Chapter 130 – [130] : [BONUS] – An Emperor’s Demeanor! Rob Lucci—Annihilated!

~ Thank You for 2,100 Powerstones, Here’s Your Bonus Chapter!

~ 18 Advanced Chapters Available on my Patreon

<><><><><><><><>

“Shishishi! So much money! One billion Beri!” Luffy cackled, practically vibrating with joy as he held the sack of cash.

“Yeah! With this much, we can definitely get Merry perfectly repaired!” Usopp, also holding a sack, grinned happily.

They had never seen so much money in their lives!

And this was just from a small chunk of that giant golden pillar. Luffy and Usopp couldn’t even imagine how much they’d get if they sold all of it. It would surely be an astronomical sum!

THEIR CREW WAS SERIOUSLY RICH NOW!

…

“You two, hold onto that money properly! Don’t go swinging it around!” Nami scolded, veins popping on her forehead as she watched Luffy and Usopp showing off their money bags. She raised her fists, instantly giving Luffy and Usopp several large bumps on their heads.

“S-SORRY! We got carried away!” Luffy and Usopp clutched their heads, squatting on the ground with expressions of deep remorse.

“Hmph! And remember! We got this money thanks to Rowen! Treasure it, understand?!” Nami declared loudly.

“Yes, ma’am!” Luffy and Usopp snapped to attention.

“One billion Beri… I’ve never seen so much money either! And this is just a small part of the gold… if we sold it all, how much would that be?! And those two Devil Fruits…” Nami murmured, hugging Rowen’s arm, her mood absolutely buoyant.

The Dice-Dice Fruit and Spike-Spike Fruit, obtained from Mr. 1 and Miss Doublefinger, were given to Nami to sell.

Fruits of that level were useless to Rowen now. Even for a future Grand Fleet, they weren’t worthy of his chosen officers—Better to sell them and make Nami happy.

“It really is a lot of money,” Vivi commented, equally amazed.

Though Alabasta was a large kingdom with over ten million people, her father’s benevolent rule meant taxes were low—and after the Crocodile incident, the national treasury was practically empty.

“We don’t really need this much money. How about we send some to your father later?” Rowen asked, looking fondly at Vivi with a smile. This little girl still loved her country dearly.

Money held little meaning for Rowen now, but for Alabasta, still recovering from rebellion, it was crucial.

Most importantly, it would make Vivi happy. This girl—to become strong enough to help him—was now training with an intensity that rivaled Zoro’s.

Rowen looked at Vivi, his eyes filled with affection…

“Rowen! How could I accept that!” Vivi’s eyes widened.

“Great idea, Rowen! It’s not like we can eat all this money anyway! Better to let Vivi’s father use it to rebuild the country!” Luffy immediately chimed in with a grin.

“There’s nothing wrong with it, Vivi. Mah… just consider it Rowen’s betrothal gift to your father—” Nami teased, her eyes twinkling as she looked at Vivi.

Vivi’s face instantly turned crimson. “Betrothal gift…”

With Nami putting it like that, how could she refuse?

Looking at Rowen, who was smiling warmly at her, Vivi pressed her lips together, then gently planted a kiss on Rowen’s cheek.

“Mm! That one was worth 500 million Beri!” Rowen immediately declared, laughing heartily.

Vivi blushed even harder, feeling shy. ‘A kiss worth that much? Rowen is just teasing her to make her happy.’ But looking at Rowen, the love in her eyes deepened.

“Eh?! Then I want some too!” Hearing the ‘value’, Nami’s eyes instantly lit up. She leaped onto Rowen, hugging him and showering him with kisses.

“One kiss for 500 million, ten for 5 billion! A hundred for 50 billion! And you can’t use that gold to pay off the debt! That’s what you promised me long ago!” Nami giggled, looking at Rowen.

Of course, she wasn’t really asking Rowen for money; this was just their playful banter.

“Owing so much money… looks like I’ll have to conquer the entire world and give it to you both—” Rowen laughed, one arm around each of them, looking at Vivi and Nami’s happy faces.

“CONQUER THE WORLD! SUGEEEE, ROWEN!” Usopp exclaimed, awestruck.

“Alright! Let’s head to the shipyard!” Luffy grinned.

<><><><><><><><>

Soon, Rowen’s group arrived at the Galley-La Company—Dock One.

“Gulp!”

The shipwrights there watched the approaching man, swallowing hard, only to find their mouths were already bone dry from extreme nervousness.

But they had no time to drink water, staring intently at the approaching figure—The man hailed as the Fifth Emperor, the World’s Most Dangerous Man. Sky Sovereign Rowen!

“So this is the Fifth Emperor? What a terrifying pressure…” Paulie, one of the five Galley-La foremen, usually prone to casual boasting, felt cold sweat drip from his forehead.

“Sky Sovereign Rowen…” Lulu, another of the five foremen also swallowed hard.

“Hmph! If all of us rushed him at once—!” Paulie, despite feeling the immense pressure, began to boast.

Rowen wasn’t actively releasing Haki. It was just his natural aura as a powerhouse—amplified by Born of the Sea, that made Paulie feel such terrifying pressure.

But then… An even more terrifying pressure descended!

Paulie’s forehead was instantly drenched in sweat.

‘WH-WHAT’S GOING ON??’ Paulie glanced around. Lulu and the others seemed unaffected. ‘Why did the pressure on me suddenly intensify so much?!’

“You idiot! Stop talking nonsense! Hey! What’s wrong with you?” Tilestone, another foreman, looked exasperatedly at the constantly boasting Paulie, then noticed his strange state.

“Phew!”

The pressure on Paulie instantly lessened, allowing him to gasp for breath. Looking at Sky Sovereign Rowen, who was now almost upon them, Paulie’s eyes were filled with horror.

‘So… it really was this man making me feel like I was suffocating?? Just with that inexplicable aura alone, he almost made me unable to breathe… More scary… from far away—he could hear my quiet muttering?? What kind of power IS this?? Is this the man who defeated a Marine HQ Admiral?? Is this the Fifth Emperor??’

Paulie clenched his fists, no longer daring to make any smart remarks. The reality of the situation had just taught him:

Taunting an Emperor could get you killed!

<><><><><><><><>

“Welcome, Mr. Rowen,” Iceburg stepped forward, greeting Rowen with a calm, composed demeanor.

“Hmph.” Rowen looked at the man before him and smiled, handing him Kokoro’s letter of introduction.

“This is… Kokoro’s introduction. Are you here for ship repairs?” Iceburg asked, visibly relieved after seeing the letter.

Though he appeared composed, he was actually extremely nervous. Facing this man. Few could remain calm.

“Phew!” A collective sigh of relief echoed through Dock One.

‘So Sky Sovereign Rowen is just here for ship repairs!’ When it came to shipbuilding, they were confident they were the best in the world—they could surely satisfy this man.

“We have lots of money. Repair it with the best of everything!” Luffy and Usopp held up their money bags, grinning.

“Sniper Usopp, 35 million Beri bounty!”

“And Straw Hat Monkey D. Luffy, 300 million Beri bounty!”

“THEY’RE GOING TO PAY??” The shipwrights stared dumbfounded.

Though they often relied on the five foremen’s strength to make troublesome pirates pay up, facing this Emperor—even Iceburg was prepared to offer free labor—after all, the World Government’s propaganda about this man was terrifyingly vicious!

“Hey! Didn’t you see the news reports clarifying things about Rowen and Vivi?!” Nami interjected, displeased.

“‘Cat Burglar’ Nami, 30 million Beri bounty!”

“And that’s—’Desert Princess’ Vivi, 110 million Beri bounty!”

Hearing the title ‘Desert Princess’, Rowen could clearly sense Vivi’s delight.

The ‘Princess of Malice’ title was abhorrent to Vivi, who loved her country. ‘Desert Princess’, however, not only fit her birthplace, the desert kingdom of Alabasta, but also hinted at her Sand-Sand Fruit ability.

<><><><><><><><>

“Examine our ship thoroughly. But before that…” Rowen’s eyes flashed, and he pointed a single finger towards the sky.

BOOOOOOOOOM!

Accompanied by a terrifying thunderclap! Under the horrified gazes of the numerous shipwrights—An incredibly terrifying bolt of lightning erupted from Rowen, disappearing into the clouds above!

<><><><><><><><>

At the Going Merry.

“Big Bro ZAMBAI… A-Are we really gonna do this?? That’s the legendary pirate ship of Sky Sovereign Rowen’s crew—THE GOING MERRY!” A group of men in strange, uniform attire had gathered not far from the Merry.

The Franky Family—Water 7’s notorious thugs.

They made a living dismantling ships, but also occasionally attacked wanted criminals, taking their money and claiming bounties.

One of the underlings looked nervously at Zambai.

“Big Bro Zambai. That’s the ship of the man with the 3 BILLION Beri bounty! The one who defeated a Marine HQ Admiral. The one who even dared to trample Celestial Dragons!” another underling stammered fearfully.

“What are you afraid of?? I’ve observed carefully!” Zambai declared, though he too was nervous.

“There’s NO ONE on board! With Sky Sovereign Rowen’s current reputation, no one would dare attack his ship! He’d never expect it!” Zambai’s eyes gleamed with cunning.

“We’re just gonna grab a little something… The man must have incredible treasures! Haven’t you heard? He can HUNT Devil Fruits! Every Devil Fruit is a treasure worth over 100 million!”

“We won’t take much! Just 200 million Beri worth of treasure… What was that to the Fifth Emperor?? For Big Bro Franky’s dream!!” Zambai urged, his nervousness mixed with ambitious excitement.

The other underlings, though still scared, gradually firmed their resolve.

‘For Big Bro Franky! We’d even die!’

Besides, Big Bro Zambai was right; just 200 million Beri worth of treasure… What was that to the Fifth Emperor?? He probably wouldn’t even notice they took it…

Led by Zambai, the Franky Family underlings crept towards the Going Merry.

But the next moment—

RUMBLE!!!

Accompanied by a terrifying roar, under Zambai and his men’s horrified gazes—a bolt of lightning slammed down from the sky!

BOOOOOOOOOOOOM!!!

CRACKLE! FIZZ!

<><><><><><><><>

Seeing the figure transform into lightning, launching a frightening lightning attack with a single pointed finger—even from such a distance, they could hear the horrifying explosion from the harbor… the shipwrights present broke out in cold sweat.

“Phew… So this is the Rumble-Rumble Fruit ability—one of the Logias hailed as nearly invincible? Astonishing,” Iceburg exhaled heavily, having felt the terrifying pressure from the distant lightning.

Who on these seas didn’t know Sky Sovereign Rowen’s intel by now??

Not only user of the Flare-Flare Fruit. But also the invincible Rumble-Rumble Fruit. Witnessing its release up close—the mere roar of the thunder made him feel like his spirit was about to shatter.

….

“What happened, Rowen?” Nami and the others asked curiously, seeing Rowen unleash his Rumble-Rumble Fruit ability.

“Just some people getting too close to the Merry,” Rowen replied with a smile.

‘Zambai and the Franky Family? Trying to steal from the Merry, even knowing my 3 billion bounty… Gutsy. This time, I’ll just play with them a bit.’

Rowen’s smile turned slightly mischievous.

“Looks like you’re all very curious about my Rumble-Rumble Fruit,” Rowen commented, looking at Iceburg and the surrounding shipwrights.

His gaze also swept over Kalifa beside Iceburg, and Rob Lucci and Kaku standing among the foremen, a knowing smile on his face.

“Let me enlighten you. The Rumble-Rumble Fruit not only allows the user to transform into lightning and attack with thunder…” Rowen stated calmly. “It also allows using electric waves—to hear distant sounds. Covering the entirety of Water 7 is quite easy.”

Rowen’s words made the onlookers gasp in awe. But Rob Lucci and Kaku’s expressions changed drastically!

“So… from the moment I stepped foot here—all your conversations—I’ve heard them crystal clear,” Rowen’s smile widened.

“No wonder that man could hear my words. WHAT A SCARY ABILITY! BEFORE THIS MAN, WE HAVE NO SECRETS!” Paulie wiped cold sweat from his brow.

‘Good thing he isn’t as vicious as the rumors say.’ But then, Paulie noticed Kaku, standing not far from him, was acting strangely.

“Hey, Kaku! What’s wrong with you?” Paulie asked, seeing Kaku drenched in sweat. ‘Did Sky Sovereign Rowen use that pressure on Kaku too? But why? Kaku didn’t mouth off like he did…’

“Mr. Rowen means…” Iceburg seemed to understand something, his pupils constricting sharply.

WHOOSH!

Three streams of smoke instantly shot out, aiming for three figures.

“Shave—!” Kalifa, Rob Lucci, and Kaku’s pupils constricted. They instantly used the Six Powers technique, Shave, to dodge the attack!

“Shave from the Six Powers?” Luffy blinked.

Rowen had taught him Shave. Luffy remembered clearly… Rowen said it was a World Government and Marine HQ Martial art!

Why could these shipwrights use it??

“AM I RIGHT… CP9?” Rowen asked, looking at the dodging Kalifa, Kaku, and Rob Lucci, then burst into laughter.

“The Fifth Emperor also worth killing? Brat… and you still want to lay hands on Robin?” Rowen’s smile vanished as he looked at Lucci.

“LET’S GET HIM TOGETHER!” Kaku, seeing they were completely exposed, dropped all pretense.

“ROAR!”

Under the disbelieving gazes of the numerous shipwrights, Lucci transformed into a humanoid leopard! Cat-Cat Fruit, Model: Leopard—Hybrid Form!

“It was YOU who attacked first. The ban no longer applies—Sky Sovereign Rowen!” Lucci roared with murderous laughter, lunging towards Rowen.

Kalifa and Kaku also used Six Powers techniques, attacking Rowen from different angles.

The next moment—Paulie witnessed—the consequence of ganging up on that man.

WHAM! THUD! CRACK!

Rowen hadn’t moved an inch!

Lucci, Kalifa, Kaku, The moment they approached him… they collapsed without any warning!

Paulie stared blankly at the scene.

<><><><><><><><>

~ 18 Advanced Chapters Available on my Patreon!

https://p-atreon.com/dragonnx

(Just remove the hyphen to access Patreon normally.)

<><><><><><><><>

~# Keep the Chapters coming — Support with Power Stones!

~# Every 300 Power Stones = Bonus Chapter

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep