'Such... such a powerful aura!' 'This feeling... it's even more unfathomable than when I was young, at God Valley, witnessing the chaotic battle of monsters like Roger, Garp, and Whitebeard with my own eyes!'
He took a deep breath, forcibly suppressing the overwhelming, ghost-like shock in his heart. Then, under the worried gazes of Ivankov, Ginny, and others, Monkey D. Dragon slowly and actively walked out from the shadow that had provided them shelter.
He took off his hood, revealing his resolute face, which was always filled with profundity and solemnity, and bore a peculiar tattoo.
"I'm Monkey D. Dragon," his voice was deep and powerful. "We mean no harm ." He revealed his identity: "I am the leader of the Revolutionary Army, wanted by the World Government."
"Revolutionary Army?" Takero floated in mid-air, stroking his chin, repeating the name. Then, he nodded and said, "Oh, I've heard of your name."
Although Takero himself was too lazy to care about the chaotic power distribution on this great sea , he couldn't help but have an insatiably curious and knowledgeable "Maid No. 2" beside him who was enthusiastic about "popularizing science" for him—Nico Robin. Under Robin's daily, subtle nagging, over time, he had passively memorized a lot of basic common sense about this world. In short, this so-called "Revolutionary Army" was a group of hot-headed idealists who intended to directly confront the World Government and the corrupt nobles, attempting to liberate the people of the entire world.
Recalling the reports he had occasionally seen in newspapers about the Revolutionary Army "liberating" war-torn countries around the world, combined with his own growth experiences in his previous life ... Takero felt a faint good impression toward these guys. Thus, he slowly withdrew his terrifying aura, which was powerful enough to change the very color of the heavens and earth.
Monkey D. Dragon keenly noticed the disappearance of the oppressive feeling from Takero. His heart stirred, and he immediately seized the opportunity, displaying a very sincere and benevolent smile on his face.
"You... you've actually heard of our Revolutionary Army? This... this is truly our honor!" He then tentatively asked, "Um... my other companions are still in the forest. I wonder... can they come out too?"
"No problem, everyone come out," Takero waved his hand indifferently.
Thus, the remaining Revolutionary Army cadres also emerged from the forest.
Takero exclaimed, "Ho! Good heavens, you really have a lot of people."
However, in the very next second, his gaze was firmly drawn to an extremely "eye-catching" figure among the crowd! Then, his expression instantly froze. He felt... his eyes had suffered an unprecedented, extremely severe... spiritual pollution!
What... what in the world was that?! That guy had a huge head, several times larger than a normal person's, like a rugby ball! On top of his head was a massive, blue-purple afro, like a chemical explosion! Its hair was so thick, far exceeding that of an ordinary "hair king"; Takero had no doubt that a person could even be directly hidden within that hair! And his exaggerated eyelashes, like steel needles, long enough to be used as weapons! The blue eyeshadow, as if he'd been punched! And the purple lip gloss, like he'd been poisoned!
The most fatal thing was his "visually impactful" outfit— Black fishnet stockings, an extremely tight, low-cut leather top, and a flamboyant furry coat on his back ... At a glance... it was... the terrifying sight of something suddenly crawling out from under the bed during a nightmare and then smiling at you with a "Yee-haw"!!!
"Honestly..." Takero's mouth twitched uncontrollably a few times. "...If my psychological endurance wasn't stronger, today... I'm afraid I would really be left with psychological trauma."
He had previously thought that Satan Saint's bizarre appearance of "ox horns and spider legs" was already horrifying enough. But he didn't expect... there are always people better than others, and here... there was actually an even greater master?!
Takero turned his head to Monkey D. Dragon, complaining in an extremely indescribable tone, "Hey, I have a question. Do you in the Revolutionary Army... not pay any attention to your... 'image issues' at all?"
Monkey D. Dragon, hearing this, seemed a bit puzzled: "Clothing and appearance are personal freedom. I never interfere with my companions' choices."
"That's right!" Ivankov also giggled, wiggling his barrel-like waist, and said in his unique, hormone-filled tone, "Only when I dress like this can I feel... truly like myself! Yee-haw!"
"That's not what I mean!" Takero was speechless. "What I mean is... you are 'making a revolution'! If you dress like this... those ordinary citizens you 'liberate,' when they see you, will probably be... even more terrified than seeing pirates?! They won't even be able to muster the will to resist; they'll just think you're a bunch of perverts and want to stay far away from you! Then what kind of revolution are you even making?! Aren't you just needlessly increasing your own difficulty?!"
He continued: "It's like the master and his three disciples going to the West to obtain scriptures and beg for alms. Wouldn't anyone who saw them respectfully call the master riding the white horse 'Holy Monk'? And then point at the three strangely shaped disciples and shout 'Monsters'?"
After Takero finished speaking, everyone in the Revolutionary Army had never heard the story of going to the West to obtain scriptures and beg for alms, but they understood the meaning. And Monkey D. Dragon, after carefully considering his "revolutionary encounters" over the years... he realized... it seemed... it really was like that?
He recalled that every time he led his cadres to "liberate" kingdoms oppressed by tyranny... the liberated citizens, upon seeing them, not only did not show the tearful gratitude of "seeing a savior" but instead... each one looked as if they had seen a ghost, their eyes filled with pure... fear?!
He initially thought it was because the ignorant citizens did not yet understand the great cause of their Revolutionary Army. But now it seems... they... they seemed to be simply... afraid of Ivankov?!
----------------
You can read advanced chapters here: patreon.com/GregariousLion