So, a month ago, he led a group of elite Shandians warriors to the G-10 Branch and made their request known to Dante, who was temporarily in charge of the base.
Their initial words carried threats, emphasizing how powerful they were and what consequences would follow if their demands were not met…
Then, Dante almost slaughtered them all.
The high-ranking Marines are well-balanced in all aspects, with hardly any obvious weaknesses in their fighting style.
They cannot be overcome through mere trickery or small numbers! Moreover, the unique battle style of the Sky Island might be able to put the Straw Hat Pirates at a disadvantage but it won't work on higher-ranking Marine Officers.
Dante quickly identified the patterns and loopholes in their fighting style, if it even can be called that, and effortlessly cut through their ranks.
But one Dante alone couldn't overpower the confident Shandian warriors but there wasn't a problem as there were many Marine Officers here!
It was thanks to Cricket and Gan Fall's plea for harmony and their reluctance to escalate the conflict that the Shandians were not completely wiped out.
Since then, Wyper has fully realized the gap between their strength. Now, standing before Rowen, he no longer holds the arrogant belief that the old boss or the will of the people can defy the heavens.
Instead, he politely requests that the Marines intervene and help them reclaim Skypiea Upper Yard.
As for Jaya Island, which is currently under the jurisdiction of the G-10 Branch…
Wyper wisely turns a blind eye to it.
But here comes the most important question…
"On what grounds?"
Rowen calmly raises the topic, "What makes you think the Marines will definitely help you? What makes you claim that Skypiea Upper Yard belongs to the Shandians? Four hundred years have passed. Relying solely on the legends left behind by your ancestors to dictate the actions of the Marines, who do you think you are?!"
If the Shandians were willing to let go of their hatred and coexist peacefully with Skypiea, this so-called territorial dispute would cease to exist.
Now, with Gan Fall taking the risk of going to the sea for the sake of peace and for the sake of all the people living on Sky Island, the Shandians are still entangled in past grievances… To be honest, Rowen looks down on this group of people.
If they had the corresponding strength, that's one thing. After all, Might Makes Right.
But when they can't even see the gap between their strength, when they only have revenge on their minds, even though they know it could lead their entire tribe to destruction…
Such behavior seems laughable, and ignorant, and not only fails to evoke sympathy from Rowen but also fills him with disgust!
Useless!
It's not just about one person's inner weakness or their lack of power; it's about their ignorance and foolishness in their actions!
Tragic heroes may be admired by ordinary people precisely because they can't put themselves in the hero's shoes.
But admiration cannot deny the tragic and pitiful existence of such heroes—they represent uselessness!
In Rowen's eyes, Wyper, who dares to stand before him and speak these words, is a tragic hero, an utter waste!
A chilling gaze falls upon Wyper, and he suddenly feels like he's being stared at by a wild beast. The office is filled with a pervasive killing intent and the temperature of the office drops!
"I…"
Wyper's face turns red, and he tightly clenches his fist, uttering a few words through gritted teeth.
"You Blue Sea Dwellers like gold, don't you? I know about Skypiea Upper Yard…"
He realizes that appealing to emotions won't work, so now he's resorting to appealing to their "interests."
"The City of Gold, Shandora, is located beneath the massive bean-shaped Island Cloud. The entire city's outer walls are made of gold, and if we convert it into Beli, it would be an astronomical sum, it's a truly wealthy and amazing place…"
But before Wyper could finish, Rowen interrupted him and revealed a piece of information that filled Wyper with immense horror.
"You… How do you know that?!"
Looking at him, Rowen flicked his cigarette ash into the ashtray, not answering the question directly. "Whether the Shandians want to fight Skypieana to the death or coexist peacefully, it has nothing to do with the Marines. The Marines only need Dials, and the state of the Sky Island doesn't matter to us."
"The current tranquility of the Sky Island is because the Marines are stationed here. If word of Shandora leaks out, what will you gain except for utter destruction?"
After speaking, Rowen waved his hand, and the office door opened on its own, pushed outward by an unseen force.
…
Wyper returned on a transport aircraft, accompanied by the imprisoned and barely alive Shandian warriors. Meanwhile, standing inside the office, Rowen rubbed his face and a cold smile crept upon his lips.
"The gold of the City of Gold must not be known to outsiders at the moment…"
If it were any other Marine officer, this matter would undoubtedly be reported to Sengoku, and Sengoku would certainly agree to the Shandians' request to exchange gold for sovereignty.
After all, in the grand scheme of things, Skypiea Upper Yard was originally the ancestral homeland of the Shandians, and it would be an acceptable arrangement both in terms of face and substance.
However, the emergence of the City of Gold would undoubtedly attract a great deal of scrutiny and even alert the World Government and the Tenryubito. At that time, the G-10 Branch would be unable to withstand the pressure. That was not part of Rowen's plan.
So, it's not that the City of Gold cannot emerge; it just can't be now!
Whether Wyper agrees to the peaceful request to share Skypiea Upper Yard or insists on a fight to the death, Rowen doesn't care… If Wyper spreads the existence of the City of Gold widely, Rowen is confident that he can eliminate all those who know about it.
In the original story, from the perspective of the Straw Hat Pirates, this is an epic and moving chapter in history. But from Rowen's current standpoint, the floating island only holds value in its unique Dials and gold.
Everything else is insignificant, even to the point of being detestable.
Rowen has never been a good person, nor an incarnation of justice.
He is simply a monster who sees ruling the world as the ultimate challenge…
Naturally, he still has a long way to go before reaching that goal.
Knock, knock, knock!
"Come in…"
Dante's face carried a hint of gravity, and his steps were somewhat disorganized. This behavior was unfamiliar to Rowen, who silently furrowed his brows and asked, "What's happened?"
"Zephyr-sensei called and said that Diez Drake has defected from the Marines. Fleet Admiral Sengoku ordered the fleet to pursue the sunken ship. Judging by the time and route, they have now arrived in the sea that we are responsible for!"
"Diez Drake? Who's that?"
Rowen looked puzzled. If Zephyr himself made the call, could it be that this person is also one of Sensei's disciples?
Suddenly, Rowen snapped back to reality and finally remembered who this guy was.
Diez Drake might not be familiar to him, but when it came to "Red Flag" Drake, he was well aware!
"So, this year is the time for Drake's betrayal?"
Rowen contemplated silently.
This was indeed a crucial figure!
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