Facing a top-tier powerhouse like Rowan, people like Bon Kurei—who usually never had the chance to stand in the presence of the world's elite—were lucky not to have collapsed in terror. Bon Kurei's ability to remain standing earned him a flicker of genuine appreciation from Rowan.
"From this day forward, Baroque Works no longer exists," Rowan announced coolly. "As of now, you all belong to me."
This was Rowan's play to subdue the remnants. Unlike the gentle grandfather figure he portrayed with Vivi, he now unleashed the full, unbridled pressure of a Marine legend. He didn't release his sword intent, and he only used a sliver of Conqueror's Haki, but the rest was laid bare.
His Armament and Observation Haki, along with physical strength that far transcended human limits, were each enough to make their hearts stop. Stacked together, the effect was suffocating. Under this crushing aura, Bon Kurei's sheer willpower to endure was enough for Rowan to give him a mental nod of approval.
"What? No one agrees?"
Seeing the silence, Rowan's face darkened, shifting from sunny to stormy in an instant. This sudden change sent a bolt of panic through Bon Kurei and the others, who had been dazed by the sheer scale of the situation.
"We agree! We agree!" "Whatever Mr. Rowan says, we do!"
Might makes right. Rowan's strength was not something they could resist. Faced with a direct demand from a man who could erase them with a thought, they had no choice but to submit.
"Naturally, if you work for me and do a good job, I won't be stingy with the rewards."
Rowan knew the classic "stick and carrot" routine by heart. Constant force wasn't a long-term solution. If he wanted this group to actually be productive, raw oppression wouldn't suffice. Once he left Alabasta, the kingdom's local forces wouldn't be able to stop these agents from fleeing. The sea was vast; if they scattered, even Rowan would find it tedious to hunt them down—the same reason he had Robin summon them in the first place.
To make them stay willingly, he had to offer something they craved.
"Bon Kurei," Rowan said with a faint smile, "if you handle the tasks I give you well, perhaps I can take you to meet a certain person named Ivankov."
Ivankov was an executive of the Revolutionary Army. And the leader of the Revolutionary Army, Dragon...
Well, Dragon would have to call Rowan "Grandpa" if they met today! That brat's current achievements were inextricably linked to the "special training" Rowan had given him back in the day. Using his grandson's subordinate didn't feel like much of a stretch.
The Revolutionary Army might be the World Government's enemy, but Rowan had never claimed to be the Government's friend.
"Mr. Rowan, truly?! This humble one... can really meet the King of Okamas?"
Bon Kurei nearly went wild. Hearing those words felt like ascending to heaven. He viewed Emporio Ivankov as the guiding light of his life, and his ultimate dream was to enter the Kamabakka Kingdom. To be promised a meeting with the King of Okamas by Rowan was almost too good to be true.
"Of course. This old man never lies. My grandson is Ivankov's boss—making a meeting happen is a trivial matter!"
Rowan puffed on his pipe nonchalantly. It was this casual attitude that convinced Bon Kurei he wasn't being cheated.
"I'm going to meet Ivankov-sama! I'm so happy!" Bon Kurei's eyes practically turned into swirls of joy.
Rowan watched the flamboyant man's ecstasy with a flat expression. He knew that an "imaginary cake" wouldn't hold Bon Kurei forever; he'd eventually have to call Dragon and actually "borrow" Ivankov for a bit. But with their relationship, Dragon wouldn't say no.
There was no rush, though. His relationship with the World Government hadn't completely shattered yet—there were just a few cracks. Ignoring the other shivering agents, Rowan turned and walked back into the depths of Rain Dinners.
A few hours later. Somewhere in the Alabasta Desert.
A line of camels moved slowly across the shifting sands. Each animal carried a passenger. At the front, an old man in a Hawaiian shirt lounged comfortably between the humps of a massive camel, his skin tanned dark by the sun. This was Rowan, having successfully settled the Crocodile affair and folded Baroque Works into his pocket.
"Mr. Rowan, have some juice."
Momousagi (Gion), wrapped tightly in desert robes to protect her skin, nudged her camel forward and handed him a glass of fresh-squeezed juice. Rowan took it without ceremony. In this heat, an ice-cold beer would have been better, but he wasn't going to be picky.
As he took a sip, he heard hurried footsteps from the other side. He glanced over to see Princess Vivi pouting severely.
"Still mad, little girl?" Rowan chuckled at her puffed-out cheeks.
He knew exactly why she looked like that. On this return trip, besides Gion, Zoro, and Igaram, Rowan had brought Nico Robin along. Rowan knew her true nature from the original story, but Vivi didn't. To her, Robin—no matter how beautiful or intellectual—was one of the primary architects of her country's suffering.
She was unhappy about Rowan bringing her along, but since Rowan was the hero who saved her nation, she couldn't exactly scold him. So, she spent the journey looking irritated and helpless, eventually taking it out on poor Igaram.
"No, how could I be mad?" the 14-year-old retorted, her voice dripping with the classic defiance of a rebellious phase. She crossed her arms tightly, her body language completely betraying her words.
"Hahahaha!" Rowan burst into laughter.