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What is the advantage of the Goro Goro no Mi (Thunder Thunder Fruit)?
Speed and destructive power!
But there's another benefit that, in a way, resembles a flaw.
That is, its activation speed is lightning fast!
The speed at which it activates far exceeds that of most Devil Fruits. If the user doesn't pay attention and manages their stamina, they could easily exhaust themselves.
Exhaustion in battle can only lead to one result.
But, when well-rested, this "flaw" can transform into a terrifying power burst!
Just like now...
Without needing much preparation, Rowen converted a vast amount of his physical energy into electricity, preparing three devastating attacks in just a few seconds!
This is what a true Battery Fort should do.
"It's over, Garp... old man."
Sensing that Garp's presence had vanished, Rowen, floating high in the air to avoid the electrical shockwaves, pulled out a windproof lighter and calmly lit his cigar.
"Maybe from the very beginning, you shouldn't have pulled me into the Marines."
Had he never joined the Marines, his chances of becoming a pirate would have been much higher.
As a pirate, the two wouldn't have crossed paths much, and Rowen wouldn't have to worry about Sengoku's suspicions or developing thoughts of overthrowing the World Government.
Rowen's personality was fiercely independent.
The World Government oppresses the people?
Sorry, what does that have to do with me?
Instead of this, he'd rather face strong opponents... defeat by the Marines, die, or be thrown in Impel Down.
Or, win and carve out his own pirate legend.
Rowen silently extended his hand, letting the ash fall.
"Since I didn't bring flowers or incense, I'll use this cigar to show my respect! After all, you're hardly a decent man, so it fits perfectly."
Rowen chuckled as he looked up at the sky.
"To be honest, if I could, I really... wouldn't want to kill you."
Garp had once saved his life. Back when Rowen first acquired the Goro Goro no Mi (Thunder Thunder Fruit), he didn't know how to use lightning to float, and falling into the sea would have meant certain death due to the Sea Kings' curse on Devil Fruit users.
But life offers no "ifs"...
Having come this far, Rowen had no reason to hold back.
The explosion came swiftly and was just as quick to fade. As the smoke cleared, the island had been completely obliterated, and the sea rushed into the crater left behind, with debris from Golden City bobbing up and down in the waves.
"Sorry, Tesoro, seems I got a little carried away."
Rowen spotted the Gold Emperor amid the floating ruins. Tesoro, being clever, had known that the island wasn't safe, so he had hidden in the underground vault of Golden City, surrounding himself with gold for protection.
Unfortunately, under Rowen's lightning, the vault wasn't nearly strong enough. It crumbled with the explosion.
Luckily, Tesoro had grabbed a rope, preventing himself from being dragged away by the ocean's pull.
"If you want to rebuild Golden City, it's going to cost a fortune, right?"
"Doesn't matter!"
Soaked, Tesoro sat on a chunk of wood, panting. He looked up and said, "If I can use Golden City to get rid of this big headache called Garp, it'll be worth it!"
Only by truly facing Garp in battle could one understand why the Marine's name was so feared across the seas.
There's no empty reputation for someone with such a name!
To land a blow on him while in his Golden Giant form, and still manage to do so while his body was mostly under the control of gold dust, "The Iron Fist of the Marines" was a title that held weight.
If such a powerful opponent stepped in at a critical moment, Tesoro's only option would be to save himself.
However...
"He's also a fool, isn't he?"
Tesoro grinned darkly, "He discovered something so significant, but instead of reporting it to the World Government, he came to mess with us alone, throwing away a golden opportunity."
"Admiral Soryu (Azure Dragon), what should we do next?"
This was, without a doubt, a crisis.
But overcoming it could open up a huge opportunity!
No one knew why Garp had acted against them, so Rowen's options in this situation were vast and full of potential!
"Yes, what do we do now?"
Rowen took a long drag from his cigarette, and in the next instant, a sharp pain pierced through him, and the world turned a deep red.
Tesoro looked down in disbelief at the hand that had pierced through his chest, clutching his still-beating heart.
"Ugh… wū wa!"
He bent over, spitting out a mouthful of blood, and turned his head with great effort to glare at Rowen.
"Although I told others before coming here that the old bastard attacked you because he coveted your wealth, no one would have believed it if it was for his own gain."
"So you must die, as the villain!"
Rowen silently lowered his head, shaking off the sticky blood from his hand as he took a drag from his cigar.
"Don't blame me for being ruthless, Tesoro. Having the 'Marine Hero' Monkey D. Garp accompany you in death gives me the perfect reason to claim your assets. Rest in peace."
"Poof!!"
With his heart crushed, Tesoro slumped to the ground. But he didn't die right away. Instead, he weakly opened his mouth.
"So it was... like this... You had this plan before even coming here? Truly worthy of you, Admiral Soryu (Azure Dragon)... cough, cough, cough!" Tesoro weakly smiled and suddenly rattled off a series of numbers.
"…There, I have all the trade ledgers and transaction lists from both the black and white markets over the years. If you want to… want to properly inherit my wealth… cough cough… these things are essential to keep the vultures at bay."
At that moment, Tesoro's pale face flushed with color, a final burst of life.
He stared intently at Rowen, as if he were a vengeful spirit.
"Tell me, Admiral Soryu (Azure Dragon), can you do it? To completely cleanse this corrupt world!!"
Rowen felt a stir in his heart and met his gaze.
"Ah, I swear!"
"That's good... that's enough..."
Pā dā!
The hand gripping Rowen's pant leg fell limply to the ground, and Tesoro wore a warm smile as he quietly closed his eyes.
Rowen paused in his smoking, shaking his head after a moment.
"Why don't you hate me? Wouldn't it be better to hate me? Entrusting hope like this only adds pressure on me!"
The path to kingship is paved with the bones of the fallen. Rowen silently stared at the glowing tip of his cigar, his thoughts drifting with the rising smoke into the sky.
Bang!!
Suddenly, the sea erupted with white waves.
A muscular figure burst from the water, tearing off his charred clothes and throwing them aside, howling to the heavens.
"ROWEN!!!"
Geppo!
With a wicked grin on his face, Garp stomped down, launching himself like a black streak that shot straight across a hundred meters.
Bang Bang Bang!!
He crashed into a massive piece of rubble from Golden City, then paused to look at the blood spilling through the air, momentarily stunned.
"Why didn't you dodge?"
At his speed, it should have been impossible not to avoid!
Huā Lā La...
An arm, along with a chunk of shoulder flesh, was sent flying into the air, blood spraying out and quickly staining the sea.
Rowen staggered slightly but managed to steady himself, glancing at his left-side injury.
"Yeah, why not?"
He placed the last bit of his cigar in his mouth, taking a deep drag, then released his fingers, letting the butt fall towards the ground.
"Isn't it better to go back and enjoy retirement?"
"Why won't you just give up, old bastard?!!"
(End of this chapter)