"Let's go."
Ian flicked the coat draped over his shoulders. "To the world's end!"
"Oh!!"
At that moment, who could possibly contain the thrill in their hearts?
Even veterans like Kaido, Aunt Linlin, and Redfield had a faint flush on their faces.
They might have missed their chance to become Pirate King, but reaching the Final Island was still one of their lifelong dreams.
And so, the Winged Dragon set sail once more—this time heading straight toward the backside of Reverse Mountain, the true end of the New World.
But the great ship hadn't traveled long before a violent wind suddenly swept down from the sky.
"Ian! Kept you waiting, didn't I?"
The roaring wind gathered and formed into the shape of Dragon. A bright smile lit up the man's face.
"I still feel like I'm dreaming. Ian, could you please say it again? Are we truly on the way to the Final Island?"
"Hm?"
Redfield and Shanks froze for a moment.
Even Big Mom, who knew Ian had some ties with the Revolutionary Army, was stunned.
Dragon himself had come?
Shanks instantly looked toward Ian, whose face now wore the same brilliant smile.
Even the Revolutionary Army had gathered around him, becoming a force he could call upon?
Indeed… Ian truly possessed that power—the power to draw people to his side without them even realizing it. The greatest kind of power on the seas.
"I would never deceive a friend," Ian said with a radiant smile. "So… are you prepared to witness the truth of this world, my friend?"
"Of course!!"
Dragon responded without hesitation, laughing loudly.
He truly hadn't expected Ian to invite him straight to the Final Island.
What an incredible man, Ian!
Who in this world didn't desire One Piece?
And yet Ian was willing to share the world's greatest secret so openly.
And not just with him alone.
Dragon turned to look at Charlotte Linlin on the deck, at Redfield, and at Shanks.
The strongest pirates on the seas—everyone except Whitebeard—had been gathered here by Ian.
This meant that aside from the World Government, every powerful force in the world now stood at Ian's side.
What awaited the World Government now was not just one enemy, but all the remaining strength of the world united against them.
There would never be a better opportunity than this.
And there would never be anyone more capable of overthrowing the World Government than Ian!!
Dragon was so overwhelmed that his body trembled.
But he had wondered before… if Ian ruled this world, would it truly become better?
Would the Beasts Pirates become a second World Government?
Those thoughts never lasted long. He always told himself that Ian was different.
Ian had been ruling Wano since the age of eight. Even as a child, he governed the entire territory controlled by the Beasts Pirates.
Later, he directly took control of the entire New World, becoming the true King of the New World.
But the countries and regions under his rule only ever improved—they never deteriorated.
Dragon didn't think Ian was hiding anything.
Who would he be hiding it from?
He was a pirate, after all. No one would have expectations of him.
So, after obtaining the great treasure left behind by Joy Boy, all that remained was to focus entirely on preparing for the final battle!
"So, Ian, where exactly is the Final Island?"
Dragon couldn't contain his curiosity.
Even a man as composed as him, almost to a fault, felt a restless excitement stirring inside when faced with a secret known only to the Roger Pirates for hundreds of years.
Ian smiled. "The beginning is also the end."
"Huh?"
Dragon froze, blinking in confusion, then murmured under his breath, "The beginning is also the end?"
"It's at Reverse Mountain."
Ian revealed the answer.
Dragon's face was full of shock, and then he couldn't help but laugh heartily.
"So, at the start of the adventure, we were actually standing on the final destination?"
Dragon's shoulders shook as he laughed. "Haha! Joy Boy really was an interesting man!"
"So," Ian said, "let's go see what interesting things this man has left for us."
"The honor is mine."
Dragon's smile remained unchanged.
"Mr. Dragon!"
At that moment, Ace approached with a cheerful grin. "How's Sabo? Has he been doing well lately?"
Ace had known about Sabo joining the Revolutionary Army for quite some time.
They had even been in contact through Ian and Dragon.
"He's doing very well," Dragon replied with a smile. "He's gathering his strength, preparing for the final battle. When he saw your wanted poster before, he ran around excitedly, telling everyone that you were his brother."
"You shouldn't have to wait long before you can see each other again."
"That's great!"
Ace clenched his fists, eyes shining with joy. "Finally, I'll be able to fight alongside him again!"
How many years had it been since he last saw Sabo?
It brought back so many memories of those days.
And what about that kid Luffy? He wondered how the boy was doing now, after Gramps had taken him to the Navy.
When the battle began, he would have to ask Ian to go easy—at least spare Gramps and Luffy's lives.
Ace's lips curved into a smile as he thought this.
He wasn't the same as he had been when he was a child.
Sabo, Luffy… just wait until you see this!
The Winged Dragon pressed onward.
In the later seas of the New World, islands had become increasingly scarce.
After passing Water 7, there were no islands ahead—only the endless expanse of deep blue sea.
Not long after, the towering crimson cliffs, stretching into the clouds like a wall that seemed to sigh, appeared before the crew.
The Red Line had arrived.
Sailing north along the Red Line for a while, the cliffs turned into steep slopes, which gradually leveled out.
This was Reverse Mountain.
"The backside of Reverse Mountain,"
Kaido stood at the bow of the ship, gazing up at the peaks that pierced the clouds. "This… is a place I've never been to before."
"So," He turned back to face the others. "Is that island hidden within these mountains?"
"The question is, how do we get in?"
**********
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