Marine Headquarters.
Doberman's Office.
Bang!
Vice Admiral Doberman slammed his palm onto the desk, causing cracks to spiderweb across the hard wooden surface.
He shot to his feet, his face twisted with fury.
"Who does he think he is?"
"Arrogant! Truly arrogant!"
Although there were countless pirates across the seas, and as a Vice Admiral of Marine Headquarters he had dealt with many vicious criminals, very few dared to speak so brazenly toward the Marines. Those who did were usually infamous figures from the New World.
Yet a mere brat from the West Blue dared to utter such outrageous words he was completely lawless!
"Vice Admiral Doberman," Rear Admiral Strawberry said from in front of the desk, his expression cold. "This Ghost Hand Rowan's strength is no longer something the branch officers in the West Blue can handle. How should we deal with him?"
If Strawberry had felt even a trace of sympathy for Rowan at first, that feeling had vanished the moment Rowan killed Colonel Mobley and openly defied Marine authority.
Now, only anger remained.
Doberman took two deep breaths, forcing down his rage, and spoke in a cold, decisive tone.
"Notify all branch bases in the West Blue. List Ghost Hand Rowan on the dangerous pirate register. Authorize each base to deal with him with full authority!"
"Yes, sir."
Strawberry nodded solemnly.
Unlike ordinary branch colonels, the commanders of West Blue branch bases held the rank of Branch Rear Admiral. Many of them were former Headquarters officers reassigned to the Four Seas, and their strength was more than enough to suppress pirates in their respective territories.
In front of behemoths like the Navy and the World Government, all arguments were meaningless.
Compared to Rowan, the public would naturally believe the Marines and the World Government without question. The news reports released by the government could easily twist truth into lies and turn black into white.
Argue?
Protest?
None of it mattered.
From the moment Colonel Mobley launched his sudden attack, Rowan had already understood one thing clearly.
Since the Marine high command was determined to brand him as a pirate, then he would no longer hesitate. If they wanted him to be a pirate so badly, he would make sure to live up to that title.
To defeat Mobley quickly, Rowan had even activated one of the Rokushiki techniques Rankyaku.
Although it had cost him several precious free talent points, the result was worth it. He killed Mobley swiftly and avoided being surrounded by overwhelming Marine forces.
After breaking out of the Marine branch base, Rowan hurried to the southern shore of the island, where his small boat was docked.
"I wonder how the Marines will announce my crimes this time," Rowan muttered as he rowed away from the coast, staring at the endless blue sea.
But in truth, it didn't matter anymore.
From today onward, he was officially the captain of the Ghost Hand Pirates.
"After today, the Marines will definitely raise my bounty and begin large-scale pursuit operations across the West Blue. They might even dispatch Rear Admirals and entire fleets."
"If I continue wandering aimlessly with no information network, it will only be a matter of time before I fall into an ambush."
Rowan pondered quietly.
Now that he had become a pirate, he would inevitably face relentless pursuit. A single small boat was no longer enough. He needed at least a medium-sized ship, supplies, and most importantly reliable intelligence.
For him, there were only two ways to grow stronger:
One was through training.
The other was through hunting pirates.
And hunting pirates required accurate intelligence.
Given that reality, the identity of his first crew member became perfectly clear.
Someone hidden within the underground world.
Someone who possessed vast knowledge and access to information.
Nico Robin.
"Then next… I'll head to the Germa Kingdom."
Germa Kingdom
Underground Intelligence Organization Base
Nico Robin stood beside a desk, carefully organizing stacks of intelligence reports.
She had passed the archaeology doctorate exam at the age of eight. Her memory and analytical skills were nothing short of extraordinary.
In the few months she had worked for this underground intelligence organization, no matter how complex the information was, she could memorize it almost instantly and recall it with perfect accuracy.
"All recorded," Robin said softly.
She placed the final slip of paper down, closed her eyes for a few seconds, then opened them again and nodded toward Terrence, who sat behind the desk.
Terrence took a sip from his coffee cup and nodded in satisfaction.
"Very good. Now burn all those documents."
Harboring Nico Robin the "Devil Child" with a bounty of 79 million Berries was an enormous risk.
However, her talent for handling intelligence was so valuable that Terrence had chosen to keep her instead of turning her over to the Marines.
Robin gathered the papers, moved to the side, and efficiently destroyed them all before returning to the desk.
"If I'm not mistaken, you should be sixteen now," Terrence remarked casually.
"Yes," Robin replied.
Terrence leaned back in his chair, a faint smile appearing on his lips.
"Such a fine age. If not for that 79 million Berry bounty, you would truly be a perfect assistant."
Robin remained silent.
Terrence studied her for a moment before slowly standing up.
"Besides organizing intelligence, what else can you do? Can you dance?"
"No," Robin answered calmly.
"Boring," Terrence muttered.
He stepped closer and extended two rough fingers toward her chin.
Robin's expression changed slightly, and she stepped back.
Terrence's hand froze in midair.
His interest faded, replaced by irritation.
He clasped his hands behind his back and spoke in a cold voice.
"Take off your clothes, Nico Robin."
"What?" Robin froze.
"I said, take off your clothes. Didn't you hear me?"
Robin's pupils contracted as she took another step back.
Over the past eight years, she had survived in the darkness of the underworld, seen countless horrors, betrayals, and cruelty.
But this situation was something entirely new.
"What? Are you going to defy me?" Terrence sneered. "You said you would do anything, didn't you? I'm taking a huge risk keeping you here with that bounty on your head!"
Robin bit her lip.
For eight long years, survival had been her only goal.
She had endured countless humiliations just to stay alive.
But this…
This crossed a line.
Which was more important?
Survival or dignity?
Her teeth dug deeper into her lip until blood began to drip down.
Terrence watched her calmly, as if enjoying her internal struggle.
"Judging by your expression, you haven't experienced this before," he said mockingly.
"With your bounty, you could be captured at any moment. Once the Marines get you, you won't even have a choice."
Robin said nothing.
Just as her resolve began to waver
Bang!
The oak door exploded inward, the lock shattering as wood splinters flew across the room.
"Who?!" Terrence shouted angrily.
Through the wrecked doorway stepped a calm, composed figure.
Rowan.
He had arrived half a minute earlier, waiting only because the door had been locked. He hadn't expected to walk into such a scene.
"It's you?" Terrence frowned.
"I broke your door," Rowan said calmly. "I assume you don't mind."
Under the shocked gazes of both Robin and Terrence, Rowan walked into the room and turned to her.
"You don't seem very happy here."
He looked at her directly.
"How about changing your identity… and becoming my crew member?"
Rowan never liked wasting words.
Robin was intelligent. She understood immediately what he was offering.
Terrence's face darkened.
"Ghost Hand Rowan, what exactly do you think you're doing? Are you trying to steal my assistant right in front of me?"
"Exactly," Rowan replied without hesitation.
The single word left Terrence speechless.
Rowan turned back to Robin.
"So… what do you say, Nico Robin?"
Robin was stunned.
This was the first time in her life someone had invited her openly and sincerely to join them.
Her mind worked quickly.
Within a single second, she analyzed everything.
Then she nodded calmly.
"It would be an honor to work for you…
Captain Rowan."