"Huh? There's a Straw Hat boy here—who is this? A new recruit?"
Ivankov walked over to Luffy's hospital bed. Seeing him wrapped head to toe in thick bandages, he exclaimed in shock:
"This guy's injuries are severe! And he's still alive? What incredible vitality!"
Dragon replied:
"He's my son—Monkey D. Luffy. He was likely sent here by Kuma's ability."
"Huh?!"
Ivankov was stunned.
"Dragon, you actually have a son—and he's already this grown?!"
A trace of memory surfaced in Dragon's eyes.
Ever since choosing the path of revolution, he had left Foosha Village.
He had barely seen Luffy since.
Only in the early days after Luffy set out to sea had he secretly watched over him for a time.
Overall—
Dragon knew he had failed in his duty as a father.
And this time, if not for Kuma—
Luffy might have been killed at Sabaody by that man.
Dragon's tone turned cold.
"Luffy was injured like this by one of the Five Emperors—Luo Xing."
"He made a high-profile appearance at the Sabaody Archipelago, drawing in both the Marines and the World Government, even clashing with Dark King Rayleigh and nearly killing Luffy—causing a massive uproar."
"But all of that… was just a smokescreen."
"His real target… was Impel Down."
From Morgans' newspaper, Dragon had already pieced together Luo Xing's entire plan.
It was eerily similar to the Senzu Bean auction at Dressrosa.
That event had been a cover—
To kill Doflamingo and seize Dressrosa.
But this time—
The plan was even more audacious.
The target was the underwater prison, Impel Down.
And unbelievably—
He succeeded.
A fortress that had stood for hundreds of years—
Destroyed.
And it didn't end there.
After destroying Impel Down—
He turned around and seized the Sabaody Archipelago itself, placing himself right at the doorstep of the World Government!
Even Dragon—
Who already held hostility toward Luo Xing because of Luffy—
Had to admit:
That man was a once-in-a-generation genius.
A reckless, fearless existence—
Who somehow made the impossible possible.
In such a short time—
He had achieved things Dragon had struggled for decades to even approach.
Yes—
Though the World Government labeled Dragon as the world's most dangerous criminal—
His actions had mainly been limited to overthrowing smaller nations.
He had never truly shaken the foundation of the World Government.
But Luo Xing was different.
Destroying Impel Down.
Occupying Sabaody.
These two acts alone—
Were enough to make the Five Elders and the Celestial Dragons lose sleep at night.
In that sense—
The Revolutionary Army and Luo Xing seemed to share a common enemy.
Both stood against the World Government.
Yet—
Luo Xing had nearly killed Luffy.
There was no way Dragon would ever cooperate with him.
Moreover—
Dragon did not agree with Luo Xing's ideals.
Nor did he believe Luo Xing would be the one to change the world.
The one who would change the world—
Was Joy Boy.
Was Sun God Nika.
Was his son—Luffy.
Dragon, Red-Haired Shanks, and Dark King Rayleigh—
All firmly believed this.
Dragon then asked:
"You escaped from Impel Down—you must have seen him. What do you think of him?"
Ivankov's mind flashed with the image of rivers of blood within Impel Down.
That man stood there, hands in his pockets—
Calmly watching as hell itself was born.
Countless people had died.
Even Magellan had fallen.
And those who survived—
Had all knelt in submission.
Including Shiryu of the Rain.
Ivankov shuddered.
"Those who follow him live… those who oppose him die."
"Dragon… in the future, our greatest enemy might not be the World Government—"
"But that man."
Dragon narrowed his eyes.
He had the same feeling.
But the World Government was no simple opponent either.
The Celestial Dragons had ruled for eight hundred years.
Who knew how many hidden forces and weapons they still possessed?
They could not be underestimated.
For now—
Let Luo Xing's Beasts Pirates clash with the World Government.
The Revolutionary Army might be able to reap the benefits later.
After discussing Luo Xing—
Sabo suddenly grabbed Ivankov's shoulders, unable to hold back any longer.
"What did you say earlier—Ace was executed? He… he's really dead?!"
Ivankov nodded.
"Yes… The execution was broadcast to the entire world."
"I happened to pass through a town and saw Admiral Akainu personally kill Fire Fist Ace."
Sabo's face turned pale.
His fists clenched tightly.
He collapsed to the ground, clutching his head as he howled in agony.
Dragon frowned.
"Sabo… you were close to Ace?"
Dragon didn't know that Sabo, Ace, and Luffy were sworn brothers.
Otherwise, he would have cured Sabo's amnesia long ago.
Sabo choked through tears:
"He's my brother… and Luffy… our little brother!"
He suddenly stood up, gritting his teeth.
"Dragon, let me go to Marineford! I'm going to save Ace!"
Dragon was silent for a moment.
To think—
The boy he had once saved was actually Luffy's sworn brother.
Fate truly worked in strange ways.
But in the end—
Dragon shook his head.
"Ace is already dead. Going now would change nothing."
"Right now, the most important thing is to heal Luffy."
"Sabo, as Chief of Staff of the Revolutionary Army, you must remain calm at all times."
"Don't worry…"
"One day, we will settle accounts with the World Government!"
Marineford.
Whitebeard had already bid farewell to his sons.
Alone—
He stood against the entire Marine force.
Though Marco and the others were consumed with grief—
They could only grit their teeth and retreat.
They could not let their father's sacrifice be in vain.
Whitebeard stood proudly on the battlefield.
Even with a body riddled with fatal wounds—
He continued to sweep through the Marines.
But it was clear—
He was at the end of his strength.
He couldn't last much longer.
Behind the Marineford headquarters—
Blackbeard knew.
It was finally his moment.
He rubbed his hands together, barely able to contain his excitement.
Yet—
That pair of eyes watching him from behind made him uneasy.
Blackbeard glanced back at Moria, irritation flashing across his face.
"That guy is definitely acting under Luo Xing's orders… trying to ruin my plans!"
"Burgess! Van Augur! You don't need to follow me later—just keep that bastard Moria in check!"
"Yes, Captain!"
After giving the order—
Blackbeard could no longer restrain himself.
He leapt from the building—
And landed directly in front of Whitebeard.
"Zehahahaha! Long time no see… old man!"
"Hand over your Devil Fruit power to me!"
Blackbeard's appearance shocked the entire battlefield.
Marco and the others were filled with fury.
If not for Blackbeard—
Thatch wouldn't have died.
Ace wouldn't have been captured.
None of this would have happened!
Sengoku's eyes turned cold as well.
Blackbeard had deceived him before—
Using Ace as a bargaining chip to gain a Warlord position, only to vanish when the war began.
Through Marine intelligence, Sengoku already knew—
Blackbeard had gone to Impel Down, likely intending to recruit Level 6 prisoners.
But unfortunately—
Luo Xing had beaten him to it.
And Blackbeard hadn't dared to compete—
Choosing instead to flee.
Now—
Why had he returned?
Sengoku frowned, unable to grasp his intentions.
Whitebeard, already on the brink of collapse—
The moment he saw Blackbeard—
His fury reignited.
Like a dying flame flaring up one last time—
He surged with power once more.
His fist, coated in quake force, smashed toward Blackbeard.
"Teach… you alone… I will never forgive!"
"You broke the one iron rule of my crew!"
"You killed a comrade—"
"So I will avenge Thatch with my own hands!!"
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