The night was deep.
Across the dark sea sailed a massive vessel, its hull surrounded by the image of a dragon. This was the great ship of the Revolutionary Army, the Wind Gramma.
Those they had rescued earlier, people still trembling with nerves and exhaustion, had long since fallen asleep.
Unlike in the original story, where the Revolutionary Army struggled for years to find its footing, here they had already begun to flourish. With Dragon now holding the books provided by Sakazuki, years of quiet growth had built an organization with a complete system and a clear goal. The revolution had taken root across the seas, spreading like wildfire. All they lacked now was only a spark, a single chance to ignite everything at once.
Inside the cabin at the top of the ship, the meeting room glowed bright with lamplight.
Gathered together were the first generation of Revolutionary Army officers. Among them were Dragon himself, Kuma, and Ivankov: the three highest-ranking commanders. Alongside them sat leaders from various revolutionary branches scattered across the East Blue kingdoms.
When the last branch leader finished his report, Ivankov leaned back in his chair and spoke in his usual flamboyant tone.
"It's grown to this point already, huh? So, Dragon, what are we going to do? The Reverie is about to begin. Kings from every nation are heading to Mariejois. Their kingdoms will be left vulnerable. Isn't this the perfect time to strike?"
Dragon responded, "No. We do nothing. The time isn't right yet."
He walked to a heavy curtain at the end of the room. With one swift pull, the cloth dropped away.
Shhh!
A huge world map came into view. Every known island was marked on it, even the location of Mariejois upon the Red Line.
Red circles covered some of the islands. Black rings marked others. And a rare few bore a black circle overlapped by red.
Dragon raised his hand toward the map. "As you can see, the red marks the islands where our influence has spread. The black rings show the nations allied with the World Government. And these few, where red overlaps black, represent the allied nations where our ideals have begun to take root."
He turned to face the officers, his eyes sharp. "But it's still not enough. Out of the World Government's more than one hundred seventy allied nations, they still control the majority. To become a member nation, a country must wield either great wealth or great power. It is undeniable, we are not yet strong enough to overthrow them. This world is too vast, and the World Government has ruled for too long. Until we have absolute certainty, we cannot act recklessly."
Then, a smile appeared on his lips. "But… that day is not far away."
Ivankov raised an eyebrow. "Oh?"
Dragon chuckled softly. "When the next Reverie comes, it will be about time. And for that, we have the Marines to thank. Look closely at the nations we've influenced among the World Government's allies. Do you see the difference?"
The officers squinted at the map, murmuring. One after another, they shook their heads.
At last, the usually quiet Kuma stated, "It's the numbers. The Grand Line has the most, followed by the North, West, South, and finally the East."
Dragon gave a nod, pleased. "Correct. And do you know why the Grand Line holds the most?"
Rubbing his chin, Ivankov guessed. "Because of the pressure from pirates and the government, right?"
"Indeed," Dragon replied. "Gol D. Roger began the Great Pirate Era. Pirate numbers soared across the seas, especially in the Grand Line. Countless youths, driven by dreams of adventure and riches, left their homes to chase the One Piece.
"But what happened? Nations lost their strongest young men. Yet the Heavenly Tribute demanded by the Celestial Dragons did not decrease. The burden fell heavier on those left behind. Despair spread through the people. And in that despair, our ideals found their soil. That is why the Grand Line has the most nations we have swayed. Because without that one man's suppression, the pressure became unbearable."
Turning back toward the map, he tapped it. "Now look at the order across the Four Blues. What does it remind you of?"
Kuma muttered, "Sakazuki. The Four Blues Sweep Campaign."
Dragon glanced at him. "Yes. Sakazuki, the admiral infamous for his brutality. For years he carried out his campaign across the seas. He struck a devastating blow to the rise of the Great Pirate Era. But in doing so, he created our greatest opportunity.
"The North Blue was the first he suppressed. During that period, the government published reports of his ruthless methods for months. The effect was immediate. For a time, young men no longer dared set out to sea. But when Sakazuki left the North and turned his focus elsewhere, it didn't even take two years for the youth there to lose their fear of him. They started taking to the seas in waves.
"And by then, our message had already spread throughout the North Blue. Under the crushing weight of the government's oppression, ordinary people who could no longer bear it joined us. Our movement grew with incredible speed.
"So in a way, we owe the Marines gratitude. Their campaign gave us years of uninterrupted growth, which will one day explode across the world."
The officers exchanged knowing smiles. Ivankov let out his trademark laugh. "Mmmfufufu! The Marines and the World Government probably have no idea that everything they've done has been helping us!"
Dragon smiled faintly, shaking his head. "Not quite. Their intentions weren't wrong. I've met Sakazuki a few times. He despises evil, and though his methods are cruel, they've always been aimed at pirates. It's unfortunate he stands on the other side. But let's not pretend Roger's Great Pirate Era didn't bring chaos. Even someone like Sakazuki, after years of suppression, only managed to delay its rise. He could not stop it entirely. We must prepare a solution ahead of time…"
Everyone in the room nodded. Some of them were those who had once been pirates themselves and others who had suffered at the hands of pirates. They knew better than anyone what kind of people most pirates really were.
* * *
That same night, far away on the Grand Line, the Sabaody Archipelago bustled with light.
A giant warship had just docked. Soldiers filed out in lines, heading into the commercial district for supplies. Though it was midnight, the island, gateway to the New World, still glowed with countless lamps.
Sakazuki stood within the upper cabin of the warship, watching the soldiers move through the window.
On a sofa nearby, Enel lounged with one leg crossed over the other, casually eating fruit.
Clack.
The door handle turned as Carlo entered. "As expected, there's been no move from them, Admiral Sakazuki."
He gave a low chuckle, pulling his gaze from the window. "Steady. Not bad."
Carlo tilted his head, curious. "But how can you be so sure the Revolutionary Army won't act during the Reverie? Wouldn't this be their best chance to make a big move?"
Sakazuki's eyes narrowed slightly. "The intelligence of the Monkey D. family has built up through generations. And all of it seems to have landed in Dragon. He's been lying low for years. Without absolute certainty, he won't unleash his revolution."
Carlo laughed. "You really understand him, don't you?"
He shook his head. "Just analysis. From the perspective of the Five Elders, whether pirates or revolutionaries, both are ants. They are gods, looking down from the heavens. But in Dragon's eyes, the World Government is simply a giant standing on the ground. And ants, if many enough, can bring down even an elephant. That's what he believes.
"But belief is not reality. The age we live in is limited by the spread of information. The gap in knowledge is too wide."
Carlo nodded slowly, thoughtful. "And what about us?"
Sakazuki chuckled again. "Us? We are the ones in the sky."
His tone grew sharper. "If nothing goes wrong, four years from now, during the next Reverie, the Revolutionary Army will strike. The booklet Dragon 'discovered' contained more than mere ideas. It spoke of secrets… including the eight-hundred-year cycle. The deadline approaches. They need time to consolidate before then. And when that day comes…"
He fell silent, his expression unreadable.
Carlo and Enel leaned forward, curiosity sparking in their eyes.
But Sakazuki said nothing more. He only smiled.
Enel scowled after a moment, impatient. "And then what, Uncle?"
Sakazuki's gaze grew distant. "Then… we do nothing. The fleet admiral at that time won't be me. Let Sengoku deal with it."
Carlo and Enel both froze, speechless.
He went on calmly, "In its early stages, the Revolutionary Army will inevitably sweep through the world. Most of the Four Blues are still agricultural kingdoms. Overthrowing them will be easy. But once they reach the Grand Line, they'll be crushed. Just finding a foothold there will be difficult.
"The Grand Line's extreme weather and its powerful figures are not so easily dealt with. The World Government has suppressed scientific progress for centuries. The foundations they've built are unimaginable. What do the Four Blues have? Wooden ships? How could those withstand government warships and artillery? And those advanced weapons from Punk Hazard... you've already seen the kind of destruction they bring.
"When that time comes, it'll be about who can be more ruthless. Sengoku will have to decide how many lives to take, and Dragon will have to see how many of his people must die before he accepts the truth. But it'll probably be Dragon who realizes the reality first. After all, he walks the path of the people. Sengoku, on the other hand, still holds loyalty to the government. Unless he's completely disillusioned, he'll continue to follow orders, even ones he hates."
Enel frowned deeply. "Then the Revolutionary Army has no chance. Those weapons from Punk Hazard… they can't stand against them."
Carlo disagreed. "No. The weapons are powerful, yes. But the World Government is still an official body. They won't unleash them openly without undeniable proof. Doing so would damage their authority and cost them the trust of the people. And besides, what god would care about how many ants crawl underfoot? To them, ants can be crushed at any time. Most likely, it'll turn into a long stalemate."
Sakazuki's voice sounded right then. "And that's when we send them an 'experience pack.'"
Carlo exhaled softly, his thoughts drifting to Robin. "Industrial revolution…"
* * *
Meanwhile, in Mariejois, the great hall remained ablaze with light.
The Five Elders sat together, reviewing reports.
Nusjuro spoke first. "We underestimated this Dragon. His influence has grown far greater than expected."
Warcury snorted. "His ambition is obvious. He's infiltrated member nations. What does he want? To topple us?"
Saturn leaned on his cane. "Let him stir trouble. The nations he's touched are worthless anyway. This gives us reason to clear them out. Those disgraceful countries that nearly fell to pirates should've been replaced long ago. Why waste the World Government's resources watching over such trash? If a member nation can be overthrown by pirates, it's nothing but humiliation for us."
Mars agreed. "True enough. But when did CP grow this inefficient? They still haven't found the Revolutionary Army's headquarters."
Peter answered, "Not exactly. They've narrowed it down to twenty or so possibilities."
Mars sighed. "Still too many. Even if Imu-sama could wipe them out with ease, destroying that many nations isn't ideal. If we do, the people won't revere us. They'll only fear."
Nusjuro adjusted his glasses. "There's no rush. Time isn't up yet. Let CP keep hunting. As long as we keep the number contained, ants will remain ants. They can't change the greater tide. When the day truly comes, no one will care about a few islands. The whole world will celebrate the birth of the King of the World."
* * *
Several days later, Sakazuki's warship finally reached Mariejois.
Glancing down at the broken body of Doflamingo, who looked like a dead dog in his hand, he strode toward the towering palace.
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