"Do you… even know what you're saying?"
Sengoku's gaze suddenly turned cold.
"Garp…"
"Alright, alright, no need to look at me like that. Do you still doubt my loyalty to the Navy?"
Garp rolled his eyes.
"But you should understand this— even for me, I've always been loyal to the Navy… not to the World Government."
With that one sentence, Garp made his stance perfectly clear.
Sengoku could only sigh helplessly.
Everyone around him was either causing trouble… or on their way to cause trouble!
Couldn't they just behave for once?
"So what exactly are you trying to say?"
"If— and I mean if— the Navy could free itself from those bastards in the World Government's control… wouldn't that be the only way we could truly pursue 'justice'?"
Garp shrugged and added playfully,
"After all, what kind of justice can a government have if it forcibly collects 'Heavenly Tribute' from civilians just to feed the Celestial Dragons?"
"...You've been spending too much time with Michael."
"Oh, come on, Sengoku." Garp smirked. "Ever since the Ohara incident and the search for Roger's son, you stopped trusting the World Government. You stopped obeying their every order. Otherwise, when you suspected Ace's true identity, why didn't you report it to them? It's simple— you didn't trust them either."
"...So you're here to play mediator now?"
Sengoku looked at Garp's old, smug face, and suddenly realization dawned on him.
"You… you already knew Michael's true identity, didn't you?"
"I won't admit it, but I won't deny it either. If you want to think that, I can't stop you."
Garp mimicked Michael's infuriatingly casual tone as he spoke.
"Hmph!" Sengoku turned and started heading downstairs.
"Get lost! All of you, get out! You too, 'Hero of the Navy'— scram!"
Garp immediately chased after him, grinning as he threw an arm around Sengoku's shoulder.
"Now, now, don't be like that! I've got no interest in joining the Revolutionary Army, you know."
He burst out laughing.
"You're my brother— how could I possibly abandon you, Sengoku?"
"...You just don't want to go work under your son and Michael in the Revolutionary Army, do you?"
"…Heh, no need to say it out loud when you already know, Sengoku."
...
No one knew what Sakazuki and Kuzan discussed during that week inside the special ward— from heated arguments to calm discussions, whatever they talked about remained a mystery.
No one knew how Sengoku and Garp's candid conversation might change the course of the future.
And no one knew where the former Chief Inspector of the Navy— who once stirred the world into chaos— had disappeared to.
But time, as always, moved relentlessly forward.
In the year 1513 of the Sea Circle Calendar, the Whitebeard Kingdom was officially founded.
The First Division Commander of the Whitebeard Pirates, after being evaluated by the SWORD Secret Special Force, became the final member of the Shichibukai.
The following year, 1514, the Nation of Totto Land was established.
After both pirates known as "Emperors of the Sea" founded their own nations, other pirates across the seas began to grumble in discontent.
They knew that even though Whitebeard and Charlotte Linlin hadn't given up their pirate identities, they were no longer part of the same camp.
But for the common people living within the territories of Whitebeard and Charlotte Linlin, these were moments of celebration.
During that same period, Doflamingo took advantage of the World Government and the Five Elders being distracted by the emergence of these two new nations.
He ambushed a shipment of Heavenly Tribute mid-route with overwhelming force.
Using that as leverage, he successfully forced the World Government to recognize his legitimate royal status as the rightful king of Dressrosa.
Doflamingo had originally planned to exploit the increasingly prosperous streets of pleasure and the wealth of Dressrosa to stir up chaos once again.
However— he was betrayed by his own younger brother.
After defecting, his brother directly led the SWORD Secret Special Force into Dressrosa, establishing a new branch office of SWORD there.
Under the heavy presence and scrutiny of the SWORD Secret Special Force, Doflamingo was forced to become a diligent, upright, and hardworking king.
The deposed King Riku and his family, moved by Doflamingo's apparent transformation, even declared allegiance to him— King Riku himself became Dressrosa's new Prime Minister.
In just half a year, the title "Wise King of Dressrosa" spread throughout the entire New World.
The Navy was satisfied.
The World Government was satisfied.
The people of Dressrosa were satisfied…
Only Doflamingo— the man born a villain— wanted to cry without tears.
Calling him a "wise king" felt no different than forcing him to eat two pounds of chocolate that tasted like manure.
...
In 1516 of the Sea Circle Calendar, another World Conference was held.
This time, nearly every nation along the Grand Line agreed that the Revolutionary Army had become the greatest threat to the future.
However, Alabasta, Drum Kingdom, the Germa Kingdom, and several kingdoms across the Four Seas all refrained from taking a stance.
An alliance in name only— divided in truth.
And then, time marched on to the year 1517.
That year, the "Empress" Boa Hancock was officially promoted to Vice Admiral.
"Swift" Boa Sandersonia and "Warhammer" Boa Marigold were both promoted to Rear Admirals.
"Black Cage" Hina, "Smoker the White Hunter," "Ship Cutter" T Bone, and "Rust Tide" Shu all reached the peak of their power and achievements, earning their own promotions to Vice Admiral following Hancock.
Meanwhile, "Thousand Hands" Nico Robin was promoted to Rear Admiral, stationed at the Sabaody Archipelago— overseeing all travel and coordination between Sabaody and Fishman Island.
And it was then— that the Revolutionary Army finally began to move.
Through their branch in Drum Kingdom and the ports of Alabasta, a fleet quietly slipped into the first half of the Grand Line.
Their target— the very same nation that, in the original timeline, had been wiped from existence by the human weapon Imu.
The Kingdom of Lulusia.
The Revolutionary Army's decision to strike here wasn't without reason.
First— Lulusia's king was cruel and indifferent. The royal family lived in luxury, while the collection of Heavenly Tribute left the people impoverished.
A classic cause. A classic villain.
And second…
It was close to the Kamabakka Kingdom.
"Shi—ha! What a wonderful feeling it is to finally be heading home!"
Standing at the bow of the flagship, Ivankov tilted his massive face skyward and shouted gleefully.
"Don't get too excited just yet, Ivankov. Before we go home, we've got work to do first."
"Ah-ah, of course, my dear Chief of Staff— Michael!"
Ivankov turned around, and there stood the man who had vanished four years ago after being dismissed from the Navy— Michael himself.
He was no longer wearing his Navy uniform.
Instead, he wore a loose white robe, and behind him extended two pairs of radiant wings, giving him the appearance of a holy angel.
"But I still don't understand— after you left the Navy, why didn't we act immediately? Why wait several years?"
"Do you really enjoy walking straight into the line of fire, Ivankov?"
Michael's lips curled slightly.
"Back then, the Revolutionary Army's influence was at its peak— and so was the Navy's vigilance. If we had acted then, we would've provoked countless major clashes with both the World Government and the Navy."
"But don't forget— our goal has never been war. It's liberation."
"Following Dragon's lead to free the world— that's my responsibility."
"Minimizing the bloodshed that comes with revolution— that's my duty."
"And besides… in the not-so-distant future, the Revolutionary Army and the Navy will become one family."
"So tell me— why would family ever fight among themselves?"
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