Sabaody Archipelago, District 41.
“No wonder the Celestial Dragons themselves say that the Donquixote Family is different… Even the esteemed Celestial Dragons would protect a mermaid.”
In a narrow alley, standing outside a bar named “Chilia,” Rowen recalled the scene he had witnessed earlier and a mysterious smile appeared on his face.
Indeed, the one who was injured was a Celestial Dragons’ pet, but it didn’t bear the mark of the “Heavenly Dragon’s Hoof”… If Mjosgard hadn’t come forward and declared that the injured mermaid girl was his pet, she would have met a tragic fate at the hands of those bloodthirsty pirates.
“The personal charm of Princess Otohime is truly powerful!”
“Even a Celestial Dragon who does nothing but wicked deeds can be whitewashed by her…”
“Well… too bad it’s the Donquixote Family.”
Rowen shook his head, giving up on delving into the secrets behind it, and pushed open the door of the bar.
Creak…
The worn-out louvered door was slowly pushed open, and a unique aroma of alcohol wafted in the air.
There were hardly any customers inside the bar, except for the boss lady who was wiping the glasses behind the counter while holding a cigarette, and an old man sitting on a long wooden chair by the window, with his legs crossed and a newspaper held up.
“Sorry, we’re closed today. Come back tomorrow.”
The boss lady said without looking up.
“I’m not here to drink…”
Rowen casually closed the wooden door behind the louvered door. When the sunlight was completely shut out, he raised his head and smiled.
“I’ve heard your names for a long time, and today, seeing you in person, it’s truly… a pleasant surprise!”
…
Before coming to Sabaody, Rowen never expected to encounter these two individuals.
After all, after Garp’s “Visit,” the notorious Shakky’s Rip-off Bar in the Sabaody Archipelago was closed down.
‘The drums were thundering, firecrackers were sounding, and pirates from all walks of life bid farewell with raised hands!’
Cough, cough…
The entire District 13 was turned upside down by the Marines, and the first thirty districts were more or less affected.
In the end, considering Sabaody’s peculiar nature, continuing the investigation might uncover some major secrets that should remain buried, so the Marines were forced to abandon the chase.
But the result!
The two culprits not only didn’t leave but instead resumed their old business and continued their lives in District 41.
“Hey!”
The sunlight was blocked, and the newspaper couldn’t be read anymore.
The old man at the door sighed, and lowered the newspaper, revealing a face full of wrinkles and silver hair.
He glanced at Rowen, then turned to the boss lady and said, “Shakky, I’ve said before that we should move somewhere else. Look, now we’ve been found!”
The boss lady, known as Shakky, didn’t respond. She exhaled a smoke ring and said to Rowen, “Whoever you are, when you step into the shop, you’re a customer. Marine Headquarters Vice Admiral Rowen, what business do you have with us?”
“Do you think…”
“What kind of business can Marine have with pirates?”
Rowen sneered and released high-voltage electric snakes, causing all the iron and steel objects in the room to tremble as if he was about to strike at any moment.
The old man, Rayleigh, raised an eyebrow and pressed his hand on the table with a bit more force, his expression becoming serious.
“Young man, I don’t think it’s a wise decision for you to act now!”
Even though he was old, Rayleigh was known as the “Right Hand of the Pirate King” and was proficient in all three types of Haki. His Sword Technique was incredibly astonishing, and his strength was immeasurable!
Some say Rayleigh was the “Dark King” of the Roger era, and Rowen could only say that in terms of status, it was not wrong.
But Roger was not a Yonko!
He was the Pirate King above the Yonko!
As the right-hand man of the Pirate King, Rayleigh’s strength might not be on par with the current Yonko, but he couldn’t be simply summarized as a “Dark King.”
With just Rowen alone, not only Rayleigh but Rowen himself also believed that he couldn’t pose much of a threat. However, it wasn’t just Rowen on this island… Admiral Kizaru was the main reason they closed down today.
As soon as he finished speaking, a surging electric current suddenly surged outward. With a loud bang, the tables, chairs, and stools were forcefully pushed aside but the two men remained calm and unaffected.
As expected, after the electric surge, Rowen had already dissipated the electric current surrounding him.
Through the path cleared by the surge, he walked straight to the bar counter and sat down, saying, “I’m here to find some answers. If your answers satisfy me, I promise not to reveal your presence here.”
“Do you think we would believe the Marines?”
Rayleigh found it a bit funny. As old-time pirates, he and Shakky had clashed with the Marines countless times and knew well the cunning nature of the Marines.
Especially after Sengoku became the Commander-in-Chief, the Marines were adept at breaking promises and taking advantage of the situation. They had long lost the upright and dignified demeanor when “Steel Bone” Kong was the Fleet Admiral.
But at this moment, Shakky suddenly spoke, “Hmm, that’s a fair trade. Tell us what you want to know… Oh, by the way, would you like something to drink?”
After speaking, she turned her head and looked at Rayleigh, who had a confused and helpless expression on his face and disdainfully snorted.
“As an old man who drinks on credit, do you want to pay for rebuilding this shop again?”
She emphasized the word “again” with added emphasis.
Rayleigh: “…”
‘Hey, my life is already tough, don’t tear it apart!’
Rayleigh felt like he had been dissed and the corners of his mouth twitched as he raised the newspaper to cover his face… Shakky turned on the lights, preventing him from continuing to be embarrassed.
“Just plain water is fine…” Rowen responded calmly, showing no concern about being poisoned. He then stated his first request.
“I want information and traces on Edward Weevil and Miss Bakkin.”
Shakky’s Rip-off Bar… Oops, Information House! Information trade was the foundation that supported Shakky’s tavern, while the surface alcohol business was just a disguise.
It was certain that there were still people on Sabaody who knew that Shakky’s bar hadn’t been abandoned after its destruction.
But as an information dealer who had eyes and ears everywhere, Shakky couldn’t be sure if her own secrets were being held by someone else. Until the truth was confirmed, all factions had no choice but to turn a blind eye.
“Edward Weevil?”
Shakky raised an eyebrow for a moment and exchanged glances with Rayleigh. “I do know about him. After all, a pirate with a bounty of 4,000,000,000 Berries in the first half is considered a great character. But who is Miss Bakkin?”
‘Could it be that she hasn’t taken control of him at this point?’ Rowen thought as noticed Shakky’s surprise, but he didn’t show any abnormality on his face. He simply picked up his water glass and said calmly, “When an information dealer asks questions, it’s not a good sign.”
“If you don’t know, should I consider giving up on this trade?”
Huh…
In response, Shakky exhaled a smoke ring, looked at Rowen with a slanted eye, and raised three fingers.
“Give me three days, and you will have what you want!”
As the owner of Shakky’s Information House, Shakky had the confidence to make such a statement.
“That’s good… Now, the second question!”
…
(End of this chapter)
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