true identity was only a matter of time!
If not for this man's appearance—Pluton's blueprints truly would have been lost!
"Mr. Rowen... why are you helping me?" Iceburg asked, looking at Rowen, a hint of suspicion in his eyes.
Iceburg had nothing worthy of this man's intervention. Unless... it was also for Pluton's blueprints!
"Blueprints? What blueprints?" Hearing this, Nami asked curiously. Anything targeted by the World Government must be incredibly valuable.
"The blueprints for one of the Three Ancient Weapons—Pluton," Rowen replied calmly.
"PLUTON?! The Pluton Crocodile was searching for?!" Vivi stared wide-eyed. This Ancient Weapon was the reason Crocodile targeted Alabasta!
"You are... the former princess of Alabasta? So Crocodile targeted Alabasta because there was information about Pluton there?" Iceburg felt a chill. This man—indeed knew about Pluton's blueprints.
"Don't be so alarmed. We already know where the real Pluton is; we have no interest in it. The blueprints are useless to us," Rowen stated. "As for why I'm helping you? You're one of the top master shipwrights on these seas, aren't you? Without you, our pirate ship wouldn't get the best modifications and repairs."
Forget the difficulty of actually building Pluton. Even if Rowen obtained the real Pluton now, it would be useless. He currently lacked the energy source required to activate an Ancient Weapon.
Among the Three Ancient Weapons, only Poseidon existed in the form of the Mermaid Princess. Pluton and Uranus required immense energy sources to function—
The 'Mother Flame' was Imu's energy tool for activating Ancient Weapons. Without an energy source, Ancient Weapons were just piles of scrap metal.
So Rowen had never shown any interest in them.
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"Phew!" Iceburg visibly relaxed upon hearing this. He didn't doubt Rowen was lying.
This man before him was the Fifth Emperor.
An Emperor's majesty had been fully demonstrated through the provocation by Rob Lucci and the others.
"Nami. A fruit," Rowen said, looking towards Nami.
"Mm!" Nami's eyes instantly lit up. She produced a banana from her pouch.
"A banana? What for?" The surrounding shipwrights stared, dumbfounded. 'The Emperor... produced a banana?'
"Hmph! Consider yourselves honored! This is a scary ability no one on the seas gets to witness! The Fifth Emperor—Sky Sovereign Rowen... in the act of plundering a Devil Fruit ability!" Usopp puffed out his chest proudly, basking in Rowen's reflected glory.
"Plunder." Rowen stated calmly.
Rowen didn't stop Usopp's boasting; in fact, he approved. An Emperor's majesty and greatness needed to be displayed.
But for the Emperor himself to handle all the explanations and demonstrations every time—was too demeaning. Usopp was perfectly suited to be the herald proclaiming the Emperor's majesty and greatness.
....
VMM!
A stream of purple light was extracted from Rob Lucci's body, then directed by Rowen into the banana Nami held!
Rob Lucci's strength was indeed decent—his Strength Trait reached Apex Purple. An average Marine HQ Rear Admiral wouldn't be his match. But such strength was useless to Rowen now.
After reaching Apex Gold for Strength-type Traits, Purple tier Traits didn't even qualify as nourishment. Power progression became exponentially harder at higher levels.
For significant further improvement, Rowen needed to plunder targets at least Admiral-level.
However, Lucci's Cat-Cat Fruit, Model: Leopard, was worth some money—it could make Nami happy.
GURGLE! GURGLE!
Under the disbelieving gazes of everyone present—especially the horrified stares of Kaku and Kalifa—the banana transformed, its skin now covered in countless strange, swirling patterns...
A Devil Fruit!
Rob Lucci's Devil Fruit!
And Rob Lucci's body began to wither, as if all his strength had vanished!
Thinking about the description of this man. The Man Who Can Steal Everything! Everyone felt a chill in their hearts.
In this moment—that description became terrifyingly real before their very eyes!
Anger an Emperor... and you will lose EVERYTHING!
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"Rowen! What happened?" Just then, Chopper and Robin arrived.
That brilliant flash of lightning could only have come from Rowen—so, upon seeing his Rumble-Rumble Fruit activate, Robin and Chopper had headed this way.
"Nico Robin!" Iceburg stared wide-eyed.
"You know me?" Robin asked, looking at Iceburg.
"I still have your wanted poster hanging in my room," Iceburg stated gravely.
"Would you like my autograph?" Robin smiled.
"Are you still... researching that dangerous subject?" Iceburg's expression turned serious.
"Dangerous subject? You also know about the Void Century?" Robin's blunt words made Iceburg's pupils constrict.
"But for me now—it's not dangerous at all. Beside me stands a man capable of shouldering the weight of the Void Century, after all," Robin declared, her lips curling into a beautiful smile.
Rowen chuckled upon hearing her words.
Iceburg fell silent.
"Rowen, who are they?" Robin asked, looking at the three figures collapsed at Rowen's feet.
"CP9—" Rowen replied with a calm smile.
"Didn't expect CP9 to show up here as well," Robin commented, showing no fear, merely examining Lucci and the others thoughtfully.
"Well then, I'll leave our ship's inspection to you... Hm??" Rowen began, looking towards Iceburg, but the next moment, his eyes flashed with crimson-black light.
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