One Piece: The Strongest Trait System

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"Rowen? Y-You're that... 'Sky Sovereign' Rowen?!" Buggy's face changed drastically as he stared at Rowen.

Lately, the hottest topic across the seas was that World Economic News Agency report about a new King about to be born in the East Blue.

—'Sky Sovereign' Rowen.

That was the man's epithet.

"Y-Yeah! That's right, Captain Buggy! This guy, he's that 'Sky Sovereign' Rowen! And the green-haired one is 'Pirate Hunter' Zoro!" One of Buggy's nearby subordinates pulled out a newspaper, comparing the picture to Rowen's face, and swallowed hard.

"A user of Conqueror's Haki..." Even Buggy felt cold sweat prickle his forehead now.

While 'Pirate Hunter' Zoro had a fearsome reputation among East Blue pirates, Buggy wasn't worried about swordsmen, thanks to his Chop-Chop Fruit.

But Conqueror's Haki was different.

As a former crewmate on the Pirate King's ship—having sailed with the Roger Pirates nearly everywhere except Laugh Tale (due to a sudden illness)—Buggy had practically conquered the entire Grand Line alongside them.

No one in the East Blue understood better than Buggy what Conqueror's Haki truly signified.

It was the disposition of a King!

Anyone who awakened it was considered a formidable power, even in the New World.

And such a man had appeared here, in the East Blue?!

Wait a minute!

Something clicked in Buggy's mind. He stared incredulously at Luffy, still locked in the cage.

This Rowen guy... is this brat's crewmate?!

That 'Sky Sovereign' title... don't tell me he chose it because this brat wants to be Pirate King, mirroring Vice-Captain Rayleigh's 'Dark King' epithet?!

Does that mean this Conqueror's Haki user actually believes this brat can become the next Pirate King?!

What kind of sick joke is this?!

There was a world of difference between some arrogant little punk saying he wants to be Pirate King, and a man acknowledged by a Conqueror's Haki user as having the potential to become Pirate King!

But why?! Why would someone possessing Conqueror's Haki acknowledge this brat?!

Buggy's eyes turned bloodshot with disbelief and indignation.

"'Sky Sovereign'... Rowen?" Nami murmured the name, looking at Rowen with disbelief.

These past few days, Nami had been completely focused on the Grand Line map, with no time to buy the latest newspaper.

Even without seeing the report, the sheer imposing nature of the 'Sky Sovereign' title, combined with the reaction of Buggy the Clown—a pirate with a 15 million Beri bounty, a major figure in the East Blue—spoke volumes.

Buggy's palpable tension and fear upon hearing Rowen's name said everything.

Nami knew the weight 'Pirate Hunter' Zoro's name carried in the East Blue.

Yet Buggy only showed surprise at hearing Zoro's name. Hearing Rowen's name, however, elicited genuine fear and apprehension.

Just his name alone made a major pirate like Buggy this nervous?