Chapter 61

"Nope, still nothing at all." Rowan remarked as he looked at the vast forest laid out in front of him, while in the midair. Descending back into the forest, he shook his head in response to the eyes full of expectations, belonging to Carina, Dan, and Cavendish.

Dan slumped in disappointment, "So there is no one on this island after all?"

"Can't say for sure," Rowan shrugged, "We didn't even cover a quarter of the forest. From up there, I couldn't estimate how big this island is; would've been dangerous to travel any further in usual circumstances, but we got Carina."

Carina smiled confidently, "I marked the location of Prominence with my ability; we can teleport back anytime we want."

"So how exactly does your ability work?" Cavendish asked in curiosity and mild jealousy combined.

"From what I figured out, this ability can be used in three different ways. One, teleport myself and whatever I'm in contact with to a nearby location within my sight. Two, 'mark' a particular location, and teleport myself and whatever I'm in contact with to that location. This 'mark' disappears after using it one time. Three, teleport whatever I'm in contact with to a nearby location within my sight." Carina grinned as she explained her ability happily.

"Basically, it's overpowered. No one will be able to catch her." Rowan added on with a chuckle.

"Well, to some extent," Carina nodded, "but it consumes my stamina. I can't teleport here and there forever, without any rest."

The group resumed their walk in the forest. As they continued to move forward, they noticed that the trees began to get thicker, and their leaves became more abundant. The deeper they went, the darker it was.

"You know," Carina whispered to Rowan, "I'm starting to think that we should've brought Carmen here. Can't see anything, you know."

"Don't worry about it," Rowan smiled, "I can see just well enough-"

In the next moment, Rowan and Carina stiffened from their spot, rendering Dan and Cavendish to cease walking and stand in their spots.

""I see/hear something."" Rowan and Carina said in sync as they stared at the darkness that lied in front of them. Following suit, Dan took out his pistol and Cavendish unsheathed his sword.

*Swoosh* A faint sound of the gushing wind was heard from one side. Turning his head slightly, Rowan sighted an unknown individual, covered in black from head to toe, who was flying towards him at a rapid rate, with a kunai in his hand.

"Carina," Rowan said seriously.

"I know." Carina grinned ferociously before disappearing with a burst of weakened Soru.

Immediately after, the unknown individual found himself pinned on the bark of the nearby tree, with Carina's dagger against his throat.

"W...hat?!" The unknown individual widened his eyes in disbelief. Walking up to Carina and the unknown individual, Rowan grabbed the full-head black mask and pulled it off, revealing a brown-haired man, huffing with a bewildered expression.

"Now tell me, who are-" Rowan stopped his interrogation, and shifted his eyes towards the side, "you aren't the only one, huh?"

Subsequently, around thirty unknown individuals, covering themselves by black from head to toe, appeared behind the trees all around Rowan and his crew.

One individual, appearing to be a female, walked up from the group, "State your business."

Rowan didn't bother to answer the question.

"Why attack us?" He said coldly, as his eyes narrowed towards the unknown woman.

"Intruders, you trespassed upon our ground." The woman's eyes dangerously flashed in response, "I will say it once again. State your business, or face the consequences."

"How outrageous-" Cavendish growled in anger, but his mouth was quickly blocked by Dan, who shook his head in seriousness.

"Just stop, will you?" Dan whispered to Cavendish, "We can barely see anything here! If fight partakes, we will be nuisances to captain and Carina!"

Cavendish grabbed onto Dan's hand and forcibly removed it from his mouth. "Coward, what's there to fear from the early Paradise?! Grow some balls!!"

Meanwhile, Rowan intensely locked eyes with the unknown woman, glaring at each other.

Eventually, Rowan sighed and signaled; Carina released the dagger, causing the man to slump down on the bark in relief.

If there is one principle Rowan always kept, it was to respect the inhabitants and natives of an island, unless they were confirmed to be his enemies. Every time he acts against this principle, he would be reminded of Arlong's arrival on his own.

"We simply came here for an exploration, and nothing more." Rowan stated, "Are you the only inhabitants on this island?"

The woman stood in silence, before opening her mouth once more, "That is none of your concern. Go back, for our king does not bid his welcome to the outsiders."

Rowan frowned his face; this was getting to nowhere. With a continual decline to converse from the other party, he was left with only two options: to fight or leave. He did not mind choosing either option, but choosing the latter option will leave their question, whether they are safe to stay on this island or not, unanswered.

*SWOOOOSH* Suddenly, a strong and ominous wind blew from the darkness and ruffled against the tall trees, causing the individuals covered in black and Grimheart pirates to crouch and shield their faces.

The woman's exposed eyes widened, "Don't tell me that it has already begun!!" She urgently turned her eyes to Rowan and shouted, "Retreat and don't dare to come in any further—if you don't wish to die!!"

The woman, along with the other unknown individuals, all dashed to the darkness, leaving Rowan and his crew.

"I... smell an adventure..." Dan grinned ferociously, causing Cavendish to stare at him weirdly.

"So what now?" Carina asked Rowan, whose eyes were lingering at the darkness that the black individuals disappeared into.

Rowan turned to Carina with a smirk on his face, "Go in of course. We can't go back without anything, can we?"

'Should be of no problem. 'Rowan thought confidently, 'At worst, we got Carina to teleport us back.'

"As expected from captain!!" Cavendish grinned as he lightly swung the sword he was holding.

Four of them began to run towards the darkness, without knowledge of what lies within.

Naturally, Rowan was the fastest. Before the others could call out on him, he was long gone. After him, Carina and Cavendish were seen to be running side to side. Dan was lagging behind in the end, but he was still able to keep up; his strength has notably risen since the battle against the Kid pirates.

Up ahead, a faint silhouette of a gigantic spider was seen, hacking its sharp legs and shooting a purple-coloured poison towards the group that Rowan encountered earlier; the number of the group amounted to seventy approximately.

*Swoosh* *Swoosh* The unknown individuals dashed from tree to tree, evading and throwing the kunais and shurikens in their position. However, they seemed to have no damage on the creature, for they helplessly bounced off the surface of the creature like nothing.

"*HISSSSS*" The gigantic spider screeched and shot a stream of white liquid, which instantly hardened after trapping one individual.

Subsequently, the gigantic spider raised one of its legs, about to pierce through the body of the trapped one.

The leg moved at a very rapid speed, but before it could pierce through, the woman, who spoke out against Rowan and his crew previously, managed to alter the path of the leg by clashing it against her kunai, missing the trapped individual.

"*Huff* My king!! *Huff* You have to get a hold of yourself!!!" The woman pleaded as she parried another leg of the creature with shaky arms, huffing heavily.

However, her cry did not invoke any response from the creature. It screeched once more, before raising one of its legs and slamming it down on the ground.

*BOOOOM* The ground that surrounded the creature shook heavily, before being distorted. Some parts elevated high, while some dropped down. The individuals lost their footage from the tree and fell down.

"Yui!!" One individual cried out towards the woman, "Ten minutes passed already, and still no sign of coming back!!"

She clenched her fists while standing on top of an elevated section of the ground.

"Need help?" Suddenly, a voice was heard from her right, causing her to jolt up and immediately back away in caution. In her sight stood Rowan, whose hands were placed in his pockets with a casual smile on his face.

"You..." The woman, now identified as Yui, growled, "I told you not to come here!!"

Before the conversation could continue, the spider raised its leg and slashed towards Rowan and Yui. Yui hastily retreated from the spot by jumping, but Rowan stood on his spot, without any hint of fear on his face.

*BOOM* When the spider's leg blended on Rowan's shoulder, the ground underneath him cracked. However, he didn't seem to have sustained any damage, as the casualness was still intact on Rowan's face.

"Hi there," Rowan growled as he stared at the eight red-eyes that were glaring towards him.

*BOOOOOM* Another booming sound was heard from Rowan's shoulder. This time, the spider's leg was blasted off Rowan's shoulder, with its shape distorted and blood dripping.

'Huh?' Rowan thought in confusion as he sighted a red-coloured blood flowing out of the spider. 'Red? Spider's blood isn't supposed to be red-coloured.'

"*Huff* *Huff*" Cavendish huffed as he landed next to Rowan, staring at the latter in amazement, "How are you so fast?"

"*Phew* That was fast," Carina remarked as she wiped the sweat on her forehead, before opening her jaw in shock as she sighed the gigantic spider standing right in front of them. The ferocity was magnified by the darkness that engulfed the surrounding.

Suddenly, the gigantic spider suddenly shrank in size, transforming into a body of a man.

He was a handsome man with dark-blue hair and hazel-coloured eyes. He was seen to be huffing heavily as his whole body was drenched in sweat. His right hand was broken and bleeding profusely.

"My king, you've returned!!!" Yui immediately rushed and knelt in front of the man, quickly wrapping up the bleeding hand with a bandage within her attire.

"Yes, I have indeed." Although pale and weak, the man calmly stated before turning his face to Rowan, who was standing at some distance away with his crew members, "I give my gratitude for your aid. The name of this highness is Aoki Ichiro, the former king of the Daifuku kingdom."

Although ungrudging, Yui hesitantly turned her head and bowed to Rowan. "Thank you for your help, pirate."

At the same time, Dan arrived at the scene and stood behind Cavendish, without any idea as to what is going on. "Uhh..." Dan lifted up his hand as if about to ask something, before hesitantly placing it down as he saw the seriousness of the situation.

"Name your price—I shall reward you heftily." With the support from his subordinates, Ichiro shakily stood up from his spot, and calmly spoke.

"I want some answers," Rowan replied, before sighting Carina's pleading look, "and... some Beli too."