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Upon hearing this, Astolfo was so happy he nearly jumped for joy.
Their expedition had come to an abrupt halt earlier, after Astolfo accidentally overheard Blackbeard talking with a CP0 agent, and if he was honest, he'd been more than a little disappointed about it.
So when Ikki suddenly told him they could keep exploring after all, that disappointment vanished in an instant, replaced by pure delight. He grabbed Ikki's hand at once and pulled him eagerly toward the door.
Behind them, the two sisters, Nojiko and Nami, shook their heads helplessly. Given the choice, they would both have much preferred to spend the evening in the same room as Ikki, but with Astolfo so enthusiastically set on going out, there was nothing they could do about it.
The stroll ended up lasting several hours, and it wasn't until late at night that everyone was finally able to head home and rest.
At the same time, elsewhere, Belo Betty finally found her chance to make contact with the Revolutionary Army. Because the matter concerned Ikki directly, Sabo, who had spoken with her, wasted no time tracking down Dragon and reporting what he'd learned.
"So that's how it is. The World Government intends to use Ikki, then turn on him once he's served his purpose," Dragon murmured, resting his chin on his hand.
"The World Government is as despicable as ever," Sabo said. "But honestly, this works in our favor. It only pushes Ikki further from them, which makes the odds of him ever working for the World Government even lower."
"Indeed. The World Government made a mistake here." Dragon nodded, then asked, "Sabo, have you heard anything lately about famous swords?"
The fact that Ikki wanted to make a deal with Whitebeard over famous swords reminded Dragon once again of the Revolutionary Army's ongoing search for one.
Ikki's abilities were extraordinary. He had personally trained a large number of powerful crew members, and that same training had further strengthened both Gion and Hancock.
The Revolutionary Army had taken notice of these reports, and it was precisely because of them that Dragon had agreed to let Belo Betty go work alongside Ikki in the first place. Sure enough, she had gained considerable strength from the arrangement, which only deepened Dragon's desire to find a famous sword worthy of trading for Ikki's cooperation.
If he learned some pirate out there possessed one, he might even go fight that pirate personally, provided the pirate in question could be dealt with without putting the Revolutionary Army at serious risk.
"Unfortunately, there aren't many swords suited to that purpose, and the people who happen to own famous swords aren't always famous themselves. That's made the search difficult," Sabo said, shaking his head with a hint of regret.
"I see. Well, as long as it doesn't interfere with our other priorities, keep searching for a famous sword for Ikki," Dragon said.
Sabo nodded, then asked, "And the task Ikki gave us, the one about Vista and Whitebeard? Should we still see to it?"
"Whether it's the sword in Vista's hand or the one in Whitebeard's, neither of them will hand it over easily."
Swordsmen and warriors alike tended to have deep attachments to the weapons they carried, and giving one up could feel, in its own way, like a blow to their pride. Sabo knew the members of the Whitebeard Pirates shared an unusually strong bond with one another, but he remained doubtful that Whitebeard would actually agree to the trade.
Even the Revolutionary Army members tasked with delivering the message would be placed in an awkward position, and it wasn't out of the question that some of the more hot headed Whitebeard Pirates might lash out at the envoy entirely.
"Since Ikki has given the instruction, we should still make the attempt. Given his reputation, if we handle this well, he'll be more inclined to help us when we need something from him in return," Dragon said. "As for Whitebeard himself, you don't need to worry too much, Sabo."
Dragon rose and looked out the window before continuing. "A man like Whitebeard values his weapons, certainly, but never as much as he values his crew. I'd wager the same is true of Vista. If giving up the weapon he's carried for years means saving Ace, I believe both of them would be willing."
Sabo lowered his head and thought it over for a moment. It had to be said, what Dragon suggested did seem plausible enough.
"In that case, let me reach out to the Whitebeard Pirates myself. Their current location isn't far from ours," Sabo said.
"No need. You should focus on your own work, Sabo. I'll handle the negotiations with Whitebeard personally."
Sabo's eyes went wide. "Chief, you're going yourself?"
Dragon had always kept an extremely low profile. In the decades since the Revolutionary Army's founding, he'd had almost no direct contact with any of the major pirate crews, preferring to stay as far out of the sight of the Marines and the World Government as possible. That he would personally step in the moment Ikki made a request came as a genuine shock to Sabo.
"This is for the future of our Revolutionary Army as much as anything," Dragon said. "If Ikki is willing to help train our soldiers, our casualties will drop considerably once we finally clash with the World Government."
Sabo fell silent. He knew Dragon was right. If Ikki agreed to share his swordsmanship with the Revolutionary Army, their strength would be boosted like never before, even setting aside the fact that Belo Betty herself hadn't received quite the same level of personal instruction he'd once given her.
"Yes, Ikki really is that valuable. His swordsmanship might not do much against truly powerful opponents, but for ordinary soldiers, it could mean a dramatic improvement." Sabo bowed his head slightly. "Chief, I'll take care of my own duties. I'll leave the Whitebeard Pirates in your hands."
Sabo watched as Dragon walked toward the door, then raised a hand and called on his power. A gust of wind swept through the room, and his body was carried up into the sky on the sudden gale. Within moments, he had vanished from sight.
"Well then, I suppose I should get on with my own business," Sabo said, taking a deep breath and stepping toward the door.
At that moment, several Revolutionary Army members who had noticed Dragon's departure gathered around, all eager to ask Sabo where their leader had gone.
"It's best if everyone leaves this one alone," Sabo said with a laugh. "If you're really that curious, wait until the chief gets back and ask him yourself."
Everyone froze at that, momentarily at a loss for words. Dragon's tight lipped reputation within the Revolutionary Army was well known. Even Ivankov, cadre or not, had trouble getting a straight answer out of him, so sending anyone else to ask was simply out of the question.
Just as they turned to press Sabo further, they realized he had already slipped away. With no other option left, everyone gave up and dispersed.