"We've traveled around the world and experienced different countries' customs and cultures, but... What's strange is that technological development in this world is unbalanced. Most countries across the Four Blues rely on agriculture, using human labor or animals for everything."
"But in some countries along the Grand Line, we witnessed the beauty of machinery. In such a technologically advanced nation, they've replaced labor-intensive work with various machines, allowing people to engage in other industries."
Robin paused when she read this part.
She hadn't been to such a country and couldn't imagine what it would be like for machines to replace human labor.
Dragon fell silent.
During his time in the Navy, he'd traveled to every corner of the world.
Before founding the Revolutionary Army, he journeyed everywhere in search of his ideals.
Therefore, he was familiar with the things mentioned above.
From what he understood, the nations across the Four Blues hadn't undergone any changes.
It seemed they'd remained in the agricultural age from the beginning until now.
Meanwhile, the technology employed by the World Government and the Navy was different.
The most advanced among them was the kingdom from which Vegapunk originated—that place was in a different dimension compared to other nations in the Four Blues.
In the dim cave, the firelight flickered.
Robin didn't notice the complexity in Dragon's eyes.
"Robin, continue reading," Dragon said, struggling to control his emotions before calming down.
"If such advanced technology were brought to those countries focused on agriculture and mining, their people would be liberated and could shift to other industries, allowing the nation to develop rapidly."
"However, whenever we tried to bring advanced technology back to our homeland, we encountered unexpected resistance. I've a feeling someone is deliberately controlling this."
"Perhaps our actions will fail, but I believe this world will change one day. When that day comes, machines will replace human labor, and those steam-belching iron contraptions will share the burden of work, allowing people to better enjoy life."
The record on the Poneglyph ended here.
Robin blinked, she had no recollection of the events recorded on the stone.
She couldn't help but imagine what such a scene would look like.
Humanoid robots emitting steam, transplanting seedlings and sowing seeds in rice fields?
Or perhaps they were preparing food?
After listening to Robin's translation of the ancient text, Dragon spoke with grave sincerity.
"Robin, this matter is a secret between us. You mustn't let anyone else know about it. This surpasses the impact of Ohara. If the World Government finds out, the consequences will be more severe than what happened to Ohara."
In truth, Ohara had an opportunity. From what Dragon understood, before it was destroyed by the Buster Call, the Five Elders had communicated with the scholars.
However, the scholars refused their conditions, which led to the Buster Call.
But if this matter were exposed, the World Government wouldn't offer any conditions—they'd mobilize their power, resorting to their trump cards, to nip this ideology in the bud.
Dragon understood why the World Government forbade the study of ancient texts and the Void Century.
If such an ideology originated from the Void Century, then the World Government had reason to destroy it.
Because the World Government is afraid.
Dragon didn't consider the World Government foolish.
Although most Celestial Dragon nobles were like stupid pigs, he maintained vigilance toward the Five Elders.
Robin nodded, then Dragon led her out of the cave.
Standing at the entrance, Dragon pondered for a long time before concentrating Armament Haki into his right fist and striking the mountainside.
Boom!
A series of rumbles echoed through the mountain as collapsing rocks scattered across the hillside.
Dragon had buried the Poneglyph beneath this small mountain.
Previously, after developing numerous Revolutionary Army soldiers, Dragon felt lost and complacent.
He thought that by overthrowing corrupt kings through his Revolutionary Army, he could bring better lives to the people of this world.
But unfortunately, the Poneglyph revealed that there was an invisible hand manipulating things from behind the scenes.
Centuries had passed, yet agricultural-era nations remained in the agricultural era, while technology from advanced nations never reached them.
Dragon knew this must be the work of the World Government operating behind the scenes.
If people were liberated in large numbers, they'd no longer tolerate the constraints of the old order, leading to wars that would overthrow the chains binding them.
Even if the World Government suppressed one or two uprisings, they couldn't suppress them forever unless they exterminated everyone.
Like in the North Blue's Eryoko Kingdom, a major iron ore exporter where miners had rebelled many times.
Although previous miner uprisings had been suppressed, there would always come a special moment when individuals would emerge to push events toward success.
Most of Dragon's Revolutionary Army members came from these miners. He knew this.
The power of these people shouldn't be underestimated.
If machinery had replaced manual labor in the Eryoku Kingdom at that time, then miners in the Eryoku Kingdom would have been liberated.
Meanwhile, surrounding nations witnessing Eryoku's development would rush into the mechanical age, causing internal contradictions to emerge in their own countries.
The World Government's ruling foundation relied on its own strength, yet this strength required maintenance through support from member nations.
If workers succeeded in revolution and used their strength to resist pirates while refusing to pay Celestial Tributes, then the World Government's foundation would suffer severe damage.
Therefore, as long as the World Government existed, the day recorded on the Poneglyph would never come.
But Dragon suffered from insufficient education—he didn't know Poneglyphs could be forged.
He assumed the Poneglyph was written by ancient people without suspicion.
After the stone was buried under rocks within the mountain, he couldn't see that the supposedly indestructible Poneglyph had already chipped a small corner from the rock collisions.
Dragon stood in place and sighed.
He originally thought that after learning the contents of this Poneglyph, he could find a new direction.
Now he'd found one, but given the Revolutionary Army's current strength, it was a dead end.
If they revealed this information now, including everyone in the Revolutionary Army, it would be a hopeless battle.
However, there was good news: the World Government didn't take their Revolutionary Army seriously yet.
Previously, Dragon's idea was to overthrow corrupt kings and replace them with good ones. After gathering strength from across the world, they'd declare war on the World Government.
But the more he learned about history, the more he realized how unfathomable the World Government truly was.
The Navy and CP organizations weren't the World Government's trump card. Without knowing what that trump card was, Dragon didn't want to draw more attention from the World Government.
Yet, the situation wasn't without hope.
If the Revolutionary Army's banner became visible on the map, advancing technological development would become easier than it was now.
Even if the World Government tried to erase everything, it would be too late.
...
After learning Robin had joined the Revolutionary Army in the North Country as planned, Raleigh stopped paying attention.
He understood Dragon's mindset well.
If Dragon grasped the essence of revolution from the ancient people's ideology, he'd take an interest in that Poneglyph.
And once the sole survivor of Ohara joined the Revolutionary Army, Dragon would ask Robin to decipher the ancient text on that stone tablet.
These events appeared separately before Dragon, and even someone as intelligent as him couldn't detect any issues.
After all, the Poneglyph had been taken to the Far North Country by Dragon long before the destruction of Ohara.
In the entire world, only Raleigh knew in advance about Ohara's doomed fate.
Thus, when Dragon took the Poneglyph, the plan had already begun.
Now, he needed to do nothing more.
Because he sensed the World Government's gaze had fallen upon him.
There were always CP organization members observing him.
For now, the best approach was to remain steady and adapt to changes.
...
Wano Country
"Lord Oden, we're ready."
In a hidden space in Wano Country, Kozuki Oden in his prime sat in the seat of honor, while below him were the Nine Red Scabbards of Wano.
Over the past few years, Kozuki Oden had danced naked in public, tarnishing his dignity.
The only ones still supporting him were the Nine Red Scabbards.
The one thing Kozuki Oden couldn't understand was why, after he'd kept his end of the bargain, Kaido hadn't fulfilled the agreed-upon conditions.
So, he decided to take up his weapons and challenge Kaido.
"Kaido has broken the agreement. His actions betray the spirit of bushido. I'm determined to defeat him!" Kozuki Oden spoke slowly, looking at his loyal subordinates.
Unfortunately, he didn't know that among the Nine Red Scabbards, someone had already betrayed him.
"Let's go."
Kozuki Oden, without regard for his son Momonosuke or his wife, led the Nine Red Scabbards to Kaido's stronghold, only to be surrounded by over a thousand members of the Beasts Pirates, who'd been tipped off in advance.
"Well, well, if it isn't the lord of Kuri who dances naked?"
"Lord of Kuri, do you have a performance for us today?"
The pirates showed no respect for Kozuki Oden's dignity—he'd long since lost it all.
The esteemed Kozuki Oden, who'd danced naked in public for years, had become a laughingstock in everyone's eyes.
Kozuki Oden remained silent, his twin blades whirling through the air.
With every swing, another pirate fell dead by his hand.
But the Beasts Pirates were too numerous.
With only ten of them, it was nearly impossible to get close to Kaido, who watched them from above.
"Kaido! If you have any honor, face me in a proper duel between warriors!" Kozuki Oden roared across the battlefield.
Meanwhile, Kurozumi Orochi beside Kaido spoke with flattery.
"Lord Kaido, such a man isn't worthy of your attention. Our subordinates alone can finish him."
Kaido glanced at Kurozumi Orochi but remained silent.
Seeing Kaido's silence, Kurozumi Orochi didn't dare speak either.
"Kaido, are you even a man anymore!" Kozuki Oden grew anxious as he watched his loyal Red Scabbards being surrounded by numerous pirates.
Kaido, who'd been motionless until then, suddenly stood up, gripping his club Hassaikai, and strode toward the battlefield.
"Lord Kaido, Kozuki Oden is about to die. There's no need for you to intervene."
Kurozumi Orochi tried to dissuade Kaido from going, but was frightened by Kaido's cold gaze.
"Get out of my way."
...
After a fierce battle, Kozuki Oden met his defeat.
Even after being slashed with two cross-shaped scars by Kozuki Oden's Togen Totsuka technique, Kaido possessed formidable combat power.
However, Kozuki Oden became distracted when Kurozumi Orochi's subordinate, Kurozumi Semimaru, transformed into Momonosuke's appearance.
When Kaido's club struck Oden's head, it sealed his fate.
Subsequently, the Red Scabbards were captured alive by Kaido's subordinates.
Kaido publicly announced that Kozuki Oden and the Red Scabbards would face boiling oil execution in three days.
This information spread throughout Wano Country by Kurozumi Orochi's subordinates, but the people of Wano no longer recognized Kozuki Oden's authority, so no one attempted to rescue them.
On the day of execution, Kozuki Oden made a request to Kaido: if they could endure long enough in the boiling oil, they should be given a chance to live.
Then, Kozuki Oden endured carrying a wooden plank in the scorching oil for a full hour.
The surrounding people learned the truth from Shinobu's words: if Kozuki Oden went to Kurozumi Orochi each week to perform naked dances as "atonement," each act would save one hundred citizens of Wano Country.
After five years, when Kaido completed the large ship he was building in Wano, he would take Orochi and leave.
The people's hearts were tormented by Shinobu's words.
"This is how Lord Oden has been protecting this country all along! Who exactly is the foolish lord?!"
However, the situation was already controlled by Kaido and Kurozumi Orochi—no one could break free from their grip.
With Kozuki Oden's death, Wano Country fell into the hands of Kurozumi Orochi and Kaido.
Kozuki Oden's wife, Kozuki Toki, activated her Devil Fruit ability.
The Paramecia-type Time-Time Fruit.
She sent Kinemon and Momonosuke twenty years into the future, hoping that in that timeline, Momonosuke would gain the power to defeat Kaido.
...
The East Blue
On the shores of the Oykot Kingdom in the East Blue, Bell-mère, who'd returned home for some time, was walking along the beach.
She planned to catch some fish for dinner when she was drawn by crying sounds behind a rock.
A pink, open-mouthed baby girl was wailing.
Bell-mère looked around but found no one, so she picked up the infant from the ground and held her in her arms.
Strangely enough, when the baby was picked up by Bell-mère, her crying subsided.
Looking at the adorable baby in her arms, Bell-mère's heart was touched.
"From now on, your name will be Nami."
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