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Mary Geoise. The Holy Land. The nexus of the world's highest power.
For eight hundred years, it had been a sanctuary of silence and order. Now, it was the epicenter of the greatest chaos the world had seen in centuries.
Shiki the Golden Lion attacked with the wrath of a god, shattering the earth and sky. Countless berserk beasts and pirates clashed with Marines in a desperate struggle to the death. The Revolutionary Army had infiltrated the shadows. Fisher Tiger had scaled the Red Line with his bare hands, throwing open the gates of hell and releasing thousands of slaves.
Freed from their cages but lacking leadership, the slaves scattered like headless flies, running for their lives in a blind panic.
Alarms blared, but no one came to investigate. Fire spread, fueled by the hatred of the oppressed, threatening to turn the Holy Land into a pile of ash.
Smash. Burn. Loot. Destroy.
The rage of every soul who had ever been chained was unleashed upon this glittering city of sin. The flames sought to purge the evil from the very stones.
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Arthur shifted his gaze from Shiki's final stand, watching the chaos unfold below. He scanned the throngs of fleeing slaves, his eyes sharp, searching for one face in particular: Baccarat.
He saw a ferocious fish-man murder a human simply because the fragile creature blocked his path. He saw terrified humans run blindly into the crossfire between Marines and pirates, only to be cut down without mercy.
He saw a towering giant, shielding smaller friends with his massive body as they sprinted for safety.
He saw a young girl, no more than a child, forcing a brave smile onto her face though her eyes were vacant and unfocused. Her messy orange hair and dirty overalls marked her out. She was swept along by the crowd, unsure of where to go.
Koala. The future Revolutionary Army instructor.
He saw three teenage girls, huddled together in fear but moving with determination. The eldest radiated an undeniable, nascent charisma that seemed impossible to ignore. Her two younger sisters followed close behind, their forked tongues flicking nervously.
Boa Hancock and the Gorgon Sisters of Amazon Lily.
But the one who caught Arthur's attention the most was a young man with short, ash-green hair, wearing the drab grey uniform of a slave. His pockets, however, were bulging with stolen gold and Berries.
It was unimaginable. In a situation where survival was a toss-up, this man was prioritizing wealth.
Gild Tesoro.
The man who had watched the woman he loved be bought like cattle, an event that twisted his soul until he believed that money was the only god worth worshipping. That gold could buy anything in this world.
But looking around him, Arthur saw no companions. No Mr. Tanaka. No Baccarat.
'Is she not here?' Arthur frowned. 'Was she never a slave? Or does Tesoro recruit her later?'
If Baccarat wasn't a slave, Arthur's lead on the Luck-Luck Fruit was dead. Was he supposed to stalk Tesoro for years, waiting for her to show up? He didn't have that kind of patience.
'Looks like using the Luck-Luck Fruit to find the Op-Op Fruit is a bust,' Arthur thought, dismissing the idea with a shrug.
If he couldn't find it, he couldn't find it. The Op-Op Fruit would surface eventually. It was just a matter of sooner or later.
Still, he wouldn't abandon the lead entirely. Once this war was over, he'd have his crew keep tabs on Tesoro. Maybe Baccarat would join him before the Op-Op Fruit appeared.
Pushing those thoughts aside, Arthur sneered. He watched the Revolutionaries assembling on the plateau below.
His body began to drift downward.
The war was at its peak. Kong, Sengoku, and the others were locked in a ferocious battle with Shiki. But Arthur's sudden movement sent a jolt of fear through them.
"What is the Thunder Emperor doing?"
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"Everyone! Do not panic!"
Dragon's voice boomed across the plaza. It was steady, commanding, a voice that promised safety amidst the madness.
Miraculously, the chaos began to subside. More and more slaves, guided by Kuma, Inazuma, and Ivankov, began to gather around the Revolutionary leader.
They stared at this strange group, wondering who dared to stand so openly against the World Government.
"I am Dragon of the Revolutionary Army! You may not know what that means, but know this!"
"The World Government is rotten to its core! It should have been overthrown long ago! A new order will be born from the ashes of this burning city!"
"All men are created equal! Regardless of race, everyone deserves to be free!"
"There should be no slaves in this world!!"
Dragon's voice was like a revelation from heaven. His philosophy struck a chord deep within the hearts of every slave present. They were moved, some to the point of tears, ready to adopt these words as their new gospel.
"Anyone who wishes to overthrow this tyranny, anyone who wants to leave with us—follow the path to my left! We will guide you down the Red Line to safety!"
"I'll go!"
"We're joining the Revolution!"
"Down with the World Government! The world belongs to the Revolutionaries!"
"Kill the Celestial Dragons! Those pieces of trash!"
The moment Dragon finished speaking, the response was overwhelming. A roar of agreement shook the sky. Thousands of people, weeping with relief and newfound purpose, pledged their allegiance.
"Revolutionary Army? What good are ideals?"
A few clear-headed individuals remained unmoved by the grand speeches, watching coldly from the sidelines.
Gild Tesoro was one of them.
'As long as classes exist, as long as gold exists to corrupt the heart, there will never be freedom or equality! As long as people chase power, status, fame, and wealth… sooner or later, this 'Revolutionary Army' will just become the next World Government!!'
Tesoro watched with cynical detachment, calculating his escape. 'But to get out of here, I need their strength. Once I'm out… I will gather the world's wealth in the palm of my hand! Hahahahaha!'
He laughed internally, the desire he had suppressed for years threatening to explode as freedom approached.
Most of the slaves were herded towards the escape route by the Revolutionaries.
Rayleigh and Shakky moved through the crowd, their eyes scanning faces. They were looking for someone specific.
After a few moments, Shakky's eyes lit up. She spotted her target—the three girls from Amazon Lily.
"Little sisters. Are you from Amazon Lily?"
The Hancock sisters trembled, too terrified to speak loudly.
"Don't be afraid. Elder Nyon is a friend of ours…" Shakky took a drag of her cigarette, about to reassure them further.
Suddenly, a chill ran down her spine. The primal sensation of being locked onto by an apex predator.
She froze. Slowly, she turned her head. Rayleigh, Dragon, Fisher Tiger, Kuma, and Ivankov all turned with her.
A flash of violet lightning tore through the sky, violent and blindingly bright.
"THE THUNDER EMPEROR!!!"
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