Chapter 27: Chapter 27
<...40 million Beli. Highest amount in the East Blue.>
In the gloomy weather of this island named 'Sixis,' Rowan was lying on the roof of the wooden house that he built. It was early in the morning, and the newly recruited Deuce seemed asleep still—judging by the loud snoring noise from below.
<I've heard of your violent tendencies throughout the years of your career as a bounty hunter. Grimheart... truly the fitting name for an evil man such as you.>
Rowan raised his hand up and gazed at it. Unlike in the past, his knuckles and arms were filled with some noticeable scars. They were the proof that he's undergone many life-threatening situations, ones that would've cost a life if it were to be an average individual instead.
<I am Smoker, the newly appointed commander of Logue Town Marine Branch. And I promise... that you will never get past me.>
"He didn't seem much stronger than me. But that damn devil fruit power of his..." Rowan muttered to himself, "The smoke somehow hit me like a solid does, and yet, when I tried to strike back, my punches and kicks simply passed through without any resistance—like a gas would. What kind of smoke is that even?"
But eventually, he dropped the frown. Sitting up from his position, he gazed at the stormy weather right outside the island,
"Nonetheless, this means that the Grand Line must be full of enemies with ridiculous powers like that. Smoker, and also, Nami who found that Flame Flame fruit on this island. If I'm unable to stand over the top of such ones, I can't reach the One Piece."
Therefore, after discovering this island by chance, he trained vigorously. Setting this place as a base and heading out only when the food was needed, he stressed his body to its maximum and beyond.
"My only question is... is this enough?" Said Rowan as he turned his head around,
and at the back of the house, there lied a messy scenery, where all trees were found fallen with visible cracks and holes—supposedly caused by brute forces—on their barks. Behind those was a tall, huge, and cylinder land mass that contained many caves, and from within those caves, the eyes of the strange and monstrous-looking birds looked at Rowan in caution and fear.
From these points, it was evident, that Rowan's stay on this island wasn't a normal one.
__________
The wild waves crashed over the shore of Sixis. By no means was the magnitude of said waves normal, and witnessing this from quite nearby, Deuce couldn't help but gulp.
"...Are you sure about this?"
It was by this exact sea current, and the stormy gale above, that he was sent plummeting to this island. Watching as Rowan and Nami casually got aboard one wooden ship and readied for the sail, Deuce couldn't help but ask,
"Won't the ship sink before we manage to get out of this sea?"
"In usual cases, yes." Nami put on a confident smirk, "But not with my ability."
Relatively small and agile, this ship exhibited the traits of a 'Caravel,' and by no means was this the marine ship that Rowan and Nami had for 3 years. However, only one thing entered Deuce's sight—one notable feature that distinguished this ship from many others.
"That thing at the back," Asked Deuce, "Is that a booster?"
At the back of the ship, there was one gigantic booster, covering a considerable magnitude of surface area. Noticing Deuce's gaze at it, Rowan informed with a chuckle,
"Say hi to our 'Shooting Star.' This is going to be our ship for years from now on."
"...Shooting Star, huh." There was a change of light in Deuce's eyes. He was reminded of his original purpose of heading out to the sea, to experience the adventure full of wonder that only read through books before.
'With this ship, for sure...'
"What are you waiting for?" Rowan then called casually, waking Deuce up from his thought, "Get in. We're leaving right away."
"...Yeah," Deuce came to form a grin of excitement, "Am coming."
With all three members of the crew on board, and all supplies moved onto the ship, all necessary preparations were made.
2 years. 2 years have already passed since Rowan's first attempt to enter the Grand Line. They've used Sixis as the base for a long amount of time, enough for the frequency—the number of times that the title 'Grimheart' was spoken by the public—to diminish.
"Nami."
"Leave it to me!"
Nami quickly descended to the inner floor of Shooting Star. Rowan subsequently said to Deuce, "Deuce. If you don't wish to get flown out, hold onto something."
Deuce took in a deep breath as he nodded and held onto the rail.
The attached booster at the back of the ship began to brighten up. Feeling the scorching heat that emanated from it, Deuce flinched while slightly distancing himself. He turned to look at Rowan, but found that the latter wasn't fazed by it, not at all.
"Rowan!" Then, through the opened door that leads to the inner floor, Nami's yell was heard, "We're ready to go!"
Rowan raised his head up and ensured for the final time that the sails were folded. Then, he shouted,
"Do it!"
BOOOM!
At the next moment, with the burst of fire from the booster, Shooting Star was propelled high into the sky. With a soundless scream, Deuce desperately clung to the rail.
On the other hand, Rowan held onto the pole of the ship with one hand and grinned as they were flown out of the stormy and wild environment and into the clear sea within seconds. The black coat that he was wearing fluttered against the strong wind, but the only feeling that said harsh wind managed to invoke in him was that of enthusiasm.
"Deuce," Rowan ordered, "Unfold the sail."
"Gruhhhhh," Deuce, whose mouth was undergoing the intense pressure of the air, latched onto the rope that was right next to him and pulled.
With a dramatic whoosh, the white sail sprang out into life and showcased the jolly roger of the Grimheart Pirates to the world—one where the skull's two top-most bones were enveloped by the black coat that extended all the way down to the two lowest bones' back.
"Heh—!" Grinning, Rowan spun the steering wheel. The sail changed the direction it was looking at, and along with Nami's supply of fire, the ship began gliding up high in the air. Deuce, experiencing this unbelievable flight, forgot his airborne form and looked at the mesmerizing sky and sea all around in awe.
'This time around,'
And Rowan thought with a burning resolve,
'I really am coming, Grand Line.'
__________
[2 Days Later]
It was a bright and sunny day. Within the Garriale Town of Nutshaker island, numerous civilians enjoyed such weather as they carried on with their daily lives.
At the side of the busy street, there was one man enjoying his meal outdoors. Orange hat containing smiley badges and freckles across his cheeks, his name was Portgas D. Ace, man who's recently set out to become a pirate.
"July 24th, year 1519."
Ace remarked with his mouth full of food,
"Man, it's already been like 6 months since I left home. Hm..." He then chuckled, "Heh, bet that Luffy will be surprised if I tell him just how many I managed to beat so far—
—zzz..."
before suddenly falling asleep on the spot. His head flopped, landing directly on the piece of meat that he was busy consuming. The nearby people stopped by to stare at Ace in confusion, but as the latter jolted back up, flinched before resuming their walks.
"Ugh... now, where was I?" Emptying the food and standing up, Ace hummed, "If I manage to catch more bounties here and there, I'd be able to purchase a decent ship and head to the Grand Line—wait, what about recruiting crew members then?"
BOOM!
Then, along with the thunderous noise, the wooden wall of one nearby building burst into multiple pieces. As the cloud of dust arose, one severely injured man, wearing a rockstar-like attire, was found to be desperately limping backward, trying to escape from his malefactor.
"Hah, where do you think you're going?"
As people gasped and took steps back, another man exited through the hole of the building. Messy beard, cutlass on his right, and booze on his left. The appearance suggested that he was more of a beggar than a pirate—to Ace, at the very least.
"A-ahhh... p-please, spare me!!"
"HAHAHAHA!!! Maybe I will, if you tell me where your boss hid that jewel that you folks stole!!"
"J-Jewel...?" The injured man shook his head in fright, "I-I don't know!! I really don't!!!"
"Lies!!!" The other one growled before stabbing the blade on the ground next to the injured man, "Do you take us for idiots?!! A week after the discovery of 'Gouma's Bloody Tear' in Mine Village by a man named Bobson, the entire village was found dead!! And the pieces of evidence we've gathered suggested that they were doings of your folks, the Bartolomeo Family!!!"
"...Eh?" That's when Ace found himself tilting his head with his arms crossed. Rather than the context itself, he was looking at the eyes of the man with the cutlass. Hollow and lifeless; for some reason, those pair of eyes looked robotic to him.
"G-Gaahhhh!!! I-I-I really don't!! Our family rules over at least 100 towns, and I am merely someone of a rock-bottom rank!!"
As Ace continued watching the commotion in interest, there stood another unique-looking man some distance away. Seeming much older than Ace in terms of age, his appearance consisted of heart-shaped glasses and a striped and beard-like mushroom stem on his chin.
He was Jango, the Vice Captain of the notorious Black Cat Pirates.
"...So it isn't this one either." Jango muttered thoughtfully, "Captain said that the mafia's base must either be here or in Deathmetal Town. Seeing how that one looks oblivious, the latter option must be the case."
Adjusting his black hat, Jango turned and sneakily moved out as the subject of his hypnotism continued screaming at the member of Bartolomeo Family—not knowing that Ace was staring at him in suspicion.
"...Hehe," Ace grinned with daring eyes, "I smell something fun."
__________
"Gouma's Bloody Tear! It may seem the same as countless gems around the world, but no! It's hella special! Its market price reaches up to 100 million at least—the same price as one devil fruit!"
In one huge ship, the blue-haired man with a red Rudolph-like nose—Buggy the 'Clown'—slammed his hand on the table where the newspaper lied.
"Apparently, it's a rare mineral formed by the perfect mix of seastone and bloody sapphire! Hundreds of years ago, a huge war was said to have happened to attain this one gem, but in the end, Gouma managed to sneak it away—after attaining a critical injury that cost him his life in the Mine Village!"
Sitting around the table were the members of Buggy Pirates. Their eyes flashed in greed, eager to take that treasure for their own. Noticing the grins full of glee, Buggy laughed,
"Gyahahaha! And we managed to intercept this letter midway—one that promised the transport of the treasure to the place called Deathmetal Town!" Buggy leaned forward, matching the others' grin with his own, "Well then, what should we, the flashy Buggy Pirates, do?!"
"Steal, of course!!!"
"And buy lots and lots of booze and women!!!"
"We'll be rich!! Hahaha!!"
"Deathmetal Town is known to be ruled by the Bartolomeo Family! Though they're said to rule over 100 towns, this newly born organization can't hope to match us veterans!" Buggy then stated in excitement, "And there will be no hesitation!! Right onto Deathmetal Town, my reliable subordinates!!"
"""Aye aye, captain!!!"""
Just like that, many noteworthy powerhouses of the East Blue began to gather at the Deathmetal Town, the location unfamiliar to most. And at the same time,
__________
"So, by the way," Deuce asked as Shooting Star landed on the sea and sailed peacefully, "What's our destination?"
Rowan pointed his finger at one island that stood right in between Sixis and Logue Town,
"Deejay island. Heard that there's a town named Deathmetal there, but we aren't going to stay for a long time. Just restock supplies and be on our way."
Yawning out of boredom, Rowan then sat down to his seat. After a few moment of silence, Rowan held his arm out,
"Hey, Deuce,"
"What's up?"
"You up for a round of arm-wrestling?l
"U-uh… no thanks."
"…Boring."
Rowan raised his head up and saw,
"Woooohooooo~!!!"
Nami enjoying her time in the sky, freely flying and shooting fireballs everywhere to the sea. She was wild and crazy-looking almost, but Rowan could tell that she was enjoying the experience to the fullest.
"I tell you. If I see one devil fruit in my way," Rowan exclaimed, "I'm eating it right away."
"…Because it looks fun?"
"Yep."
"What if it's something like Ugly Ugly fruit?"
"An ability to make others ugly? Sounds strong as hell."
Deuce sweatdropped.
Weekly Power Status
-- Power
Ranking 
-- Power
stone