Chapter 208: Meeting Dragon
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In the stillness of the night, Byakuya sat at his desk, hands clasped with his fingers rhythmically tapping together. His cold gaze rested on the Den Den Mushi on the table.
The moment it rang, it would signify that Dragon had arrived in Loguetown and was willing to meet him.
With the news of Marine Admiral Byakuya's arrival spreading across Loguetown, Byakuya was confident that Dragon—cautious by nature after years of leading the Revolutionary Army—had likely deduced his true identity as the leader of the Night Organization, "Night."
Byakuya had deliberately left the choice to Dragon. He had already shown his sincerity; now, it was up to Dragon to decide.
If the Den Den Mushi remained silent, it would mean that Dragon had declined the chance to collaborate.
In that case, Byakuya would treat the Revolutionary Army as enemies.
But if Dragon made the call, knowing Byakuya's identity and still choosing to cooperate, Byakuya might consider offering the Revolutionary Army some assistance within his power.
As expected, Dragon hesitated, debating whether to make the call with the receiver in hand.
Yet, considering the dire situation of the Revolutionary Army and the words Sabo had conveyed, Dragon finally gritted his teeth and dialled.
"Pururururu... Pururururu..."
Hearing the Den Den Mushi ringing, Byakuya's lips curled into a smile. It seemed Dragon had made his choice.
He picked up the receiver, and a raspy voice came through.
"Byakuya? Night? Who would've thought that the leader of the Night Organization would turn out to be the newly appointed Marine Admiral?"
"You've managed to deceive both the World Government and the Marines. Bold move."
"If I weren't bold, how could I collaborate with the Revolutionary Army?" Byakuya retorted with a smirk.
Dragon paused briefly before asking, "Where shall we meet?"
"At the top of Roger's execution platform."
"I understand."
Five minutes later, Dragon and Byakuya met atop the plaza.
Dragon wore a dark green robe, while Byakuya, in his signature black crescent-moon robe, had opted not to wear a mask.
It was unusual—two figures representing opposing ideologies calmly conversing face-to-face.
Although Dragon knew Byakuya's youth, seeing him in person stunned him. Byakuya appeared barely older than his son, Luffy.
Yet this young man had already ascended to the rank of Marine Admiral and secretly led the Night Organization, recognized as the "Fifth Emperor of the New World," with a bounty of 3.7 billion berries.
Dragon couldn't help but recall his days as a young Marine Rear Admiral under his father's orders when he was Byakuya.
As Dragon reflected on his past, Byakuya suddenly interrupted with a question so abrupt it caught him off guard.
"Dragon, are the marks on your face from being smacked with Garp's sandal? Otherwise, how could they be so symmetrical?"
This question stemmed from a long-standing curiosity Byakuya had developed while watching One Piece.
Fans had speculated endlessly about Dragon's facial marks, with many believing Garp's legendary sandal discipline caused them.
However, since the original story offered no clarification, Byakuya felt compelled to ask directly now that he had the chance.
Dragon's previously calm demeanour faltered slightly.
As clouds gathered over Loguetown, veiling the crescent moon and dim stars, lightning bolts flickered ominously as if mirroring his inner turmoil.
Byakuya, unfazed, regarded Dragon's reaction with amusement.
From the original series, he had deduced that Dragon's Devil Fruit powers were likely weather-related, capable of summoning fierce storms and lightning.
Impressive as it was, Byakuya felt indifferent—unless Dragon could summon Saitama's bald head from One Punch Man, no weather phenomenon could intimidate him.
If Dragon dared to attack, it would allow Byakuya to notch an undeniable accomplishment.
Capturing the "World's Most Wanted Criminal," the leader of the Revolutionary Army, would silence any critics questioning his merits as a Marine Admiral.
Unaware of Byakuya's train of thought, Dragon struggled to suppress his irritation. He reminded himself, Stay calm.
He's here to negotiate, not argue with this brat barely older than my son. He's just an ignorant kid.
After a moment of composure, Dragon spoke coldly. "These are tattoos, not… sandal marks."
He had no desire to elaborate further, and Byakuya didn't press him.
From Dragon's reaction, Byakuya guessed the "sandal mark" theory might somehow be tied to the secret of the "Will of D."
Wary of more outlandish questions, Dragon decided to cut to the chase.
"Are you looking to collaborate with the Revolutionary Army as the leader of the Night Organization or as a Marine Admiral?"
Byakuya answered without hesitation. "As the leader of the Night Organization. I still have use for my identity as a Marine Admiral."
Having achieved the rank of Marine Admiral, Byakuya was now just a step away from becoming Fleet Admiral.
Though he found the World Government's actions increasingly suspicious, it wasn't the time to blow his cover. He would adapt as the situation evolved.
Dragon wasn't surprised by this response. Obviously, someone of Byakuya's cunning had ulterior motives for joining the Marines and wouldn't easily expose himself.
Such a dangerous individual infiltrating the Marines left Dragon uneasy.
He couldn't help but worry if his old man, Garp, might be taken out by Byakuya someday.
He considered whether he should secretly warn Garp to stay vigilant, but knowing his father's personality, Garp would undoubtedly confront Byakuya directly if he found out.
If Byakuya learned Dragon had leaked the information and ruined his plans, the Revolutionary Army might face the Night Organization's ruthless retaliation.
As Dragon pondered this, Byakuya's next words ignited a spark of anger within him.
Byakuya spoke casually, "I think the Revolutionary Army has strayed from its path. It seems to me the problem lies with its leader—you."
Dragon's face hardened, his tone icy as he responded, "Do you even know what you're saying?"
"A clueless outsider like you has no right to judge the Revolutionary Army's path. If this is your attitude, then our collaboration ends here."
"Am I wrong?" Byakuya countered.
"Isn't your current approach simply targeting countries where the conflict between nobles and commoners is most intense?"
"You stir up the commoners' sense of resistance, encourage them to join the Revolutionary Army, and overthrow the corrupt nobility alongside you."
Dragon's anger gave way to astonishment.
He had assumed Byakuya knew little about the Revolutionary Army, yet in just a few sentences, Byakuya had accurately summarized its years of operations.
Byakuya paid no mind to Dragon's surprise, continuing, "Your approach isn't fundamentally wrong, but your efficiency is abysmally low."
Dragon began to realize Byakuya truly understood the Revolutionary Army. It seemed their potential cooperation wasn't just talk.
"You're right," Dragon admitted reluctantly, "but this method has been the most suitable for a fledgling Revolutionary Army."
Byakuya shook his head. "That's not necessarily the case. I know the Revolutionary Army possesses an extensive intelligence network. You need to maximize its potential."
Byakuya's words piqued Dragon's intrigue. "How should we do that?"
"It's simple—you must spread the Revolutionary Army's ideology far and wide."
Dragon frowned slightly. "We've already been spreading it."
"I don't mean spreading it one nation at a time," Byakuya clarified. "I'm talking about broadcasting it across the entire sea to every nation."
"People must know that when subjected to injustice, they can rise and resist."
"During your propaganda efforts, you should also share stories of noble oppression alongside examples of commoners achieving victory through rebellion.
"This will give oppressed people confidence. They'll see that if others in similar situations can succeed, they can too."
"Even if your Revolutionary Army doesn't physically appear in a particular country, its oppressed citizens will already stand with you in spirit."
Byakuya's words hit Dragon like a revelation. If implemented, this approach could multiply its effectiveness dozens of times.
Dragon was now fully convinced of Byakuya's sincerity about collaborating.
At that moment, Dragon felt an overwhelming urge to keep Byakuya in the Revolutionary Army, tapping into his strategies.
The earlier notion of revealing Byakuya's identity to Garp had entirely vanished. In Dragon's mind, Garp could fend for himself.
Byakuya's importance outweighed anything else. Seeing Dragon's excitement, Byakuya remained composed. He had anticipated this reaction.
"What else?" Dragon asked eagerly, pulling a small notebook and pen from his pocket like an attentive student ready to take notes.
"What I just mentioned pertains to ideological awakening," Byakuya began.
"But ideology alone isn't enough. You must also provide adequate military support."
"Without it, even if the oppressed masses achieve temporary victories and overthrow the nobles, they won't be able to maintain control over their nations."
"The seas are full of powerful individuals, and without strength, any gains will be short-lived."
As Byakuya spoke, Dragon's pen didn't stop moving. It was clear he had been a diligent note-taker since childhood. Dragon grasped the implications.
Without military strength, even temporary victories by the commoners would eventually be crushed by the nobility, the Marines, or the World Government, who wielded far greater resources and power.
Over time, this would only deepen the despair of the oppressed, leaving them more disheartened than ever.
"But the Revolutionary Army's current strength is far from sufficient to openly challenge the World Government," Dragon said, his tone troubled.
Byakuya gave a mysterious smile. "That was true before. But starting today, with our collaboration, the Revolutionary Army will have the means to stand against the World Government."
As he spoke, Byakuya pulled a heart-sized, pulsating purple object from his cloak. Dragon was astonished by the sight. The purple, heart-like object looked alive, its surface veined with intricate, pulsating blood vessels entwined into a dense network.
Dragon pointed at it in surprise. "What… is that?"
Byakuya answered nonchalantly, "This is something I developed at great cost. I call it the 'Heart of Justice.'"
"It grants immense power to those who consume it. Even the disabled or mortally wounded can recover fully and gain extraordinary strength after taking it."
Unknown to Dragon, this was a Monster Cell obtained by Byakuya from the system's store:
[Monster Cell: Greatly enhances the physical capabilities of the consumer, transforming them into a battle-optimized monster. Consumers will become completely loyal to the host, Byakuya. Cost: 1 World Source Point.]
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