"And why would a Marine like you want to discuss this with me?" Dragon chuckled lightly, his gaze steady.
"That depends on what you truly aim for," Ryu replied, tilting his head. "Are you fighting for the people, or just for power?"
Dragon paused, his smile fading slightly. "That's none of your concern. Now, what's your purpose here?"
"Before I answer, let me ask you something first. Are you, the Revolutionary Army, truly fighting for the people, or just for the sake of revolution itself?" Ryu fixed his gaze on Dragon.
"We're fighting for the poor, oppressed people suffering under the tyranny of your Marine forces!" Sabo interjected, his tone laced with a hint of sarcasm.
"Alright, then let me ask you this. You're aware of Alabasta, right? That desert kingdom recently embroiled in a forced war—you must've heard about it?" Ryu turned his attention to Sabo.
"That wasn't our doing. You Marines already investigated that, didn't you? It was Crocodile's scheme," Sabo replied, frowning.
"Heh, if your Revolution is truly for the people, then why didn't you aid Alabasta? With your intelligence network, I'm sure you're aware of the Nefertari royal family's dedication to their people." Ryu smirked, his gaze challenging as he questioned Sabo.
"That's Warlord territory, under Marine jurisdiction. Don't blame us for your own failures!" Koala, who had guided Ryu earlier, replied angrily, stepping up when Sabo found himself at a loss for words.
Ryu fell silent, realizing he wasn't trying to evade responsibility. Still, he noticed that Dragon hadn't mocked him; rather, Dragon seemed to understand the underlying point he was making. An awkward silence settled over the group.
"I want to reorganize the Marines," Ryu finally said, looking straight at Dragon.
Dragon removed his hat, his interest piqued. "Reorganize, hmm? Do you realize how difficult that would be?"
Ryu exhaled slowly, gathering his thoughts. "Yes, I know. But if a person has no dreams, what separates them from a rotten apple? The Marines, as they are now, don't stand for justice. Bowing to the World Government's whims, they've committed countless acts that go against true justice. I want to change that."
"There have been plenty of Marines who thought like you," Dragon replied thoughtfully. "But most of them left the Marines, turning to piracy to follow their beliefs on the open sea. Why do you, on the other hand, want to change the Marines from within?"
Ryu grinned, flashing his teeth, and pointed at himself with confidence. "Those who can make a difference change their environment; those who can't are changed by it. And I happen to be someone who can make a difference!"
Dragon was taken aback, as were the Revolutionary Army members around them, who all turned to stare at Ryu with surprise.
"Hahaha! You're quite the interesting character. So, what do you have to show for yourself? Words alone won't cut it. How many people do you have under your command?" Dragon laughed, his tone both amused and challenging.
Ryu was caught off guard. He had always believed that by growing stronger, he could achieve his dreams. But Dragon's question hit a sore spot—compared to the formidable forces of the Revolutionary Army, his own strength felt small. Not to mention Dragon himself; even the Revolutionary Army's generals and officers commanded significant power.
"I've already spoken with the kings of Alabasta and Fish-Man Island. They will support me," Ryu said after a moment of silence.
Dragon chuckled, shaking his head. "Heh, young one, you're still too green. I bet those two crafty old foxes didn't promise you anything concrete, did they? They probably just said they'd recognize your new Marine if you succeed, right?" Dragon's face took on a strange expression as he laughed. "What's that supposed to be—a reward they can reap without any risk? That's no alliance. Those who offer nothing and only seek benefits aren't true allies."
Ryu fell silent again, feeling the truth of Dragon's words. Indeed, King Cobra of Alabasta and King Neptune of Fish-Man Island had both only mentioned how they would respond if Ryu succeeded, without any promise of help. Ryu had shrugged this off, thinking that as a transmigrator, he could handle things on his own, but now he realized what that approach had really cost him.
"If that's the sort of commitment you want, I can promise you the same," Dragon said with a smile. "As long as you completely control the Marines, rest assured—the Revolutionary Army won't target you."
"No, that's not what I meant," Ryu replied, looking up at Dragon. "I admit I was naive before. But I'm young; give me time, and I'll find a way. My goal is to ally with the Revolutionary Army. Together, we'll overthrow the World Government and the Celestial Dragons, and you can lead a new world government with the kingdoms, while we, the Marines, uphold order on the seas."
"That's impossible," Dragon replied, shaking his head. "The massive funding required to support the Marines currently comes from the World Government. Overthrowing the Celestial Dragons means that money won't be there anymore. Cutting those costs will free up resources for the kingdoms, allowing their people to live better lives. I can promise to leave the Marines alone, but supporting you is out of the question."
"Then let me put it another way," Ryu said, rallying himself as he and Dragon delved into discussions about the future.
The conversation went on for three days. By the end, Ryu had used his knowledge of future events to lay out a series of plans, which, though not entirely convincing to Dragon, were at least intriguing enough that Dragon didn't reject them. As Dragon said, if Ryu's predictions were accurate, the Revolutionary Army would follow his guidance when the time came.
"Alright, I'll be heading back to Marine Headquarters to make some arrangements now. This meeting with the Revolutionary Army has been eye-opening. I look forward to our future encounters!" Ryu stood aboard a small boat, waving to the Revolutionary Army officers with a smile.
"Chief, can we really trust his words?" Sabo asked, looking uneasy after Ryu's departure.
"He mentioned knowing your origins, right? You could confirm that yourself by meeting Ace or Luffy. Something like that isn't easily faked. Plus, everything he said so far is verifiable. Even if he's using us, aren't we also using him? And if what he says turns out to be true, then things are about to change drastically." Dragon sighed, patting Sabo on the shoulder.
"I understand. I'll set out to find Ace or Luffy right away." Sabo adjusted his hat, his gaze resolute.
Sabo had no memories of his childhood. Dragon had saved him when he was severely injured, and Sabo had lost his memory in the process. Though Dragon was unaware of Sabo's origins, he had raised Sabo within the Revolutionary Army, and Sabo's loyalty was unquestionable.
"I'll go with you!" Koala said softly, standing behind Sabo.
Sabo hesitated, glancing at Dragon, who nodded. "Alright, I'll count on you then!"
"We also need to confirm Ivankov's situation in Impel Down," Dragon instructed. "He and Lightning have been locked up for years now, but we should check if they need our help."
"Understood, Chief. We'll make arrangements immediately," one of the Revolutionary soldiers replied, saluting before departing.
As for Ryu, now aware of his location, he scratched his head in frustration. "What a hassle… I ended up all the way in the South Blue. Looks like I'll need to borrow a warship from a local base; otherwise, it'll be a pain to get back."
Upon reaching the nearest Marine base, Ryu learned why the Revolutionary Army had been there: they had just liberated the kingdom of Saint Dorrea in the South Blue, successfully overthrowing another oppressive regime.
"Rear Admiral the warship you requested is ready. Shall we set sail immediately?" A Marine soldier interrupted Ryu's thoughts with a report.
"Thank you. Please take me back to Headquarters," Ryu replied with a smile.
"Yes, sir!" The Marine saluted and headed off to make the preparations.
Meanwhile, in Water 7, Luffy and his crew faced a series of troubles. Their crew member, Nico Robin, had mysteriously left with a secretive group from the World Government, and their sniper, Usopp, had split from the crew over the condition of their ship, the Going Merry. To make matters worse, Water 7's mayor, Iceburg, had been attacked, and they were being framed as the culprits.
One crisis after another continued to strike the Straw Hat crew, overwhelming them. The most distressing revelation came when they uncovered evidence suggesting that Robin herself had been involved in the attempt on Iceburg's life. This brought to mind the warning from Admiral Aokiji, casting a shadow over Robin's loyalty.
Still determined, Luffy broke into Iceburg's mansion one night, intending to confront Robin and get to the bottom of things. But he ended up facing CP9, a powerful secret government force after the Pluton blueprints, and was soundly defeated along with his crew.
Fortunately, Nami had discovered the truth from Iceburg: Robin planned to sacrifice herself to allow the Straw Hats to escape Water 7 safely, even if it meant bringing Pluton back into the world.
After Nami and Chopper freed Luffy and Zoro, who were comically stuck—Luffy wedged in a wall and Zoro in a chimney—Nami tearfully revealed Robin's true intentions. Learning that Robin hadn't betrayed them but was instead trying to protect them renewed Luffy and Zoro's spirits.
As Nami put it, "Doubts weaken us. Now that we know the truth, Luffy and the others will definitely defeat the enemy and bring Robin back!"
But they were too late to catch the sea train transporting Robin, Franky, and Usopp to Enies Lobby. With help from Kokoro and Iceburg, they boarded Tom's unfinished sea train, the "Rocketman," setting out to rescue Robin.
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