"Very good."
Terrence cracked a faint smile, then turned to Nico Robin beside him. "You haven't destroyed the Tarro Town intelligence yet, have you? Hand it directly to him."
Sixteen-year-old Nico Robin nodded, her small hands hesitating for just a moment before she quickly drew out two slips of paper. She approached Rowan and handed them to him.
"Two pieces of intelligence. Unencrypted."
Rowan took the slips from Robin and began reading them carefully.
After delivering the papers, Robin quietly returned to her seat, continuing to organize and memorize the remaining stack of intelligence.
Though younger and more naive than her original self the Nico Robin known as the eight-year-old archaeology prodigy hunted for a 79 million Berry bounty her survival in the West Blue underworld had honed her cunning and adaptability. Her memory and learning ability remained extraordinary, making her a vital asset in any intelligence operation.
If Rowan were to assemble a crew, she was the first choice. Others he had considered included Trafalgar Law and similar meticulous strategists whose style aligned with his own.
However, those plans were only relevant if he truly intended to become a pirate. For now, Rowan had no desire to shoulder a massive responsibility or draw unwanted attention from the Marines.
The slips themselves were brief.
Rowan's eyes narrowed as he read, frowning thoughtfully. Initially, he had assumed that some pirate crew was behind the incident that framed him but these reports implicated the underworld gangs of the West Blue.
"The Capone Family… same as Capone Bege, one of the Supernovas in the original story?" Rowan murmured, his expression gradually hardening.
No matter the faction, dumping blame on him was a grave miscalculation.
"I need intelligence on the Capone Family's operations in this sea area."
Rowan looked up at Terrence, who had risen from his chair.
Terrence flicked ash from his cigarette, paused thoughtfully, and said, "I know exactly what intelligence you need. But the price will be double."
"No problem," Rowan replied calmly.
Terrence's gaze shifted toward Robin. "You heard him."
Robin nodded and approached Rowan. After a brief exchange of glances, she recited the necessary intelligence with precision. Rowan memorized every detail.
Satisfied, he removed several stacks of money from his backpack, tossing them to Terrence before turning to leave.
Robin's eyes lingered on Rowan as he walked away, then returned to the pile of intelligence she was organizing.
Emerging from the inner hall, Rowan moved through the underground facility under the watchful gazes of other bounty hunters.
As he reached the street above, he came face-to-face with a squad of patrolling Marines.
"Ghost Hand Rowan is here!" someone shouted.
Immediately, muskets were raised and fired in his direction.
Rowan had neither the Marines' Iron Body from the Six Styles nor Armament Haki. Even ordinary flintlocks could injure him.
"Annoying."
He stomped his foot and vanished into a nearby alley in a blur.
These Marines were foolishly challenging him. If truly provoked, Rowan would have no qualms taking on far greater threats even a Sea King without hesitation.
Whoosh!
As Rowan raced through the alley, a figure in a Marine justice coat appeared, matching him in speed.
"Ghost Hand Rowan! Surrender immediately!"
"You cannot escape!"
The pursuer was a Lieutenant Commander from a nearby Marine base, a veteran who had once captured a pirate with an 18 million Berry bounty. He could also use Soru, one of the Marine Six Styles.
"He can use Soru, too?" Rowan glanced out of the corner of his eye at the Lieutenant Commander. Same rank, but entirely different skill levels.
A Marine Lieutenant Commander in the East Blue might struggle against a pirate with a 10 million Berry bounty. In the Grand Line, many possessed Devil Fruit abilities, and in the New World, some even wielded Armament Haki.
"Surrender!"
The Lieutenant Commander suddenly roared, stomped his foot, and lunged at Rowan from behind, throwing a punch.
"I have things to do. I don't have time for Marines like you. Move aside!"
Bang!
Their fists collided. The Lieutenant Commander's strength was slightly weaker than Rowan's. His arm went numb, and he staggered back two steps.
Rowan spread his hands, sweeping across the alley wall. The wall twisted violently, collapsing onto the Marine in a shower of bricks.
By the time the Lieutenant Commander freed himself from the debris, Rowan had already vanished.
"So he's a Devil Fruit user… twisting walls… No wonder they call him Ghost Hand."
The Lieutenant Commander's pupils narrowed. Recalling the punch he had exchanged with Rowan, and the walls' bizarre deformation, a chill ran down his spine. Despite a full Marine cordon and the recent cannon fire that had scattered Rowan, the bounty hunter had effortlessly evaded capture using Soru.
Rowan's small boat awaited him at the shore. After tossing several hundred thousand Berries as payment, he set sail, leaving the island behind.
Robin's intelligence had provided precise details of the Capone Family's base: Heg Island.
The island was only a two-day journey from Rowan's current location. He had previously visited it during prior hunts, so the area was familiar.
The vast ocean prevented even the Marines from easily tracking him. If they were capable of pinpointing his location at will, pirates could never roam freely.
But even with this advantage, Rowan faced an additional annoyance.
A news bird flew overhead, carrying a newspaper. He casually purchased it and found his own wanted poster inside.
"22 million Berries? They really are fast."
Rowan had been hunting pirates for months, accustomed to seeing wanted posters of his targets. Now, seeing his own image marked him for pursuit, and he felt distinctly uncomfortable.
Being hunted by the Marines was infuriating, and he had always hoped to avoid such situations.
Worse still: even if he overthrew the Capone gang and revealed the truth, would the Marines revoke his bounty?
A dark expression crossed Rowan's face.
He exhaled deeply.
Regardless, he had to reach Heg Island. Being forced into such a predicament had already touched his limit.