Even though Rowan had been a prestigious Marine Headquarters Vice Admiral before his retirement, and a small-time pirate with a bounty of ten million Berris should have been nothing to him, facts were facts. The old man was nearly a hundred years old. His physical condition was a world apart from his glory days, and Sengoku couldn't afford to be careless.
"Gahahaha! Sengoku, my boy, there's no need to be so tense. I've lived for a century; I know my own body better than anyone. Alright, that's enough talk for today. I'll be in touch."
Rowan gave a carefree laugh and hung up the Den Den Mushi, turning his gaze toward the distant sea with a sudden, sharp look in his eyes.
When Sengoku, far away in the Grand Line, tried to redial, the connection was already dead.
At that moment, laden with his various gifts and heading toward the mountain bandits' residence in the back hills, the old man didn't notice the panel deep in his consciousness flicker again. This time, the progress jumped from 99% to 99.3%.
"That old man!"
In the Fleet Admiral's office, Sengoku stared at the silent Den Den Mushi with a complicated expression. If anyone else had hung up on him, he would have already been screaming into the receiver. But given the old man's status, he didn't dare show even a spark of temper.
"There really is no stopping him."
After stewing in frustration for a long while, Sengoku eventually pulled out another Den Den Mushi and dialed the Marine 197th Branch in the East Blue.
Upon learning the Fleet Admiral himself was calling, Colonel Carlos of the 197th Branch—who had been lazily slacking off—immediately sat bolt upright. He was perfectly submissive to Sengoku's orders, unlike a certain rebellious old man.
Beyond that, Sengoku had someone contact Garp's "dog-headed" warship. If the old man was going to do something this dangerous, failing to notify Garp beforehand would result in the man pointing a finger at Sengoku's forehead and cursing him out for not stopping "Pops."
Sengoku also notified Tsuru and Zephyr, but like him, neither could get through to Rowan. Finally, Sengoku sighed and placed calls to two other East Blue branches before he could feel even a modicum of peace.
Rowan had no idea that his little whim had sent three Marine branches in the East Blue into a state of total upheaval.
At that very moment, Rowan, carrying his bags and bundles, arrived before a large wooden house nestled in Mt. Colubo.
Thump! Thump! Thump!
Rowan hammered on the door without the slightest bit of hesitation. Despite the late hour and the high moon, a time when most were deep in sleep, he showed no restraint.
"Who is it?! Who the hell is it?!"
A series of curses drifted from within. The door swung open to reveal the broad-shouldered Dadan, her orange curly hair a mess, rubbing her bleary eyes as she shouted impatiently. She had finally managed to raise the two brothers, Ace and Luffy, and was looking forward to some peace and quiet.
"It's the middle of the night! Can't a person get some sleep?!" she barked. "If I find out—"
The moment the door opened fully and she saw the old man standing there with a long pipe in his mouth and a faint smile on his lips, Dadan's face froze. Her coarse voice cut off abruptly, and the curses she had been about to spit out were swallowed back down into her gut.
"R-R-Rowan-san... It's so late... What... what brings you here...?"
Forcing a smile that looked more painful than a sob, Dadan spoke with a trembling voice. Why does this old man always pick the dead of night to visit?! Last time was bad enough, but this time it's even later!
Dadan felt the urge to scream, but she didn't dare show a hint of it on her face. This was Garp's "Pops." Even though, like Garp, the old man usually wore a kind smile like a friendly neighborhood grandfather, Dadan always felt incredibly uneasy in his presence. It was the primal instinct of a mouse staring at a cat.
"I came to see if the World Government has caught you lot yet."
Rowan ignored her reaction. He walked into the bandit hideout as if it were his own home, tossing the various bags the villagers had given him onto a nearby table. He turned back, pulled out his pipe, lit it, and spoke through a cloud of smoke.
"Since you haven't been arrested yet, you can come with me for a bit."
Dadan's heart skipped a beat. Her smile grew even more forced. "Go... go for a bit? Go where?"
Is he having a sudden change of heart? Is he going to turn us in? That makes no sense! If he wanted us arrested, he could have done it decades ago! Besides, Luffy is still living here! And Ace—I raised that boy with my own two hands! They're both your great-grandsons! You can't just burn the bridge after crossing it! Dadan roared inwardly.
"To do your old job, of course—raiding," Rowan said seriously. "Though we won't be mountain bandits this time. We're going to be pirates."
He suddenly paused as a thought occurred to him. "By the way, is your ship still in working order?"
Although Dadan's crew were mountain bandits by trade, living in a world of islands meant you couldn't survive without a vessel.
Dadan breathed a tiny sigh of relief, but her smile remained brittle. "The ship is fine, but... Grandpa, you must be joking. We gave up that life long ago. We don't do raids anymore, haha... ha..."
"Hmm?"
Rowan didn't reply. He simply took a puff from his pipe and slowly exhaled. He tilted his head slightly, one eyebrow arching upward.
He had been a high-ranking Marine officer for most of his life. Even if his strength wasn't world-class, a single gesture, a subtle shift in his gaze, was enough to project the aura of a man who had commanded thousands.
The already timid Dadan immediately snapped to attention.
"Please wait a moment, Grandpa! I'll gather the men immediately! We won't keep you waiting!"
With that, Dadan vanished in a blur. Her stout frame moved with the agility of a professional athlete. Under her booming voice, the sleeping bandits practically bounced out of their beds.
The name Rowan carried a terrifying weight among them. Their speed and efficiency were hardly inferior to the elites of Marine Headquarters. In mere seconds, the entire crew was assembled, standing in a neat line before the old man.
One could see just how much of a "heavyweight" this centenarian was in the hearts of these bandits.
"Rowan-sama, everyone is present and accounted for!" Dadan announced, even mimicking a military salute she had seen in the newspapers.