Chapter 143

[Risky Red, One day after; August 7th, 1522]

Upon hearing a sincere apology from Shanks all of a sudden, the alliance lost its will to fight; Rowan ended up backing down to cool his head off.

And after the sudden surge of hostility faded away, a day swiftly passed by; now, Rowan was facing Shanks and his crew once more, face to face, with all his crew and allies standing behind him.

Rowan asked in a stern manner, "What exactly is the reason that you've decided to come all the way here just to see me?"

Someone of Shanks's caliber rarely visits the early section of the New World. The sudden burst of Conqueror's Haki back then, along with a forced party that ensued after—Rowan, now with a clear head, could see that Shanks was expecting him in the Risky Red.

"A simple intrigue, I'd like to say." Shanks chuckled.

Turning his head slightly, Shanks's eyes locked onto Bonney, who raised her eyebrow in inquiry.

"The formation of your alliance—you may believe it to be a mere coincidence that has been developed through the series of events. However, in my eyes," Shanks stated firmly, "it was naught but a destiny."

Everyone listened to Shanks intently.

"I have inherited the will of my old captain, Gol D. Roger. I sail within the vast sea of the New World for one purpose: to maintain the balance of this world until the arrival of the one who will set the world free from the god above."

Shanks, turning his attention back to Rowan, carried on,

"And I believe that such being is none other than Monkey D. Luffy, the younger brother of Portgas D. Ace."

"Ace...?!" Bonney muttered knowingly.

"Luffy... you mean that boy with straw hat back in Spriggins?" Robin remarked upon remembering the past events.

Rowan's eyes narrowed,

"Are you saying that Luffy is Joy Boy?"

Shanks's eyes widened in shock for a brief moment, but he quickly calmed himself down.

"Joy Boy... where did you hear that name from?"

Rowan replied impassively,

"I got an amazing archaeologist on my ship."

From the back, Robin waved her hand with an eye smile as everyone's eyes stared at her.

Rowan wasn't going to reveal the truth about Vasilia in front of the Red Hair pirates and the rest of his allies. Such a secret was meant to be kept only among his crew, especially since he couldn't afford to fully trust them.

Hence, Robin and her ability to read Poneglyphs worked as a card for Rowan to utilize. Using this fact as his advantage, he will be gaining as much information as he could from Shanks... if possible.

"Joy Boy shall arrive once more and free this world from the shackles that Imu above has spread throughout." Rowan explicitly accentuated the name 'Joy Boy' as he spoke, "How is that context related to the notion of our alliance being a fate?"

"...Poneglyphs... to think there still was someone in this world who could read them, even after all those acts that the World Government has done..."

Shanks muttered in amazement, but answered Rowan's question nonetheless,

"Fate, Rowan. Your rapid growth, incredible mastery over Observation Haki, and the quality of a supreme king—you were born into this world with a destiny of your own." Shanks stated, "In order to change this stagnant world ruled by Imu, the will has given a rise to the contenders, for better or worse. And one of them is you, without a doubt.

Therefore, I had to come here and ensure that you aren't someone like Marshall D. Teach."

Carina remarked, "Blackbeard? What's he got to do with Rowan?"

"The shrewd man who has been hiding everything about himself for over 20 years." Shanks grimaced, "If I am the inheritor of my old captain's will, then he... he is the inheritor of the will belonging to the world's worst calamity: Rocks D. Xebec."

'Rocks D. Xebec...' Rowan thought in realization.

<Xebec Fist!!!>

Garp named his strongest move after such a person; that extreme punch that Rowan found himself dumbfounded for once.

"Anything excess simply brings destruction. The world itself is in such a situation right now due to the 'absolute control' of Imu, but in the past, there was a rise to the contender named Rocks D. Xebec, the faithful believer of the 'absolute chaos.' And his goal was simple: to put an end to everything. Kill everyone in sight, until no one remains alive... it was the fruit that was born out of his hatred for the whole world."

Shanks, full of seriousness, peered upon Rowan,

"So tell me, what is your goal? What wish do you harbour to sail within this harsh sea?" Shanks said coldly, "Fame? Wealth? Power? Calamity upon the world? Tell me... what are you, Youchiha B. Rowan?"

Rowan stared right back at the Shanks adamantly. The goal... it was something that he's gone over countless times ever since he began his sail.

He still recalled when he bulls****** to Carmen and Dan about becoming the strongest there was, in order to recruit them. He tried to trick himself over and over with such a notion, in order to motivate himself to continue this dangerous journey.

But hey, could he still call such goal a bulls***? Within this world, in order to attain the peaceful life that he so yearned for, Imu, Kaidou, Big Mom, Marine, etc.; there were so many enemies that he had to dispose of. He did have to become the strongest.

Rowan raised his right hand up with his index pointing upward,

"I aim for the top. Nothing more, nothing less."

One day, if Rowan were to come to an end of his journey, it will be when all threats have been eliminated, when no one is able to oppose him any further.

"...Heh, that's a goal that I like." Shanks nodded with an interest. Rowan's words just now, in a way, could be interpreted in many ways. Being strongest. Sitting on the throne that is currently occupied by Imu. Becoming the Pirate King. Within this world, that's what it meant to be above everyone else.

However, to Shanks, one fact about Rowan remained true: in order to attain such means, destruction and chaos are not what Rowan will be seeking. After all, what's the point of being on the top when all else has perished?

Based on this, Shanks drew the conclusion that Rowan is drastically different from Teach.

Now, Shanks shifted his eyes to Beckman and gave a knowing look, to which the latter nodded before taking a step forward.

"Based on the information that we currently have, we assumed that you aim to defeat an Emperor... Kaidou to be specific." Beckman said in a monotone, which earned surprised looks from the Bonney pirates and Twin Cats pirates.

"Because of me, eh?" Law seemed to have figured out already, "It isn't hard to find out the connection between Doflamingo and Kaidou, especially since the scale of their business is exceedingly huge."

"We have a proposition," Shanks said to Rowan, who leaned in with interest, "which is for you to... keep doing whatever you are doing right now!"

Dan placed his hand on his chin, "By having us holding down Kaidou... what are you planning to do? Attack Big Mom... no. Judging by what you said... Blackbeard."

"Indeed." Shanks nodded, "Soon or later, Teach is bound to make his way to the New World. Not only is he far too dangerous to be left free due to his ideal, but also possesses..."

Shanks placed his hand on his left eye, where a scar lied,

"—two devil fruit abilities somehow."

"What?!" Rowan couldn't help but exclaim in shock, "Two?!"

The fruit ability that Rowan saw from Teach, was only the Dark Dark fruit. He couldn't really believe that Teach had two fruits, but if that scar from Shanks was from Teach—who was defeated by him—then perhaps, that really was the case.

"First is the Dark Dark fruit, the fruit in which he idealizes, for one of its previous users was none other than Rocks D. Xebec. Then, he also has the power of Mythical Zoan-type fruit; Dog Dog fruit, model: Cerberus. The last time I fought against him, I was caught off guard by that, and missed my opportunity to end him."

Rowan frowned, for he felt sincerity from Shanks's words; what he said was indeed true. He felt that Teach hiding his second devil fruit was similar to him hiding his Conqueror's Haki: Manifestation.

Beckman carried on,

"As you fight against Kaidou, we will actively hunt Blackbeard down. Big Mom is an opportunist; she won't intervene until one side is weakened, before taking the remains of the one who lost. Her relationship with Kaidou, based on their behaviours, isn't on good term either; I assure you that there is no need for you to worry about her intervention."

"How will this guarantee that balance of the world that you've been talking of?" Rowan retorted.

"With Kaidou and Blackbeard defeated, indeed. There only remains three Emperors. However," Shanks grinned, "So are the Marine. They've been weakened by far too much and the position of Seven Warlords still hasn't fully been filled yet; three is the perfect number to balance all out. That way, my goal will be achieved, and so will be yours. Instead of that title of the 'Emperor of the Paradise,' which is given by those Cipher Pols, you will be renowned as the actual Emperor whom the world cannot dare to oppose."

Rowan never knew that Shanks viewed Teach as such a threat. Although he has acquired a strange feeling regarding Teach when he first saw the latter in the Impel Down, the situation was too dire for him to check if Teach has died.

'If Teach indeed has the second devil fruit, then perhaps that explains how he managed to survive within that chaos.'

Rowan decided to focus on the present. Realistically looking, Kaidou and Big Mom still harbours the will to become the Pirate King. If one falls, the other will seize that opportunity to his or her advantage. Could he trust Beckman's word that Big Mom won't intervene?

"Teach is a bigger threat than Big Mom can ever be. And trust me, they won't touch Teach when he arrives in the New World." Shanks said with keen eyes, "In the long past, Big Mom and Kaidou were a part of Xebec's crew. Teach, who harbours Xebec's will... is none other than Xebec's one and only son!"

"...Rocks D. Xebec this and that... and how come none of us knew about him?" Carmen said to herself, as she found herself stupefied by the fact that many powerhouses were somehow related to the name Xebec.

"Haa..." Rowan, taking in a deep breath after hearing such information, looked at Shanks with a resolution, "Kaidou's mine."

Although the events seemed to be escalating, right from the formation of the alliance, Rowan's goal was simple: defeat Kaidou.

Shanks nodded firmly.

Beckman spoke up from Shanks's side, "A piece of advice. You and your alliance don't possess enough force to match Kaidou's. Try to provoke him to come out of his home turf, Wano. That way, your chance of victory will be higher."

"We thank you for your advice." Dan replied stoically in Rowan's stead.

Shanks, after Beckman's words, had his expression loosen, "Well, that's about it!"

Subsequently, he lifted up a bottle of beer on his right and began to chug it down, destroying the serious atmosphere that enveloped the area.

"What a headache." Rowan sat down on the nearby chair and groaned. He needed some rest.

____________

[Two days after, August 9th, 1522]

"If you have time, feel free to visit us in... not sure." Shanks rubbed the back of his head sheepishly.

Rowan simply waved his hand off, "Yeah, don't worry. Not feeling like seeing you again."

"That hurts?!" Shanks exclaimed with a fake pained expression.

"""Hahaha!!! You got rejected, captain!!!""" The Red Hair pirates, who were already aboard their ship, Red Force, laughed at their captain with no control.

"Dahaha! I know, right?!" Shanks simply laughed coolly, before giving Rowan one last look, "Until we see again, then! See ya!"

Rowan, his crew, and his alliance simply gazed off at the sea, finding themselves exhausted after being together with the Red Hair pirates for three days.

Party, party, party! Party 24/7, and every party involved drinking!

Nearby, Law was seen to be on his knees with a green face, feeling nauseous due to heavy alcohol intake.

*SNOORRREEEEEEE*

Urouge was snoring loudly, to an extent where it hurt.

"Ehe, ehehehe..." Carina was drunk beyond belief, as she latched onto Rowan's waist and continued to laugh like a fool.

The Red Hair pirates left in midst of this mess, much to Rowan's misery.

'I sincerely hope I don't see you ever again, Red Hair pirates.' From deep within his mind, Rowan decided to give those Red Hair pirates a middle finger,

'F*** you.'