Having activated the Geppo (Moonwalk) talent skill, Rowan naturally had to test it.
Although abilities gained through the Talent System were activated via a combination of memory infusion and physical enhancement, Rowan suffered from a persistent "if I don't try it, I'll go crazy" syndrome.
Pushing open the cabin door, he stepped onto the ship's corridor railing. He lightly tapped his foot and leapt, landing on the very top of the cabin.
Robin sat at a nearby table, reading. She noticed Rowan's movement, eyes flicked toward him, but seeing no commands issued, she almost returned to her book.
Then she saw it.
Rowan jumped again, reaching a height comparable to the lookout post at the masthead. But instead of pausing or climbing to the lookout, he stomped downward in midair, hitting the invisible air, creating a solid step, and launched himself higher.
Thump! Thump! Thump!
Step after step, Rowan climbed as if ascending a staircase made of solid air. Each movement gained only a small fraction of height, yet after a dozen steps he became a tiny black speck against the sky.
"Is that… Moonwalk?"
Robin's voice betrayed her awe. She knew Rowan could use Soru and Kami-e from the Rokushiki techniques, but this this was Moonwalk, a far more advanced skill. Few Marine recruits could ever hope to use it effectively, even if they trained for decades.
In the air, Rowan repeated the technique over twenty times in a row, ascending thirty to forty meters above the ship. His legs tingled, his muscles burning from exertion.
Moonwalk didn't literally create a platform in the air. Rather, it compressed air with immense force and speed, temporarily solidifying it enough to step. Misjudgment meant a fall; overexertion, collapse.
A single leap on solid ground could carry him ten meters; in midair, even one meter required full strength.
If not for the Talent System combining muscle memory and enhanced physical conditioning, he could never have reached such heights.
Suspended fifty meters above the sea, Rowan looked over the ocean, the wind brushing against his face. A faint smile appeared.
"Is that… the Flower Country?"
From that height, he could discern the distant silhouette of a small island on the horizon. It was close enough to make navigation straightforward.
Retracting his gaze, Rowan descended carefully, landing atop the cabin. The force of his landing cracked a section of the roof, nearly breaking through.
"Cough!"
He glanced at Robin. Her eyes flickered briefly in surprise, then she returned to her book, maintaining her calm composure.
Rowan instructed the ship's handymen to repair the cabin, then stepped onto the deck. He exhaled, steadying himself, before launching into Moonwalk again.
At this stage, Moonwalk was not just mobility it was training. It pushed his muscles, stamina, and coordination to their limits without needing heavy weights, making it perfect for refining his body.
The handymen gaped. Few had ever seen a human fly. Fear, awe, and respect rippled through them. Every hammer strike on the cabin repaired felt more diligent under Rowan's silent, commanding presence.
The Flower Country loomed ahead.
A pirate nation officially recognized by the World Government, its king held a seat in the World Council. Marines rarely interfered, and pirate crews freely operated within its harbors, maintaining a delicate balance.
The Happo Navy, the Flower Country's elite pirate militia, numbered over a thousand. Many wielded Haki capable of manipulating impact force, and even the reserves left in West Blue could maintain order against typical pirate crews.
The notorious Don Chinjao, leader of the Happo Navy, once roamed the Grand Line with a bounty of 500 million. Even after Garp famously flattened his head, his power remained enough to dominate lesser crews.
Rowan's ship approached the Flower Country port.
"As the intelligence stated… a true pirate nation," Robin murmured, eyes sweeping over the dozens of pirate vessels moored along the docks.
Rowan smiled faintly. "Rare in West Blue, but on the Grand Line, countries like this are commonplace."
Robin looked at him, surprised. "Captain… have you been to the Grand Line?"
Rowan stroked his chin. "I suppose so."
The ship's arrival stirred a commotion along the docks. News of the Ghost Hand Pirates spread far and wide. Whispers of Rowan's 64-million-Berry bounty earned by defeating a Marine Rear Admiral preceded him.
Pirates and dock workers alike stepped back, awe-struck.
"It's the Ghost Hand Pirates!""Didn't their captain just take down a Rear Admiral? 64 million bounty now!"
Ordinary West Blue citizens were unaware of the intricacies; the Marine reports made it seem as if Rowan were ambushed or cornered. The truth? Rowan had decisively defeated every opponent sent after him.
The Happo Navy, leaning casually on rails and smoking, paid little mind. Experienced veterans, some with bounties over 80 million, knew better than to provoke a crew capable of operating at this level even in West Blue.
Even the Ghost Hand Pirates, newcomers to the Flower Country, could not be ignored. Any trouble stirred here would provoke the Happo Navy, whose retaliation would be merciless.
Rowan stood at the bow, observing silently, his calm smile betraying nothing, even as the docks buzzed around him.
Moonwalk had granted him mastery over the battlefield not just the deck beneath his feet, but the skies above. And in this pirate haven, that advantage would prove invaluable.
If you want, I can immediately continue with Chapter 29, showing Rowan's first direct interaction with the Flower Country pirates and setting up the White Bear Pirates encounter fully consistent with One Piece power scaling, Haki usage, and canon-level pirate politics.
Do you want me to do that?