At the entrance of the Grand Line, Reverse Mountain stood as the natural gateway that connected the Four Seas, a colossal structure where ocean currents defied logic and surged upward toward the heavens.
More than five thousand meters above sea level, at the very peak of Reverse Mountain, the winds howled without restraint. This elevation was not unusual in this world, considering the Red Line itself stretched across the globe like a massive continental wall, its average height reaching several thousand meters. At its highest point rested Mary Geoise, the so-called Holy Land, where the World Nobles ruled above all.
Although people did inhabit the Red Line, their presence was heavily concentrated around the Holy Land and its surrounding developed zones. The rest of the continent remained largely barren. The soil was hard, infertile, and almost impossible to cultivate, while even basic construction required enormous effort and resources. Over eight hundred years, gradual development had only made limited portions livable, and the idea of fully populating the Red Line remained unrealistic without continuous large-scale transformation from imported resources.
Reverse Mountain, in contrast, had always remained uninhabited.
Until now.
High in the air above its peak, Marshall D. Teach floated silently, his dark robe whipping violently in the sharp night wind as he gazed down at the breathtaking convergence of seas below. The spectacle retained its grandeur no matter how many times he saw it, though his reaction remained controlled. He had witnessed too many wonders across this world to be easily moved.
He closed his eyes and rested, suspended in the air, waiting.
Time passed quietly.
Then, without warning, Teach opened his eyes.
"Since you're already here, you might as well come out."
From the very beginning, he had sensed it. The faint presence of a watcher, subtle to the extreme, yet impossible to escape his Observation Haki. What made it unusual was that the sensation seemed to exist everywhere at once, as if the very air itself carried awareness.
The moment his voice faded, the wind shifted.
A violent current surged through the sky, twisting into a roaring tornado that spiraled into existence before him. Despite the overwhelming force, Teach remained completely still, his gaze locked forward.
Within the storm, a figure gradually took shape.
A man clad in a dark green cloak stepped out from the heart of the wind. His short black hair was combed back, his expression stern and unyielding, and on the left side of his face rested a distinct red square tattoo that added an air of mystery to his already imposing presence.
Teach's eyes flickered with interest as he assessed him.
The pressure was unmistakable. It felt as though the sky itself belonged to this man.
This was the power of the Wind-Wind Fruit, a top-tier Logia ability that granted dominion over air currents. On the open sea, where wind was ever-present, such an ability held terrifying potential. A user could stir hurricanes, raise towering waves, and reshape entire battlefields with ease.
"May I ask," the man began in a deep, steady voice, "what the infamous Dark Emperor wants with me?"
Monkey D. Dragon.
Leader of the Revolutionary Army. The most dangerous criminal in the world.
His eyes remained fixed on Teach, filled with caution rather than fear. In recent years, nearly every major upheaval across the seas bore traces of the Nightfall Pirates. Even when hidden, their influence was undeniable, and at the center of it all stood Teach himself.
What troubled Dragon more was something else entirely.
The Revolutionary Army's base had been hidden deep within a kingdom, concealed so thoroughly that even the World Government had yet to uncover it. Yet Teach had not only found it, he had delivered a message directly into its core.
That alone was enough to raise alarm.
"ZeHahaha, I've heard quite a bit about you too, Monkey D. Dragon," Teach replied with a low chuckle, his tone relaxed as if greeting an old acquaintance.
Dragon did not return the sentiment.
"Get to the point," he said bluntly. "We have no history, no cooperation, and no reason to meet. You came here for something. What is it?"
His mind had already begun preparing for the worst. If Teach intended to leverage intelligence about the Revolutionary Army as a threat, then this encounter could easily turn hostile.
Dragon did not trust pirates.
To him, the world's current suffering was rooted in the corruption of the World Government, but pirates were not absolved of guilt. They represented chaos, destruction, and exploitation, and their existence only deepened the suffering of ordinary people.
Still, his true enemy remained the World Government.
It was the reason he had abandoned the Marines, gathered like-minded allies, and formed the Revolutionary Army. His goal was not simple rebellion, but the complete dismantling of a corrupt system and the creation of a new world built on freedom and equality.
Teach, however, did not seem interested in ideological conflict.
"It's simple," he said calmly. "We share a common enemy, and what happens next will directly affect your interests. At a certain moment, I may need you to step in."
Dragon's eyes narrowed slightly.
"What exactly are you talking about?"
"Exactly what I said," Teach replied, unfazed. "A common enemy."
There was a brief pause.
Then Dragon spoke, his tone turning colder.
"The World Government."
Now he understood.
The only conflict of this scale involving the World Government was the Golden Sea war. If Teach was seeking his involvement, then it meant the battlefield held deeper layers than what the world could see.
Dragon's thoughts moved quickly.
He already knew the World Government possessed hidden forces. His own organization had clashed with CP0 and the Government Army many times, suffering heavy losses in the process. If Teach believed reinforcements were necessary, then the final stage of the war would not be as straightforward as it appeared.
At the same time, he could not deny the truth behind Teach's words.
He did not want the World Government to win.
Even if the Revolutionary Army had not yet extended its influence into the Grand Line, the current chaos worked in its favor. The longer the war continued, the more the Government's authority eroded, creating opportunities for expansion.
Still, involvement came with risk.
If he stepped onto that battlefield, the Revolutionary Army would no longer remain in the shadows. The World Government would retaliate without hesitation, and their fragile growth could be disrupted entirely.
"Why me?" Dragon asked after a moment.
"Because you're the best option," Teach answered with a faint smile.
That answer did not sit well.
"You speak as if I've already agreed," Dragon said, his voice carrying a sharper edge.
Internally, he understood the situation better than he wanted to admit. If the final battle truly reached a critical point, he would likely intervene regardless. Not out of obligation, but because allowing the World Government to secure total victory would be far worse.
Teach had simply forced that decision to the surface.
Silence lingered between them as the wind continued to swirl.
Then Teach spoke again.
"Ten billion Berries," he said casually, "and another five billion worth of food supplies."
The effect was immediate.
Dragon's composure cracked for the first time.
For the Revolutionary Army, resources were everything. Their expansion required constant funding, and despite overthrowing several kingdoms, most of their gains had been spent stabilizing liberated regions and supporting civilians.
Food shortages, in particular, remained a persistent crisis.
Five billion Berries worth of food was not just support. It was lifeline-level supply, enough to sustain countless members and fuel further growth.
For a moment, even Dragon found it difficult to process the scale.
Then his answer came without hesitation.
"I accept."
The decision was instant, decisive, and completely practical.
Whatever reservations he had before were crushed under the weight of what was being offered.