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- We've made it to Chapter 100!! Grateful for every one of you who's followed the story so far!!!
- Many of you have been asking about Robin, so here you go!
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Spiritual power—is a very special existence within the One Piece world's power system.
Haki itself... is the manifestation of spiritual power.
Armament Haki is the manifestation of spiritual power combined with physical energy.
Observation Haki is the manifestation of spiritual power combined with the power of the five senses.
And the most domineering, hailed as the 'Disposition of a King'—Conqueror's Haki—is the manifestation of pure spiritual power!
The stronger the spiritual power, the stronger the Conqueror's Haki!
The saying 'Haki can transcend all' refers to the infinite potential of human spiritual power—capable of transcending everything!
This is humanity's anthem!
And spiritual power can be stored and subsequently released.
Like Joy Boy's incredibly powerful Conqueror's Haki during the Egghead incident—stored within the Ancient Robot, transcending eight hundred years of time.
Rowen himself had experienced a similar effect—by establishing a spiritual transmission channel, he directly projected Luffy and Zoro's Conqueror's Haki into the Holy Land, Mariejois!
Even Devil Fruit abilities!
They too are manifestations of human desire—It wouldn't be wrong to call them manifestations of spiritual power!
Spiritual power is the most miraculous—and the strongest—force in the One Piece world's power system!
It is the source of ALL power!
And Devil Fruits—which have existed on the seas since their inception, reappearing anew even after a user dies—The very fact that as long as the corresponding human desire exists, the Devil Fruit will continue to exist—proves that spiritual power can endure eternally upon the seas.
As long as human desire, the spiritual force tied to a particular event or wish, does not dissipate—then that connected spiritual power remains eternally present upon these seas!
The promise between Mont Blanc Noland and Kalgara the Great Warrior—spanned 400 years!
Even after their deaths, their descendants—Mont Blanc Cricket and the descendants of the Shandorans who inherited Kalgara's dying wish to light the Light of Shandora—continued to strive for it.
This spiritual power, transcending time itself, still exists within this world!
Only by lighting the Light of Shandora, by ringing that Golden Bell, letting its chimes resound once more!
Only by letting Mont Blanc Noland's descendant, Mont Blanc Cricket, and the descendants of Kalgara the Great Warrior—the Shandians still fighting on Skypiea to light the Light of Shandora—know that their ancestors' promise has been fulfilled...
Only then can this 400-year promise truly reach a perfect conclusion.
When that lingering obsession finally dissipates—this spiritual power, spanning 400 years, will be obtained by Rowen, the one who fulfilled their promise, through the Strongest Trait System!
Furthermore, with the Born of the Sea (Apex Gold) Haki training cheat code—Rowen can instantly use this 400-year spiritual power to strengthen his own Conqueror's Haki!
AN UNEXPECTED BOON!
Rowen's eyes gleamed with sharp intensity.
He hadn't expected this Skypiea trip to yield not only the Rumble-Rumble Fruit but also this immense, 400-year-old reservoir of spiritual power!
This spiritual power encompassed Mont Blanc Noland and Kalgara the Great Warrior themselves, Noland's descendant Cricket, Kalgara's descendants, and all the Shandorans who, for 400 years, held the fervent desire to light the Light of Shandora!
And such lingering obsessions—only grow deeper with the passage of time. Consequently, the spiritual power also increases...
Though Noland and Kalgara themselves weren't overwhelmingly strong, and their descendants striving to light the Bell were also of average strength—this collective spiritual power, accumulated and fermented over 400 years—must be incredibly potent!
Exactly how strong?
Rowen would only know after fulfilling the promise and ringing the Golden Bell.
He eagerly anticipated it...
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At this moment, Cricket and the others were utterly stunned by Rowen's words.
"A promise spanning 400 years... How romantic!" Luffy's eyes shone with startling intensity.
"Mm! Mm!" Chopper and Usopp nodded repeatedly, tears welling up in their eyes.
This 400-year promise was too romantic, too moving!
"Unbelievable... Y-You... how do you know all this?" Cricket slowly recovered from his shock, looking at Rowen, his face filled with disbelief.
Such details—even he, Noland's descendant, didn't know!
"Rowen knows everything! You just need to know that Rowen—is never wrong!" Nami declared, looking at Rowen with pure admiration.
Vivi, beside her, also nodded repeatedly, her eyes shining.
"Indeed..." Cricket managed a smile.
This man—could even consume multiple Devil Fruits, those legendary treasures of the sea that supposedly only one could be eaten per person!
For such a man, possessing any kind of miraculous power wouldn't be surprising. Knowing about events from 400 years ago through special means wasn't strange either.
This sea held too many wonders.
"Alright! Let me help you ascend to Skypiea—and I beg of you—let me hear the sound of that Golden Bell from the sky!" Cricket straightened up, then bowed deeply to Rowen and the crew.
"Leave it to us," Rowen smiled.
Whether for the reward, or to bring this romantic promise to a fitting end—ROWEN WOULD RING THAT GOLDEN BELL!
"Uncle! Aren't you coming with us?" Luffy asked, looking at Cricket, extending an invitation.
"No need. This is your adventure. Besides... I still have my own adventure," Cricket replied, looking towards Shoujou and Masira.
He knew his own physical condition well.
Years of diving had left him with severe diver's sickness.
Skypiea? His body simply couldn't make the ascent.
Even if he did, he might die up there. He wasn't afraid of death, but these two—Shoujou and Masira—followed him out of admiration for his ancestor Noland.
If he selfishly died pursuing this, how could he face them?
They had accompanied him, helping him pursue his dream. After his dream was fulfilled, he also needed to help fulfill the dreams of these two idiots.
"BOSS!" Shoujou and Masira instantly understood Cricket's meaning, their faces filled with emotion.
"Just letting me hear the sound of the Golden Bell's bell—I'll be content!" Cricket smiled, a genuine, heartfelt smile.
Rowen looked at Cricket and smiled back.
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"To ride the Knock-Up Stream and enter Skypiea—your ship also needs to be reinforced and modified,"
Cricket stated seriously, looking at the Going Merry.
"I can help with that, using my Munch-Munch Fruit," Rowen offered, explaining its power to Cricket.
"I see! With that Fruit,—the modifications and reinforcements can be even more perfect!" Cricket replied earnestly after hearing about the Munch-Munch Fruit.
"Besides reinforcing the ship, you'll also need a South Bird. Navigating the Grand Line without a Log Pose makes it impossible to accurately determine direction. The location of the Knock-Up Stream isn't fixed—to find it, you need a South Bird, which always points south, allowing you to triangulate your position relative to its fixed magnetic orientation,"
Cricket added.
"Where do we find that bird?" Luffy immediately asked.
"You must find it before tomorrow! The next Knock-Up Stream—occurs tomorrow!" Cricket pointed Luffy in a direction, then urged them again.
Cricket, his body wracked with severe diver's sickness from years of diving, now felt filled with renewed strength.
He truly saw hope of fulfilling his lifelong wish.
"Leave it to us!" Luffy, along with Zoro, Sanji, Usopp, and Chopper, immediately rushed off.
Time was short—even with three of them possessing Observation Haki, more people made the search easier.
Plus, Chopper's ability to communicate with animals could help them find the South Bird much faster.
"Then let's begin the modifications," Rowen stated seriously, looking at the Going Merry.
With his Smoke-Smoke Fruit, he could 'Consume' the materials Cricket provided using the embedded Munch-Munch ability, then automatically generate modified parts perfectly suited for the Merry.
And thanks to the Munch-Munch Fruit's processing, the quality and hardness of these modified materials would be leagues above those in the original story.
Then, Cricket and his crew just needed to install them.
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"Rowen... you truly are mysterious," Robin commented suddenly, while Rowen was assisting Cricket with the Merry's modifications.
"Hm? Why are you looking at me like that?" Rowen asked, smiling at the glint in Robin's eyes.
"Nothing. It's just... you know so many things. More than even I, a historian, do. And... what you did back in Mock Town, to the World Government..." Robin looked at Rowen, a strange light dancing in her eyes.
Remembering Rowen's actions in Mock Town still sent shivers down her spine.
Directly using special means to unleash Conqueror's Haki in Mariejois—throwing the Holy Land into chaos!
And directly confronting the World's Highest Authority, the Five Elders—Using his power to force them to concede to his demands!
Those were the Five Elders!
In Robin's eyes, they were the true masters of the monstrous entity that was the World Government!
They could issue a Buster Call directly, decide the fate of nations with a single word.
Even the Navy was just an organization under their command—She had previously feared even a single Marine Admiral, feeling utterly helpless.
Let alone the Five Elders, possessing the world's highest authority.
Yet Rowen—dared to confront them directly!
Rowen's actions were tantamount to challenging the entire World Government! And he even made them back down!
Though it wasn't a major concession, backing down was still backing down!
This completely changed Robin's worldview...
So, that all-powerful World Government 'wasn't' omnipotent and 'did' have moments when it had to yield.
And the one who achieved all this—was the man before her.
Remembering Rowen in Mock Town, confronting the Five Elders, the entire World Government—Robin felt her heart pound even now...
"The World Government? Didn't I tell you? I am the man who will stand above all! The World Government can only be my stepping stone. This too—is a piece of history worth recording. Robin, as a historian, stay by my side and properly record this history—"
Rowen declared, his lips curling into a powerful smile.
What kind of feeling... is this...
Looking at Rowen like this, Robin felt her heart beat too fast.
Robin clutched her chest, pressing her lips together.
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"Nami... I-I feel like..." Vivi began, looking at Robin, blinking.
"Robin... can also make that kind of expression," Nami blinked back.
"Right! Robin is starting to fall for Rowen, isn't she?!" Vivi turned to Nami.
She thought she might have misread it, but Miss All Sunday—actually making such an expression!
"Well, it can't be helped. Rowen is just that charming," Nami replied, tilting her head proudly.
"As for who he chooses... that's Rowen's business. The sea—is free," Nami smiled. Anyway—Rowen's affection for her would never diminish.
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"EVERYONE! WE FOUND IT! THE SOUTH BIRD!"
With the help of Rowen's Munch-Munch Fruit ability, the modifications to the Going Merry proceeded incredibly smoothly.
Not only was the entire hull reinforced, but the Merry also gained two small wings. Luffy and the others, now possessing Observation Haki—found the South Bird much more easily than in the original story.
Seeing the South Bird, Rowen and the crew all smiled.
Preparations were complete!
After resting for a night, under the morning sun, Rowen and the others, escorted by Cricket, Shoujou, and Masira, began searching for the location of the Knock-Up Stream.
Soon, guided by the South Bird and the efforts of Shoujou and Masira, they found the spot where the next Knock-Up Stream would erupt.
"That's—an Imperial Cumulus Cloud!" Nami gasped, looking at the massive, dark clouds gathering in the distance.
"That's right! This is it! Don't try to avoid it! Head straight into the whirlpool!" Shoujou yelled.
Soon, the Going Merry reached the designated sea area.
The next moment—
RUMBLE!
A whirlpool began to form, eventually becoming a colossal vortex directly beneath the Going Merry!
"A whirlpool! Why is there such a huge whirlpool?!" Usopp shrieked, his eyes bulging as he saw Sea Kings being sucked into the vortex.
"Eh? Didn't I mention? The so-called Knock-Up Stream involves a massive abyss deeper than the seabed itself. When cold seawater flows into this abyss, the geothermal heat below generates steam. When the steam pressure becomes too great, it causes a massive undersea eruption—a terrifying disaster that launches ships skyward on a colossal pillar of water! Before it erupts, a super-vortex forms. The center of the vortex—is the eruption point! This is a super gamble—either everyone reaches Skypiea, or everyone perishes!"
Rowen explained with mischievous delight.
"YOU DIDN'T MENTION THAT AT ALL!" Usopp and Chopper burst into tears of terror.
Zoro and Sanji also transformed into their sharp-toothed angry states.
Nami and Vivi shrieked, clinging onto Rowen for dear life.
"Hahaha! Don't worry! Have you forgotten who the navigator of this ship is?!" Rowen laughed heartily.
"The navigator—is ME!"
Hearing Rowen's words, Nami pressed her lips together, released her grip on Rowen, and stood resolutely at the bow of the ship.
"That's right! With you here, we'll definitely reach Skypiea safely!" Rowen smiled encouragingly.
"Exactly! As long as there's sea and wind, I can take everyone anywhere!" Nami declared, clenching her small fists.
YES! Her duty was to guide Rowen and everyone on the Merry to any destination on the sea!
"Besides, don't forget my abilities. Relax, nothing will happen," Rowen added, offering a final piece of reassurance.
Everyone then remembered—even if they fell from the sky, before hitting the water, Rowen could use his Smoke-Smoke Fruit powers to catch them all.
"You were just deliberately scaring us!" Chopper cried, looking tearfully at Rowen.
"Hahaha! Sorry, sorry! Your expressions were just too priceless!" Rowen replied playfully.
The next moment—
VROOOM!
The seawater beneath the Merry surged upwards, lifting the ship. Deep below, an incredibly terrifying power was accumulating.
The next second!
BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOM!!!
A terrifying force of nature erupted—forming a colossal pillar of water that pierced the very heavens!
Carried by this current, the keel of the Going Merry landed squarely on the Knock-Up Stream, ascending vertically along the skyward-bound water spout, sailing towards the sky!
"HEY! CRICKET! WAIT FOR IT—LISTEN FOR THE BEAUTIFUL CHIME OF THE GOLDEN BELL!"
Rowen's laughter thundered across the sky.
"Ahhh... I'll be waiting here—"
Cricket replied, watching the Going Merry shoot up into the sky, a hopeful smile on his face.
This man—will definitely be able to do it.
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