Entering the main fortress of the Marine Headquarters, Rowan had hoped the situation might improve slightly.
He was wrong. In the corridors of the building, the busy clerical staff and field officers snapped to attention the moment they spotted him, offering crisp, respectful salutes. Even after Rowan nodded and walked past, they remained fixed in a "salute of the eyes," watching his back until the elevator doors slid shut. Only then did they return to their paperwork.
When the elevator reached the floor of the conference room, Rowan peeked out. Seeing the corridor empty, he finally let out a small sigh of relief. Finally, a place where no one was staring at him like he was a god descending from the heavens.
He made his way to the conference room doors and, with his tobacco pipe clenched between his teeth, pushed them open.
However, the moment he stepped inside, the officers—who had been either whispering in low tones or resting with their eyes closed—stood up in a synchronized wave, offering a perfectly standard Marine salute.
"Vice Admiral Rowan!"
The booming voices echoed through the hall, making for an incredibly grand spectacle. In the world of One Piece, strength is the ultimate currency; reputation is nothing without power to back it up. Only when your strength is formidable enough do you earn the respect that comes from the bottom of people's hearts.
Rowan was the embodiment of that truth now. He had the seniority and the terrifying power to match. The combination meant that every officer at Headquarters viewed him with absolute reverence.
But Rowan, who was used to keeping a low profile, simply rubbed his temples and shook his head in resignation. Even these high-ranking officers have turned into fanboys...
With a helpless sigh, Rowan returned the salute and waved his hand. "Alright, everyone, take your seats. There's no need for this in the future."
If Rowan were the type to enjoy the spotlight, these actions would have been incredibly gratifying. But he wasn't. The display of peerless swordsmanship against Momonga and the peak duel against Kong had been calculated moves to increase his system prestige. He just hadn't expected those two matches to push his fame to such an unprecedented, dizzying height.
While his system prestige was growing at an exponential rate—surpassing 4,000 points in just half a month—it had led to a result he truly disliked: he was simply too famous.
Recently, whenever a Marine spotted him, regardless of the distance or whether Rowan had seen them, they would salute with a look of utter worship. From recruits to elite Vice Admirals, they had all essentially become his fanatical followers. Who could handle that level of attention?
Once the officers had settled back into their seats as instructed, Rowan walked over with a wry smile to Sengoku, who was busy organizing documents.
"Master Rowan, how does it feel?" Sengoku teased, looking up from his files to see Rowan's pained expression.
"You brat, don't even start!" Rowan glared. "If you like this feeling so much, I'll spend the next few days following you around every second."
Sengoku quickly waved his hands and laughed. "Hahaha! No thanks, Master! I couldn't handle that kind of pressure. You keep that 'enjoyment' for yourself."
In the public eye, having everyone's gaze fixed solely on you is a weight that very few can bear—unless you're someone who thrives in the spotlight. Garp was the perfect example. Ten days ago, Garp was sticking to Rowan's side like a shadow, but he lasted less than forty-eight hours before he couldn't take the "staring treatment" anymore. He'd made an excuse and vanished. These last two days, Rowan couldn't even get a hold of the man.
"You troublesome kid!" Rowan cursed with a laugh, eventually shaking his head.
Since Rowan had arrived early, many officers slated for the meeting had yet to show up. Not a single one of the three Admirals had arrived either.
Creak...
Before long, the doors opened again, and a lethargic Aokiji strolled in. Though Aokiji was an Admiral—technically outranking Rowan's Vice Admiral status if you didn't count the "Honorary Admiral" title—the officers in the room didn't stand up for him as they had for Rowan. They merely nodded and offered verbal greetings. This made it clear that in the hearts of these Marines, Rowan's standing was already significantly higher than that of a sitting Admiral.
"Arara... Mr. Rowan, Fleet Admiral Sengoku. You're both quite early."
Aokiji greeted them first, then nodded to the other officers before taking his designated seat. As time passed, more and more "Justice" coats filled the room. Whether it was Kizaru or even Akainu, the first thing they did upon entering was either salute Rowan or offer him a formal greeting.
Tsuru arrived shortly after, bringing Gion and the young girl Peacock with her. Upon seeing Rowan, Gion lived up to her reputation—she lunged forward like a streak of light and stuck to his side like glue. Even though it had only been a few days, for Gion, it felt like several seasons had passed.
Peacock, who had grown familiar with Rowan over the last two weeks, also walked over with a bright smile to say hello.
Surprisingly, the last to arrive was Garp. No one knew where he had been fooling around, but he rushed in during the final minute before the meeting began. Once everyone was present, Sengoku, at the head of the table, declared the meeting officially open.
The meeting was as dull as ever. Reports of pirate crews rampaging, kingdoms being raided and needing support, and shifts in the balance of power across the seas. Rowan found none of it interesting.
However, as the meeting neared its conclusion, Sengoku put down his documents and brought up a topic that finally piqued Rowan's interest.
"Early this morning, I received an emergency intelligence report. A massive chemical explosion occurred at the Punk Hazard research facility in the New World."
"The entire facility was destroyed. The mastermind behind the incident, Caesar Clown, has been apprehended. We need a Vice Admiral from Headquarters to escort Caesar Clown to Impel Down for imprisonment."
"Does anyone here wish to take on this assignment?"
Caesar Clown?
Hearing the name, Rowan's eyes lit up. He was suddenly very interested.
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