"Rob the Celestial Tribute... you realize what kind of consequences that will bring, don't you?" Bege didn't agree immediately, speaking calmly.
"The World Government will be enraged. At least one Marine Admiral will be dispatched, and the World Government's CP organizations will also intervene. No matter where you run, the CP organizations will hunt you down." Dragon was even calmer than Bege. As a former Marine officer, he understood the repercussions of stealing the Celestial Tribute better than Bege did.
"That's right. There have been pirate crews reckless enough to go after the Celestial Tribute in the past, but the consequences were always tragic. No one could escape the World Government's pursuit. Even the overlords of the New World wouldn't dare touch the Celestial Tribute." "Dragon, you're not usually an impulsive man."
Bege inquired softly. The fallout from robbing the Celestial Tribute would bring absolutely no benefits to the Revolutionary Army, which was focused on discreet, low-profile development. No rational person would choose to do it. He didn't believe Dragon was that reckless.
"As long as no one finds out, how will the World Government know it was us who robbed the Celestial Tribute?" Dragon chuckled.
Bege raised an eyebrow and continued, "There must be powerful individuals from the World Government escorting the Celestial Tribute fleet. Even if we are strong, they'll still have opportunities to send out a message."
"Recently, my people happened to discover an interesting little creature. The sound it makes can temporarily disable Den Den Mushi. As long as we cut off their communications, they won't have a chance to transmit our identities," Dragon said quietly.
Bege was momentarily stunned. Dragon's voice came through the Den Den Mushi again. "As long as we act quickly enough to eliminate everyone, and then use your Devil Fruit ability to transport the Celestial Tribute, the World Government won't know who did it. Bege, interested now?"
"How much wealth is in this Celestial Tribute? And what's the strength of the guards?" Bege didn't rush to answer, instead asking other questions.
On the other end of the Den Den Mushi, a smile appeared on Dragon's face. He knew Bege was already interested. "This batch of Celestial Tribute is a collection of treasures from over twenty countries. The amount is enormous. Of course, the defensive forces are also very strong. Besides the Marine fleet escort, there are elite World Government troops. The strongest known combatant is the Admiral before last, 'Thunder Beast' Kemon. I estimate there's at least one other CP organization expert of comparable strength," Dragon shared all the intelligence with Bege.
"The Admiral before last... isn't he ancient by now? How strong is he currently?" Bege frowned.
"'Thunder Beast' Kemon, the Admiral before last, is a user of the Zoan Mythical Beast Model: Thunder Lizard Fruit. He can command lightning, and his physical abilities are monstrous. His Admiral title was 'Thunder Beast.' He's a Marine powerhouse from the same era as the current Commander-in-Chief, 'Steel Bone' Kong. After stepping down as Admiral, he took up an important position within the World Government. His current strength has definitely declined significantly; he's likely not at an Admiral's level anymore, but he's certainly equivalent to a top-tier Vice Admiral. His Devil Fruit ability, in particular, is very troublesome," Dragon explained.
"A user of the Zoan Mythical Beast Model: Thunder Lizard Fruit... How interesting." Bege's eyes lit up. Wasn't he currently searching for top-tier Devil Fruit users? A Mythical Zoan Devil Fruit, at that! The temptation was too great. Could he pass it up? Clearly not.
"Let's meet. I want to see for myself if that little creature of yours can truly suppress Den Den Mushi," Bege said in a low voice.
"Let's be quick about it. Bring your crew along. We need to move fast; opportunity waits for no one," Dragon's voice held a hint of delight.
Bege retracted the Den Den Mushi into his internal castle, a smile playing on his lips. Setting aside the immense wealth of the Celestial Tribute, the Thunder Lizard Fruit user alone was worth Bege making a move. Bege immediately summoned his mid-to-high-ranking officers, leading them down from the sky island without delay to meet Dragon in the New World.
On a small, deserted island in the New World, within a dense forest, Bege and Dragon met. Over a hundred people had gathered, all mid-to-high-ranking officers from the Fire Tank Pirates and the Revolutionary Army, each possessing considerable strength.
Bege's gaze passed over Dragon and landed on a tall young man behind him. This tall youth was seated on a fallen tree, engrossed in a Bible he held, seemingly oblivious to his surroundings. Bege recognized him: Bartholomew Kuma, one of the future Seven Warlords of the Sea, known as "The Tyrant," wielder of the absurdly powerful Paw-Paw Fruit. He hadn't expected Kuma to have already joined the Revolutionary Army at this point.
Besides Kuma, another individual caught his attention: a peculiar man wearing a large, fluffy coat and a black, bird-beak-shaped mask. He was positioned just behind Dragon, indicating his extremely high status within the Revolutionary Army. Observing the man's appearance carefully and recalling figures from the Revolutionary Army, Bege did indeed remember someone who matched the description: Karasu, one of the future Four Army Commanders, specifically the Commander of the North Army, codenamed "Crow." This future North Army Commander had the ability to summon crows, and some fans speculated he had consumed some kind of Mythical Zoan Fruit.
"Captain Demon Dragon, why are you staring at me? Do you know me?" Karasu's voice was low and hoarse as he looked at Bege with a puzzled expression. Dragon also looked at Bege curiously.
Bege chuckled and quipped, "My apologies, your appearance is just too striking." "Hahaha, just kidding. Don't mind me."
Karasu shrugged, indicating he didn't mind. Bege then looked at the others but didn't spot the commanders of the other three armies. He wondered if they hadn't joined the Revolutionary Army yet or simply hadn't come.
"Dragon, you haven't been idle these past three years, recruiting so many powerful experts," Bege remarked with a sigh. Dragon shook his head and said, "We all share the same ideals. It's only natural that we'd come together."
"I should be the one who's shocked. Your companions are a whole level stronger than before. Do you now have the strength to challenge the overlords of the New World?" Dragon's gaze was profound. He could vaguely sense the terrifying power hidden within Bege, and he also sensed the strength of Moria and the others.
Dragon's words caused the expressions of the Revolutionary Army officers to change uniformly. Karasu's eyes became serious, and Bartholomew Kuma also turned his head to look at Bege.
Bege waved his hand dismissively and smiled. "Not yet. Give it a few more years. When the time comes, I might ask for your help in holding off any prying eyes."
Dragon's pupils contracted. Bege's words concealed a wealth of information. He had essentially told Dragon that the Fire Tank Pirates were already preparing to challenge for the position of a New World hegemon. "You know the difficulties our Revolutionary Army faces. If it truly comes to that, I can only offer my personal assistance," Dragon said gravely.
"That's more than enough." Bege nodded. He hadn't expected the Revolutionary Army to truly help them anyway, nor did he want anyone to know about his connections with the Revolutionaries, lest he be targeted by the World Government. "Now, tell me about your plan." In Bege's hand rested a peculiar-looking small animal, somewhat resembling a frog, with a white, bulging belly. It was capable of emitting a strange cry.
This little creature was called a White-Bellied Frog. It enjoyed eating snails, and Den Den Mushi were also part of its diet. Its cry could interfere with Den Den Mushi communications.