"The person you contacted has really caused quite a stir," Dragon said, turning to Kuma and setting down the newspaper in his hand.
Kuma scratched his head somewhat sheepishly. "Sorry, Dragon. Will this cause trouble for you?"
He had asked Dragon to contact Morgans and borrowed the Revolutionary Army's influence to ensure the report would spread across the seas.
This was in exchange for the information Griffin had given him.
...
Bonney also had Azure Scale Disease, though she wasn't showing symptoms yet!
Thankfully... thankfully they found out early, so they could take Bonney to see a doctor sooner!
Abandon the child?
Kuma wasn't like those Celestial Dragon beasts - how could he ever entertain such a thought?
Dragon glanced again at the white-haired, red-eyed man in the newspaper and smiled faintly. "For some reason, my intuition tells me this isn't the person you contacted, is it?"
Kuma's expression changed sharply as he took a deep breath.
"If you don't want to kill me, please don't ask."
...
Dragon had said the same words to Kuma when Kuma had asked about Luffy.
Children were their parents' greatest weakness.
Dragon's smile faded as he nodded. "I understand."
"Then from now on, you'll be solely responsible for contacting him. I guarantee no one else in the Revolutionary Army will be involved."
"If you need any help, just let me know."
"Thank you, Dragon."
"No, I should be thanking you, Kuma."
...
As Dragon watched the distant sea's turmoil, his thoughts seemed to return to twenty-six years ago.
Back then he was seventeen, just a Marine.
At God Valley, he had fired a shot at the Celestial Dragons.
He knew full well the terrible consequences of his actions, understood how fearsome the Celestial Dragons were as a group.
But he did it anyway.
For some slaves and children he didn't know, he resolutely fired at the world's highest authority!
His reason for doing so...
was simply that he couldn't stand it - this was wrong! Justice shouldn't mean protecting the strong as they abused and slaughtered the weak!
...
But...
Though he had dared to fire at Celestial Dragons back then, facing that ugliness head-on... now it wasn't that he didn't dare, but that he couldn't.
Killing a few Celestial Dragons would only bring temporary intimidation, with little impact on the World Government's overall situation.
What he needed to do was accumulate strength, waiting for the right moment to overthrow this behemoth that had suppressed the world for 800 years in one fell swoop!
What he wanted was to change the world!
This was also why he couldn't lead people to the Holy Land to rescue Ginny...
Revolution required sacrifice.
When he chose this path, he had abandoned his family. He couldn't destroy the hard-earned spark of revolution due to impulse.
Of course he felt grief and fury, helplessness about Ginny's suffering.
Now there was someone who had done what he wanted to but couldn't - not only did this bring the joy of seeing his wish fulfilled...
but also the satisfaction of knowing he wasn't alone in this path.
Yes!
On this road of resisting oppression, I'm definitely not fighting alone!
——
——
Calm Belt.
Amazon Lily, the land of women.
This island inhabited only by women valued strength as beauty, with all residents receiving warrior training and instruction in Haki application from childhood.
Serving as the kingdom's current empress was Boa Hancock, renowned as the "World's Most Beautiful Woman."
A year ago, when she first led the Kuja Pirates to resist foreign enemies, she demonstrated strength that caught the attention of the World Government, earning a bounty of 89 million Berries.
Later, to protect Amazon Lily from naval invasions, she chose to join the Royal Seven Warlords of the Sea.
At just 19 years old, she was the youngest among the Royal Seven Warlords of the Sea and a member of the world's top powers.
...
In the palace, Hancock was enjoying her quiet time.
Suddenly, hurried footsteps echoed, followed by her younger sister Boa Marigold's shouts.
"Sister! Sister!!"
Hancock frowned slightly. "This is my rest time—"
"Sister! I brought a newspaper from outside!!" Marie rarely dared to interrupt her sister, rushing into the palace clutching a rolled-up newspaper, her large frame heaving with heavy breaths.
For Marie, who was proficient in Two-Colored Haki, to be so breathless, it was clear how fast she had run back.
...
Located in the Calm Belt, News Coos rarely flew to Amazon Lily, making the island relatively isolated from information.
Hancock was still somewhat impatient. "No matter how important the matter, you shouldn't disturb my—"
"Celestial Dragons! It's about the Celestial Dragons!!"
At the words "Celestial Dragons," Hancock bolted from her seat, snatching the newspaper from Marie's hands.
Under the headline, bold letters read: "Celestial Dragon Saint Luo Killed."
Below it was a photo of Kari, whose fierce red pupils exuded a bone-chilling killing intent even through the newspaper.
Hancock stared intently at the paper, her eyes filled with shock and disbelief.
Her hand trembled slightly as she gripped the newspaper, gazing at the familiar head held in the person's hand. Painful memories of enslavement surfaced in her mind.
There was no mistaking it...
She could never forget that face...
The demon's words seemed to echo in her ears.
"I heard if you eat a Devil Fruit, you can't touch seawater. Is that true?"
"Let's test it out! I happen to have one here—feed it to them and throw them in the water to see!"
"Haha, feeding a Devil Fruit to a slave? Only you could come up with such a novel artistic idea, Saint Luo!"
...
...
The memory was so agonizing that Hancock broke into a cold sweat just recalling it.
Then, seeing the image of the Celestial Dragon's decapitated body in the newspaper, a flicker of satisfaction crossed her eyes, and the corners of her lips curled slightly.
"Too good... too good..."
Drip...
Drip...
Tears uncontrollably dampened the newspaper.
Her smile had just emerged, only to be choked back by sobs the next moment.
The world's most beautiful woman wept and laughed simultaneously, her expression...
Like sunlight after rain—damp, bright, yet tinged with a sting of pain.
...
Her second sister, having heard the news, rushed over and saw the newspaper. The three sisters clung tightly to each other, releasing the pain only they could understand.
Hancock was the first to regain her composure.
She knew all too well how grave an offense killing a Celestial Dragon was—the perpetrator would inevitably face the World Government's relentless pursuit.
Suppressing the emotions in her heart, Hancock turned to her sisters and said, "Prepare to set sail immediately!"
"I must find him..."
As for what she would do after finding him, Hancock didn't know.
But an inner urge pushed her—she had to find this person!
South Blue, thirty nautical miles from the site of Saint Luo's murder.
On the deck, the prisoners disguised as Marines trembled, realizing just how terrifying an event they had become involved in.
"G-G-Griffin... sir... a-aren't... y-you... s-scared..."
Griffin set down his juice from the lounge chair and said indifferently, "Straighten out your tongue before speaking."
"What's there to fear? We all have alibis."
Before meeting with Kuma, Griffin had planted psychological suggestions in these guys, making them believe they had been present all along.
"You're too naive, Colonel Griffin!!"
One prisoner tore off his Marine uniform, his entire body shaking. "This isn't an ordinary incident—it's a major case involving the death of a Celestial Dragon!!"
"What alibis?! The World Government won't care about that! We'll all be killed!!"
"Yeah... damn it! If I'd known, I wouldn't have come out with you for a reduced sentence. I only had fifty years left in prison before release!"
"You've doomed us all!!"
...
With a casual glance, Griffin's tone turned slightly cold. "Quiet down, and you might still live long enough for the World Government to come kill you."
"Keep making noise, and you'll die right now."
Instantly, the chaotic shouts ceased.
Griffin gazed into the distance, where a warship gradually appeared on the horizon.
Everything that needed to be done had been done—this was the final step...
If they still intended to silence everyone immediately, then he would use these men's lives to buy himself time to escape.
From the moment he brought this group out, Griffin never planned to bring them back alive—it was only a matter of when they would die.
Every one of them here was a criminal who had killed at least several people; the base prison was almost at capacity.
...
...
As the warship approached, Griffin felt somewhat confused seeing the two figures at the bow.
He also found the situation tricky—if this person intended to take action against him...
Griffin unconsciously tightened his grip on his sword hilt, ready to strike first at any moment.
...
"Don't be nervous, child."
"Fleet Admiral Sengoku won't punish innocent Marines. We just need you to cooperate with the investigation—this isn't an interrogation."
"First time meeting. I'm Vice Admiral Tsuru of Marine Headquarters. The person beside me probably needs no introduction."
The speaker was an elderly woman with white hair—Vice Admiral Tsuru, who held extremely high prestige in the Marines and was known as the 'Great Staff Officer'!
Vice Admiral Tsuru looked toward Lucci, whose hands were still bandaged, her eyes smiling.
Just cooperating with the investigation...
More lenient than expected.
That Sengoku guy proved somewhat useful after all.
Then...
The mom
ent his eyes met Lucci's, Griffin averted his gaze as if afraid to meet his eyes, a flicker of guilt passing through them.
His voice carried a barely noticeable choke.
"Sorry... I failed to protect Saint Luo... I've let you down."
Lucci, who had been cold-faced until now, suddenly trembled at the corners of his eyes, his lips parting slightly.
...
"I share your pain, Griffin..."