Pirates: Your emperor has returned!

He needed to arrange for the royal army to keep an eye on the sea conditions around Aruga to prevent other slave traders from following their trail and harassing the residents of Aruga and the fish-man village.

It's never wrong to do more, and this king, who was always devoted to his people, always believed that.

……

evening.

Rowan left the room and ate something.

The navy seemed to be still on its way. Rowan got bored while waiting, so he pulled Icarus, the captain of the Kingdom Guard, to play chess with him.

Inside the study, the two sat cross-legged on either side of the chessboard.

"Well, well, well! Ancestor, although I don't want to brag, I am an expert in the Alabasta military standard!"

The curly-haired man let out his signature laugh.

As the captain of the guards who had served the Nefertari family for many years, it was not surprising that Icarum addressed Rowan as "Ancestor."

According to him, Rowan is the ancestor of the name "Alabasta," which any citizen of the country can refer to as such.

"Let me have a go at our ancestor's hands!"

Ikaram smiled confidently.

……

One hour later.

Icarus's once confident curly hair had completely drooped down.

He trembled as he picked up a chess piece, but couldn't bring himself to place it.

"I lost..."

Icarum's expression was quite complicated.

Because that wasn't the first game he lost, but the tenth!

All ten games were undoubtedly crushing defeats!

Ikaram's head was spinning a bit, after all, the average time for a game of Alabasta is about an hour, and for experts it takes even longer.

But now, he's losing an entire game of chess every six minutes on average!

Icarus covered his head, recalling the match he had just played.

With each step he took, Rowan would follow closely behind, without the slightest hesitation, error, or flaw.

Every move seemed to take into account the overall direction of the game.

Icarum even had the illusion that the person sitting in front of him was not human at all, but a ruthless machine that only knew the correct outcome!

Rowan smiled, seemingly still wanting more.

"Let's play another round. How about I give you a five-piece handicap this time?"

"that……"

Icarus was somewhat conflicted. The pressure of playing against Rowan had already made him feel unwell, but he was too embarrassed to say it outright.

I can't hold on any longer...

Just as Icarus was about to politely decline Rowan's offer, an aged voice suddenly came from behind him.

"How about I play a game too?"

Rowan and Icarus looked in the direction of the sound and saw an old woman with gray hair.

She wore a simple ponytail and a light blue shirt underneath. Although her face was full of wrinkles, her deep blue eyes radiated a light unique to young people.

Behind that old woman was a cloak representing the Navy's justice!

The mother-in-law helped Ikalem up and, to Ikalem's surprise, sat down opposite Rowan.

She smiled.

"I know a little about the Alabasta flag."

Luo Wen looked at the other person, nodded slightly, and extended his hand, saying, "Ms. He, please."

"Hoo hoo hoo, to be addressed as 'Madam' by His Majesty the Emperor from eight hundred years ago, what an honor!"

Grandma Crane smiled kindly, but the aura emanating from her brows sent a chill down Icarus's spine.

Granny Crane picked up a chess piece and turned to Icarus, saying:

"Young brat, you've suffered a crushing defeat. Take a break."

Then, Granny Crane placed the first chess piece.

As before, Rowan's pieces followed.

Ikaram, who was watching the game, frowned slightly and subconsciously began to think about how to solve this move.

Here? Or there?

No, my head is starting to hurt again...

Grandma Crane smiled and shook her head, still slowly picking up a chess piece and then steadily placing it down.

This scene took Icarus by surprise.

The moment the chess piece landed, the astonishing pressure emanating from Rowan's side suddenly vanished by more than half.

Grandma Crane smiled and instructed:

"The chessboard is like a battlefield; never let yourself be led into your opponent's rhythm, or you'll get very tired."

Looking at the chessboard, Rowan asked, "Is this also true for negotiation and probing?"

Grandma Crane shook her head. "Not necessarily, it depends on the person."

Rowan placed a chess piece down and continued, "What if that person were me?"

"It would be best if you put it more bluntly."

Grandma Crane continued to place her pieces.

The two chatted back and forth like old friends having a casual conversation, but Icarum knew very well just how dangerous the scene before him was!

Both Rowan and that old lady from the navy exuded a suffocating sense of oppression!

Even at the World Conference, where all the kings of the member states gathered together, very few people could give Ikaram such a feeling!

Rowan smiled and shook his head. "How can I be so direct?"

Granny Crane asked bluntly:

Who are you? What do you want?

Upon hearing this, Luo Wen thought for a moment and slowly said:

"The sea is a chessboard."

"Those who live in it are pawns."

Luo Wen picked up a chess piece and looked up ahead.

fall.

"I am the one who plays the game."

[21. Chapter Twenty-One needs revision]

Albana Royal Palace.

Outside the study, a large group of people were standing.

Among them were Alabasta's Kobra, Bell, and Gaka, as well as a large group of naval personnel.

Leading the group was none other than Garp, the naval hero who accompanied Tsuru!

Cobra sat in his seat, sipping tea and glancing at the group of sailors before him.

Since the Celestial Dragons fled, Cobra has been prepared for conflict with the World Government.

Because he didn't object to Rowan's decision at the time; if he were in his shoes, he would have done the same!

To Cobra's slight relief, the visitors turned out to be Vice Admirals Garp and Tsuru.

Cobra participated in several world conferences and had met Garp and Tsuru a few times.

In his memory, these two rather elderly vice admirals were both upright and genuine naval officers with relatively mild manners.

If it were them, they probably wouldn't blindly carry out the Celestial Dragons' orders without distinguishing right from wrong, right?

This precisely represents the Navy's attitude!

……

Nearby, Garp stood with his arms crossed, his eyes slightly narrowed, silently observing the situation inside the study.

He didn't rashly use his Observation Haki, fearing that it would be an offensive and impolite act to Ryan Rowan.

Even without using Observation Haki, Garp could still feel the strong presence emanating from the study.

So, he really is a user of Conqueror's Haki?

Garp's gaze shifted as he observed Cobra's expression, inwardly sighing with admiration.

The Alabasta royal family has already tacitly approved it, and coupled with Conqueror's Haki, it seems to be the 'genuine' one!

Plus……

Grandma Crane and Luo Wen's chess game had already gone through several moves.

Karp didn't understand Alabasta, but he could tell from the expressions of both players that this game was not easy for them.

Is this what Xiaohe and Zhanguo were talking about... a battle of wits?

I still can't understand it!

Garp smiled helplessly.

In fact, this legendary vice admiral was being modest; he didn't "not understand," but rather "was too lazy to figure it out."

For Garp, there are ways that are more in line with his own style!