It was precisely this noisy disregard for his presence that fueled the growing displeasure in the heart of the Celestial Dragon, Vaskeriel-sei.
"Within thirty seconds, break all the legs of the people at that table and throw them outside."
Vaskeriel-sei's voice was indifferent, devoid of emotion. As his words fell, a series of gunshots rang out from outside the tavern, vibrating through the hearts of every patron. They knew those shots signaled that the imposters who had dared to use Rowan's name had just lost their lives.
Yet, Vaskeriel-sei's expression didn't flicker in the slightest. To him, those lives weren't human; they were worthless livestock. Even if they were sea-faring pirates, this was the standard attitude of the World Nobles toward the rest of the world.
If there was one group of people hated equally by Marines, pirates, and civilians alike, the Celestial Dragons would undoubtedly rank first. These "World Nobles" regarded themselves as the descendants of the Creators. Due to their environment and the ideologies drilled into them from birth, the vast majority grew up to be insufferably arrogant, refusing to view ordinary people as the same species. The bubble domes on their heads were worn specifically because they refused to breathe the same air as "commoners."
Thus, even though Rowan's table was acting "rude," Vaskeriel-sei wasn't even truly angry yet. In his eyes, Rowan and his group were no different from a pack of stray dogs fighting over scraps.
"Hmm?"
From the corner of his eye, "White Horse" Cavendish witnessed the scene, and a smirk played on his lips. He had been stunned for a moment when he heard Rowan's "disciples" were fakes. So the news of Rowan returning to take students was a lie? Doesn't that mean I can't become his disciple and hijack the world's attention? At that thought, Cavendish felt a surge of frustration. Is it really this hard for me to get the spotlight? But now...
"Now, this is a show worth watching. The legendary 'Marine Godfather' has actually provoked a World Noble..."
Hearing Vaskeriel-sei's icy command, the patrons in the tavern barely dared to breathe, terrified of being associated with Rowan's group. Only Cavendish tilted his head slightly, eyes glittering with amusement. Thinking of the "spectacular" scene about to unfold, he gloated inwardly.
Hahaha, 'Marine Godfather' Rowan, right? I didn't think even an old fossil like you would have a day like this. You stole my spotlight; now you've finally kicked a steel plate.
Cavendish knew exactly how heavyweight Rowan's status was within the Navy. But who was he facing? A Celestial Dragon! The status of a World Noble within the World Government was absolute; the Navy was merely a subordinate branch. If you provoked a Celestial Dragon, it didn't matter if you were a retired legend or one of the three current Admirals—what could you possibly do?
"This..."
The manager, Gang-zi, looked deathly pale. This Vaskeriel-sei was indeed a high-and-mighty Noble. If the person provoking him were just some nameless small-fry, he wouldn't hesitate. But the man the Noble was pointing at was no simple character!
That was the most legendary figure in the Navy, the mentor of the current heavyweight leadership, the Marine Godfather! Forget a lowly manager like him—even if the former owner Charnes crawled out of his coffin, he wouldn't dare lay a finger on Rowan. Furthermore, sitting at that same table was another legend of the sea: Dark King Rayleigh!
At the corner table, Rayleigh set down his wine glass. Looking at the indifferent Celestial Dragon not far away, he turned a calm gaze to Rowan.
"Mr. Rowan, it seems we've stumbled into quite a bit of trouble."
Despite being the target of a Celestial Dragon, Rayleigh's expression didn't change at all; he remained perfectly composed. While the Noble had a special status, it wasn't enough to strike fear into the right-hand man of the Pirate King. If it weren't for his desire to avoid a mess, Rayleigh might have considered cutting the Noble down himself.
"Trouble?"
Rowan, looking at the now-empty plates, felt a pang of annoyance. If he hadn't been distracted by those imposters earlier, he wouldn't have finished the first round feeling only ten percent full. Wiping the grease from his mouth, he followed Rayleigh's gaze and saw Vaskeriel-sei staring coldly at him. He also saw the trembling, sweat-soaked manager beside the Noble.
"A Celestial Dragon?"
Seeing the bubble atop Vaskeriel-sei's head, Rowan's expression immediately soured into one of disgust. In this world, the people he loathed most were these parasites who used the privileges granted by the World Government to treat commoners like dirt. They had zero talent, relying entirely on posturing and cruelty.
Though it was strange to run into one here, the cold gaze of the noble made the "trouble" Rayleigh mentioned quite clear. Apparently, the sound of him and Luffy eating was too loud for the Noble's delicate ears. It seemed the brat wanted to make a move on him.
Once he realized this, Rowan raised his tobacco pipe and let out a soft laugh. If this were twenty years ago on a public street, he might have shown some restraint. But now? A waste of a Celestial Dragon expected him to back down? Did they really think Rowan was just a retired Vice Admiral?
Since he planned to eventually dismantle the "God-given" privileges of the World Nobles anyway, he might as well start with this one as a practice run. He would let the people of the world prepare themselves. He would let them know:
This world is not ruled by the World Government alone!
Seeing the smirks on the faces of the two old men, Vaskeriel-sei's brow furrowed. He barked at Gang-zi: "I am giving you one last chance. Do you do it, or not?!"
Vaskeriel-sei drew his ornate, solid-gold flintlock pistol, pointing the dark muzzle directly at Gang-zi's forehead.
"Three!"
The emotionless countdown hit Gang-zi's ears, drenching his back in cold sweat. He trembled and collapsed into a prostrate position before Vaskeriel-sei, pleading: "Lord Vaskeriel-sei, please calm your anger! That table... they are Marines who have performed great deeds for the World Government! Please, for the sake of their unintentional offense, forgive them this once!"
"Marines? So what? They annoyed me. Ordering you to break their legs and throw them out is an act of supreme mercy. Now answer me: do you do it, or do I?!"
"Two!"
The cold number fell again. Gang-zi's forehead was dripping, his mind a whirlwind of despair. Rowan was someone he couldn't provoke, but the Celestial Dragon was someone he couldn't afford to provoke.
Either way, he was a dead man walking.