"Great-Grandpa wants to be my Vice-Captain?!"
Naive Luffy's face instantly lit up with joy at Rowan's words. He nodded enthusiastically. "That's amazing! With someone as strong as you as my Vice-Captain, the One Piece will be as good as found!"
Whack!
Just as Luffy was daydreaming about conquering the Grand Line and finding Roger's treasure, Rowan delivered a sudden, sharp strike with his tobacco pipe to the top of the boy's head.
After sending Luffy face-first into the sand, Rowan glared at him. "You brat, how many times do I have to say it? If you want partners, use your own strength to find them! What kind of man asks his Great-Grandpa to do the recruiting for him? Why don't I just hand you a map to Roger's treasure and make you the Pirate King right now?
I'm a hundred years old! You want me to be your subordinate? Keep dreaming, you cheeky brat!"
Rebuked and nursing a fresh lump, Luffy rubbed his head and gave a sheepish grin. "Hehe, sorry. No need for you to step in, Great-Grandpa. I'll work hard and do it myself."
Despite the throbbing pain, Luffy forced a smile, knowing he was in the wrong and not daring to complain further.
"Stupid kid."
Rowan shook his head and resumed smoking his pipe. He turned his gaze toward the ocean, his eyes narrowing slightly.
Shortly after resolving Nami's issues in Cocoyasi Village and catching Colonel Nezumi in the act, he had returned to the boat using Geppo. Of course, this time he hadn't forgotten the sea chart Nami had prepared for him. Without that map, he and Luffy never would have found this small, unmapped island to use as a temporary resting spot.
As for Nami's request to set sail with them before they left, Rowan had strictly refused. Having lived as long as he had, it wasn't hard to read the mind of a young girl. While he recognized and intended to nurture Nami's talent, now was not the time. She was still underage, and taking her out to sea so early felt wrong.
Besides, the little sailboat he and Luffy were currently sharing was tiny. It was already a tight squeeze for the two of them; adding a third person—especially a young woman—wasn't just an issue of propriety. They literally wouldn't fit!
Meanwhile. On the stretch of sea Rowan was watching.
Nearly fifty pirate ships were sailing majestically across the horizon, a grand and imposing sight. Any merchant ships or smaller pirate crews on the route turned tail and fled the moment they spotted the fleet—especially when they saw the black flag with the white skull and crossbones fluttering from the main masts.
At the very front of the armada, a massive vessel outpaced the others, cutting through the waves like a fortress. On the bow of this ship—the Dreadnaught Saber—stood a towering man clad in thick, golden armor. He stood with his hands behind his back, his sharp gaze surveying the endless sea like a lion king inspecting his territory.
"Don Krieg-sama! An unmapped island has been spotted ninety nautical miles ahead!" a loud voice called out from above. It was the ship's lookout.
"An unmapped island?"
Krieg took the telescope handed to him by a subordinate. A lush, albeit small, island entered his field of vision. A flicker of satisfaction finally broke his stern expression. They had been sailing for nearly half a month; it was finally time to see land.
"Send word to the fleet," Krieg commanded. "Prepare to dock. The men need rest, and we need to restock our supplies."
"Yes, Don Krieg!"
The adjutant hurried off to relay the orders. Left alone, Krieg stood against the wind, his eyes as sharp as a hawk's.
"In two years at most, the Krieg Pirates will have enough power to conquer the Grand Line! We both came from the East Blue, Roger... if you could do it, there's no reason I can't!"
Krieg muttered to himself, completely unaware that on the deserted island he had just discovered, a pair of "grandparents" with an eighty-year age gap were waiting for him.
Splash! Splash!
The waves drummed against the hulls as the Krieg armada approached the shore. Suddenly, the lookout cried out again.
"Report! Don Krieg-sama! There are two people on the beach!"
"People on a deserted island?" Krieg frowned. "Who are they?"
"Two males. One old man and a teenager," the lookout described. "Also, there's a small boat on the shore. It looks to be about three meters long and less than two meters wide. It must be their vessel."
"An old man and a kid? In a tiny boat like that?" Krieg's interest vanished instantly. He waved a dismissive hand. "When we land, just toss them into the sea to feed the fish."
"Great-Grandpa, they're here!"
Watching the massive Dreadnaught Saber drop anchor near the shore, an energetic Luffy couldn't hide his excitement. He was already cracking his knuckles, ready for action.
When a large landing craft lowered from the Dreadnaught Saber and the gold-clad Don Krieg stepped out onto the sand, neither of the two on the beach showed any sign of intimidation. In fact, Luffy barely even looked at Krieg. His eyes were glued to the massive flagship, gleaming with wonder.
It was the largest ship Luffy had ever seen—at least five times the size of the Marine warships he'd seen in Shells Town.
"Great-Grandpa, when the fighting starts, remember to be careful. Don't break that big ship! Let's keep it for our trip to the Grand Line, okay?"
Rowan was nearly moved to laughter by the boy's audacity. He gave Luffy a flick on the forehead. "Brat, what goes on in that head of yours? Who's going to move a ship that big—you or me? Between the two of us, we couldn't even pull the sails, let alone steer it. I'll stick to the small boat; it's much more manageable."
"Wait... what's wrong with these two?"
On the landing craft, the members of the Krieg Pirates looked at Rowan and Luffy as if they were insane. Not only were these two talking as if the pirates weren't even there, but they were discussing the Dreadnaught Saber as if it were already their trophy.
Did they have a death wish, or were they just plain stupid?
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