Dimensional Chat Group: Speed-o'-Light

Draped in a Justice cape, Esdeath stood still, absentmindedly touching her lips. Her cheeks were flushed, and she hadn't even registered what Liver had just said.

After a long pause, she finally came back to her senses, tightening the cape around her shoulders before turning to face her Three Beasts.

"Liver, I want to date that man."

A faint smile appeared on her face, and in that instant, it was as if a hundred flowers had bloomed.

"Yes, Lady Esdeath… Huh?!"

Liver instinctively responded with his usual seriousness.

But midway through, he began doubting his own ears, his expression freezing in utter disbelief.

Nyau and Daidara, standing beside him, nearly dropped their jaws to the ground.

After all these years following Esdeath, they had witnessed countless shocking moments…

But this? This was completely unprecedented.

The Three Beasts simply couldn't comprehend how their Esdeath had any connection to something as trivial as romance.

They were so stunned that their minds went blank.

"Hm… Does any of you know how to date someone?"

Esdeath glanced at her subordinates, her gaze first landing on Liver.

But after only a moment, she shook her head.

Liver was obviously too old-fashioned and rigid—there was no way he'd know anything about love.

Daidara was out of the question too; his brain was filled with nothing but muscles and axes.

That left only one option.

Esdeath's piercing gaze locked onto Nyau.

It couldn't be helped—if there was anyone in the Three Beasts who looked like they might know about romance, it was the feminine-looking Nyau.

"Eh?!"

Nyau was completely dumbfounded.

How the hell was he supposed to know anything about dating?!

—-—

Meanwhile, after "collecting his interest" from Esdeath, Kizaru returned to the One Piece world.

Ace's execution date was drawing near. No matter how confident he was, he couldn't afford to keep wandering around aimlessly.

But before returning to Marine Headquarters, there was someone he needed to meet.

"Haa-choo!"

Kizaru suddenly sneezed.

"Hm? Weird… Is Nami or Hancock thinking about me? Maybe even Gion? Nah, it can't be Stussy, right?"

He rubbed his nose, looking toward Marineford with suspicion.

Little did he know, the person currently thinking about him was someone he had only met once—Monkey D. Luffy.

---

"Sabo, I'm starving…"

Luffy slumped over the side of a small boat, whining dramatically as if he were on the verge of death.

After being sent flying by Kuma at Sabaody Archipelago, he had landed at the headquarters of the Revolutionary Army—where he was nearly mistaken for an intruder and thrown in jail.

Fortunately, Dragon had just returned with Sabo.

Thus, a heartwarming brotherly reunion took place, during which Luffy also learned the truth about Kuma.

Just as Luffy was relieved to hear that his crew was safe, Marineford made a global announcement: Portgas D. Ace's execution date had been set.

Luffy had been focusing on learning Armament Haki—but the moment he heard the news, he immediately wanted to set sail.

However, Dragon stopped him.

---

Due to Kizaru's butterfly effect, Dragon had already been considering intervening at Marineford.

But for security reasons, this wasn't something he could tell Luffy.

Unfortunately, Luffy had never been the type to listen to other people's plans.

Even Garp's "Fist of Love" couldn't stop him—so there was no way he'd listen to a father he barely even knew.

So, on a dark and stormy night, Luffy stole a ship and set sail.

By the time Dragon realized it, it was already too late.

---

Not long after, Fish-Man Hack delivered a letter to Dragon—a note left behind by Sabo before he departed.

With his memories fully restored, Sabo had made the exact same decision as Luffy:

He would set sail and follow his brother to Marineford.

"Just hold on a little longer. I told you we don't have much food on board. You need to ration it…"

Sabo sat on the deck, using his metal pipe as a makeshift fishing rod. His voice carried a mix of exasperation and fondness.

---

"But training that Wu-ba-se shokuthing makes me super hungry! It's like… Hrrraaahhhhhh—I'm so starving!!"

Luffy clenched his fists, trying to release Armament Haki just as Sabo had taught him.

He strained for over a minute…

And then…

Flopped back down onto the boat, utterly exhausted.

"It's called Armament Haki. Don't rush it—take your time."

Sabo adjusted his hat with a gentle smile.

He genuinely enjoyed looking after Luffy.

And because of that—he would never let Ace die.

Ace was his brother too.

"If I learn Armament Haki, I can finally punch that damn Marine Admiral, right?"

Luffy's voice brimmed with anticipation.

He hadn't forgotten how Aokiji and Kizaru had completely outclassed him.

He wasn't the type to hold grudges…

But if he got the chance, he definitely wouldn't mind knocking them both into next week.

"Mastering Armament Haki is just the bare minimum to fight a Logia user. But if you actually want to beat a Marine Admiral… well, you'll need a few more years of training."

Sabo sighed.

Luffy was still too inexperienced.

Still, anyone who bullied his little brother—even an Admiral—would have to answer for it.

"No doubt about it! That guy was crazy strong!"

Luffy reminisced about Kizaru's overwhelming power and couldn't help but nod.

Throughout his journey, Luffy had encountered countless powerful enemies.

But only two Marine Admirals had ever given him the overwhelming sense of absolute defeat.

Even if he learned Armament Haki now, he wasn't confident he could take down those two bastards.

"That's why we have to train harder! After we rescue Ace, the three of us will team up and beat the hell out of the Marine Admirals!"

Sabo grinned, though in reality, he wasn't too sure himself.

But if it was to save Ace—he'd gladly risk his life.

"Yeah! We'll send the Admirals flying! Uh… but I'm still starving…"

Luffy cheered excitedly but immediately clutched his stomach, slumping back onto the railing.

...

"Hey! I got a bite—wait, Luffy! You have to cook it first!"

The brothers' laughter echoed across the sea.

Neither of them noticed the massive warship silently trailing behind them.

---

Unlike the Navy, the Revolutionary Army wasn't overflowing with resources.

However, aside from their base in the Grand Line, they had been secretly expanding their forces across the Four Seas.

Right now, aboard the large ship following Luffy and Sabo, the highest-ranking members of the Revolutionary Army had gathered.

Dragon, the Supreme Commander, stood at the helm, gazing toward the East Blue.

Behind him stood the Four Army Commanders, each leading a division stationed in different regions of the world:

Eastern Army Commander: Belo Betty (Bounty: 457 million berries) – Pump-Pump Fruit user, able to inspire and strengthen allies.

Western Army Commander: Morley (Bounty: 293 million berries) – Push-Push Fruit user, capable of manipulating the earth itself.

Southern Army Commander: Lindbergh (Bounty: 316 million berries) – A Mink and skilled inventor specializing in weaponry.

Northern Army Commander: Karasu (Bounty: 400 million berries) – Soot-Soot Fruit user, a Logia-type ability.

Originally, Emporio Ivankov, the commander overseeing the Grand Line, would've been here too.

But at this moment, the King of the Okamas was still biding his time in Impel Down, waiting for the right moment to rise when Dragon launched the Revolutionary Army's rebellion.

---

"Dragon-san… why didn't you tell Sabo the truth?"

Koala hesitated before cautiously asking the question that had been bothering her.

"At their current speed, by the time they reach Impel Down, Fire Fist Ace might have already been transferred to Marineford…"

To her, a direct confrontation with the Marines seemed like a reckless gamble.

Not because she was afraid of dying—rather, she didn't want the Revolutionary Army to waste the forces they had painstakingly built over the years.

If rescuing Ace was the goal, then the smartest move would be to use the Revolutionary Army's warships to launch a surprise attack on Impel Down.

If they could break in before Ace was moved, they could save him without having to fight the Marines head-on.

But instead, Dragon had chosen to follow behind Sabo and Luffy without warning them, moving at a leisurely pace toward Impel Down.

Koala wasn't the best navigator, but even she could estimate when Sabo and Luffy would arrive.

By then, Ace would have at most three days left before his execution.

Worse yet—he might already be in Marineford.

When the Revolutionary Army first received inside information, Ace hadn't even been imprisoned in Impel Down yet!

They had more than enough time to intercept him.

"Our goal isn't just Fire Fist Ace, little Koala."

Betty took a long drag from her cigarette, exhaling a series of perfectly connected smoke rings.

Her appearance wasn't conventionally beautiful—she wore a red top hat, a red sleeveless jacket, and nothing underneath.

Her exposed waistline and perfectly shaped curves gave her the air of someone who belonged in Pleasure Town rather than a battlefield.

But anyone who underestimated the highest-bounty Commander of the Revolutionary Army would suffer severe consequences.

"Our real plan is to break into Impel Down and liberate the prisoners."

"If we join forces with Whitebeard's crew and the criminals inside the prison—then we'll have a real chance against the Marines."

"…Do we really need to go that far? That's the Whitebeard Pirates we're talking about…"

Koala's eyes widened.

Ever since Fisher Tiger had died at the hands of the Marines, Koala had seen them as nothing more than the lapdogs of the Celestial Dragons.

To her, the Navy was corrupt and evil—an enemy that the Revolutionary Army was destined to crush beneath their feet.

So hearing Betty describe the Marines as such a formidable force was hard to accept.

"Idiot."

Betty bit down on her cigarette filter in frustration.

"Don't underestimate the Navy. They're not some useless, corrupt royal lackeys."

"For hundreds of years, the true rulers of the sea have been the Marines."

"Especially the Admirals."

"Each and every one of them is a monster."

Betty's face darkened as memories resurfaced.

She once faced off against Admiral Sakazuki.

Her entire ship was wiped out.

She had spent countless nights waking up from nightmares—visions of that magma demon.

If she hadn't eaten the Pump-Pump Fruit, allowing her to self-regulate her emotions, she might never have recovered.

"No, they're not just monsters."

"They're monsters among monsters."

"But our mission as Revolutionaries… is to defeat those monsters and free the people."

Southern Army Commander Lindbergh laughed, his voice full of excitement.

He knew exactly how strong their enemy was.

But even so, he wasn't afraid.

He was thrilled.

It was as if he couldn't wait for the fight to begin.

"Stay focused… we carry the hopes of the people…"

Karasu muttered in his usual barely audible tone.

But no one could understand him.

"What'd he say?"

Lindbergh scratched his furry ears.

As a Mink, he had once had the best hearing in the Revolutionary Army.

But after years of experimenting with explosives and machines, his hearing had worsened to the point where even a normal human could hear better than him.

"#&#￥&@%#&&#@..."

Karasu became flustered when he realized no one could hear him.

His already soft voice somehow became even quieter.

And with his mask muffling the sound, nobody had a clue what he was trying to say.

"Monsters, huh… The Marines are really that terrifying?"

Koala swallowed nervously.

She had never seen the Commanders this serious before.

The Revolutionary Army had faced countless enemies—but never had they looked this tense.

Even Betty, who was usually fearless, seemed uneasy.

For someone as inexperienced as Koala, it was a terrifying realization.

"There's no need to fear them."

"The Admirals are strong… but they're not invincible."

"Besides… the Marines aren't as united as you think."

Dragon spoke in a deep voice.

On the surface, the World Government and the Navy seem overwhelmingly powerful. The so-called Four Emperors of the New World are merely four top-tier fighters, while the Navy alone has at least five individuals who can rival them in strength.

Not to mention the presence of former Admiral Zephyr and Vice Admiral Tsuru, whose strength is not far behind.

Even without considering the existence of the Seven Warlords of the Sea, the Navy remains the most dominant force on the seas.

If not for Roger single-handedly igniting the Great Pirate Era, diverting so much of the Navy's manpower and resources, no one can say what the world would look like today.

Yet, for all its strength, the Navy is not without weaknesses—conflicts between hawks and doves, tensions between the World Government and the Navy's own sense of justice, divisions between headquarters and branches, between the Four Seas and the Grand Line, and even within the Grand Line itself between Paradise and the New World...

If the Revolutionary Army can find the right angle, it may be possible to shake—or even topple—this giant!

"As long as we remain steadfast in our fight for the common people, victory will come! For the innocent!"

Dragon's voice rang with unshakable conviction. Perhaps, in the beginning, he had taken this path because of Kizaru's influence. But now, revolution had become the belief that kept him moving forward!

Whether it was the Navy or the World Government, neither could stop Dragon from advancing!

"For the innocent!"

"Victory is ours!"

"Long live the Revolutionary Army!"

Every soldier who had followed Dragon this far was a warrior of unwavering resolve. Even Koala, when faced with a true choice, would not hesitate to walk the right path.

'Kizaru, I will prove to you that this world is still worth saving, and the path you once chose was not wrong!'

Dragon silently gazed in the direction of Marineford, looking forward to the day he would meet Kizaru again.

°°°

A/N: 2.3k words

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