Aboard the great vessel Ark Maxim.
"Captain Souta! Are you planning to topple the Celestial Dragons this time?!"
The Eastern Army Commander of the Revolutionary Army, Belo Betty, with her chest proudly exposed, barged in as if she owned the place. Without hesitation, she threw an arm around Souta Kiryuu's neck, grinning with unrestrained excitement.
Her exaggerated gesture sparked a dangerous reaction—Boa Hancock's Haoshoku Haki burst out violently, the air trembling with pressure.
Monkey D. Dragon looked on in surprise. He hadn't expected that even the legendary Pirate Empress would be aboard Souta's ship. The proud woman, known as the most beautiful in the world, had given up her position as a Shichibukai to join the Araryū Pirates.
Was Souta Kiryuu some kind of specialist in stealing away the World Government's top assets?
"Hahaha! Souta, my brother—you've outdone yourself this time. Even managed to win over the Pirate Empress!"
Belo Betty laughed as Hancock's Haki zeroed in on her. Unfazed, she teased and then leapt onto the massive shoulder of Bartholomew Kuma.
"Yo, Kuma! I'm doing pretty well as the new Eastern Army Commander, right?"
Belo Betty carried herself like a fearless big sister, with no hint of feminine restraint. After the death of the former commander Ginny, the post had remained empty until two years ago, when Dragon and Betty—after gaining Kuma's approval—gave her the mantle officially.
"Hey! And this must be little Princess Bonney? You look so much like Commander Ginny… I miss her so much!"
Betty dropped from Kuma's shoulder and swept Jewelry Bonney into a suffocating embrace, pressing the girl's face deep into her chest with an overly affectionate squeeze.
"Ah—! What are you doing?!" Bonney cried, struggling fiercely to break free from Betty's overwhelming enthusiasm.
"She was your mother's trusted right hand," Kuma explained softly, smiling warmly at the scene.
"Come now, little Bonney. Change back to your true form so Auntie Betty can see you properly!" Betty's voice softened for a moment, her eyes shimmering with nostalgia. Seeing Bonney in her adult form was like gazing at Ginny herself—so uncannily similar it tugged at the heart.
Ginny had once been celebrated as the flower of the Revolutionary Army, a perfect blend of wisdom and beauty. Her charm had captivated many, even surpassing Betty herself.
Perhaps it was that beauty which had doomed Bonney to capture by the Celestial Dragons, condemning her to cruel experiences.
Bonney pouted but, seeing the hope in Betty's eyes, reluctantly dispelled the power of her Devil Fruit. In an instant, she reverted to the form of a nine- or ten-year-old girl.
"So cute!" Betty cried, smothering her again in her chest. Bonney squirmed, nearly suffocating, before transforming her body into a gigantic size to break free. Panting, she bolted behind Souta Kiryuu and Hancock, glaring at her overly enthusiastic "aunt."
Betty chuckled and finally relented, knowing that if she kept going, Souta, Kuma, Hancock, and Dragon would all wear very dark faces indeed.
"Your crew has grown frighteningly fast," Dragon admitted, eyeing the Araryū Pirates' elite officers: Kuma, Enel, the Pirate Empress, and Gecko Moria. Their combined strength rivaled his own four Revolutionary Army Commanders.
It was terrifying.
In just two years, Souta's crew had grown at a rate that matched the Revolutionary Army's development over two decades. Dragon couldn't help but feel a pang of regret.
The Revolutionary Army's three founders had suffered heavy losses—Ivankov captured, Kuma defected to join Souta's crew, Ginny dead, and Emporio Inazuma captured alongside Ivankov. The organization had been dealt painful blows.
By contrast, the Ark Maxim brimmed with powerful figures, a sight that made Dragon envious despite himself.
"If I didn't grow this fast, the World Government would've killed me already," Souta replied with a grin. He hadn't even revealed his army of Seraphim and Pacifistas yet—if he had, Dragon would be left in despair.
"Even Nico Robin has joined you? She's the very light of our revolution," Dragon said, eyes narrowing as he noticed Robin. "When the time comes, I'd like her help in deciphering the Poneglyphs we've gathered."
"I think she'd be happy to," Souta answered. He had no particular interest in history, but he would never stand in Robin's way of pursuing her dream.
"Then I owe you thanks," Dragon said with rare sincerity. Souta had stolen Kuma away; it wasn't just Sabo who was unhappy about it—Dragon himself still felt the sting. But in the end, it had been Kuma's choice.
On the other side of the deck, Enel glared at his old rival, Karasu the crow-man.
"Let's fight again sometime."
Since utterly dominating Ace in their clash, Enel's confidence had skyrocketed. He believed he had finally closed the gap in Armament Haki with Karasu. As for Devil Fruit powers and Observation Haki, Enel was certain of his superiority.
"Instead of fighting me, how about we see who can bring down a Holy Knight first?" Karasu replied coolly, redirecting Enel's hunger for battle toward their true enemy.
When it came to wit, the seasoned Northern Army Commander still outmatched the arrogant thunder god.
"Fine! Then let's see who kills one first!" Enel answered, brimming with confidence. He had already set his sights on taking down a Holy Knight.
Meanwhile, the Southern Army Commander Lindbergh, a Mink scientist, was busy examining the Ark Maxim's lightning propulsion systems, eager to see if he could reverse-engineer something useful for his own work.
Ace, the Seraphim, and the Pacifistas were still safely tucked away within Capone Bege's castle-body, preventing any trouble.
Sabo, though, had found himself utterly fascinated by Brook's skeletal form. With a personality as bold and curious as Ace or Luffy, he peppered the musician with questions. Surprisingly, the two got along like old friends, laughing together loudly on the sidelines.
At the stern, Dragon and Souta sat face-to-face, their conversation finally turning to business.
"This time… you really mean to slaughter all of the Celestial Dragons and the entire order of Holy Knights?" Dragon asked, his tone grave. This war would shake the foundations of the world. If successful, it would ignite a retaliation from the World Government and Navy Headquarters on a scale unseen since the Void Century—a cataclysmic global conflict that could drag the entire world into chaos.
"At the very least, I'll wipe out this group of Celestial Dragon elites," Souta said coldly, killing intent flashing in his eyes. "As for the useless pigs among them—they can go back and keep corrupting the Gorosei. I don't care. But under the weight of Conqueror's Haki, most of them won't survive anyway. Out of two hundred… how many live will depend on their luck."