Note: MC will be addressed as she from now on as long as Alter's character is used.
When he saw the jet-black sword energy rushing toward him, Awei's thoughts spun wildly.
Perhaps… if I hadn't become a pirate, things would've ended differently…
Boom!
The pirate ship was instantly shredded by the slash, erupting into a massive explosion.
The once-calm sea roared as towering waves surged outward.
[Mission Complete!]
[Reward: A yacht]
Upon hearing the system notification, Rowan allowed the magic gathered in her body to disperse.
A moment later, a medium-sized yacht materialized before them out of thin air.
"Wow! Now we don't have to keep running every time we travel!"
"By the way, System, how do we handle the yacht's energy supply?"
The yacht can operate on solar power, or the host may pay five million Berries for an instant full recharge.
"Wow… I really just had to say 'Wow'…"
As they were talking, Mihawk—floating over on his coffin boat—approached in silence.
His sharp, hawk-like eyes locked onto Rowan, lingering briefly on her face before shifting to the pitch-black longsword in her hand.
Mihawk had sensed Rowan the moment she appeared.
The presence—undeniably a swordsman's aura.
He had come to the East Blue after hearing that the master of the Isshin Dojo in Shimotsuki Village was a formidable swordsman, intending to challenge him.
He never expected to encounter something like this on his way.
Nor that an unfamiliar swordsman—seemingly chasing down a small pirate crew—would be wielding such an ominous blade.
Mihawk had held back earlier simply because he had no desire to steal someone else's prey.
But upon closer inspection, he realized the mysterious swordsman was, in fact, a swordswoman.
And the aura radiating from Rowan only stirred him further.
The urge to fight rose within him.
Behind him, the black blade Yoru (Night) trembled faintly, as if responding to the presence of a worthy opponent.
Drawing Yoru, Mihawk pointed the tip at Rowan and spoke:
"Dracule Mihawk. Unknown swordsman—fight me!"
"No." Rowan rejected him instantly, seeing the excitement in Mihawk's eyes.
"..."
Mihawk hadn't expected such a blunt refusal.
"I can't beat you, so I don't want to fight!" Rowan stated plainly. He truly wasn't a match for Mihawk at this stage.
But more importantly—the yacht he had just earned was parked right beside them. If a fight broke out and it got destroyed…
Rowan might actually shut himself in a dark room and never come out.
Rowan genuinely felt that this fight was completely unnecessary.
If he had even 50% of Alter's power, he might at least be able to put up a fight against Mihawk.
A direct beam attack, maybe.
But at only 20% strength? Fighting Mihawk would only end with him getting beaten senseless.
Rowan was at least somewhat aware of his own limits… probably.
So he decisively rejected Mihawk's challenge.
"Y-You're not going to bully a weak woman… right?"
With that one sentence, Mihawk's fighting spirit instantly vanished.
He simply lost interest.
"You're quite a strange one," Mihawk said.
Hehe~
"Excuse me, Uncle, where's the nearest island? Could you give me directions?"
"...Uncle???"
Mihawk, a man who had sailed the seas for years without ever hearing such a title, froze for a moment before processing the situation.
"Ten nautical miles south. There's an island there."
"...That's where I came from…" Rowan stared at him with resentment.
"Then I'm not certain about the others."
"Oh… what do we do? Just drift around at sea?"
Don't you have a Log Pose?
"…No." Rowan scratched his head sheepishly.
Mihawk let out a sigh, took a Log Pose from his pocket, and tossed it to her.
Rowan hurriedly stepped forward and caught it.
"I got that off a pirate. I'm not sure which island it points to. If you don't have a destination, try that one."
"Thanks."
"Well then—until we meet again, little girl. I hope you won't be so intimidated next time."
"Next time we meet, I'll smash your head in!" Rowan shouted, standing on the water as he watched the coffin-boat drift away.
Then—
Playing with the Log Pose, Rowan boarded his yacht.
Three Days Later — Cocoyasi Village
A yacht covered in ominous black markings sailed in from the horizon.
At the helm was Rowan, who had been drifting at sea for three long days.
Ever since parting with Mihawk, she had followed the Log Pose's direction at full speed.
She never expected the island to be this far.
Even with the yacht running at maximum output, it still took three days to reach the mysterious island.
After eating nothing but unseasoned seafood for three days straight, Rowan was completely sick of it.
She grumbled nonstop.
She had a nagging feeling Mihawk did this on purpose—handing her a Log Pose pointing to the furthest possible island.
Just because she didn't fight him properly.
"Well…"
Still, hard work pays off.
She, Rowan, would finally set foot on solid ground!
Food!
Real food!!
Just thinking about it made tears well up.
The yacht roared forward at full power.
Magic flared, wrapping around the hull.
Already fast, the yacht surged to an even greater speed.
Rowan sat in the driver's seat, face shining with excitement.