Capítulo 30: Chapter 30
"The priceless, unique gem that exists in this world as the sole one of its kind, Gouma's Bloody Tears. That thing was in Mine village three years ago, and we missed it!"
In frustration, Carina slammed her fist on the table that four people were sitting around—within the Buggy Pirates' ship that was currently moved next to shore where Shooting Star was parked.
"Over three years, upon discovery, the market value of this gem has been skyrocketing! Currently, its estimated value is approximately 100 million Beli...!"
Nami's jaw opened wide, "1-100 million...?"
Deuce took a step back, creeped out a little by two girls whose eyes were flipped over in madness.
"Ehem!" Waking up from her 'crazed' state, Carina cleared her through and said, "Anyway, that isn't the only thing! On this island, the Black Cat Pirates are also here, with exactly the same goal in mind as the Buggy Pirates! If we are able to use this situation to our advantage..."
Nami's eyes trembled as she gulped in anticipation, "Two ships full of values, as well as the ancient gem that is priced upon..."
And as the conversation was going on, Rowan was silent, seemingly full of thought.
"..."
In contrast to the excitement that he previously exhibited, he seemed to have realized something—something that wasn't of his liking.
__________
"Pff—HAHAHAHA!!!" At the beach, Ace was rolling on the sand, busy laughing, "Y-You... pff... you lost your ship?! HAHAHA!!!"
"""SHUT UP!!!""" Shouted the Buggy Pirates, before Buggy growled with his bloodshot eyes,
"Who could've done this?!!"
Next to Buggy, Cabaji with a dark expression then voiced his opinion, "Captain... I believe that it's obvious. On this island, the only ones who would dare to target us are..."
Buggy placed his hand over his eyes as he gritted his teeth. He mumbled, "Ah yes... Kuro of a Hundred Plans..."
Filled with rage, Buggy then unsheathed a cutlass from his sheath. Pointing the blade up high in the air, he shouted, "Boys!!! Who are we?!!"
"""BUGGY PIRATES!!""" The entire crew resonated in rage of their own.
"That's right!! We are Buggy Pirates, the ruler of the East Blue!! And against us... the Black Cat Pirates dared to wage a war!! Then, what should we do?!!"
"FIGHT!!"
"DESTROY!!"
"PLUNDER!!"
"EXACTLY!!" Shouted Buggy, before he lowered his cutlass and pointed its blade at Bartolomeo, who seemed to be regaining consciousness, "Before the gem comes our dignity!! Just as how predators prey upon their preys, we will... obliterate our enemies!! Everything that they own... shall soon be ours!!!"
The entire crew was agitated, yelling and screaming at their utmost spirit. Then, a clapping sound was heard from the side, ruining their hype.
"Ohhh, that was a nice speech! You're a pretty good captain, I'm not going to lie!"
It was Ace, who seemed genuinely impressed. However, this seemed to have irked Buggy, who barked in a comical manner,
"And YOU!!! Why the hell are you annoying the hell out of us?!! I said, I'm not fighting a nobody like you! You aren't even worthy of killing, go away!!"
"..." Ace was left speechless. He thought, 'Strange... Makino taught me that this is how I form good relationships with others...'
"Captain, just ignore him," Said Mohji, another executive member of the Buggy Pirates with white teddy-bear-like hair, "He's clearly a retard. Why waste our time on someone like him?"
Therefore, they returned their focus to Bartolomeo, who was now fully awake and trying to thrash his way out of a tightly bound rope.
__________
"..."
Standing in front of Desire who was under the effect of a mind manipulation, Kuro's eyes twitched in a mix of disbelief and anger.
"Gouma's Bloody Tear... was crushed by accident while it was being used for a game of football?!" Unable to believe what he just heard, he yanked Desire by the collar and shouted into her face, "You are kidding me!!! What kind of brain-dead people would do that?!!"
"S-Shit... captain is angry..." Jango, clearly troubled upon witnessing Kuro's angered behaviour, took a wary step back with a cold sweat dripping down on his face. Turning around slowly, he whispered at the back, "Sham! Buchi! This place is going to be ripped to the core, so get some space and—"
"CAPTAIN KURO!!!"
Interrupting Jango was a lookout of Black Cat Pirates, running with an urgency written across his face. Kuro, in an extremely foul mood, slowly turned his head and glared at the lookout, who shivered in fear but nonetheless spoke,
"T-The Buggy Pirates!! They are coming toward us!!"
"...Buggy the 'Clown?' That idiot who proclaims to be the strongest in the East Blue?" Kuro's expression wrinkled up even further, as he dropped the unresponsive Desire from his grip. Walking across the path formed in the middle of his clustered crew, he used his left palm to lift up the glasses on his nose,
"Fine, I was in a foul mood anyway. For once, I suppose..." Kuro stated maliciously, "...It's alright to engage in a foolish activity."
He then ordered,
"Prepare for a war."
Jango reciprocated loudly to the entire crew, "PREPARE FOR THE BATTLE AGAINST THE BUGGY PIRATES!"
Unknown to them, Rowan was watching this from the back on top of the Black Cat Pirates' ship, with a stoic expression on his face.
"Of course, pirates will always be pirates."
Rowan's eyes stared at the unconscious form of Desire who was being pulled by one of the Black Cat Pirates. His eyes held nothing but a cold gleam as his past involving the Arlong Pirates and Cocoyasi village replayed,
"Bartolomeo the Cannibal... how stupid you are."
He fully understood the situation on the island now. Bartolomeo Family idiotically attracted the notorious pirate crews by taking hold of the 'Gouma's Bloody Tear' that Carina mentioned, even though they didn't have the power to fend off those pirates. Various sites of the island were destroyed and ruined, and civilians were hiding in their shelters, with there being nowhere to escape.
"...Yeah, I don't feel like watching here."
Then, a grin returned on his face as he stood up from the edge of the Black Cat Pirates' empty ship. Next to him lied the corpses of multiple pirates, who were supposed to guard the ship.
"Rowan, is it all good now? Can we start moving the ship away?" Then, Nami whispered to him from the slightly opened gap of the doorway that leads to the inside of the ship. Instead of answering the question, Rowan said with a grin intact on his face,
"Nami, I'll be gone for a while."
"...Huh?"
"This island reminds me of something."
Nami's eyes widened slightly, knowing full well what he was talking. Then, she formed a light smile full of trust and said, "Have your fun, captain."
One of the reasons why the bounties of the East Blue didn't change much in the past, apart from the arrival of marine captain Smoker, could be attributed to the existence of Rowan, the well-known 'pirate-slaying pirate.'
__________
The townsfolks of Deathmetal Town shivered and watched in fear as two pirate crews filled up the plaza. The numerous members of Bartolomeo Family were killed, and the executives involving Bartolomeo and Desire were captured.
Gambia, the other executive who managed to seek shelter and managed to prevent himself from getting caught, bit his lips as he worriedly looked at the outside scene through the window, "Shit... both Bartolomeo and Desire are..." He then turned and looked at one old woman, "Grandma, what should we do?"
The old woman immediately sprang up with a spiky club held by her right hand, "BEAT THE HELL OUT OF THEM!!!" Impulsively, she tried to barge her way out of the house, to which Gambia immediately stopped by yanking the woman's arms back and knocking the club out of her hand,
"W-Wait!!! Other than that, I mean!! Look!!" Gambia pointed at the outside, "There is no way the two of us and non-combatants can win against them!!"
"KILL!! KILL!! KILL!!" The old woman wasn't listening, much to Gambia's despair.
"At this point..." Eventually, Gambia came to conclude, "The only way out of this for us is to seek a chance where both crews are weakened and secretly pull Bartolomeo and Desire during then...!"
Meanwhile at the outside, Buggy and Kuro were glaring at each other, in the middle of the intense atmosphere. The pirates on either side were aiming their respective firearms at one another, fully loaded and ready to shoot.
"Fuckers..." Buggy snarled in this circumstance, "Did you believe that you'd be able to get away in one piece after touching what is ours?!"
"If you're referring to Gouma's Bloody Tear..." Kuro gritted his teeth in anger, before sighing, "Whatever. Either way, consider yourself dead for daring to fuse my wrath."
"CHARGE!!!"
"ATTACK!!!"
The noises broke out as the cannons and bullets were fired, and metals clashed against metals. Without regard for the surroundings, two notorious pirate crews engaged themselves in a violent war against each other.
"Damn... it..." Watching this scene from far away, helplessly, Bartolomeo cursed. He regretted not following his grandmother's advice, of how mere sparkling gems like that weren't worth it.
"What have I done..."
"What have you done, you ask?"
Bartolomeo jolted slightly, surprised by the voice on his right. Shifting his eyes, he came to see a black-haired man—Rowan.
"You exposed your family, friends, and close ones to danger," Said Rowan in a calm manner as his cold eyes inspected the battlefield just ahead, "Like what the hell did you expect? Your organization is widespread yet is known publicly, lacks strength, and made a huge fortune. What an idiot you are."
"I... am aware," Spoke Bartolomeo in a hoarse voice, "Haha... I bet my grandma is mad at me right now."
But so what? There was nothing he could do anyway. Bartolomeo simply lowered his head, not wanting to look at the scene anymore.
"Your song was nice to hear back then. In return for that, I'll help you out—just once this time."
Then Rowan said all of a sudden, causing Bartolomeo to raise his head back up in surprise.
"Know that there won't be a second time, 'Cannibal.'"
Bartolomeo watched as Rowan casually began walking into the battlefield. Then, as he couldn't be seen any longer,
"GAHHHHH!!!"
the horror-filled screams suddenly began echoing throughout the plaza, giving Bartolomeo goosebumps.
'Black hair, equally black-coloured eyes, 18-year-old, skilled at wielding a short knife above all...'
As Rowan effortlessly beheaded one goon and took over the airborne knife, everything made sense to Bartolomeo,
'Grimheart Rowan, wanted for 40 million Beli.'
The one who talked with him just now, was none other than the notorious pirate spoken by many to be the closest to reaching the Grand Line. Slumping back and chuckling, Bartolomeo couldn't help but remark,
"You aren't as grim-hearted as they say..."
__________
Watching the ongoing battle from the top of a tall building was Ace. As he saw the change in the tide of a battle due to the entry of one single man, his eyes lit up,
"Isn't he the guy whom I saw just a while ago?"
He felt his body becoming agitated, twitching for a fight of its own.
Status de energia semanal
-- Ranking de
Poder 
-- Pedra de
Poder