Thud.
Rowan's iron fist, the size of a sandbag, slammed mercilessly onto Luffy's head.
He had been too busy maintaining his "legendary veteran" persona to pay attention for a few minutes, and in that time, an entire platter of roast meat had vanished into the boy's stomach. What happened to "not touching a single bite of the next dish"?!
Under the barrage of Rowan's roars, Luffy—who had been flattened against the floor—sheepishly looked up. He cupped the massive, throbbing lump growing on his head. Despite the obvious pain, he forced a weak grin. "Great-Grandpa, you can't blame me. That roast was just too fragrant. I... I lost control for a second..."
"When do you ever have control?!" Rowan glared at him, his temper flared.
"Mama, let's just believe in the Grandpa this once. He's really strong, and the big brother is amazing too." Watching the two bicker in the middle of the tavern, little Rika tugged on her mother's apron.
Ririka looked at her daughter's innocent, youthful face. She hesitated for a long while before finally letting out a long sigh. "Alright... we'll listen to you. We'll gamble on this one time..."
Ever since a year ago, when "Axe-Hand" Morgan captured the 16-million-Berri pirate "Captain Kuro of a Hundred Plans" and earned the favor of the Marine Headquarters—subsequently being promoted to Colonel of the 153rd Branch—the lives of the residents in Shells Town had changed overnight. Under Morgan's tyrannical rule, everyone lived in constant, suffocating fear.
Since that day, Ririka had rarely seen the genuine, bright smile that once lived on Rika's face. But today, it had returned. That smile was the primary reason she chose to put her faith in these two strangers.
Resolved, Ririka turned to Rowan with a look of determination. "Sir, I believe you! I believe the two of you can bring peace back to Shells Town!"
"Should have said that from the start."
Hearing her words, Rowan stopped lecturing Luffy. His expression softened back into a peaceful, grandfatherly calm. He grinned at the two women. "Rest easy. You can leave this matter entirely to me!"
Just as the heroic declaration left his lips, Rowan's stomach gave another ill-timed, thunderous growl.
Even Rowan, with his century of experience, felt his old face flush a shade of red. "Terribly sorry. A bit embarrassing."
Ririka couldn't help herself; she let out a sudden "pfft" of laughter. Little Rika hid behind her mother, giggling as well. Even Luffy, still on the floor, ducked his head to hide his frantic efforts to stifle a laugh.
Ririka cleared her throat, forcing the smile down. "Please wait just a moment, sir. The food you ordered is being prepared. It will be ready very soon."
With that, Ririka hurried back into the kitchen to resume her work. Little Rika, eager for the kind Grandpa to finally get his meal, followed to help. For some reason, having chosen to believe in them, the more time she spent around the pair, the lighter she felt. The crushing fear of Morgan's imminent arrival had all but vanished.
"Laughing? You're still laughing?!"
Rowan rapped his pipe against the head of the still-giggling Luffy, feigning fury. "If it weren't for you, would your Great-Grandpa be losing this much face? My legendary image is completely ruined."
"Hehe." Luffy scrambled up from the floor, scratching his head. "Great-Grandpa, I didn't mean to. You always used to give me all the food you made; I honestly thought you didn't get hungry."
"Enough."
Rowan waved him off and sat back down. He took a long sip from his gourd and looked at the boy. "Since you've eaten so much, you're the one who's going to handle Morgan when he shows up. Let me be clear: if you don't have the strength to take that guy down, you aren't coming to Marineford with me. You'll head straight back to Foosha Village for another two years of training."
"Don't you worry, Great-Grandpa! I'll knock that guy's teeth out!" Luffy declared, chest puffed out with confidence.
"Which one of you blind fools dared to hurt my son?!"
Before long, a furious roar drifted in from the street. Rowan turned his head to see a towering figure step into the tavern. The man's frame was so massive that he momentarily blocked out the sunlight, causing the tavern's interior light to drop several notches.
Once he fully entered, his appearance became clear. He wore the standard Marine officer's uniform, but his lower jaw was replaced by a metal brace emblazoned with the Marine logo. Most notably, where his right arm should have been, there was a massive, razor-sharp axe.
This was clearly the reason for the name "Axe-Hand" Morgan.
"Hm?!"
Morgan's eyes immediately fell on Helmeppo, still embedded in the wall. Two agile Marine soldiers scrambled past him to pry the boy loose. By this point, Helmeppo—who was already a weakling—was barely clinging to life. He couldn't even open his eyes; the impact of Luffy's Gomu Gomu no Pistol had been devastating.
"You two did this?"
Morgan looked away from his broken son and fixed his gaze on Rowan and Luffy, his eyes wide with rage. He didn't actually care if Helmeppo lived or died. What enraged him was that these two had known the boy was his son and had dared to strike him anyway. It was a direct insult to his authority. Unforgivable.
When neither of them bothered to answer, Morgan's brow furrowed. He took a heavy step forward, closing the distance. A violent, murderous aura radiated from him.
"I'm asking you a question! Are you deaf?!"
With a sudden sweep of his arm, a glint of steel flashed through the tavern.
CRACK.
The dining table behind Rowan was sliced clean in two, the pieces clattering to the floor.
In the kitchen, Ririka paled with panic. Little Rika's eyes filled with terror. Had Ririka not clamped her hand over her daughter's mouth—and her own—their screams would have echoed through the streets.
Faced with Morgan's threat, Rowan took a slow, leisurely puff of his pipe. He exhaled a cloud of thick smoke and spoke in a flat, unimpressed tone.
"Colonel Morgan of the 153rd Branch. As a Marine officer, you have not only been tyrannical and cruel, but you have allowed your own son to run rampant through this town, leaving the residents in a state of constant misery and fear."
"I ask you... do you confess to your crimes?"
"Confess my crimes?"
Morgan blinked, momentarily stunned. Then, as if he had just heard the funniest joke in the world, he threw his head back and laughed.
Suddenly, the laughter stopped. His face, already twisted with malice, darkened further. He looked at Rowan with a predatory sneer.
"Hey, hey, old man. Are you trying to be funny? What kind of 'something' do you think you are, coming in here and talking big? You think you have the right... to judge my crimes?"
...BONUS CHAPTER IS COMING...(GMT+8---00:15)
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
⭐ Read chapters early on Patreon → https://www.patreon.com/Bagga_10 ⭐
Advance chapters are already written and waiting.
Patreon readers receive early access to content before its public release.
BONUS CHAPTER REWARDS
• Every 20 reviews = 1 bonus chapter
• Every 40 Power Stones = 1 bonus chapter
Your support directly unlocks more content and faster releases.