"This is the most powerful nation in the first half of the Grand Line—the so-called Paradise?"
"Looks like that's all it is, really."
"Don't go showing off your shallow knowledge… Six hundred thousand standing troops, Sky Island technology from who-knows-where, and scientific cooperation with the neighboring Germa Kingdom. Forget us spies—even the Five Elders themselves put on a perfectly measured smile when meeting King Cobra of Alabasta."
"…It's really that powerful?"
"Obviously."
Within the CP9 team, Kaku and Jabra were chatting.
They had already been in Alabasta for several days.
And the funniest part? The money they were spending here wasn't CP Organization's operational funding—since this was an unsanctioned mission.
They were using their severance pay from Tom's Workers.
To be honest, it was quite a hefty amount.
When they first saw that number, even Rob Lucci's expression changed slightly.
And when they were leaving, Kalifa muttered under her breath—
"If our plan doesn't work out… maybe we should just come back to work here. We earn way more than we ever did in CP9…"
No one responded to her.
But judging from everyone's expressions, it seemed they silently agreed.
"We've already gathered plenty of intelligence in Alabasta, chapapa!" Fukurou whispered, "I thought it'd be a difficult task, but it turns out… the Revolutionary Army doesn't even bother hiding their presence here."
"But don't forget, we're here to join the Revolutionary Army… not for sightseeing."
"Join the Revolutionary Army… Look over there."
Kalifa raised her head and pointed in the distance.
Right before them stood a Revolutionary Army branch office—clearly established for quite some time—openly operating in the middle of the street.
The CP9 agents exchanged looks, for the first time feeling a sense of helplessness rising from deep within.
The more openly the Revolutionary Army acted, the more uneasy they felt.
For spies, there were few things more troublesome than running into a so-called "force of justice," or an organization that had close ties with the local kingdom.
The Revolutionary Army happened to be both.
"What are you all doing loitering outside the Revolutionary Army office?"
A man wearing a hood passed by them.
"If you're seeking help, turn left upon entering. If you're dreaming of joining the cause, turn right. If you're just citizens wanting to visit, go straight ahead—someone will guide you through a tour. After that, when you return to the entrance, you can decide whether to turn left or right."
After speaking, he took two steps forward.
The large hood concealed his entire face. Rob Lucci frowned—he couldn't make out the man's features…
All he could see was a lock of platinum-blond hair slipping out from beneath the hood.
"So… which way are you planning to go?" The hooded man's tone carried a hint of amusement.
"I've got some time today. If you're going straight ahead, I can give you a proper tour."
The CP9 agents exchanged glances. They had never met anyone this forward before.
Given their appearance—clearly assassins or spies—this man could still chat with them so casually?
And judging from his words… he seemed to be a Revolutionary himself!
"Sir, we've long heard of the Revolutionary Army's reputation… so we came to visit in person."
"Oh, very good. Then come with me." The hooded man didn't seem surprised by their attitude. "To be honest, among all the Revolutionary Army branches across the Grand Line, most are busy nonstop… except for Alabasta. As a major and powerful kingdom, there's not much for us to do here—so things tend to be a bit quieter."
With that, he walked ahead of them, confidently stepping through the entrance of the Revolutionary Army branch.
Just as he'd said—straight ahead.
The corridor beyond the entrance seemed purposely designed for visitors to learn about the Revolutionary Army.
Along the walls were displays of the organization's branches, central departments, and institutions—
—and even the history of the Revolutionary Army.
Yes, history.
The entire detailed record of the organization's founding and growth over more than ten years was laid out along the corridor.
For Rob Lucci and the others, this was their first time viewing history from the Revolutionary Army's perspective.
And to be honest, it shook their worldview to the core.
Every member of CP9 had been recruited as orphans from various parts of the world.
Even someone like Kalifa, who inherited her father's position, was emotionally detached—no different from an orphan in spirit.
After all, being an orphan wasn't just about losing parents—it was about having no one to belong to.
To spies who'd been indoctrinated since childhood with the belief of "absolute loyalty to the World Government," seeing history through the Revolutionary Army's eyes was both surreal and overwhelming.
It was like undergoing a complete psychological reformation.
A massive hammer smashing their original worldview to dust—then rebuilding something entirely new from the rubble.
"Everything about the Revolutionary Army actually traces back to long, long ago… Have you heard of the legendary God Valley Incident? The one that made Monkey D. Garp a Marine hero?"
The hooded man chuckled softly.
"If not for Garp teaming up with the Roger Pirates back then, the Rocks Pirates might have wiped out every Celestial Dragon present that day… even with that so-called God's Knights in attendance."
"W-What… The God Valley Incident—Garp teamed up with the Pirate King?" Kaku's voice trembled.
"N-No, that can't be right! Wasn't it Garp alone who turned the tide?"
"Oh, come on now. I have a good impression of Garp, but the World Government clearly treats the whole world like a bunch of idiots… and the funniest part? They are idiots." The hooded man kept walking as he spoke.
"But let's not get hung up on that. What I want to say is—the Revolutionary Army's current Flame of Wrath and Hand of Liberation were both survivors from that very incident."
"Slaves? You mean the two figureheads of the Revolutionary Army were once slaves?" Kalifa whispered. "But they've been famous for years now…"
"Young lady, there's no shame in where you come from." The hooded man didn't even turn his head. "Being born a slave only means starting from a lower point, that's all."
"The Revolutionary Army never discriminates based on background—nor does it judge your former allegiance."
At those words, every member of CP9 fell silent.
They simply followed behind the talkative hooded man, listening to him explain the entire history of the Revolutionary Army.
At first, they were only curious.
But…
Curiosity, more often than not, is the best possible beginning.
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