In the corner of the tavern, watching Rowan sit down before him with such lack of ceremony, Rayleigh set down his wine glass with a bitter smile.
Dark King Rayleigh.
If this title had been uttered twenty years ago, it would have been an existence that struck terror into the very heart of the ocean. As the First Mate of the Roger Pirates and the right-hand man of the Pirate King, his name—even after nearly twenty years of retirement—was enough to make the strong men of the current era turn pale.
One had to remember: though Rayleigh was old, he still possessed the strength to contend with the Navy's "Highest Combat Power," the Admirals.
Yet, in the face of this hundred-year-old man, Rowan, Rayleigh looked utterly helpless. There was nothing he could do; the Old Man's status made him someone no one dared provoke. The legends currently ruling the Marine Headquarters were all intimately connected to this senior.
Rayleigh remembered clearly that shortly after he had followed Roger to sea, they had a skirmish where he had accidentally wounded Rowan. That strike had left Rowan bedridden for half a month before he could even stand.
It was precisely because of that incident that Rowan's disciples began hounding the Roger Pirates across the globe. Especially Garp, the man who called Rowan "Pops."
Before Roger became the Pirate King, Garp had chased them across every corner of the world, several times pushing them into absolute dead ends. While Garp and Roger eventually developed a strange, mutual respect—sometimes even setting aside their roles to drink together—Garp never gave Rayleigh a single scrap of kindness.
To this day, whenever Garp ran into him, the man's face would sour. And all of it stemmed from that one sword strike Rayleigh had landed on Rowan.
Rayleigh felt very helpless about it. How was he supposed to know that a casual swing of his blade would lead to such dire consequences? If he could do it over, he would never have made that cut.
After all, while he was powerful, Garp's iron fists were truly horrific. Recalling them now, Rayleigh felt a chill. That man wasn't human; he was a humanoid monster whose outbursts of power defied all logic.
Rowan laughed heartily, unceremoniously grabbing the wine Rayleigh had bought and pouring himself a full glass. "Rayleigh-boy, do I look like the type of man to hold a grudge? It's been forty years. Even Roger has been gone for twenty. I'm not that petty."
Rowan raised his glass. "Just consider this a meeting between old friends. Can't we have a drink together?"
Seeing Rayleigh still acting cautious, Rowan gestured to himself and his companions. "Are you really not going to give the Old Man face? I'm not even wearing my uniform today."
Rayleigh couldn't help but sigh.
You're not petty? If you weren't petty, you wouldn't have spent years whispering in Garp and Sengoku's ears! Because of you, in their eyes, I, Rayleigh, am some sort of unredeemable arch-villain!
Rayleigh really wanted to take his "small fists" and hammer Rowan's chest just to vent for all the trouble Garp and Sengoku had caused him over the years. Of course, he couldn't actually do it. At most, he could grumble in his heart.
After all, while the Old Man's personal combat strength might not be top-tier, his students were each more monstrous than the last. Rayleigh had no desire to be targeted by the entire Marine Headquarters. Besides, since the Old Man had put it that way, he couldn't refuse to give him face.
Picking up his glass, Rayleigh tapped it against the lower rim of Rowan's glass and said, "Since you acknowledge me as an old friend, I can't refuse. Let me toast you first, Master."
Rowan drained the glass in one go.
"Tsk, tsk... Truly fine wine. The wine at this tavern is the only stuff with real bite. Back in the East Blue, I couldn't get a drop of this quality. You really know how to enjoy yourself, kid." Rowan smacked his lips, savoring the aroma with a look of pure bliss.
Rayleigh agreed wholeheartedly, lamenting, "When you get old, this is all the pursuit you have left. But the price of this wine is truly steep. I have to coat an entire ship just to afford a single bottle. If not for that, I wouldn't have to limit my visits to 'occasional' treats."
Ain, standing obediently behind Rowan, watched the legendary "Dark King" Rayleigh acting like a subordinate in front of the Old Man. Her heart was in a state of shock. It's one thing for Master Zephyr and Fleet Admiral Sengoku to respect him as his disciples, but why is a legendary pirate like Rayleigh behaving this way too?
"Eh? Great-Grandpa, is that wine really that good? Give me a taste too!"
Luffy, seeing the looks of ecstasy on their faces, couldn't help but speak up. Even Zoro, squeezed in next to him, looked tempted.
"You? You're just a brat. Why are you learning to drink? This is for adults. When the food comes, you just stick to your meat!" Rowan glared. Giving wine of this caliber to a kid like Luffy was a total waste.
"Ehh?! Great-Grandpa, you're so stingy!" Luffy complained.
Great-Grandpa?
Rayleigh looked at Luffy with surprise. If this young boy called Rowan "Great-Grandpa," then he had to be...
But as his eyes fell upon the familiar Straw Hat hanging behind Luffy's neck, his heart skipped a beat.
"That Straw Hat..."
In an instant, images of Captain Roger flashed through Rayleigh's mind, followed by the memory of meeting Shanks a few years ago. At that time, seeing Shanks with a missing arm had shocked him deeply. Even then, Shanks was a powerhouse—an overlord of the sea.
Yet, such a man had lost an arm in the East Blue. When asked, Shanks had only touched the stump of his right arm and smiled gently.
"Mr. Rayleigh, I bet it on the New Era.""You know, in the East Blue, I met a kid who was something else.""He said the exact same words as the Captain."
Coming back to his senses, Rayleigh looked at the familiar hat once more, feeling a sense of poignancy. Could it be that the kid Shanks spoke of is this boy? And his identity... is Rowan's great-grandson?
Seeing Rayleigh's expression, Rowan set down his glass and refilled it, the corner of his mouth turning up slightly. "Rayleigh-boy, don't overthink it. That Straw Hat... is indeed the same one he wore for decades."