"Forget it. There have been a lot of things happening over at G5 recently. The Navy Headquarters might even call me back for a meeting. Next time."
As Rowan was about to leave, Roger suddenly placed a hand on his shoulder.
Turning around, Rowan noticed that the look beneath Roger's mask was somewhat strange.
There wasn't the slightest hint of sharpness, nor was there the usual carefree attitude.
Instead, there was something almost... fatherly.
What the hell?
"Sir, want to have a little heart-to-heart?"
→_→
Rowan rubbed his forehead.
"You've picked up these slang expressions pretty quickly."
Roger spread his hands.
"They just roll off the tongue. After studying in prison for a while, I feel like if I ran into Crocus again, I'd be able to argue him into silence."
Rowan blinked.
"Why your own ship's doctor?"
Roger had long since gotten used to Rowan's seemingly prophetic ability. He didn't even bother asking how Rowan knew about his doctor, Crocus.
"Every time I had a bit too much to drink, that old guy would show up and nag me. Back then, I was still alive and could be restrained. Now I can drink all I want and can't even taste anything. If I see him again, I might finally get one over on him."
Roger sighed.
At this point, the levitation power attached to the two of them could end at any moment. After all, it still had to keep five enormous transport ships flying.
After thinking for a moment, Rowan placed a hand on Roger's shoulder.
The next instant, the two of them appeared inside the Revolutionary Army's hideout beneath Gray Terminal in the Goa Kingdom.
Rowan casually opened a bottle of liquor and poured himself a glass.
"Now that the operation's over, shouldn't you be in a hurry to see your son? What did you want to talk to me about?"
Roger looked at the glass in Rowan's hand and unconsciously swallowed.
Unfortunately, he couldn't taste anything anymore.
"Although Kaido's strength hasn't reached the level that Garp and I once stood at, he's still one of the great pirates of this sea."
Roger looked directly at Rowan.
"You killed him one-on-one. So, somewhere deep down, you've started believing you've reached the highest tier yourself, haven't you?"
[Note: This is Kaido from twenty years before the original story. At this point, the concept of the Four Emperors doesn't even exist yet. Although his Haki is already extremely powerful, logically he hasn't reached the level of the Kaido seen twenty years later.]
[Also, when Roger says "the highest tier," he's referring to people like himself, Garp, and perhaps the Golden Lion before the steering wheel got lodged in his head and his ambition declined.]
Rowan said nothing.
He simply took another sip of his drink.
But he understood.
Roger had noticed the complacency that had crept into his heart.
And Roger was right.
It was a flaw in his mentality that had only just surfaced.
Roger continued,
"Perhaps you've started thinking that battles are simply decided by levels? That if someone belongs to the highest tier, then they are guaranteed to defeat those who merely qualify as high-level fighters?"
The hand holding Rowan's glass paused.
Seeing this, Roger continued.
"The term 'top-tier combat power' originally came from the Navy. It was a title placed upon the Admirals."
"But that only means they are the Navy's strongest fighters of that era."
"When the next generation rises, the meaning of 'top-tier' can become something entirely different."
"Take Zephyr, for example."
"He's from the same era as Sengoku and Garp. I heard the convictions he once clung to started to crumble a long time ago."
"But isn't he still an Admiral?"
"Isn't he still considered one of the Navy's greatest powers?"
The wine slowly swirled inside Rowan's glass.
He understood.
At the current point in time, Instructor Zephyr had already begun to fall behind the younger generation of Admiral candidates Borsalino, Kuzan, and Sakazuki.
A clear hierarchy didn't necessarily determine the outcome of a battle...
Had he been influenced too much by the level-based mindset from his previous life?
Twenty years still remained before the Wano arc of his memories.
Kaido wasn't yet one of the Four Emperors.
Roger's expression gradually became serious.
"On this sea..."
"There has never been such a thing as absolute strength or absolute weakness."
"Even someone like me... or that old man Whitebeard..."
"...can be brought to the brink of death by illness."
"...or be killed because of a single successful sneak attack."
"On these seas, there isn't only Haki. There are also Devil Fruits, and Paramecia abilities come in all kinds of bizarre forms. The Chop-Chop Fruit is, to a certain extent, immune to slashing attacks. The Slip-Slip Fruit can make all attacks slide away. The Rust-Rust Fruit can rust anything it touches."
"For example... your teleportation ability, Sir."
Roger's eyes met Rowan's.
"In comparison, the Teleportation Fruit wouldn't even require markers. It simply wouldn't have the same range as your ability, and it would still be restrained by Seastone and seawater."
"But if someone's Observation Haki reaches the level of Future Sight, then it naturally counters that kind of power."
"And even your terrifying flames... if someone's Armament Haki reaches a certain level, combined with emission-type Haki that doesn't require direct contact, then you would be at a disadvantage as well."
Rowan drained the wine in his glass.
"Kaido can use Armament Haki emission too. He can even coat his attacks with Conqueror's Haki."
Roger shook his head slightly.
"He's still too green."
"Becoming a Great Pirate in his thirties is certainly impressive, but a large part of that comes from his race and the boost provided by his Mythical Zoan Devil Fruit."
"Eighteen years ago, during the God Valley Incident, that kid was nothing more than a youngster following behind Charlotte Linlin."
"When Garp and I... fought Rocks, whether it was Charlotte Linlin, Wang Zhi, or the others, all they could do was stay far away from the battlefield."
Clink.
Rowan set his glass down and let out a long breath.
Sure enough...
The problem lay in the battle against Kaido on Onigashima.
Twenty years made a tremendous difference. He couldn't simply compare the current Kaido to the Four Emperor Kaido of twenty years later.
And beyond that, there was also the matter of intelligence and abilities.
Just like how killing Chameleon at Sabaody had been effortless.
But after Flying Thunder God and Ryūjin Jakka had been thoroughly analyzed by the World Government, someone like Navalta, who possessed Future Sight, had become extremely difficult to deal with.
In fact, if Navalta had decisively chosen to flee during that battle, Rowan might not have been able to catch him at all.
"You understand now, Sir?"
Roger's smile returned.
Rowan nodded slightly.
"There is no such thing as absolute strength or absolute weakness."
"And fighting the World Government isn't the same as fighting pirates."
"An organization of that scale... after losing three Celestial Dragons, it's only natural that they would conduct a thorough analysis of me."
Roger glanced once more at the wine bottle beside him.
"It's good that you understand."
"The Revolutionary Army's goal isn't merely to overthrow the World Government."
"We want to change this world."
"And among everything we've gained, the ideas you've brought us are the most important."
"So..."
"The future I'm looking forward to..."
"...is the future that you envision."
After returning from Gray Terminal to Foosha Village, sure enough, Garp had already been urgently called away to investigate the incident at sea.
With that old bastard gone, Roger could finally return home to see his son without any worries.
However, the moment he stepped through the door, he found Ace kneeling on the floor.
Beside him stood Rouge, holding a wooden stick while patiently trying to reason with him.
"I know you've made your own friends outside. If you ever need money, you can tell Mommy."
"But there are some things you absolutely cannot do."
Her voice was as gentle as ever.
The stick in her hand didn't look intimidating in the slightest.
Roger froze.
"What happened? Why's he kneeling?"
Ace tilted his head.
"I knelt down myself."
"Mother wanted to hit me, so I figured I'd kneel and take the punishment."
Rouge sighed softly.
"The tens of thousands of Beli I hid under the bed are gone."
"It wasn't a lot, but I'd only taken some out a few minutes earlier. There couldn't have been more than a five-minute gap."
So it wasn't a thief?
Roger exchanged a glance with Ace before asking,
"Was anyone else in the room?"
Rouge let out another sigh and put down the wooden stick, which she hadn't actually used.
"During those five minutes, only Ace and little Nami were inside."
"Bell-mère took Nojiko into town to buy some things."
"So..."
"I believe Ace, but..."
Standing nearby, Rowan, who had remained silent since entering, seemed to think of something.
Rouge also nodded apologetically toward him, though it was obvious she was too troubled to know what to do.
After a moment's thought, Rowan asked,
"Has little Nami fallen asleep?"
Rouge nodded.
"She's been much better lately."
"She crawled into bed and fell asleep by herself."
"She crawled there by herself?"
Rowan smiled.
He walked straight into the bedroom, lifted a corner of little Nami's blanket, and reached his hand underneath.
Sure enough, there was something hidden beneath the cotton stuffing.
Just as he was about to pull it out, he suddenly noticed a pair of big eyes staring directly at him.
He gave it another tug.
"...Waaah!"
Little Nami immediately burst into tears, using both her hands and feet to desperately hold down her money.
Helpless, Rowan withdrew his hand and looked at Roger and Rouge.
"This little money-grubber took it. She's hidden it under the bedding. The moment anyone touches it, she wakes up."
Rouge, who had just walked in behind them, froze for a moment.
Then she hurried back outside to apologize to Ace.
Meanwhile, Roger looked thoroughly intrigued.
He cautiously reached out his hand.
Only for little Nami to snap at him with her tiny teeth.
It was obvious.
Anyone who dared touch her Beli was the enemy.
She would bite first and ask questions later.
"How did you know, Sir?"
Rowan looked at the little girl lying on the bed.
Now that she had grown a little, she was much cuter than before.
He reached out to pat her head and nearly got bitten as well.
"This kid is going to grow up obsessed with money."
"I've seen it before, so I figured she might already be like this as a child."
Roger paused for a moment before bursting into laughter.
He suddenly remembered the red-nosed apprentice on his old ship, the one who had cared about nothing more than his nose and buried treasure.
One time, because of Shanks accidentally causing him to eat a Devil Fruit, the kid had nearly fallen into despair after learning he would never be able to swim again.
After all, that meant the treasures resting at the bottom of the sea would forever be beyond his reach.
Thinking about it...
That kid, Shanks, would probably return here after setting out on his own journey and finding his own companions.
After all, Ace was here.
And so was the future he had entrusted to him.
In the end, no one managed to take the stolen Beli away from little Nami.
Only the furious Ace charged over and instead, she generously handed him a few bills.
Faced with little Nami's innocent, wide-eyed stare, Ace completely forgot why he'd rushed in to begin with.
After all, not even Nojiko or Aunt Bell-mère had managed to get a single Beli from her.
That special treatment made Ace proudly puff out his chest and declare,
"From now on, if I have one bite to eat, little Nami will definitely have something to drink!"
"I'm her big brother."
"I'll protect my little sister from now on!"
After staying for a meal at Roger's house, Rowan finally left.
Garp, after being urgently dispatched, never returned for the remainder of his vacation.
Most likely, Sengoku had cursed him all the way back to Marine Headquarters.
With that old bastard gone, Roger naturally spent his days happily at home, accompanying his wife and teaching his son.
As for Ace...
He was already too used to running wild.
These days, he and Sabo spent their time digging through the junk mountains at Gray Terminal.
It wasn't because he was trying to save money to buy a ship and sail out to sea.
He was simply having fun following Sabo around.
After another day of treasure hunting through piles of garbage, the two boys lay on the ground inside their secret hideout, resting.
With his eyes closed, Sabo suddenly spoke.
"A few days ago... the Heavenly Tribute from the Goa Kingdom was finally collected and sent off."
After a brief pause, Ace waited for him to continue.
"There was a lot of money."
"So much that ordinary people probably couldn't even count it all."
"I know I couldn't."
"There was an old grandmother from Gray Terminal."
"She died."
"She stabbed her own head with a pair of scissors."
Ace immediately sat upright.
"Why?"
Sabo let out a long breath.
"Because there were five people in her family."
"If one of them died, they would only have to pay the Heavenly Tribute for four people."
"The taxes imposed by the Goa Kingdom... and the Heavenly Tribute..."
"...left that old woman with no other choice."
Silence fell.
Ace lowered his head.
He didn't really understand these things.
His mother and that unreliable old man he called his father had never talked to him about the Heavenly Tribute.
After a long while, Ace suddenly looked up.
"I want to go out to sea!"
Sabo sat up in one motion.
"Every second I stay in this place, I feel like I can't breathe. I want to go out to sea. Even becoming a pirate would be fine, as long as I can find true freedom."
"...Huh?"
The sudden jump in the conversation left Ace a little confused.
But pirates...
"Pirates aren't exactly good people, Sabo."
Sabo turned to look at him.
"Why do you say that?"
Ace lay back down again.
"If all you want is freedom and adventure, then there's no need to call yourself a pirate. There are already too many scumbags on this sea who use the name of pirates to rob, kill, and plunder."
"But everyone at the tavern says that the freest man on the seas was the Pirate King, Gol D. Roger."
"Freedom doesn't mean doing whatever you want, Sabo."
"If everyone could act without restraint and call that freedom, then would people like that old grandmother still have any way to survive?"
Sabo lowered his head, frowning silently.
Freedom was not the same as lawlessness.
Pirates represented crime, not freedom.
"For ordinary people, order is what matters most. The current order may be twisted and corrupt, but without any order at all, they wouldn't even be able to stay alive."
Ace opened his eyes as he spoke.
These were all things his unreliable old man had taught him.
But he could understand the logic behind them, because his father always explained everything little by little.
Because of that, Ace didn't have much affection for pirates.
At the same time, he also held a deep dislike for both the Marines and the World Government.
"What about you then, Ace?"
Sabo asked,
"What do you want to do when you grow up? Or rather... what's your dream? Are you just going to stay in Windmill Village forever?"
Ace grinned and jumped to his feet.
"Of course not!"
"I want to see the world just like you do. My dad has told me about all kinds of amazing islands, and I want to visit every single one of them."
"But I won't become a pirate."
Then he paused for a moment.
"If you're asking about my dream..."
"Sabo..."
"I want to make sure something like what happened to that old grandmother never happens again."
"At the very least, I don't want people to be forced to end their own lives just because they can't survive."
As he spoke, Ace looked straight at Sabo.
"Doesn't that sound like a pretty huge dream?"
"I know it's difficult."
"Because those people my dad calls the 'vested interests' would skin me alive and grind my bones to dust if I tried."
"But if no one fights back..."
"If no one is willing to stand up..."
"Then my dream will always remain just that a dream."
"Maybe even nothing more than a fantasy."
Sabo stood there, completely stunned.
For the first time, he realized that his friend thought about things in a way utterly different from other children their age.
----------
Patreon Advance Chapters: patreon .com/OneFic