The knife-wielding Five Elders said indifferently:
"Just another fool who inherited D's ideology."
"They failed eight hundred years ago."
"And they are even less likely to succeed eight hundred years later."
"Yet they keep appearing one after another... It's truly troublesome."
The burly Five Elder said:
"Perfect. Let them stir up the world."
"If we can't make a move, let them eliminate those useless countries."
"After all, no matter what, as long as 'that thing' remains."
"We can cleanse the world at any time."
"This world ultimately rests in our hands."
The tall and thin Five Elder pondered for a moment:
"We cannot be careless either, for the eight hundred year period is nearing its end."
"Those 'lights' will inevitably appear and stir the world."
"Be vigilant, find those 'lights', and hand them over to Im-sama for disposal."
"However, the chance of this Dragon being a light is slim."
The Five Elder holding a cane narrowed his eyes:
"Indeed, but one cannot be sure."
"Let CP0 investigate."
The knife-wielding Five Elder adjusted his glasses:
"It's a trivial matter."
"Let CP0 handle it."
"The most important thing now is, how is the arrangement for Frevanse coming along?"
"We must ensure it's foolproof."
"Otherwise, the government's credibility will be greatly diminished."
The Five Elder holding a cane said:
"The arrangements are complete, and we've begun to gradually seal it off."
"By then, the world will only know the renowned 'White Town' Frevanse."
"Destroyed by a terrible..."
"Epidemic."
----
South Blue, Kingdom of Dressrosa.
Within the royal palace, Kuma, who had decided to follow Dragon, asked with confusion:
"Is deploying across all four Seas too ambitious?"
"The government will likely notice soon, won't they?"
Dragon, clad in a cloak, said to him:
"Do you know Ohara?"
Kuma nodded:
"The government propagated that they attempted to research dangerous forbidden knowledge that could destroy the world."
Dragon looked at the map on the table and said:
"Precisely."
"But do you know how long the government searched for evidence of Ohara researching forbidden knowledge?"
"They searched for decades, even centuries."
"Countless historians were arrested, all in the pursuit of finding evidence of their connection to Ohara."
"To destroy them."
"They could have destroyed them directly, yet they insisted on finding evidence. Do you know why?"
Kuma paused, stumped by the question, and shook his head.
Dragon chuckled:
"Because they are too arrogant."
"So arrogant that they no longer see themselves as human, but as gods."
"And gods, to distinguish themselves from humans, appear exceptionally magnanimous."
"They will find evidence to make you die 'willingly'."
"This is why I am developing in secret in non-affiliated countries across the four Seas."
"As long as affiliated countries are not involved, they will not act."
"They have elevated themselves to a certain height."
"They must constantly maintain the government's arrogance and authority."
"While I don't know what trump cards they possess,"
"However,"
"When the entire world is ablaze, no one can resist, not even gods."
"Even gods cannot oppose the power of an entire world, can they?"
Kuma mused thoughtfully:
"I see."
"But targeting the entire world... it's quite ambitious..."
He thought Dragon was too confident, after all, it was the entire world...
Dragon gave a light laugh, reached into his coat, and produced a book, handing it to Kuma.
Kuma took it, looking at the cover with curiosity:
"Oppression and Resistance..."
Dragon watched Kuma flip through the book and said:
"I was also very lost before."
"But after reading this book, I had an epiphany."
"The wisdom of our ancestors is infinite."
"They have shown us a path and analyzed the fundamentals of this world."
"The greatest mistake the government made was underestimating that terrifying man, Roger."
"He undermined the government's foundation, and they remained oblivious."
"What we need to do is add more fuel to the fire and hasten its collapse."
Dragon watched Kuma leaf through the book, waiting patiently.
Half a day passed in a flash.
Upon reaching the last page, Kuma suddenly came back to himself, closed the book, and exclaimed:
"So this is the origin of the word 'revolution'."
"Then... they overlooked productivity?"
Dragon nodded:
"Precisely. They failed to realize that this world has become stagnant."
"The existence of Calm Belt and Reverse Mountain, coupled with the distances between islands, and factors like Sea Kings and pirates."
"Have brought communication in this world to a near standstill."
"Except for some development in the Grand Line, the people in the four Seas are in the same state as they were eight hundred years ago."
"Farmers still constitute the vast majority of the population in the kingdoms of the four Seas."
"But the nobles remain the same, and with eight hundred years of accumulation, their exploitation and oppression have only grown heavier."
"Perhaps it was not a problem before, as countless young people replaced older farmers, becoming new oppressed individuals."
"But when Roger ushered in the Great Pirate Era, everything changed."
"Due to oppression, young people who were unwilling to live ordinary lives set sail from their homes in the four Seas, heading for the Grand Line."
"They leave in waves, and within a decade, all the young people of this generation will have departed."
Kuma said:
"When the young people leave, the unbearable oppression will fall upon the elderly and children."
"Ultimately, they will have no way to survive, and without a way to survive, they will rebel."
As a king of a nation, Kuma, with a little thought, understood what would happen and shuddered...
Dragon's figure slowly dissolved into a gentle breeze:
"Rebel?"
"No."
"It is revolution."
Whoosh—
A gust of wind blew past, and Dragon vanished without a trace.
Kuma looked towards the doorway, a faint smile appearing on his face.
Queen Dowager Connie of the Kingdom of Dressrosa, with streaks of white hair, entered carrying a baby dressed in pink.
Kuma quickly walked over and took the baby:
"Why did you carry her yourself, Mother?"
Queen Dowager Connie smiled:
"This little one is shy with strangers and won't let anyone else hold her."
"I'll leave this little rascal to you."
"I need to go back and rest properly."
"I'm exhausted."
Yet her face was full of smiles, betraying no sign of fatigue.
Kuma nodded:
"Please take care, Mother."
Queen Dowager Connie waved with a smile and departed.
Kuma looked at the pink-haired baby in his arms and displayed an extremely gentle smile.
He touched her outstretched hand with his finger:
"Bonnie~"
The little girl named Bonnie in his arms giggled, pointing at Kuma's bear-eared hat:
"Bear~ Bear~"
----
Naval Headquarters, Marineford.
Another day of the alarm bells ringing...
BEEP—BEEP—BEEP—
In the Fleet Admiral's office.
Sengoku, the Fleet Admiral, put down the urgent documents he had received and sat at the head of the table with a headache:
"Damn it, they never rest."
"Tsuru, what do you think?"
Vice Admiral Tsuru, the strategist of the headquarters, frowned deeply:
"It's difficult to guess."
"Both Blackbeard and Charlotte Linlin have mobilized nearly half of their forces this time."
"The only two Emperors in the New World currently."
"Such large-scale troop movements..."
"This is..."