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Rowen spent the next few days preparing countermeasures while waiting for Tesoro to deliver the "Pure Gold."
According to Olga, Bonbori had been spotted months before, and someone had managed to blind one of his eyes with an explosion.
This forced Rowen to prepare for the worst-case scenario: that others had already discovered the location of the Pure Gold.
A few days later, CP0 Chief 'Bald Zero' returned.
His personal expedition had uncovered some significant clues, and he had returned to report.
"So the explosion Olga mentioned was caused by Orrick?"
Rowen frowned. This wasn't good news.
"Are you sure?"
"Yes!"
Dante replied promptly:
"The government has a Kun Kun No Mi (Sniff-Sniff Fruit) Ability user who was brought along by Zero this time."
"After inspecting the shipwreck, they unexpectedly detected Orrick's scent. The Gorōsei (Five Elder Stars) have already sent a team to the site to collect more wreckage, hoping to use it to determine Orrick's whereabouts."
The Kun Kun No Mi (Sniff-Sniff Fruit) is a rare type of Paramecia Devil Fruit. Unlike fruits like the Gomu Gomu no Mi (Gum-Gum Fruit) or Mochi-Mochi Fruit, which provide constant physical enhancements, or others like the Deceleration Fruit or Clone-Clone Fruit, which grant abilities at will, the Kun Kun No Mi (Sniff-Sniff Fruit) specifically enhances one part of the user's body, such as the eyes, nose, mouth, or throat.
It relies entirely on that specific body part to activate its powers.
Examples of similar localized enhancement Devil Fruits include Drum Kingdom's former King Wapol's ''Munch-Munch Fruit'', Dressrosa's Princess Violet's ''Glare-Glare Fruit'', and Bartholomew Kuma's ''Paw-Paw Fruit''.
These powers may sound funny or weak, but their effects are anything but.
Such Devil Fruits are not the kind that requires creative development to shine; they are inherently strong upon consumption.
The Sniff-Sniff Fruit is no exception.
It gives the user a sense of smell many times more sensitive than the keenest wild animal, along with seemingly supernatural abilities.
For example, even after so much time and exposure to rain, the user was able to tell the scent of Orrick from a swollen piece of driftwood.
Not only could they determine how many people had walked on the wood, but they could also categorize each person's scent, identify when each person had passed, and even determine the direction in which they had walked, all from a single plank.
Rumor has it that this ability can track scents up to "20 years in the past" (though this remains unverified).
This ability is similar to time reversal, though it only tracks scents without providing images or sound.
The detailed report Rowen reviewed earlier was only possible because of this ability. Without it, no one would have noticed Orrick's movements before the incident.
"Since the Gorōsei (Five Elder Stars) gave the orders, we can be sure now."
The explosion Olga had experienced was indeed Orrick's doing.
Rowen's eyes narrowed slightly.
"If I'm right then they probably didn't dare enter Bonbori's stomach after it destroyed their ship. They left, went to Colkla, and started to investigate something. Then..."
"Tsk, the information is still insufficient!"
Was Orrick looking for Bonbori on purpose, or was it just a coincidence? Did he come to Colkla Island knowing about Pure Gold, or was it pre-planned? The current data provided no clear answers.
Massaging his temples in frustration, Rowen gave his orders: "Continue surveillance, but make sure no one notices."
Having the Assassination Force monitor CP0 would ruffle feathers if discovered.
"Understood!"
After hanging up, Rowen put the Den Den Mushi aside and lit a cigar.
"Once Tesoro delivers the fake Pure Gold, the plan can finally be put into motion..."
''Taking the Initiative: Rowen's Way''
Playing defensively has never been Rowen's style. To break the stalemate, one must take the initiative!
---
After waiting for some time, on a certain morning, a merchant ship docked at the port.
"Who goes there?!"
A group of Marines quickly surrounded the ship, breaking formation and ready to attack at a moment's notice.
"Respected Marines, I am an honest merchant! Someone told me to deliver goods here!"
As the Marines rudely boarded the ship and inspected the cargo, the captain looked visibly concerned.
"Oh? Someone notified you?"
The Marine Ensign in charge of the patrol approached and glared at him. "Who?"
"That would be me."
A commanding voice rang out. Everyone turned and saluted immediately.
"Admiral Soryu!"
It was Rowen himself who stepped forward. He addressed the Ensign:
"During the last inspection, I noticed that the city's food supplies were running low. I called in a favor to have someone send a shipment. You, organize a team to unload it."
"Yes, sir!"
Admiral Soryu was famously wealthy, and with the prolonged Marine presence in the area, coupled with the CP0 and Marine forces draining the town's resources, the soldiers were already aware of the dwindling food supplies. They didn't find it strange at all, and quickly began organizing the unloading process.
The influx of fresh supplies brought cheers throughout the town. The residents, bracing for hunger in the coming days, were overjoyed and deeply grateful to Rowen for his generosity.
While responding to their thanks, Rowen found an opportunity to pull the merchant captain aside into a secluded area.
"Admiral Soryu!"
In this hidden spot, the once shrewd-looking captain became solemn and knelt on one knee.
"This is what Tesoro Sama ordered me to deliver to you. He also asked me to deliver a message: Due to time constraints, he could only produce this much."
The captain pulled a box from his coat, about the same size as the one Rowen had used to trick Teach in the past.
As expected, the fake 'Pure Gold' inside was roughly the size of a Devil Fruit.
Given the limited time and the journey involved, producing such a sizable fake 'Pure Gold' in a few days had left Tesoro utterly exhausted.
"Hmm, good work."
Rowen accepted the box and casually inquired, "By the way, did you calculate the density? We can't afford for anyone to detect that it's a fake."
"Huh???"
The Captain looked bewildered. "What do you mean?"
"Oh, nothing… not asking you. You'd better leave now; staying away too long might raise suspicions about a Captain's absence."
Unaware that he had narrowly escaped disaster, the Captain nodded vigorously.
"Understood, I'll return immediately!"
Watching the Captain leave, Rowen followed the instructions Tesoro had provided and unlocked the encrypted seal on the box. Carefully, he opened it just a crack.
Instantly, a dazzling golden light burst forth from the gap, overwhelming in its brilliance.
Faintly, an auditory illusion echoed in Rowen's ears: "Wow… A golden legend!"
'Snap!'
Rowen promptly shut the box with a smack, scanning his surroundings through the Heavenly Network before breathing a sigh of relief.
"That scared the crap out of me!"
"This thing is brighter than real Pure Gold!"
"But..."
A smirk spread across Rowen's face. "The brighter, the better!"
'(Chapter End)'