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Rowen looked at the Super Reward quest, a crimson-black light flashing in his eyes.
In the original story, the name "Joy Boy" first appeared here, on Fish-Man Island. When the Roger Pirates arrived, Roger, who could hear the Voice of All Things, heard an incredibly strong voice from this very Poneglyph.
So, Rowen had brought Shirahoshi here, along with the 'Desire for Liberation' needed for Nika's Awakening, to try his luck.
As expected, just like on Jaya Island, a reward quest was triggered. And the rewards were of immense interest to Rowen.
The full power of one of the Three Ancient Weapons, 'Sea King' Poseidon. And the immense spiritual power formed by Joy Boy's 800-year obsession with atoning.
With this, Rowen no longer needed to worry about when Shirahoshi would be considered fully mature. As long as he completed this quest, he would obtain the power of one of the Three Ancient Weapons, Poseidon.
And—Joy Boy.
Rowen's eyes glowed with the wisdom of the Human-Human Fruit.
Though just a glimpse, Joy Boy's figure was indeed enormous. According to Rowen's analysis, Joy Boy's size surpassed even the Giants—likely as large as an Ancient Giant.
And that giant straw hat... It was clearly the one at Mariejois in Imu's possession.
INTERESTING.
The nation destroyed by the World Government 800 years ago was called the 'Great Kingdom'. It seemed the people there all possessed special bloodlines.
It all came back to bloodline theory, a common trope.
Since it was the 'Great Kingdom', the most direct way to find answers was to go to the kingdom of the Giants of this era—Elbaf.
Fulfilling the promise between Joy Boy and the mermaid princess from 800 years ago also required a trip to Elbaf. The promise was to use the great ark, Noah, to move all the residents of Fish-Man Island to a place under the sun, allowing them to live equally on the surface.
But Noah was damaged. To repair such a massive ship, even a master shipwright like Franky wasn't enough. It required shipwrights of giant stature.
And Elbaf had such shipwrights.
Plus, in the original story, the battlefield where Imu directly intervened was Elbaf, and Elbaf held a power Imu was determined to obtain.
In that case, let's make Elbaf the final battlefield...
A smile touched Rowen's lips.
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"Sky Sovereign... H-How do you know about Joy Boy and the Mermaid Princess?" King Neptune, as the ruler of Ryugu Kingdom, knew of the 800-year-old promise.
Though he didn't know the full details—he knew the Mermaid Princess back then also wished for all the races of Fish-Man Island to live together with humans under the sun.
His wife Otohime's ideals were, in fact, an inheritance of that Mermaid Princess's will.
"Because I saw Joy Boy. The Nika of 800 years ago... truly remarkable," Rowen smiled.
Joy Boy was incredibly strong. Even from the lingering remnants of his spiritual power, Rowen could feel the man's terrifying Haki.
"Joy Boy was the Nika of 800 years ago? The previous user of Luffy's Nika Fruit? The Sun God?" Nami asked, astonished.
Robin was also incredibly interested.
The truth of the Void Century was getting closer and closer.
"Correct. And he was a man who had fully Awakened Nika's power, with Haki on par with my own," Rowen nodded.
"Only someone with Haki at your level could be called a Sun God, I suppose," Jinbe commented with deep emotion.
He now fully understood how strong Rowen's Haki was. It surpassed any powerhouse of this era, even the late Pirate King, Gol D. Roger—reaching a new realm.
It seemed the legendary Sun God of 800 years ago, the Warrior of Liberation, Joy Boy, also possessed Haki of this level.
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Meanwhile, Neptune was completely dumbfounded. What did he just hear??
The information was too overwhelming!
Sky Sovereign had seen Joy Boy??
That legendary Warrior of Liberation from 800 years ago who made a promise with the Mermaid Princess??
And the Sky Sovereign's Strongest Arm, Straw Hat, possessed the same power as Joy Boy?? He was this generation's Sun God??
And his daughter, Shirahoshi, inherited the power of the Mermaid Princess of 800 years ago, Poseidon??
Joy Boy and the power of the Mermaid Princess from 800 years ago—both appearing in this era.
Did this mean... Otohime's dying wish could truly be realized in this era?
'If it's Sky Sovereign...' Neptune's eyes began to shine with excitement.
"Noah... I will find a way to repair it. Until then, I'll entrust its care to you," Rowen said to Neptune, not hiding his intention to help Fish-Man Island fulfill the 800-year promise.
Neptune said nothing, too overcome with emotion to speak, merely bowing deeply to Rowen.
"Father... Rowen-sama..." Shirahoshi covered her mouth. Though timid, Shirahoshi was incredibly intelligent. From her father and Rowen's conversation, she understood.
Rowen was going to help them fulfill her mother's dying wish.
Tears welled up in her eyes.
Kaya and the others comforted her.
"Hm? Are they here?" Just then, Rowen smiled.
WHOOSH!
A pirate ship entered Fish-Man Island.
The iconic sheep figurehead, the Jolly Roger of a skull wearing a straw hat—all confirmed the ship's identity.
The Going Merry!
The numerous citizens and guards of Fish-Man Island looked on with excitement.
"HEY! ROWEN! WE'RE HERE!" Luffy yelled.
"So this is Fish-Man Island... It's like a dream," Vivi exhaled, smiling.
"You did well, Merry," Vivi said, looking at a faint figure on the Merry's deck with a smile.
With Nami not on the ship, and Vivi only knowing basic navigation, reaching here was thanks to Merry's power.
Behind Vivi stood another figure—the princess of Dressrosa, Viola.
"Mm," Merry smiled happily.
Thanks to Rowen's spiritual nourishment, the Klabautermann could now manifest briefly even without misty weather.
"This guy is heavy," Zoro grunted, dragging a massive figure as he leaped from the Merry's deck.
"Th-That's—!" Seeing the figure being dragged by the legendary Pirate Hunter, one of Sky Sovereign's Four main combatants, some of the pirates in the crowd stared in horror.
"One of the Three Calamities of the Beasts Pirates... 'JACK THE DROUGHT'!"
Horrified gasps erupted as they recognized the man in Seastone cuffs, his eyes rolled back in his head.
It was one of Emperor Kaido's right-hand men, 'The Drought'!
Was Sky Sovereign going to war with Kaido??
These people could already see a terrifying war engulfing the New World...
"Luffy-sama, Zoro-sama, Lady Vivi... Sky Sovereign is waiting for you in the Sea Forest. Please follow me," a mermaid guide said respectfully.
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Soon, Luffy and the others arrived at the Sea Forest.
"Rowen, we're here! We liberated Dressrosa. But we ran into this guy," Luffy grinned.
"Jack the Drought, is it?" Rowen looked at the now completely unconscious Jack with interest.
"Emperor Kaido's right-hand man, 'Jack the Drought'??" Neptune and the others were stunned.
"The guy's tough, I'll give him that. But he was an idiot for attacking the three of us," Zoro commented. He had never seen such a moron.
A powerhouse of that level should have strong Observation Haki. He must have sensed Zoro, Vivi and Luffy's presence on Dressrosa. To attack them anyway was suicide. If they weren't trying to avoid damaging Rowen's new territory, Zoro was confident he could have taken Jack himself. But against Luffy, who had mastered Haoshoku Coating, this guy was instantly defeated.
After the Summit War, Luffy's Haki had grown even stronger. A brute who relied on a tough hide was no match for an attack that targeted the body's interior.
"There's actually an idiot even more reckless than you?" Nami commented, amazed.
Zoro's eye twitched upon hearing this.
Clearly, Nami was referring to him challenging Mihawk in the East Blue.
But how was that the same??
Back then, he hadn't awakened Observation Haki, he had no idea how vast the gap between him and Mihawk was. Jack, on the other hand, knew and charged in anyway.
But Zoro didn't even try to retort... Not because of Rowen. But on the Merry, anyone who had the nerve to to oppose Nami, besides Rowen—had tasted her Iron Fist.
He still didn't know how she did it, but when she got angry, her punches were impossible to dodge...
Zoro wisely kept his mouth shut.
"HAHAHAHA," Rowen laughed heartily. As expected of "Jack the Rammer."
This was the same fool who dared to ram a ship carrying Fujitora, Sengoku, and Tsuru. The presence of just Luffy and Zoro certainly wouldn't deter him.
"But Rowen, will this affect your plans?" Vivi asked, looking at him.
Luffy and Zoro also looked towards him.
"No impact at all. Kaido and Big Mom aren't fools. With us making so much noise in the New World, they wouldn't just sit back and wait for death," Rowen's eyes flashed with an extreme crimson-black light.
Luffy and the others' terrifying potential, after the Summit War's live broadcast, had spread throughout the world.
Everyone knew that once Luffy and the others fully matured, the alliance of the Sky Sovereign Grand Fleet and the Straw Hat Pirates would be horrifyingly strong.
As Emperors, Big Mom and Kaido understood this better than anyone.
To let them quietly wait while his four main combatants grew to their peak? What was the difference between that and waiting to die?
The only reason they hadn't started a war yet was because they were still gathering strength, and there was no spark to ignite it.
But by sending Luffy to Dressrosa, the war with the Beasts Pirates had, in effect, already begun.
Under these circumstances, cutting off one of their arms first, taking out Jack, was a good gain.
"An Ancient Zoan, hmm?" Rowen murmured, looking at Jack.
"Plunder."
VMM! GURGLE! GURGLE!
A fruit in Rowen's hand rapidly transformed. In an instant, it had become a Devil Fruit.
Elephant-Elephant Fruit, Ancient Zoan, Model: Mammoth!
"The war... has begun!"
Rowen swished his cloak, laughing.
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Onigashima.
It was just as Rowen had anticipated.
This was the main base of the Emperor, Kaido of the Beasts!
CRACKLE! BOOM!
Onigashima was shrouded in dark clouds. Terrifying lightning writhed within them.
"K-KAIDO-SAMA," the Beasts Pirates' grunts looked fearfully at the man, his face incredibly dark, his body like iron, drinking alcohol.
The World's Strongest Creature, Emperor Kaido!
"SKY SOVEREIGN! BRAT!"
BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOM!
Lightning power was absorbed by Kaido's body.
Kaido swung his Kanabo, sending a group of grunts flying.
The Fish-Fish Fruit, Mythical Zoan, Model: Azure Dragon's special ability allowed the user to use the power of lightning. Infusing lightning into the user's body stimulated their cells, terrifyingly increasing their speed and strength.
"MAMAMAMA! Jack has fallen into Straw Hat's hands? What a shame, Kaido,"
A signature laugh echoed through the hall.
"HUHHHH???" Veins bulged on Kaido's forehead. He looked towards the figure, equally massive as himself.
Captain of the Big Mom Pirates, Emperor Charlotte Linlin, descended upon Onigashima!
"LINLIN! DO YOU THINK I WON'T KILL YOU??" Kaido's expression was extremely violent.
"MAMAMAMA! Don't talk big, you little brat! Don't forget the debt you owe me, one you can never repay in your lifetime! For that Fish-Fish Fruit, Model: Azure Dragon." Charlotte Linlin grinned, her mouth a cavernous maw.
Back in God Valley, it was she who took this top-tier Mythical Zoan Devil Fruit from Ivankov. Kaido, by relying on this Devil Fruit, became the World's Strongest Creature.
Kaido's scarlet eyes glared at Charlotte Linlin, on the verge of going berserk.
"I didn't come here to talk about these old things. That brat is turning the New World upside down. If he takes you out, with that brat's ambition, his next target will be me," Charlotte Linlin grinned widely.
In her normal state, Charlotte Linlin was not a fool. She wasn't about to sit back and wait for that ambitious brat to come for her.
"Are you saying I'm going to lose to that brat??" Kaido roared, raising his kanabo.
"Don't Be Arrogant, Kaido! You Know Better Than Anyone What His Forces Are Made Of!" Charlotte Linlin stated, her Homie Napoleon transforming into a sword.
"HMPH! THUNDER BAGUA——!!!" Kaido roared furiously.
"MAMAMAMA! NAPOLEON——!!!" Charlotte Linlin laughed loudly.
BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOM!
The Kanabo and Napoleon clashed mid-air!
Terrifying Haki exploded instantly!
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After venting their frustrations, Kaido and Charlotte Linlin, now drinking together, draped their arms over each other's shoulders.
"FROM TODAY ONWARDS, THE BEASTS PIRATES!"
"AND THE BIG MOM PIRATES."
"ARE A PIRATE ALLIANCE!"
THE WAR... HAD BEGUN!
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