Dragon and Ivankov lounged in the hot spring, their conversation drifting from one idle topic to another. Steam curled lazily above the water's surface, carrying the faint mineral scent of the heated pools. To any casual observer, they looked like nothing more than old friends catching up over drinks, not high-ranking Revolutionary Army officials.
In other words, Finn was sound asleep in his room and saw none of this.
If he had, he would have immediately stood up and demanded answers. How could Dragon sit there in the same bath as Ivankov, chatting and laughing without so much as a twitch of discomfort? Wasn't this technically mixed bathing? The mental image alone would have been enough to ruin Finn's evening.
The bathhouse door swung open again, interrupting their leisurely chat.
A towering figure stepped through the doorway, his silhouette casting a long shadow across the steaming water. The man stood nearly seven meters tall, a full head above even Whitebeard, his frame wrapped in nothing but a single bath towel. His face was gaunt and angular, almost demonic, with pale skin that seemed to glow under the lantern light. Bright purple hair fell in wild strands around his shoulders.
But what drew the eye most was the scar. It ran from his chin all the way down to his abdomen, a brutal line of recently healed tissue that looked tender and raw. The kind of wound that should have killed a man.
Unlike Dragon and Ivankov, whose presence had gone largely unnoticed, this behemoth immediately drew stares. The few ordinary patrons still relaxing in the springs froze, their faces draining of color. One by one, they stood and hurried toward the exit, casting nervous glances over their shoulders.
The tall man paid them no mind. His gaze swept across the bathhouse, paused on Dragon and Ivankov, and then he strode forward with heavy, deliberate steps.
"Hehehehe. Monkey D. Dragon. Emporio Ivankov. So you actually came." The man's voice was low and rasping, tinged with dark amusement. Without waiting for a response, he sat down in the bath with a massive splash, displacing half the water in the pool.
Dragon smiled pleasantly, tilting his head. "Gekko Moria. Good to see you. It looks like your injuries have healed?"
That's right. The man who had just arrived was none other than Gekko Moria, the pirate who had entered the New World with a flourish over a year ago, only to vanish without a trace for nearly two years.
Moria's expression twisted, his features growing even more menacing. "You trying to mock me?"
"Not at all," Dragon replied calmly. "Just showing concern."
Moria stared at him for a long moment, his eyes dark and unreadable. Finally, he looked away, his tone bitter. "These injuries will never heal. Not unless I kill that bastard Kaido."
Ivankov leaned forward slightly, his tone curious. "So it's true? You really went to Wano Country?"
"Of course." Moria's voice was flat, offering no denials.
Back at G-7, Finn had assumed that Moria hadn't yet encountered Kaido.
But now it was clear. Moria had already faced Kaido. And judging by the state of him, the scar running down his torso, the haunted look in his eyes, it had been a crushing defeat. His entire crew was likely dead.
Of course, news from Wano Country was notoriously difficult to obtain. The isolated nation kept its secrets well. Even the Whitebeard Pirates didn't yet know that Kozuki Oden was dead. And Moria, defeated and humiliated, had no reason to publicize his failure. So the world remained ignorant of the battle that had broken him.
Dragon let the silence stretch for a moment before speaking again, his tone shifting to something more businesslike. "Well then, Moria. Let's talk. What information can you give me about the Poneglyphs and the Kozuki Clan of Wano Country?"
Ever since the O'Hara incident, when Dragon had been branded the "World's Most Wanted Criminal" for a crime he hadn't committed, he'd become obsessed with the Poneglyphs. The ancient stones held secrets the World Government desperately wanted to bury, and Dragon intended to unearth every last one.
But his options were limited. O'Hara had been utterly destroyed. The historians who might have helped him had been reduced to ash by Finn's meteor strike, their knowledge obliterated in an instant. Dr. Clover himself had been turned to pulp right before Dragon's eyes.
So Dragon had given up on O'Hara. Instead, he'd turned his attention elsewhere, and his investigation had led him to the Kozuki Clan of Wano Country, the legendary stonemasons who had carved the Poneglyphs in the first place.
The Revolutionary Army had sent several agents into Wano over the past year, hoping to gather intelligence. None of them had returned.
What little information they'd managed to obtain painted a grim picture. Kaido and his Beasts Pirates had taken control of the country, transforming it into their base of operations. Getting in was difficult. Getting out alive was nearly impossible.
Then Dragon had learned that Gekko Moria had challenged Kaido and survived. That made Moria a potential source of valuable information. Dragon had reached out, expecting resistance or evasion.
Instead, Moria had immediately agreed to meet.
So here they were, on Vikra Island, soaking in a hot spring and negotiating like old acquaintances.
Moria's lips curled into a dark smile. "I know plenty. But what can you offer me, Dragon? What does the Revolutionary Army have that I want?"
Dragon studied him for a moment. "What do you need?"
"Lend me your strength," Moria said bluntly. "I'm going to kill Kaido."
Dragon shook his head without hesitation. "That's impossible."
Moria's expression darkened. "Why? It benefits both of us, doesn't it? If we work together and take down Kaido, everything in Wano Country falls into your hands. I get my revenge. What's the problem?"
Dragon gave him an odd look, his mind catching on the logical flaw in Moria's argument almost immediately.
If the Revolutionary Army and Moria teamed up to kill Kaido, and Moria was this weak, then logically, the Revolutionary Army didn't need Moria at all. They could just go kill Kaido themselves and take everything.
So why would they bring Moria along?
Of course, Dragon didn't voice that thought. The truth was more complicated. The Revolutionary Army was still young, barely a few years old, with few capable officers. A full assault on Wano Country would cost them dearly, even if they won. It didn't align with their long-term strategy or their current resources.
Besides, he wasn't a Marine. He didn't have the luxury of wasting manpower on personal vendettas.
"You've fought Kaido yourself," Dragon said evenly. "You know how dangerous he is. A fight like that would cost the Revolutionary Army too much. It's not worth the risk."
Moria hadn't expected Dragon to agree right away. He'd made an extreme demand on purpose, hoping to negotiate downward.
He snorted softly but didn't argue. After a pause, he said, "I only have one goal right now. Kill Kaido. Avenge my crew. And take what is mine. So what can you offer me in that regard?"
Dragon considered the question, then smiled. "Moria, have you ever thought about joining the Revolutionary Army?"
Moria blinked, caught off guard. He frowned. "Are you joking? I'm a pirate. Why would I join the Revolutionary Army?"
"Well," Dragon said mildly, "your pirate career has hit rock bottom, hasn't it? Seems like a good time for a career change."
Moria's bounty currently stood at 320 million berries, a figure that hadn't moved in years. He'd earned it in barely a year of activity between 1500 and 1501, a testament to his strength and ambition. Even after his defeat, even after losing his entire crew, he'd managed to escape Wano Country alive. That alone proved he wasn't weak.
He just wasn't strong enough to fight a Yonko.
Not yet, anyway.
From Dragon's perspective, the Revolutionary Army didn't lack foot soldiers. What they lacked was raw combat power. Every time the World Government cracked down on them, they had to retreat, regroup, and hide. It was humiliating.
If Moria joined them, that would change. His strength, even diminished, would be an asset.
And despite his fearsome appearance and brutal reputation, Moria hadn't actually committed any major atrocities. He'd attacked Marines, sure, but so did the Revolutionary Army. He hadn't massacred civilians or burned villages. In his youth, he'd been something of a hero, challenging the strongest pirates on the seas in pursuit of his dream.
He'd just run into the wrong opponent.
Dragon saw potential in that. If he could recruit Moria now, turn him toward a better cause, it would be a victory for the Revolutionary Army in more ways than one.
Moria hesitated, his brow furrowed in thought.
To be honest, he'd become a pirate on a whim. Inspired by Roger's final words, he'd set sail with grand ambitions to get back to his ancestral home. Everything had gone smoothly at first. And then Kaido had crushed him.
He still called himself a pirate, but the title meant nothing to him anymore. He didn't care about treasure or territory. He just wanted revenge and reclaim what is rightfully his.
He'd even considered joining the Seven Warlords of the Sea if it meant gaining access to World Government resources. Anything that brought him closer to killing Kaido.
But now Dragon was offering him a different path. The Revolutionary Army. An organization with real goals, real strength, and real potential.
And unlike the World Government, Dragon actually seemed trustworthy.
Moria exhaled slowly. "If I join the Revolutionary Army, will you help me kill Kaido?"
Dragon suppressed a sigh. Kaido, Kaido, Kaido. What kind of psychological scar had that monster left on this man?
Still, he answered patiently. "Not right now. But I can promise you this: when we're strong enough, when we're fully prepared, we'll help you get your revenge. As you said, the secrets in Wano Country are important to us too."
He paused, meeting Moria's eyes. "But I won't lie to you. It might take ten years. Maybe even twenty."