13 Chapter 12

After calming himself down, Rowan began to access his full capability with fruit.

'According to the tests I've conducted, it seems that I am able to bounce any object from any surface of my body. The most important feature is that this 'bounce' works even if my body is standing still, although my body doesn't feel any different than prior to eating the fruit.'

'I have few ideas to maximize the utility of this ability, but it will have to wait.'

Rowan halted his thoughts, as he realized that the city, which was booming with people, became quiet all of a sudden.

"Ah! Let go! Let go!" A familiar feminine voice was heard. Rowan directed his gaze towards the source of the sound, and to his surprise, he saw a muscular man with wild red hair grabbing the girl, whom he met yesterday, by the collar.

Mad Treasure!

"Jarararara! To think someone would dare to try stealing my treasure!!" Although Mad Treasure was laughing, his eyes were blazing in fury. "My treasures belong to no one but myself!"

Hearing this, Rowan's eyes widened. She was the one who told him that Mad Treasure is the strongest on this island! Why would she attempt to steal alone!

"Yes, I'll let you go, naturally. After I am done dealing with you, that is." Mad Treasure grinned, before raising his fist up.

Shivering in fear, people ran away, afraid of becoming the victim of Mad Treasure's fury.

'Should I ignore this? Technically, that girl and I are strangers. Why risk my life for that?' Rowan had to consider his safety first before anything else. After all, his original intention of coming here was for his safety.

However, Rowan couldn't be heartless. It isn't due to being a human being from a modern world or whatsoever. He already brutally killed Arlong and the dwarf duo. He just couldn't bear to watch a young girl get beaten to death.

"Wait!" Rowan shouted, but nonetheless, Mad Treasure's fist connected the girl's face, causing her to vomit blood and get thrown back.

"Hm? Aren't you that coward I saw in the other day?" Mad Treasure tilted his head. "You wish to die as well?"

"It was me! I was the one who ordered her to steal your treasure! If you are looking for revenge, you should be looking at me, not her!" To Rowan's response, Mad Treasure simply laughed.

"I see how it is! Alright, wait for your turn then. This girl, who laid her hands on my treasures, comes first."

Hearing this, Rowan immediately propelled himself from the ground by utilizing bounce, which stopped Mad Treasure from launching himself towards the fallen girl.

"Ho, you dare to approach me?!" Mad Treasure watched Rowan flying towards him, before cocking his fist back. "Then come as close as you want!"

*BOOM* Rowan and Mad Treasure's fists met. However, unlike what everyone expected, something strange occurred, Mad Treasure got flown back immediately, without any resistance.

Mad Treasure quickly stood back up with annoyance.

"Whatever devil fruit you ate, it must be the strangest one I have ever seen." Mad Treasure cracked his neck. "Although I was the one who has been flown, no damage has accumulated on me, as if I have punched against a bouncy ball."

Rowan didn't respond. After all, this was not an anime, where you talk every one minute between each fight. One moment of distraction may be the end of one's life. Instead, he calmly accessed the situation.

'Does he have the devil fruit? I am not sure if he's hiding any additional strength. I have to be cautious here.'

"Heh! You are quite capable, alright. However..." The chains rose from Mad Treasure's body, before instantly wrapping around him around; Rowan did not get a chance to interrupt. "My fruit is superior."

Mad Treasure was seen to be completely covered in chainmail-like armor, though it seemed much thicker.

Rowan grimaced, for the thick armor seemed to be quite formidable. He quickly got himself into a stance, as he saw Mad Treasure crouching down.

Suddenly, Mad Treasure kicked the ground and propelled himself towards him. Rowan quickly sidestepped to dodge the incoming punch.

"Chain pursuit!" Instantly, several chains morphed out of Mad Treasure's body and chased after Rowan.

"Bounce." Rowan calmly used his ability to knock off the chains. However, he saw that Mad Treasure was trying to wrap him around with the chains; he quickly bounced off the ground before the chains, which were loosened from his ability, tightened again.

Seeing this, Mad Treasure grinned at the Rowan, who was in mid-air, before jumping towards him.

*BOOM* "Another collision of fist occurred. However, a different result was produced this time.

Rowan's bounce is not invincible. Depending on his physical strength, there is a limit on how much force his ability can bounce off. Mad Treasure's brute force, which is enhanced by his chainmail armor, caused Rowan to fly up, especially since his punch was not able to match in strength with him in the mid-air.

Coughing blood, Rowan looked down at Mad Treasure, who was seemingly waiting for him to come back down again.

'I really have to fix this habit of jumping myself high up in the mid-air.' Rowan briefly thought as he started to fall again.

Mad Treasure once again jumped with his chain-covered fist stretching out. This time, Rowan took a different approach. Instead of meeting the fist with his own, He slightly tilted his body, before placing his foot on the side of Mad Treasure's fist.

*BOOM* "Through the use of the bounce ability, Mad Treasure was flown sideways, before crashing to the building.

Rowan, who used that time to safely land on the ground, quickly rushed towards the fallen Mad Treasure.

His ability caused made it hard for him to damage his opponents. However, what if they receive the bounce force, while their backs are surrounded by props? Answer: the force will go through their body, causing internal damage.

"Bounce break!" Rowan unconsciously shouted out the name of his move, before landing a punch on Mad Treasure, who had no time to stand up; he could only cross his arms to defend himself.

*BANG* "A loud, sharp sound was heard, as the walls of the building behind Mad Treasure gained a spiderweb-like crack, while Mad Treasure himself vomited blood.

"*Kuf* *Kuf*." Before Rowan could pull himself away, Mad Treasure, while continuously coughing, instantly grabbed Rowan's arm, which is stretched out to Mad Treasure's stomach, before encasing it in chains. However, Mad Treasure could not keep Rowan on hold, as Rowan simply used the bounce ability to break himself free.

"You damn rat!" Mad Treasure roared in anger. Rowan kept escaping him with no chance to strike. It was starting to annoy him to great extent.

Rowan heeded no mind to Mad Treasure's outburst. He should stay focused; one moment of carelessness may result in his loss. Although it may seem that he is winning at the current moment, Mad Treasure's raw strength is very lethal; his last hit has been hurting him until now.

'I have to be careful. What if he were to have any allies? Even if I win, if I don't the strength to spare, I may end up in a really bad situation.' Rowan turned his gaze to where the girl has previously fallen and saw that she was gone. 'Well, time to make my own escape.'

"Hey, Mad Treasure, look! That girl is gone!" Rowan pointed at the spot he was looking at, causing Mad Treasure to turn around to where he was pointing.

Without watching Mad Treasure's tantrum, Rowan slowly crouched down, and blasted towards the far sky, by combining his raw strength and bounce force together instantly.

"Huh?" When Mad Treasure turned back, Rowan was gone.