Strongest Possessor of One Piece

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When Rojen left Xiros's Marine base without being pursued, he finally let out a sigh of relief. All things considered, avoiding a conflict was a fortunate outcome.

If the Marines had surrounded and attacked him, escaping the base would have been a difficult and costly endeavor. Although he had amassed a considerable amount of belly by now, he still needed to be frugal and plan carefully.

The One Piece world was filled with powerful individuals. Once he reached the Grand Line, the enemies he would encounter would likely have bounties starting in the millions. To survive, he would need to summon ghosts with equivalent strength.

In a way, the value of the ghosts summoned by the Possessed System was directly proportional to the pirate's bounty and strength. Of course, this wasn't always absolute.

For instance, Ge Nie's swordsmanship, from the world of Legend of Qin, had a certain value when summoned. However, in this world, for some unknown reason, his sword arts had mutated and evolved. In terms of value, they were now on par with that of a pirate powerhouse boasting a bounty of several tens of millions.

Once back aboard 'The Logan', Rojen became more vigilant.

"I must leave East Blue as soon as possible. This place is no longer safe."

Suspicious Marines were not easy to evade.

Over the next three months, Rojen hunted down and eliminated five pirate crews, frequently switching Marine bases to exchange the bounties. Eventually, his belly reserves grew to 75 million— a substantial sum that finally allowed him to feel a sense of security.

"Seventy-five million... If I exchange it for ghosts, their power should be on par with that of rear, vice, or even admiral-grade Marines."

In East Blue, Marines of that level were virtually unmatched, which gave Rojen significant confidence.

Rewarding himself with a three-day break, Rojen anchored his ship near a small island and enjoyed some leisure time. He wandered around, found a quiet bar, listened to violin music, and watched beautiful women dance, immersing himself in relaxation. After three days of rest, he set sail again, heading toward the Grand Line.

From what he had heard, the only way to reach South Blue was by passing through Reverse Mountain, where an upward sea current connected the four seas. However, these were just rumors he had picked up— he didn't know the exact details yet.

To reach Reverse Mountain, he had to pass through his hometown, Loguetown.

His eyes narrowed, and his expression grew serious.

As the familiar town came into view, Rojen felt a wave of complex emotions.

Back then, he had been forced to leave Loguetown without the power to protect himself. After making a full circuit of East Blue, he now had enough strength to stand his ground. And yet, fate had brought him back to the place he once fled.

When the ship silently docked at the shore, Rojen wordlessly took out his mask and placed it on his face.

Leaping off the ship, he made his way toward Loguetown.

Meanwhile, in the Marine branch office in Loguetown…

"So, you suspect that this so-called Ge Nie is actually a pirate in disguise?"

"A pirate disguised as a hunter, just to hide his true identity?"

Lieutenant Commander Smo frowned as he looked at the young man in front of him, his eyes filled with doubt.

"It's not a suspicion— it's a certainty," The young man replied with a confident smile.

"Dragon, you know that if your judgment is wrong, our Marines will bear significant consequences," Another Marine said in a serious tone.

"I won't be wrong," Dragon replied softly.

His gaze turned deep and distant as he looked out the window.

"I'm not just certain that he's a pirate—I also know exactly who he is."

Ever since his brief encounter with Rojen, Dragon hadn't let go of a single clue. He had visited several nearby islands, including the one where Rojen had purchased his ship.

Slowly, Dragon pulled out a sheet of paper.

"What's this?" Smo asked, puzzled.

"A ship," Dragon replied.

"What do you mean?" Smo was still confused.

"This ship belongs to that man— Sword Saint Ge Nie, who is, at the same time, Gol D. Rojen. He bought it from a minor noble named Roside."

"Ever since the day he purchased that ship, Rojen vanished, and at the same time, a pirate hunter named Ge Nie rose to prominence!"

"He's incredibly clever— he's managed to conceal almost all traces of his past. But he isn't ruthless enough." Dragon spoke softly, his eyes gleaming with interest.

"Are you saying that the famous pirate hunter, Sword Saint Ge Nie, is actually Gol D. Rojen?!" Smo was stunned.

This time, Dragon didn't respond directly. His eyes flickered, and a faint smile appeared on his face.

"An interesting fellow."

Muttering to himself, he reached into his coat and pulled out a small Den Den Mushi.

"Report his location," he said calmly into the snail phone.

Smo, filled with curiosity, watched the young man's actions, completely unable to figure out what he was up to.

"Loguetown!"

A low voice came through the Den Den Mushi, and Dragon's eyebrows lifted slightly as he smiled.

Without bothering to explain further, Dragon waved Smo off and strode out of the office.

Rojen had been on Dragon's radar for a long time, but he had always eluded detection. The man was too clever— it was as if he had truly vanished into thin air. Then, one day, a pirate hunter named Sword Saint Ge Nie came into the picture.

Dragon had initially noticed him by accident, on the day when the hunter's identity was questioned in public. Dragon happened to be nearby and took note of the event.

"South Blue has no sword traveler named Sage of Ghost Valley, and it's impossible for someone like Ge Nie to exist there," the South Blue branch had confirmed. Dragon remembered their words clearly.

Yes, Ge Nie's identity was a fabrication. This revelation piqued Dragon's interest—why would a pirate hunter wear a mask and go to such lengths to hide his true identity? There had to be a secret, and Dragon was determined to uncover it.

He began by investigating Ge Nie's swordsmanship but found no leads. Then, he turned his attention to the ship.

That ship was the key that suddenly clarified everything for Dragon—it connected all the disjointed pieces of the puzzle. This wasn't just a new person emerging out of nowhere; it was the story of one man transforming into another.

Piecing together all the information, Dragon eventually cross-referenced it with an observer from the local chamber of commerce, who provided evidence. The swordsmanship used by the so-called Sword Saint Ge Nie was identical to that of Rojen.

There was no doubt about it— they were the same person.

Today, Dragon finally confirmed his theory. The man was in Loguetown, and according to the latest report, he was currently at his former home!

"Interesting, very interesting!"

"A man as intriguing as you... I almost don't want to capture you for the Marines."

"But precisely because you're so interesting, you're also extremely dangerous."

"Compared to Roger, your talent for operating from the shadows makes you far more unpredictable."

"Gol D. Rojen!"

(End Of The Chapter)