"What's with him, suddenly getting all fired up for no reason…" Dragon muttered, squatting on the floor like some alleyway delinquent. He glanced at Overalls Fatso in the distance, watching Queen waddle around drenched in sweat, his huge backside swaying with each step. Dragon couldn't help curling his lip as he grumbled under his breath, "…With that ridiculous face, he actually looks pretty reliable when he gets serious."
Darren heard him and chuckled. "This sea is big enough to hold every kind of dream," he said softly. "Even the pirates we despise can have simple, honest aspirations."
Dragon froze for a beat. After a few seconds of silence, he suddenly threw his hands up in exasperation.
"Damn it! Why do you always manage to say such cool things, Darren?!"
Darren's smile widened.
As he watched Overalls Fatso bustling about, a faint, complicated emotion flickered in his eyes.
Who would have imagined that former enemies would one day be working to help each other grow stronger?
The world really did move in strange ways.
"Speaking of which, how have the Freedom Fighters been doing lately?"
While Queen prepared his experiment, Darren leaned against the wall, cigar between his fingers, and asked after Dragon's organization.
At the question, Dragon straightened instinctively, puffing his chest out with pride.
"Progress has been remarkable!" he declared. His eyes gleamed with confidence and a fierce anticipation for the future.
"Your suggestions were invaluable. After our initial reforms, we've built a much more solid military structure."
"Above all, we established a single Supreme Leader—" He cleared his throat twice. "Naturally, that role belongs to me."
"Under the Leader, we've formed five elite armies: the East Army, South Army, West Army, North Army, and Grand Line Army. Each one is commanded by a seasoned and capable Executive."
"You already know the Grand Line Army's Commander—Emporio Ivankov, who fought alongside us on Felsek Island."
"As for the others: Ginny—Kuma's fiancée—commands the East Army. Kuma himself leads the South Army. You haven't met the West Army's Commander yet, but I think you'll find him interesting. His name is Morley—he's a Giant."
At that, Dragon's gaze shifted awkwardly.
"As for the North Army…"
The five armies—East, South, West, North, and Grand Line—corresponded to the five great seas: East Blue, South Blue, West Blue, North Blue, and the Grand Line.
The Freedom Fighters had carved the world into these five military regions to fully mobilize local manpower and resources. Each army garrisoned its own sea, gathering intelligence and biding its time, waiting for the chance to topple corrupt kingdoms and build a more peaceful, harmonious, and prosperous world for the masses.
The East Blue, West Blue, South Blue, and Grand Line were already deployed, their commanders in place.
Only the North Blue was untouched.
Because the North Blue… was Darren's turf.
The North Blue Fleet had provided nearly all of the Freedom Fighters' initial funding and operating capital. If the Freedom Fighters suddenly marched in to overthrow the kingdoms in that sea, wouldn't that be biting the hand that fed them?
More importantly…
The North Blue didn't need a revolution.
In the sea Darren had hammered into an iron fortress, kings and bureaucratic cliques spent every day in fear. Even where corruption still existed, it remained within controllable bounds.
Pirate numbers had plummeted. Crime rates were the lowest of all the seas. Economies thrived. Ordinary people lived peaceful, stable lives. Aside from the archaic monarchy system, the North Blue was practically the very picture of the world the Freedom Fighters dreamed of creating.
Even Dragon, when he forced himself to be honest, couldn't help wondering whether a North Army was necessary at all.
Yet the other four seas all had their own armies. Leaving the North Blue as the lone exception gnawed painfully at Dragon's mild obsessive streak.
"Don't let me or the North Blue Fleet hold back your ambitions, Dragon," Darren said, noticing his discomfort. He clapped him on the shoulder with a faint smile.
"The North Blue might be stable now, but the future… who can say?"
"Even if I kill the Gorosei and overthrow the World Government, I can't guarantee I'll always stay true to my ideals. One day, I might turn into a tyrant… or lose my mind and turn the Empty Throne into a regular seat."
"I can't promise the North Blue Fleet will stay untouched by power, wealth, or temptation forever."
"Not everyone can endure those trials."
"The North Blue has prospered because the North Blue Fleet hangs over the kings' heads like the sword of Damocles, forcing everyone there to stay alert—to remember and restrain themselves."
"But who'll hang over the North Blue Fleet… like a sword of Damocles in turn?"
He turned, the smile fading from his face. His expression grew solemn.
"I hope the Freedom Fighters will take on that role."
"War and peace, poverty and plenty, stagnation and progress… no matter the era, revolution will always be necessary."
"To protect the weak. To keep the strong in check. To tear down rotten systems. To stop those in power from running wild. That's what revolution really means."
Dragon was speechless.
He stared at Darren, his eyes reddening with emotion.
Magnificent. Truly magnificent. In every era, revolution was necessary.
His hands trembled slightly. He drew in a deep breath, opened his mouth to speak—and then suddenly realized something.
"Wait… there's a problem," he blurted. "You said the Freedom Fighters would be the sword hanging over the North Blue Fleet… but who's going to hang over you?"
"Ah."
Darren nodded, spreading his hands in mock regret as he blew out a slow plume of smoke.
"I'm afraid it's already too late for anyone to supervise me. I've been completely corrupted by power, money, and women… and honestly, I'm thoroughly enjoying it."
Dragon: "..."
"Then how am I supposed to believe you'll stick to your ideals?!"
He ground his teeth, all his earlier admiration and trust shattering in an instant.
Darren blinked, genuinely confused.
"What are you talking about? My ideals haven't changed. The whole purpose of building the North Blue Fleet was to put myself to the test."
"I smoke, I drink, I chase money and women—but I'm still a damn good Marine. Isn't that exactly what it says in my self-evaluation? That 'brief' summary in my personnel file?"
Thud.
Dragon toppled over backward.
"Get ready!" Queen's shout echoed from afar.
To be continued...