Grand Line, Century City.
After several months, Century City had already taken on the appearance of a luxurious entertainment hub. Numerous businesses and local residents had settled on Century City Business Street. Even though the casino had not yet opened, the place was bustling with activity.
After Rowen returned to the G-10 branch and arranged for defense work with Dante, he immediately set off for Century City. He hadn't expected to be dispatched to East Blue to deal with the fierce beasts. Plans couldn't keep up with changes, and there were some things he needed to explain to Fujitora in advance.
"Look up in the sky, that's the Zipper Thunder!"
"Wow! It really is Zipper Thunder, such a spectacular sight!"
"To be able to witness such a spectacle here, this trip was truly worthwhile!"
"Forget it, you guys are obviously outsiders!"
On Business Street, a vendor shrugged and explained with an indifferent expression, "The reason why no one dares to cause trouble in Century City is not only because of Warlord Fujitora's strength but also because this is the territory where the Vice Admiral Soryu of the Marines has invested."
"The Zipper Thunder is just the trail left behind when Vice Admiral Soryu moves in the sky, nothing to be amazed about."
As an old resident of Century City, the vendor had the confidence to ignore the Zipper Thunder in the sky. After seeing it so many times, even the most shocking sights became numb.
However, for outsiders who came to visit, hearing that it was the trail left by Vice Admiral Soryu, their eyes widened, and they took in a sharp breath of air.
Vice Admiral Soryu! In this era, there was absolutely no one who hadn't heard this name!
Just the recent feat of killing the legendary pirate Golden Lion Shiki was enough to be the talk of the seas. Not to mention, he had risen all the way, almost stepping on several Great Characters known throughout the world. He had proven himself by making his enemies admit defeat. In this era, he was absolutely thunderous!
"Uncrowned Fourth Admiral!!"
This was the title bestowed by the onlookers after Rowen killed Golden Lion Shiki.
Rowen just brushed it off after hearing this. It seemed like there wasn't much of a gap between him and an Admiral, but there was still a significant difference between their strength.
Putting aside other aspects, even if he reduced his consumption, he didn't have the same depth as Aokiji and Akainu, who fought for ten days and nights before determining the victor.
Building up physical stamina, a seemingly simple foundation, was actually a process that required slow accumulation over time. Impatience would only lead to failure.
So, killing Golden Lion Shiki couldn't prove that he was on par with an Admiral. After all, aside from the power he displayed in the last 1-2 minutes, Golden Lion Shiki was at most at a lower rank Admiral level powerhouse or even a peak level Vice Admiral powerhouse.
In Rowen's eyes, the aged Golden Lion Shiki was only a bit more troublesome than Jack, at most equivalent to "Conflagration" King.
In fact, upon closer comparison, Golden Lion Shiki was even easier to deal with than these two in terms of combat effectiveness.
Both parties were at a 50-50 stalemate. Killing Golden Lion Shiki was only possible because the opponent's old injury resurfaced after losing the helm, combined with his nearly undying self-healing ability, allowing Rowen to grind him to death.
Otherwise, just the cuts Rowen took would be enough to defeat an ordinary person.
A thunderbolt streaked across the sky, and the central palace of Century City had been decorated to its final floor. At the same time, Fujitora had also moved into his own separate room. At this moment, he stood on the balcony, his lips slightly curled up.
"Long time no see, Vice Admiral Soryu!"
Bang!
A dazzling lightning bolt produced a deafening explosion, and Rowen appeared out of nowhere in the empty space. The smooth marble floor reflected his figure. Looking at Fujitora, who was wearing a black outfit instead of the white Justice cloak and carrying a short sword, Rowen's eyes looked strange.
"Fujitora San, have you joined the underworld?"
Fujitora's current appearance, with a fitted black suit, a scar on his face, and a short sword in hand, made him look fierce and wicked. Even though his eyes were blind, his robust figure brought immense pressure to those who saw him.
If it weren't for the ever-present purple tie and the vertically striped shirt in purple and white, Rowen would have almost hesitated to recognize him.
Speaking of which, Fujitora's face showed a bit of embarrassment. He wasn't born blind, so he could imagine what he looked like now.
"After all, dealing with so many noble and wealthy people, my subordinates always say that I lack authority in my daily life. If I'm looked down upon, many agreements can't be reached. So, I had no choice but to change into this outfit."
The establishment of a luxurious entertainment city involved various aspects, and Fujitora didn't have subordinates like Dante who could handle everything. He had to personally take care of everything, so it was normal to make such changes.
With that, Fujitora spread his hands.
"Please come in!"
"Apologies for the intrusion!"
The two entered the living room and sat down. Fujitora's private residence was also in the palace, but unlike the other rooms that were simple yet luxurious, his room was very basic.
Take the living room for example— two wooden chairs, a coffee table, a pot of tea, and two ceramic cups were placed in the center. In the corner was a simple shoe cabinet facing the entrance. After finishing their meal, the empty rice bowls were placed on the shoe cabinet. From the residue left at the bottom of the bowls, it could be deduced that Fujitora had eaten ramen.
Fujitora didn't know what Rowen was looking at, but he knew that Rowen was turning his gaze around to inspect the room. He didn't feel as embarrassed as he did about his clothes, after all, clothes were worn when going out, but the room didn't need to be.
The appearance that Rowen was seeing now was the most genuine side of him.
Excluding strength, this was just an untamed old gambler!
"Shall we begin our plan, Vice Admiral Soryu?" Fujitor spoke after sitting down and pouring tea for each other.
"If I guess correctly, it should be related to Golden Lion Shiki, right?"
Rowen glanced at him, feeling a bit speechless.
"The Revolutionary Army, Golden Lion Shiki... Who else has invited you?"
Rowen didn't believe that anyone else in the high ranks of the Marines, besides him, had a connection with Fujitora. The Revolutionary Army also had no reason to know this so clearly and reveal such important information to him.
Except for what Golden Lion Shiki had said, there was no other possibility.
In the first half of Fujitora's life, he wasn't completely unknown. It's just that his reputation was circulated within a very small range. He was content to float along, not seeking fame or profit.
It was well known that Golden Lion Shiki placed great importance on strength. Just think about how many pirate crews he had gathered. These eighteen years of lying low weren't just spent researching the "IQ" drug.
At the same time, he was preparing to recruit forces for the future destruction of East Blue and world domination. The chance of him targeting Fujitora was quite high.
"Whitebeard also invited me when he was young. That was before Roger became the Pirate King. But I really wasn't interested in being a son to someone not much older than me."
Fujitora wasn't surprised at all that Rowen could figure this out. They had been quite open with each other and understood each other quite well. He answered directly, even throwing in a little joke.
Given Whitebeard's personality, he must have done that back then.
He came in front of Fujitora, his seven-meter-tall figure blocking the sunlight. He held the naginata in his hand, and his other hand was extended towards Fujitora.
"Come on! Issho, be my son!"
No normal person could accept this!
Looking at characters like Maelstrom Spider Squard and Ace, who could comfortably call Whitebeard "Father," they had experienced setbacks. It was Whitebeard playing the role of savior in their darkest moments that made them submit.
As for Fujitora... Rowen believed that he wasn't a good companion twenty years ago either. He never held grudges overnight, because if he had a grudge, he settled it on the spot.
"A few years ago, there was another man who invited me, but he didn't reveal his true identity. At the same time, his strength shouldn't be underestimated."
"Oh?! A powerful man...?"
Rowen was suddenly surprised. If Fujitora could make this evaluation, the other party's strength was definitely not to be underestimated! Keep in mind that even now, the most Fujitora would say about Rowen was "tricky."
"Do you know who he is?"
"Sorry, there was no leakage of aura, I couldn't see through him at all."
"I see, I understand..."
Rowen noted this information and then said, "Be careful after I leave. Although you managed to intercept Queen last time, avoiding Marine's prying eyes, it's hard to say with Kaido's big mouth. So, for safety's sake, focus on developing Century City during this time."
"With your strength, as long as you don't openly rebel, Marines will be the strongest shield for Century City."
"By the way, I've already informed Dante. If there's anything in Century City that needs help, you can give him a call. In most cases, even government officials have to give me face."
Especially now, with Rowen's monumental achievement of killing Golden Lion Shiki, the Gorōsei (Five Elder Stars) had shown no objection. This was the greatest affirmation of Rowen!
With Rowen's high achievements, as long as he didn't revolt, even if he did something reckless, the Gorōsei (Five Elder Stars) could endure it.
Fujitora understood this, and he raised his teacup with a sigh of relief. "Thank you, Vice Admiral Rowen!"
"You're welcome!"
If we consider the last battle, Queen's non-participation was quite innocent. It wasn't Rowen who sent Fujitora on that mission.
Keep in mind that Jack's attack on the G-5 branch was an unexpected situation. Therefore, the emergency measure of Fujitora intercepting Queen was also a contingency.
After all, the Hundred Beasts Pirates never concealed their whereabouts. This was an unexpectedly unanimous trait among the Yonko. This just happened to give Fujitora an opportunity.
As the mastermind behind the scenes, Rowen had an obligation to ensure the safety of his partner.
With everything settled, Rowen didn't linger and took the initiative to bid farewell.
"The next time I come back, I hope to hear the news of your successful opening."
"May your words be true!"
Fujitora slightly smiled. Cooperating with Rowen made him feel like he was gradually moving towards his goal, rather than enduring and waiting like he did in the first half of his life. So, don't even mention waiting a few months for Rowen to handle quests; he could accept it even if it took a year or two.
(End of this chapter)