East Blue.
In the mountains on a nameless island.
The interior of the mountain, which looked ordinary from the outside, had long been hollowed out, and a huge circular conference hall was built within this seemingly inconspicuous mountain.
Dozens of people sat around a large round table. In the center of the table was a massive map detailing the Four Seas, Calm Belt, and Grand Line, marking every nation and race.
What stood out was that most of the areas and islands in East Blue were decorated with small red flags.
Despite the large number of people in the conference hall, not a single sound was heard.
The master's seat facing the door was empty, and everyone seemed to be waiting for the master of that position.
"Awaited."
A voice sounded from behind the main seat. In the shadow of the passage behind the main seat, a tall and straight figure slowly appeared in everyone's sight.
Others nodded, but still, no one made a sound.
After the visitor sat down, everyone stared at him.
Is this man... finally going to begin?
Although many people were excited inside, they remained calm and restrained for "disciplinary" reasons.
"It's not time yet..."
The visitor raised his head and looked around: "We reached a conclusion more than ten years ago. I believe everyone remembers it."
The long-bearded old man sitting first on the left side of the main seat nodded: "Yes, the complexity of the world situation today cannot be divided simply by Marine, Pirates, and Revolutionary Army."
"The real power on the Red Line, the family power of the Twenty Kings, the inheritance of the Great Kingdom, the origin of the Revolutionary Army, and the remaining pirates who challenge the 'World Government'."
"These are our enemies in the future, and even the Marine must think in a more prudent and pessimistic direction."
"However, after more than ten years of hard work..."
The old man flicked his sleeves, and the area with the red flags on the table lit up instantly.
"We have spread faith and hope to most areas of East Blue. In the name of the Revolutionary Army, we have overthrown many tyrannies, and in the name of 'blood', we have elected our companions to become kings and generals."
"Except for a few areas related to Mariejois and designated by 'Sir', more than half of East Blue is already under our control."
The long-bearded old man also looked around, and everyone else nodded.
"According to 'Sir's' plans, we have completed the initial spread of ideas and the seizure of political power. Next..."
The long-bearded old man put his hands flat on the table and stared at the person sitting on the table with the others.
The man who rose like a comet - current Marine Vice Admiral - "Rairyu" - Adams Dylan.
He is also their leader - the initiator of the "Peace Round Table."
Dylan raised his head and looked into the eyes full of fighting spirit around him. The determination revealed in them was enough to inspire anyone.
"Time is very tight!"
His first sentence made everyone present hold their breath: "In the past ten years, through various wars, whether against pirates or against noble armies, our soldiers and armies have made significant progress. There is no doubt about it."
"But my identity is very sensitive now, so in the next few years, I will try to avoid returning to East Blue to meet you." Dylan knocked on the table: "And you have two tasks."
Dylan raised his finger:
"First: Cultivate more companions who share our ideals from the existing army."
"Second: Let the companions who have completed the tempering of faith gain stronger power."
"Bamond also said it just now, and you know it very well."
Dylan stood up, leaned forward, and looked directly at the "Red Line" location on the map.
"Our enemy is definitely not just one group! If we want to truly change the world, we need to be prepared to be the enemy of the entire world!"
······
After everyone left one after another, only Dylan remained in the conference hall, with Bamond on his left, and a strong man with his eyes slightly closed on his right.
After a while, footsteps echoed in the passage again, and a man who was originally sitting at the door returned to the conference hall.
After nodding towards Dylan and the people sitting on the left and right, the man who looked harmless and always smiled said: "Everything is as 'Sir' expected.
The old ideas are deeply ingrained. Many people were originally civilians, refugees, or even slaves, but they gradually change after gaining power."
"They were beguiled by power and wealth and forgot the vows they had made."
The man raised his head with a smile: "According to the guidance of 'Sir', no one is allowed to defect as long as we are not exposed, so...in the past three years, the 'Discipline Department' has purged five more people."
"There are a total of 339 people, including kings, 12 generals, 21 consuls, middle and lower-level officers, and government officials."
There wasn't much change in the expression on Dylan's face.
Bamond sighed, and the strong man on the left snorted coldly.
"We must increase the intensity of supervision from now on, and there must be no mistakes. Otherwise, our plan of more than ten years will be in vain."
"In half a month."
Dylan stared at Marineford's position.
He had received the information that Ace was defeated by Teach on Banaro Island, so the "Summit War" was about to begin.
"The world will become more chaotic! Seize the opportunity and gather strength. After a period of time, the attention of the World Government will be distracted. But don't relax your vigilance. As the saying goes - our enemies are far from being just the World Government!"
······
Sebastian returned to his kingdom.
"Mr. Sebastian, here are some documents that you need to sign."
"Mr. Sebastian, the wild beasts are overrunning the Polka Mountains, and we need you to make a decision..."
"Mr. Sebastian..."
Sebastian looked at the noisy crowd in front of his desk with a smile and patiently replied to each concern.
When the crowd finally dispersed, he walked over to the window and stared at the street beyond the office building.
The streets were resplendent and luxurious, filled with smiling, joyful faces.
The Kingdom of Pardo was rich in a rare mineral.
But after hundreds of years of mining, the ore reserves were nearly depleted.
Today, the country's nobles were still desperately recruiting people to mine.
What? There's none left!?
Impossible! Dig deeper! This is the wealth God has given us, and it cannot be cut off!
Not enough miners!? Then send the criminals down!
Not enough criminals anymore?
What about the savages outside the city!? Catch them all!
No one knew how many corpses of civilians were discarded in those dark mines. No one knew where the ore went or what it became.
Sebastian was handsome and cold-blooded in his youth. His father was the country's financial officer and controlled the entire economy.
He had never been to the "mining areas" because everyone knew that "savages" lived there.
They were rude, unclean, barbaric, and mean. Even just a glance was an insult to the nobility!
"Hit!"
"Damn beast, it fled to the 'mining area'. Young master, how about..."
Sebastian turned his head and looked at the attendant coldly: "Are you going to let my record be broken?"
"No...no...but the 'mining area'..."
"It's just a 'savage'! What does it matter!?"
········
When Sebastian woke up, his head was wrapped in a cloth.
He vaguely remembered chasing the beast into the dense forest, but he lost his footing and fell off a cliff.
"Brother, are you awake?"
Sebastian was about to answer when a sharp pain came from his forehead.
"Be careful, big brother, you are a little injured."
A little...injured?
Although he had never been injured since he was a child, Sebastian was certain that the injury on his head could never be "a little injury".
"I'm really lucky that I only got so injured after falling from such a height."
The confused Sebastian shook his head, and at that moment, several anxious calls sounded in the distance.
"Anne...Anne..."
"I'm here!"
The little girl named Anne stood up and answered the distant call.
At that moment, Sebastian finally understood why the little girl named Anne said he was "only slightly injured."
The cuff of her left arm was empty, and the entire arm...was gone!
"Ann...Annie!!!"
The originally anxious tone turned into panic, and a middle-aged couple ran to them with panic on their faces.
When Sebastian saw them, he was even more shocked.
Of this couple, one had no left arm and the other had both arms missing!
People here...what the hell is going on!?
"Noble...Noble Lord...I'm sorry...Anne...Anne..."
Seeing the wound on Sebastian's head, Anne's parents almost fainted with fear.
"Ah...no, I fell from the mountain myself, that...it was Annie who saved me."
The armless man trembled and said: "That...that..."
"Don't worry, I won't implicate you."
After taking a look at their bodies, Sebastian finally couldn't help but ask: "Your bodies..."
·······
Following Anne and her family back to the "savage" village, Sebastian's faith completely collapsed.
Why does everyone have injuries... No... almost everyone is disabled.
Broken arms, lameness, blindness, sunken chests...
"They all... all became like this while working in the mines..."
Anne's father sighed: "The mine is very dangerous, there is almost no lighting, and it often collapses. My arm was lost during a collapse... to protect Anne's mother."
Sebastian swallowed, looked at Anne, who was only seven or eight years old, and asked, trembling: "Then Anne's hand..."
Anne's mother looked sad.
"After Joseph lost his hands, we had no other source of livelihood, and Anne... could only follow me to help in the mine..."
A thunderous realization exploded in Sebastian's heart.
Is this country... so tragic?
Taking advantage of the darkness, Sebastian went to the mine. The dark entrance looked like a giant beast with its mouth open.
After swallowing, young Sebastian walked in, trembling.
·········
When he escaped from the mine and returned to the royal capital, the nobles looked at him with strange eyes.
"'Savage'? How did you come to the royal capital!?"
"Look carefully, this guy... is the fiscal officer's son, Sebastian!"
"I heard that he went to the mine."
"What!? It's so degrading! What are you doing in such a dirty place!?"
"That's right, as nobles, we just need to wait for the untouchables to bring the ore up."
At that moment, Sebastian deeply hated his status as a noble.
The mud covering his body and his panicked expression looked out of place among the nobles standing on both sides of the road in suits and leather shoes, holding parasols and incense sticks.
It only took three months for Sebastian, who was originally handsome and cold-blooded, to go from the "most handsome man" in the Kingdom of Pardo to a plump, pleasant gentleman who always smiled.
Until one day, when he was planning to blow up the largest mine in Pardo, his attendant suddenly said to him:
"If this world could be saved by destruction, it would have ceased to exist long ago."
"If you want to change it, come with me to another place."
The confused Sebastian followed the attendant and left for a while.
When he returned to Pardo, he was still as plump as ever and still smiling.
But there was something different in his eyes.
It was a flame!
It was burning!
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