After a brief yet profound period of 'self-reflection,' Dragon finally made an incredibly correct decision. He turned his head and, in a very serious tone, gave an order to Emporio Ivankov, who was still preening and completely unaware of his own 'charm.'
"Ivan. From today onwards, all work related to 'pacifying the populace' and 'propagating revolutionary ideals' will be handled by others. You... go do something else."
"Eh-ha~?" Ivankov scratched his giant afro, and though a bit confused, he readily agreed.
Then Dragon turned back and bowed deeply to Takero. "Thank you," his voice was filled with heartfelt sincerity. "If not for your words today, which enlightened me... I fear our Revolutionary Army would have continued down this mistaken path for a long, circuitous journey."
Immediately after, he began to lavish praise in a tone full of 'admiration' and 'awe.' "However, from this, it's also evident that you, Takero, truly possess the heart of a tiger, yet meticulously sniff the roses. Even such tiny details that we ourselves hadn't noticed, you saw through at a glance. You are indeed worthy of being called the 'North Sea Emperor' who transformed Ambri Island into such a flourishing and prosperous land in just a few years!"
Dragon babbled on, generously using every complimentary word he could think of on Takero. However, after listening to his long string of 'rainbow farts,' Takero just waved his hand impatiently.
"Alright, alright, stop with all this useless talk," he interrupted Dragon. "What exactly do you want to say? Get straight to the point."
Dragon exchanged glances with Ginny, Ivankov, and others beside him. Then, he took another deep breath, his face showing an unprecedentedly solemn expression.
"I hope," he said, "that our Revolutionary Army can begin... formal cooperation with your 'Golden Empire.'" He knew that without any foundation of trust, being too enthusiastic from the start and proposing something like 'forming an alliance' would surely make the other party suspicious. Therefore, he could only start with the most basic and practical... 'cooperation.'
Takero didn't speak immediately, just stroked his chin, watching him with interest. Seeing this, Dragon continued, beginning to expound on his 'ideals' and 'ambitions.'
"We share a common enemy—that is, the lofty World Government, and... those Celestial Dragons who treat human lives as mere grass." He began to recount his experiences. From a young age, he witnessed too much of the World Government's darkness and corruption, too much of the Celestial Dragons' cruelty and tyranny, too many innocent people living in dire straits... Thus, he resolutely left the Marine and established this army dedicated solely to 'liberating all humanity'! He wanted to overthrow this corrupt World Government! He wanted to make this world a better place!
Dragon recounted his grand 'revolutionary ideals' in an extremely sincere and infectious tone. Then, he quietly watched Takero's reaction.
Takero stroked his chin, seemingly genuinely considering his proposal. Just as a faint spark of hope ignited in Dragon's heart—
"No." Takero refused, crisp and decisive.
"...Why?!" Dragon asked anxiously.
"It's too much trouble," Takero replied as if it were the most obvious thing in the world.
Dragon: "..." He felt that he had never been so speechless in his life as he was today.
However, he seemed to recall something else and immediately threw out his last bargaining chip.
"I heard... you seem to be looking for those 'Poneglyphs' that record the history of the 'Void Century'?"
Takero's interest was instantly piqued.
Dragon continued, his eyes gleaming with shrewdness: "While our Revolutionary Army's strength on the direct battlefield might not be considered very strong, in terms of 'intelligence'... we are quite confident. If you are willing to cooperate with us... we can bring you more, and more accurate, information about the 'Poneglyphs'!"
Originally, Dragon had only heard about this from some scattered intelligence. But now, seeing the instant sparkle in Takero's eyes, he knew... this intelligence was true! And coincidentally, searching for 'Poneglyphs' and uncovering the 'historical truth' deliberately hidden by the World Government was one of the core missions their Revolutionary Army had been secretly pursuing all along! Takero thought, if that's the case... it would save him a lot of effort.
So, he nodded. "Alright."
Dragon immediately breathed a sigh of relief! An uncontrollable excitement surged in his heart! He felt that this was just a small step in his cooperation with Takero. But it was a big step for their entire Revolutionary Army toward 'final victory'! Judging by Takero's unfathomable extraordinary strength, if he could eventually be fully brought into the Revolutionary Army's ranks... then they would possess the strongest trump card, capable of overturning the entire world order! Especially after witnessing firsthand how Takero treated the lofty 'god'—Gorosei Satan Saint—like a mere plaything, wantonly abusing him... Dragon was even more confident in this!
"How will we cooperate?" Takero asked, crossing his arms and looking with interest at the serious 'revolutionary' before him. "Elaborate?"
"We need... sufficient food, medicine... and weapons!" Dragon's answer was concise and powerful, every word revealing the cruel and realistic demands of the revolutionary cause.
However, after hearing it, Takero couldn't help but find it a bit amusing.
"Hey, I'm telling you, fellow," he said, looking at Dragon with the gaze one would give a sucker. "Do you think your so-called 'intelligence' is worth me providing you with so much 'strategic material' support?"
Although Takero had always been a hands-off boss who didn't care about the cost of daily necessities, he could still distinguish such a simple, obviously unprofitable deal.
Dragon's face showed no embarrassment; he seemed to have anticipated Takero's question. He just calmly continued: "Of course, not just that. While our Revolutionary Army cannot compare to the wealth and power of your 'Golden Empire,' we also possess 'advantages' that you do not."
"Oh?" Takero raised an eyebrow. "Tell me about them."
"First," Dragon extended a finger, "is 'talent.' The ideals of our Revolutionary Army attract top talents from all over the world and in various fields. Whether they are navigators proficient in seafaring, doctors with superb medical skills, or... martial artists capable of training first-class warriors. As long as you need them, we can provide them for you."
"Second," he extended a second finger, "is 'channels.' The reach of our Revolutionary Army extends across the four seas and can even infiltrate the Marine and the World Government. Many commercial channels and resource points within World Government member nations that your 'Golden Empire' cannot access due to your sensitive identity, we can help you... open up."
"As for the third..." Dragon's face revealed a confident, in-control smile. "...That is, the moral high ground of 'righteousness.'" He looked at Takero and said, word by word: "I know, you possess immense power and fear nothing. However, your current 'Golden Empire,' in the eyes of the world, is ultimately... still a 'pirate' force, wanted by the World Government and operating outside of 'order.' But our Revolutionary Army, wherever we go, liberates the populace and overthrows tyranny. We represent 'the will of the people,' we represent 'the future'! As long as you cooperate with our Revolutionary Army and support our cause, then you and your 'Golden Empire' will no longer be isolated 'pirates.' Instead, you will be... 'heroes' liberating the world! Righteous allies standing on the side of 'justice'! At that time, what you gain will not only be wealth and power... but also, the 'will of the people' of the entire world!"
Dragon's words were impassioned and highly inflammatory! Even Ivankov and Ginny behind him, after hearing them, couldn't help but feel their blood boil with pride!
"How about it, Takero!" Dragon was full of confidence; after delivering this speech, he was immersed in it himself, believing Takero would surely have no more objections.
Takero, however, picked his ear: "Too much, too lazy to listen. Go discuss it with my subordinate later."
Dragon: "..."
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