"Good."
Rowan smiled.
Communicating with Robin calm, composed, and exceptionally intelligent was always easy and efficient, without any unnecessary complications. This was one of the reasons she had long been on Rowan's list of potential crewmates.
Terrence was momentarily stunned by the scene before him. Then his face twisted in rage.
"Damn it… Damn it, Nico Robin! How dare you betray me? Who do you think has been hiding your identity for the past six months?!"
Bang!
Before he could finish speaking, a gunshot echoed through the room.
At some point, Rowan had drawn a pistol. A thin wisp of smoke drifted from the barrel as Terrence froze in place, slowly lowering his gaze to his chest.
A neat bullet hole had appeared at the center, blood seeping out and staining his suit crimson.
"You…"
He clearly hadn't expected Rowan to shoot him so suddenly.
Rowan's left hand, holding the pistol, was perfectly steady. He aimed at Terrence calmly and spoke in an indifferent tone.
"You were just bullying my crewmate, weren't you?"
Bang! Bang! Bang!
Three more shots rang out in rapid succession. Three additional bullet holes bloomed across Terrence's body. With an expression of disbelief and unwillingness, he collapsed heavily into a pool of blood.
Robin was slightly moved by the scene, but she quickly regained her composure and maintained her calm demeanor.
"I don't know Terrence's exact identity," she said thoughtfully, "but he likely belonged to a large intelligence organization. His death may cause some trouble."
"Oh?"
Rowan slowly holstered his pistol and replied casually, "A very large intelligence organization… No matter how large, can it be bigger than the Navy and the World Government?"
Robin shook her head.
"Of course not."
Rowan turned to her, a faint smile on his face.
"Then there's no need to worry about trouble. Because right now, I am a pirate."
"If the captain thinks it's fine, then it's fine."
Robin nodded gently.
She was the "Devil Child," carrying a bounty of 79 million Berries higher than even the strongest pirates in the West Blue. The World Government and the Navy already wanted her dead. No matter what happened, things could hardly become worse.
"How many people are on the ship now?" she asked.
"Counting you, two," Rowan replied calmly. "So I need a proper ship, a few odd-jobbers, and then I'll gradually gather official crewmates."
Robin's adaptability exceeded even Rowan's expectations. She accepted her new role without hesitation and showed no surprise at the fact that the entire crew currently consisted of only two people.
"There are many ships docked at this island's port," she said after a moment's thought. "We should be able to find a suitable one. As for odd-jobbers, if you spread your name, Captain, you'll likely attract volunteers."
"That's too troublesome."
Rowan shook his head.
"You should have information on pirate crews operating in this sea area, right? I need precise intelligence on crews with bounties of 20 million Berries or higher."
Although he had decided to become a pirate, the kind of pirate Rowan intended to be was very different from most pirates in this world and also different from someone like Straw Hat Luffy.
Plundering and slaughtering civilians would only create fear among the people. The Navy and World Government would not be intimidated by such acts they would only become more enraged.
If he had to kill, he would not kill innocents.
Those Marines and government agents who dared to provoke him and the infamous pirates roaming the seas would be his true targets.
Rowan's greatest trump card was not the Distortion Fruit.
It was the Talent System.
Hunting pirates granted proficiency and free talent points, allowing him to grow stronger at an astonishing speed.
From the West Blue to the Grand Line.
From the Grand Line to the New World.
The day he reached the end of the world would be the day the entire world trembled.
"Pirates with bounties of 20 million Berries or more…" Robin repeated softly, slightly surprised.
Was Rowan planning to seize a pirate crew directly instead of simply stealing a ship from the harbor? That approach would be far more dangerous, but she did not doubt his strength.
Rowan had already hunted numerous pirates with bounties over ten million Berries.
Not long ago, he had even stormed Capone Lecky's stronghold and wiped out that entire criminal faction.
After a brief moment of consideration, Robin spoke again.
"The Flo Pirate Crew, led by Captain One-Eyed Flo, has a bounty of 27 million Berries. They were sighted near the Curl Sea three days ago. They are currently the closest suitable target."
"Good."
Rowan nodded, then looked at Robin seriously.
"Before, I was a pirate hunter. The Ghost Hand Pirates I'm building will not plunder civilians. Our goal will be to hunt powerful pirate crews. The danger level will be extremely high, so you need to be mentally prepared."
Among those who carried the name "pirate," there were many types.
There were brutal pirates who slaughtered and looted without restraint.
There were adventurers like Straw Hat Luffy who chased freedom and dreams.
And there were hunting-type pirates those who preyed on other pirates and thrived in the darkness.
Even Dracule Mihawk, one of the Seven Warlords of the Sea, had once sailed the oceans hunting pirates with his black blade, until he crossed paths with Red-Haired Shanks.
Even after becoming a Warlord, Mihawk occasionally sailed out simply to cut down pirate crews out of boredom.
"To hunt other pirates…" Robin murmured.
Having lived in the underworld for years, she could endure almost any form of darkness.
Yet deep inside her remained a fragment of kindness that had never been fully extinguished.
This goal hunting evil pirates rather than innocent people aligned with that remaining light within her heart.
One day later.
The Navy and the World Government issued a new announcement.
Through newspapers distributed across the seas, the news spread that Ghost Hand Rowan was an extremely vicious criminal who had launched a treacherous attack and murdered Marine Branch Captain Mobley and Lieutenant Commander Lyca.
Rowan's bounty was raised from 22 million Berries to a staggering 40 million Berries.
With that increase, he officially became one of the ten highest-bounty pirates in the entire West Blue.
The West Blue was shaken.
The great pirates who stood at the pinnacle of the West Blue, the infamous pirate hunters prowling the seas, and countless underground figures all turned their attention to this new rising threat.
"He killed a Marine Branch Captain…
Another terrifying monster has appeared in the West Blue," one pirate muttered while reading the newspaper.
"Forty million Berries… Just who is this Ghost Hand Rowan?" a pirate hunter growled greedily, eyes gleaming.
And beyond pirates and hunters, there were the ordinary civilians filled with fear.
"He massacred a town and murdered a Marine Captain! What is the Navy doing?
Why haven't they captured and executed him yet?!"
For the vast majority of people, there was no way to learn the truth.
All they could see were the government reports and the Navy's official statements.
And in this world
The truth was always written by the winners.