Hey guys! Sorry for letting your hopes up, if you were expecting a second chap, haha.
This is the altered version of chapter 128 that already has been posted today; almost everything is the same, except for the fact that Rowan's redemption doesn't happen here.
I'm going to be out tmw, so won't be able to post a chapter; please do take your time to look and vote which version is better.
Vote:
1. Original Version (Kuroobi forgiven) should be kept [42]
2. Alternate Version (Kuroobi dies) should be kept [4]
After approximately 24 hours, I will be deleting one version based on the vote, before continuing the story. If you do leave a vote here, thank you! I appreciate your help!
______________________
[Alabasta]
"Whew, it's so hot in here!" A man with a long nose, Usopp, exclaimed as he let out his tongue and sweated profusely, "Doctor Chopper, I... I think I need that water right now! Or else, I will die!!"
The doctor that Usopp called, a tiny and cute reindeer-raccoon-like creature, Chopper, blushed as he rubbed the back of his head, "Ehehe, I'm a doctor—wait, you are lying again, aren't you?!"
*Bonk*
Chopper hit Usopp's head comically, "We need to save water as much as we can!! Besides, why are you carrying all those unnecessary things under your cloak?! Of course it will cause you to use a lot of energy to move around!!!"
"All of them are the weapons of a true warrior, Chopper! I'm not throwing any of them away!"
"...How did someone like you manage to sail by yourself, Usopp?"
Usopp lifted his head up haughtily,
"Hmph, the one standing in front of you is none other than the brave warrior, Usopp! I saw one ship about to leave the Logue town, and threatened them to carry me along—huh, is that a giant scorpion?"
Believe it or not, it was true. Usopp, who may have gone by 'Usopp the Liar' in another universe, has become a capable combatant through his experiences against many foes,
although sometimes,
""AHHHHHHHHHH!!""
...he still was a coward.
______________
[Thriller Bark]
"Eh... my shadow is back all of a sudden!"
"Me as well!"
"What's going on?" A woman with huge lips and pink-coloured hair, Charlotte Lola, muttered in confusion, "Is Gecko Moria dead?"
_______________
[Baltigo]
"Ivankov." The head of the Revolutionary Army, the Supreme Commander Monkey D. Dragon, smiled as he firmly shook his hand with the hand of one big-headed man, Ivankov, "We're glad to have you back here."
"Me as well!" Ivankov grinned, "I thought that we were going to die there... or not!"
"Heh, you are the same as always."
"You as well, Dragon!"
It seemed that Ivankov and the other Newkamas managed to escape from the Impel Down, thanks to the Grimheart pirates and Blackbeard pirates wreaking havoc in there.
And on the other side,
"Hm..." Chief of Staff Sabo, the second-in-command of the Revolutionary Army, squinted his eyes to the newspaper that he was holding, "Portagus D... Ace...? Why does this name look so familiar?"
_______________
[Sabaody Archipelago, Grove 25]
"Say," A short man with a black fedora hat, Capone Bege, stated in a calm tone as he sliced his steak, "which one should I be more afraid of? The Admirals or Grimheart?"
"The former definitely are the noteworthy individuals that we can't dare to oppose against. And the latter defeated all of them." A member of his crew replied honestly, "At the current moment, the Admirals can't afford to exert their full strength, thanks to the injuries granted by Grimheart. On the other hand, Grimheart seemed to have made an incredible recovery, judging by the fact that... he wiped out the whole Enies Lobby off the map two days ago."
Bege continued impassively, "And to think that just a month ago, he was naught but one of us with a bounty of 205 million Beli... ha! Now, he is given the title of 'the Emperor of the Paradise,' hence making him the fourth Emperor who replaces Whitebeard. Can he really be considered a super rookie at this point?"
"I mean, if we think that way, all of his crew members, except for that horse, are all Supernovas..."
"Father... I don't understand. What's the point in saying all this?"
"Therefore," Bege stated, "don't oppose Grimheart. Don't meet Grimheart. If you see a sliver of his hair, retreat immediately. Simply stay hidden, since with his presence here, the Marine and World Government won't dare to strike."
*Clang*
Then, Bege frowned upon hearing the sound of a utensil being dropped. Turning around, he was sighted with a pink-haired woman, Jewelry Bonney, munching on a gigantic piece of ham.
"Hmph... how disgraceful." Bege muttered, "Vito."
"Yeass, father—rero!!!" Vito said in eccentric demeanour before walking toward Jewelry Bonney and her crew daringly.
"Huh?" Bonney quirked her eyebrow upon sighting Vito's approach.
"You woman over there—rero, stop making noises right now—rero! Our father is quite displeased with—"
*BAM*
With a tickmark on her face, Bonney slammed the sole of her right foot onto Vito's face, causing the latter to be sent blasting back.
*BOOM*
"Can't you... *Munch*, freaking see that I'm eating right now?!!" Bonney shouted in annoyance, before diving into her food again.
"Well... no one can stop captain when she is eating." One member of the Bonney pirates said with a grin, "So f*** off, rero-man."
"""Hahahaha!!!!"""
The Bonney pirates all laughed boisterously.
"Vito!" Bege, while wiping his mouth with a napkin, stated with a frown, to which Vito immediately stood up from his spot strictly.
"I'm sorry, father—rero! I'll go serious this time—rero!"
Bonney, hearing this, stood up while munching on a giant piece of bread,
"What, you wanna have a go?!"
Bege's eyes narrowed,
"How pompous."
Placing his napkin down and casually washing his hand with a wet paper towel that one of his henchmen brought, Bege stood up and lifted up his gun toward Bonney.
*BANG*
________________
[Grove 20]
"This place is huge." Rowan muttered, "And you say that it has no magnetic field?"
"It's just a massive forest growing in the middle of the ocean." Nami said as she inspected the surrounding with wonder, "Also known as the final island of the Paradise. I... we... we didn't really plan on coming this far yet, but after being caught by the Marine, we ended up coming all the way here..."
"You, Nojiko, and your crew definitely are something that we have to discuss of—oh, that's Grove 21." Rowan momentarily stopped upon noticing the large number on the mangrove tree, [21], before continuing his way as he carried Nami,
"Anyway, they probably identified us as the allies. Judging by the fact that we are from the same village, they may have some suspicions regarding the Cocoyasi village... which is why I sent those Youchihas there."
Nami grimaced, "Our village, will it... be fine?"
Rowan replied, "Probably. Those World Government officials value their reputation the most. In whatever action that they may be taking, they need an excuse for it. As long as they are aware that the villagers have nothing to do with our piracy, they won't be able to do anything. But nonetheless, better to be safe than sorry."
"...By the way," Nami asked as she looked around, "don't you think it's awfully quiet wherever we go?"
"Don't bother. They're just hiding like rats—and that's Grove 22—hm?"
Rowan came to a stop upon reaching Grove 22. In front of him, the pirates, reaching up to thousands in terms of number, were carrying supplies, and... people with chokers on their necks: slaves.
"What? What is it? Let me see as well!" Nami, who was still hanging on Rowan's shoulder, wiggled in an attempt to take a look as well, but Rowan seemed to have frozen as if he was unable to hear Nami.
"Eh?!" One pirate, who noticed Rowan and Nami, exclaimed in annoyance, before backing up abruptly in shock, "G-G-G-G-G—"
"Ah, f***!!!!! S***!!! Run!!!!!!" One pirate, having forgotten what he was doing just now, threw away the sack of gold that he was holding, and began to sprint away—only to see that his head has come off of his neck by his superior, Scythe.
"Well, look who we got there." Scythe licked his lips, "Grimheart Rowan. Bounty of 1.9 billion Beli... your head is a treasure greater than any other here."
However, Rowan didn't respond. Instead, he began to walk, with his eyes locked onto one particular part, where a Fish-man with a choker was being held by one pirate.
"...Kuroobi."
Rowan, who couldn't keep his head cool, muttered with an underlying hatred,
"What are you doing here...?"
Upon hearing Rowan's words, Kuroobi's eyes opened abruptly as he recognized the voice.
"R-Rowan..." Kuroobi couldn't help but whisper as he gazed at the bloodshot black-coloured eyes with red hues.
"Uh..." The pirate who was holding onto Kuroobi nervously gulped before putting down the latter and slowly backing away,
*Swoosh*
only to have his head cut off by Scythe just like his other crew mate.
"Full of useless baffoons, eh?" Scythe growled, "No wonder your captain handed you all in one go! F****** scam!!! This is why I told Jeanne to watch who we pick for the Davy Back fight!!!"
"Kuroobi...?" Upon getting herself off of frozen Rowan, Nami too saw Kuroobi's weakened form, "...No way."
Rowan couldn't help it. The man who killed his family—even if it was based on Arlong's order—was right in front of his eyes.
In the past, he made sure to pay back all the mistreatment that he received.
Arlong, who overtook the Cocoyasi village and ruled it with tyranny, died.
Rowly fleet, who betrayed him and became the loyal dogs of the World Government, died.
Mad Treasure, whose intervention resulted in him being imprisoned and his first crew being wiped out, died.
And now, there remained one final piece of his revenge: the one who directly killed his family.
"So don't. You don't deserve it." With nothing but an absolute fury, Rowan stated in a low tone as he gazed at Kuroobi, who was bowing down with his head on the ground.
"I'm sorry, Rowan... for what I have done." Kuroobi stated weakly, "After I finally returned here, did I realize... what you guys were forced to go through. We... we wanted to build our own Sabaody Park and take revenge on mankind, but... we were no different... from them, in the end."
"Stop..." Rowan growled as he leaned down and grabbed Kuroobi's neck, before lifting the latter off the ground, "Don't repent. Why did you change?! Why are you admitting that you are wrong?! Die like the rest, just like the scums that you are!!!"
Rowan didn't want to admit it. He didn't wish to know. However, Kuroobi meant every single word that he said; his Observation Haki doesn't lie.
"P-please... kek—if... if my death... is... a way for me... to repent to you..." Kuroobi, although in midst of dying, grinned weakly, "...go... ahead. Kill me... in the most... brutal... way... possible..."
"Ha...!" Rowan laughed like a mad man, "Bohahahahaha!!!!!!!"
Letting go of Kuroobi and turning around to Nami, Rowan whispered with hollow eyes,
"You got to be kidding me... right?"
Nami, who was already in her tears, stared back at Rowan as she felt a complex emotion overwhelming her.
"Ha, what the f*** is going on?" Scythe, at some distance away, snorted while flipping his hair, "Are you really crying, just because you saw one Fish-man on your way—"
*BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOM*
"What... the..." That was the last word Scythe muttered as he saw his limbs wildly flying in the air before everything went black to him.
The extremely potent blast engulfed Scythe and all the pirates in one go. Their bodies were dismantled into pieces, before being blasted back all the way to the sea at the out-skirt of Sabaody Archipelago.
Interestingly enough, all the slaves among them weren't harmed.
One slave exclaimed in a hoarse voice as he looked around, "Where did they go...?"
Rowan, as his eyes were shadowed, was outstretching his left fist toward where the explosion occurred.
"Nami... why is it that it's harder to kill one man than the thousands?"
Nami, as she wiped her tears, replied with her eyes full of hate, "Because... that man is... repenting for what he has done."
Rowan placed his hand over his eyes.
'Mom, dad, Pob...'
He couldn't help but reminisce over the time he's spent with his family. When he reincarnated in the beginning, he was confused and scared, of the strange occurrence that happened to him.
Stuck in a baby's body all of a sudden. The unknown faces all around him.
Rowan felt alone. He wanted to go back to his home in his world, not this world. He felt detached.
However, there was his family. His father, Fob. A lively person who continues day by day with bright optimism. His mother, Lass. A caring person who gave all the love that he needed, although her cooking ability... was debatable. His little brother, Pob. A cute boy, who loved to spend some time together with him.
Thanks to them, Rowan was able to get the sense that he, indeed, belonged to this world.
And... can he possibly forgive someone who took such a lovely family away from him? Just because that person simply sprouted out the words of repentance?
No.
"Nothing changed. It was bound to be like this the moment you showed yourself in front of me." Rowan, in a cold manner, stated as he clenched his fist, "And... and I'm glad that you chose death. Suffer just like my family did in your hands."
Rowan threw his fist forward, with the intention to blast Kuroobi's skull. However,
"...why?"
Rowan's fist came to a stop right in front of Kuroobi.
"Why are you guys stopping me?"
Was it a hallucination? Perhaps it was. However, Rowan definitely saw something.
The hands of his family holding his fist back.
"He killed you!!! He was the left-hand man of that despicable Arlong!!!" Rowan screamed as if he has gone insane, to thin air, "He... he deserves it, right?"
Kuroobi, although his body trembled in fear, kept his body firm on the ground, waiting for the judgment upon him.
Rowan felt as if his family were smiling at him. And truthfully...
those kind smiles looked idiotic in his eyes.
'Mom, dad, Pob...!' Rowan gritted his teeth, 'That's the reason you ended up dying!'
Who was he? The 'Grimheart' Rowan, known to have demolished the Marine base G-11, mercilessly slaughtered Crocodile, daringly fought against the prepared foes in the Marine base G-8, wreaking havoc in the Impel Down, before simultaneously saving Portagus D. Ace in midst of the battlefield and defeating all three Admirals and Garp the 'Marine Hero.'
'Kindness... is naught but a naive wish in this world.'
Rowan thrashed his hand out as if pushing those hands away.
'Virtuous act doesn't return to you.'
Rowan reminded himself of the time the Kneel pirates were killed.
'In this world where the strength governs everything, what will happen if Kuroobi gains a strength greater than me? Will he still repent?'
The answer was obvious: no.
'Someone despicable like him?! F****** NO!!!'
If so, why should he act against all reasons that suggest that he should kill Kuroobi?
Rowan momentarily closed his eyes, before his Conqueror's Haki exploded out domineeringly. Opening them once again, his purple-coloured eyes that were glowing under his bangs, which strangely seemed to be giving off a reddish gleam, glared down at Kuroobi.
'And... you got one thing wrong. After all, I haven't told you this one thing, have I.'
Rowan's hand, which was clenched in fist, loosened up as he placed his palm above Kuroobi's head gently.
Kuroobi lowered his body further as low as he can, to an extent where his whole face was touching the ground. He could see that his end has come.
'I'm not the boy named Youchiha Bob.' Rowan thought as he reminded himself of the purple-eyes boy who dwelled within him in the past,
'This is Rowan, and I've given up being a naive person a long time ago.'
Rowan's hand harshly gripped onto Kuroobi's skull, causing the latter to cry out in pain.
'Eye for an eye, tooth for a tooth.'
"Say it." Rowan whispered into Kuroobi's ear, "Say that you don't regret, that you are glad that Cocoyasi village suffered."
"I... I'm sorry..."
"Say it."
"I'm... kurgh... in the wrong..."
"SAY IT!!!!!!!!" Rowan shouted in fury as his Conqueror's Haki crackled madly.
"I..." Kuroobi, who as in a total mental distress due to Rowan's extensive use of Conqueror's Haki, weakly muttered, "I... can't, Rowan..."
Rowan, whose eyes gleamed murderously, backed off as he let out a sigh,
"Ha... fine.
Then die."
*BOOOOOOM*
Now, all that remained was a headless corpse, which used to be a man named Kuroobi.
*Thud*
Now, with all slaves having fainted due to Rowan's Haki and Nami grinning wickedly toward Kuroobi's dead corpse, Rowan turned around as his eyes died down back to their normal black-colour.
"...End of the story."
Rowan and Nami continued their way away from Grove 22, where nothing but a chaos remained.