Roger, a moniker that brought immense suffering to Ace.
To safeguard the pirate king's offspring, Portgas D. Rouge, Ace's mother, carried him for 20 grueling months. She utilized various techniques to delay his birth as much as possible.
In the end, she passed away from exhaustion the moment her son was born…
Ace's arrival was marked by the loss of his loved ones and his notorious heritage only added to his distress, shaping his extreme and unpredictable mindset.
Ace aspires to become the pirate king not to demonstrate his superiority, but to honor his mother by proving that he can accomplish what that man, Roger, did.
Despite Ace's opinions, Roger and the Roger pirate crew reign as the ultimate power in the seas, with their dominance over the New World and their successful ascent to Raftel. Roger is the awe-inspiring Overlord who left many speechless and helpless in his lifetime.
The destruction of the Spade Pirates opened Ace's eyes to the harsh reality of the "Freedom" he choose, while the battle between Rowen and Shanks showed him his own limitations.
Although he did not fully comprehend what it meant to be a "Yonkō (Four Emperors)", the unwavering conviction of Rowen and Shanks made him acutely aware of his own weakness, one that lies in the soul.
In comparison, he feels like a mere child next to their formidable strength.
Kā Chā…
Beckman strode back onto the deck, cigar clamped between his teeth and knelt down to secure Rowen with Seastone handcuffs. "Alright! Now there won't be any problem… Loo, how are the chefs doing? Let's not keep the feast waiting any longer!"
"Everything's good! A few barrels of wine may have been broken, but it shouldn't affect the drinking supply if we drink less…" Lucky Roo chomped on a chunk of meat and gave a thumb's up.
The Red Hair Pirates on the deck were in disbelief upon hearing the news.
"What?! No more wine?!"
"How terrible! A party without wine is no party at all!"
"Vice Captain! Contact the Marines and request a ransom! We still have time to purchase more wine!"
Even Rowen's intense battle with Shanks didn't evoke such a loud and frantic outcry from them.
Rum is the lifeblood of pirates!
This statement holds true and cannot be argued.
Beckman's lips twitched and he couldn't help but roar with his sharp teeth showing, "You fools! Clean up the deck first! Can't you see this isn't a dog kennel, but our Red Force ship?! "
"Hahaha, it's no big deal. We'll clean up together after the feast," Shanks tried to diffuse the tension with a laugh. However, as soon as he spoke, Beckman's anger was directed toward him.
"And you, Shanks! Why did you play around with him for so long when you could have easily taken care of the problem with one move?! This is our pirate ship, and all the damage is on us!"
"Isn't it possible to ask for a ransom? What's so great…" Being scolded, Shanks curled his neck and spat out saliva in disdain.
"Huh? What did you say?!" Beckman's eyes were blazing, and black smoke could be seen emanating from behind him.
Shanks: "…"
Not good!
He really pissed off Beckman!
Indeed, Shanks had really incensed Beckman. But just as the situation was escalating, Shanks' expression suddenly froze, and he looked like he couldn't believe what he was seeing.
Beckman, who was in the middle of scolding Shanks, also fell silent, his expression a mixture of shock and disbelief, as he slowly turned his head away.
The deck was silent, and the pirates had various expressions, but all of them were filled with terror. Because, in the center of the deck, a man suddenly opened his eyes and stood up straight, like a zombie, as if he was being held up by some invisible force.
"Gurgle…"
With his mouth wide open, he coughed out a cloud of scarlet mist that was visible to the naked eye.
Rowen stood with his feet apart, his hands holding the Seastone handcuffs hanging below his waist, his back slightly bent, his expression still calm. His eyes, red and shining like a wild beast, slowly scanned across the pirates. Each time his gaze passed over someone, they felt their hearts pounding with fear.
Slap!
Beckman's grip relaxed, causing his cigar to fall from his hand and onto the ground.
He was shocked and asked, "Shanks, how much power did you hold back?"
"None, I didn't hold back any power," Shanks replied as he shook his head.
He then said something that took Beckman by surprise: "I used my full-powered Haoshoku Haki. It's a miracle that he even survived that."
Shanks gazed at the imposing figure standing in the center of the deck, exuding an aura of untamed ferocity like a wild animal and he quietly placed his hand on the hilt of his sword.
The person in question had already been restrained by Seastone handcuffs.
Shanks knew this as the opponent had already been defeated once.
He is clear about that and he has the confidence to repeat his victory!
But Shanks still felt a shiver run down his spine as he felt the overwhelming aura of violence and danger that surrounded Rowen and he prepared himself for battle.
He realized that his earlier assessment of the situation had been far too optimistic. Rowen was nothing short of an earth-shattering, doomsday-level natural disaster!
Huā Lā La…
As the Seastone handcuffs clinked together, Rowen's focus shifted toward them.
"Interesting," Rowen muttered, feeling the full effect of their power.
His muscles had lost all their strength and the thunder power that had become a part of his instincts had vanished. The small handcuffs were like a massive weight, suppressing all of his surging energy.
Despite this, Rowen was still able to stand on his own two feet, a testament to his incredible physical ability.
With a quick shake of his hands, he realized that he couldn't break free from the Seastone's grip in his current state. Without a word, Rowen pivoted and fixed his gaze on Ace, locking eyes with him.
Hoo…!!
Ace appeared nervous, his fists unconsciously igniting with a raging flame. The fire burned brightly, causing the surrounding wood chips to ignite and burst into sparks.
Pī Li Pā Lā.
"What are you up to?" Ace challenged, his voice carrying a hint of fear. Despite being restrained by the Seastone handcuffs, which gave Ace immense power over Rowen's life and death, Ace lacked the confidence to show strength. Instead, he was on guard, wary of Rowen's sudden attack.
"Ah!"
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