Chapter 201: The Revolutionary Army's Reaction!
"Suzaku, Suzaku Yareon!"
The aged, raspy voice echoed softly within the dimly lit confines of the empty bar on the Sabaody Archipelago.
Silvers Rayleigh, the legendary Dark King and former first mate of the Pirate King, slowly picked up the crumpled newspaper from the wooden counter.
His eyes, framed by deep wrinkles—eyes that had personally witnessed the opening and closing of an entire era—narrowed slightly as they scanned the bold, screaming headlines.
A moment later.
"Heh."
A very light, almost self-deprecating laugh escaped from Rayleigh's throat.
The sound carried a complex mix of disbelief, nostalgia, and a profound sense of shifting tides.
He picked up his heavy glass and downed the remaining amber whiskey in one swift, practiced gulp.
The spicy, burning liquid slid smoothly down his throat, warming his chest, but it couldn't even begin to suppress the surging, violent waves crashing in his heart.
"That kid... he really did something absolutely incredible this time."
His voice was very light, barely more than a whisper, yet it felt heavier and more significant than any of the chaotic, bustling noise outside the bar's window.
He leaned his elbows on the counter, his mind racing back to the faces of the past.
"How long has it been since the seas were shaken like this? It's not just about defeating that hot-headed kid Shanks."
Rayleigh shook his head slowly, a grim, admiring smile touching the corners of his lips.
"But to think that even that invincible 'monster' Kaido... were they really both overturned by them in a single day?"
Rayleigh's rough, calloused fingers gently stroked the glossy surface of Suzaku Yareon's newly issued bounty poster printed on the back page of the newspaper.
He stared intently at the photograph of the young captain.
That wild, uninhibited smile and those sharp, piercing eyes that seemed to look down on everything in the world gave the old pirate a long-lost throb of excitement.
It was a dangerously familiar aura, one that reminded him of a certain man who had once turned the world upside down.
"This time, it's not just as simple as mere 'chaos' anymore... this is a complete uprooting of the foundation."
He slowly put down the newspaper, the paper rustling softly against the wood, and poured himself another generous glass of wine from the bottle.
His sharp eyes seemingly pierced straight through the wooden walls of the bar, looking far across the oceans.
He was looking toward the violently turbulent waters of the New World, where a massive storm was currently brewing.
"Forget it. I'm just a retired old coating mechanic now, an old man who has long been phased out by the turning gears of the era."
He muttered to himself, a bitter, yet somewhat relieved smile appearing on his weathered face.
"No matter what happens out there, whether the world burns or changes, it has nothing to do with this old man anymore..."
After murmuring to himself, he picked up the freshly filled glass, closed his eyes, and continued to sip the strong wine slowly!
...
Meanwhile, far away in the volatile waters of the North Blue, within the borders of the Uka Kingdom.
Once upon a time, this isolated place's name would only occasionally appear at the very bottom end of the World Government's endless list of member state applicants!
Calling it a grand "kingdom" was actually a massive overstatement; it was just a large island, perhaps a few sizes larger than a normal inhabited landmass.
But the dark, rich land here was so incredibly fertile it seemed as if it had been blessed by nature itself.
In the thick black soil of Uka, any stray seeds scattered by the wind would effortlessly grow into gratifying, abundant crops.
It was an agricultural paradise that should have guaranteed prosperity for all its citizens.
However, reality was far crueler. In such a wealthy treasure land, the common people lived miserable lives where they could barely feed or clothe themselves.
This tragedy was simply because of the greedy idiot who held the title of "King" and the sprawling group of fat-bellied, corrupt nobles who constantly surrounded him.
These rulers cared absolutely nothing for their people; they only desperately wanted to squeeze their way into the "Holy Land" of Mary Geoise.
Their sole ambition was to officially become a recognized member state under the absolute protection of the World Government.
To achieve that lofty, selfish end, they frantically and mercilessly plundered the hard-earned wealth of the common people.
They added layer after suffocating layer to the already heavy agricultural taxes, bleeding the farmers dry.
They did all of this just to scrape together that astronomical, soul-crushing sum known as the "Heavenly Tribute" to offer to the Celestial Dragons.
But oppression can only last so long before the spring snaps back. The people's endurance eventually reached its absolute, bloody limit.
When the crimson flag of the Revolutionary Army finally rose high here, blowing fiercely in the wind, the chains of centuries-old oppression were violently smashed.
The long-accumulated, silent anger of the citizens instantly turned into a raging prairie fire that consumed the corrupt monarchy.
At this very moment, the sky above the Uka Kingdom was a clear, brilliant blue, perfectly reflecting the bright dawn of a revolutionary victory.
The thick, black smoke from the battles had not yet completely dissipated from the air.
On the crumbling, marble ruins of the former royal palace, the disciplined soldiers of the Revolutionary Army were moving quickly and efficiently.
They were busy distributing the massive stockpiles of golden grain that had been forcibly plundered back from the fat noble's hidden granaries.
The pure, unburdened laughter of starving children sounded so incredibly real and joyous on this land for the very first time in generations.
"Although this place is quite remote from the main shipping lanes, the land is wonderfully fertile. It is geographically easy to defend and incredibly hard to attack."
Inside the heavily guarded, temporary command headquarters set up in the palace courtyard, several high-ranking Revolutionary Army cadres gathered around a large, simple map spread across a wooden table.
They were pointing at various topography markers, intensely discussing their future strategic plans.
"And more importantly, the public base and civilian support here are very good. The people trust us completely."
One of the commanders tapped the map firmly. "It couldn't be more appropriate to use this liberated island as our primary, hidden base of operations in the North Blue."
"Well, regarding the political transition," another cadre chimed in, adjusting his glasses. "That distant relative of the former king, the one with some thin noble blood but who had long since fallen on incredibly hard times and lived among the peasants, has finally been found."
"Let him temporarily sit on the throne as the 'new king' to appease the conservative factions of the people, and we'll quietly control the national policies from behind the scenes..."
"Coo...! Coo...!"
Just then, a loud, familiar squawking sound interrupted their serious strategic meeting.
Several large News Coos, their white feathers ruffling wildly, broke through the thin clouds above.
They carried thick bundles of the absolute latest newspapers in their pouches and landed clumsily on the open stone windowsill of the temporary headquarters.
"Ah, it's that greedy bird guy Morgans again... making a fortune off war." One cadre muttered, walking over to drop a few Berries into the bird's pouch.
He casually picked up a freshly printed copy, shaking off the moisture, and unfolded it nonchalantly to check the daily global bounties.
Then, his hand completely froze.
His eyes widened to the size of saucers, and the color rapidly drained from his weather-beaten face.
"This... this... you've got to be absolutely kidding me?!"
His shocked, high-pitched exclamation immediately drew everyone's sharp attention away from the tactical map.
As the explosive contents of the front page were hurriedly passed around the table, the entire bustling headquarters fell into a sudden, deathly silence.
Only the sound of heavy, panicked breathing and the rustling of paper remained in the room.
The bold, black ink screamed at them from the pages, carrying news that shattered their understanding of global politics.
[The Unbelievable Fall of the Yonko! The Strongest Creature, Beast Kaido, and the Emperor Red-Haired Shanks, Both Utterly Defeated in a Single Day!]
[The Violent Coronation of a True New Emperor!!! The Bloody Birth of the Absolute Ruler of the New World!]
"Kaido... and Red Hair... both defeated? At the exact same time? By the exact same pirate group?"
"The Suzaku Pirates? Are you insane?! Where in the world did this terrifying monster suddenly come from!"
"My god, the balance of the New World... no, the balance of the entire world is about to change completely!"
Shock, unparalleled and absolute shock, violently swept through the minds of everyone present in the room.
They were revolutionaries used to impossible odds, but this was a geopolitical earthquake of unprecedented magnitude.
In the midst of the rising, panicked uproar of the cadres, a low, incredibly powerful, and magnetic voice suddenly spoke up, instantly suppressing all the surrounding noise.
"Wano Country..."
Monkey D. Dragon, the Supreme Commander of the Revolutionary Army, the enigmatic man who was officially regarded by the World Government as the "World's Worst Criminal."
He was standing quietly by the large arched window, his dark green cloak billowing slightly in the wind.
He was looking far into the distance across the ocean, also holding a copy of the explosive newspaper tightly in his large, scarred hand.
On his stoic, heavily tattooed face, the initial, unavoidable shock had already faded away.
It was entirely replaced by a look of profound, calculating deep contemplation.
"Wano Country has always been an incredibly important, irreplaceable producer of Sea Prism Stone and various high-quality, specialized weapons."
Dragon spoke slowly, his deep voice carrying the weight of a man who constantly carried the burden of a global war on his shoulders.
"But because of Kaido's tyrannical rule, the country's strict isolationist policy, and those ridiculously high, extortive black-market prices, our Revolutionary Army's finances have always been stretched dangerously thin."
He crushed the edge of the newspaper slightly, his eyes narrowing.
"Because of their absolute control, most of the high-tier military supplies and Sea Prism Stone were entirely monopolized by the World Government and those greedy great pirates."
Dragon slowly turned around, his intense, burning gaze sweeping over the silent crowd of his most trusted officers.
"Now that the beast Kaido has finally fallen, and the entire nation has been violently replaced and conquered by this unknown 'Suzaku Pirates'..."
He walked toward the table, his presence commanding absolute respect.
"...no matter who they truly are, or what their ultimate goal is, we must make immediate, direct contact with them."
He put the newspaper down firmly on the wooden table, tapping the picture of the Vermillion Wing.
His tone was perfectly calm, but it carried an unquestionable, iron-clad decisiveness that brooked no argument.
"I will go to the waters of Wano Country personally."
"What???"
"Dragon-san! Are you crazy?!"
"No! Absolutely not! It's far too dangerous right now!"
The room instantly erupted into a chaotic chorus of desperate protests.
The first to violently react was the North Army Commander of the Revolutionary Army.
It was the tall, intimidating man who always wore a dark plague-doctor-style Crow mask and had a uniquely raspy, echoing voice. It was the cadre Karasu!
"Dragon! Please reconsider!" Karasu urged, his black feather coat rustling with his agitation.
"The other party is a monstrously powerful force that can casually defeat both Kaido and Red Hair simultaneously; their military strength is completely unfathomable!"
Karasu slammed his hand on the table, pointing at the terrifying casualty reports in the paper.
"We know absolutely nothing about their abilities, their tempers, or their political leanings! If you go there rashly, alone, in case it's a trap..."
"Yeah, Dragon-san! Karasu is right!" Koala, who was standing anxiously on the side, also quickly stepped forward to advise him.
Her large eyes were filled with genuine, deep-seated worry for her leader.
"Wano Country must be in absolute, chaotic turmoil right now after such a massive war! And that Suzaku Pirates..."
She bit her lip, looking at Suzaku's smiling wanted poster.
"...we have no idea about their way of doing things. They might just attack anyone who approaches! It's much better to let us go and scout the perimeter first!"
Dragon listened patiently to their frantic worries. He slowly raised and waved his hand, a simple gesture that instantly signaled them to calm down.
"Don't worry about my safety," Dragon said, his voice steady and reassuring. "I'm not going there to pick a fight or start another war."
A rare, somewhat confident, and deeply intriguing smile appeared on his usually stern face.
"I'm just going to talk a little 'business' with this new Emperor. I want to see if there's a genuine possibility of mutual cooperation."
He looked back out the window, the wind catching his dark hair.
"After all, in our long, grueling war against the Celestial Dragons, it is always infinitely better to have one more powerful friend than one more invincible enemy."
"Moreover," he paused, his eyes gleaming with a sharp, analytical light.
"The guys who could take down Kaido to liberate a country, and defeat Shanks without slaughtering his crew... they definitely shouldn't be the obedient lackeys of the World Government."
He turned back to his commanders, his expression returning to absolute seriousness.
"I'll leave the management of this place to you all. I trust your judgment."
"The Uka Kingdom is an incredibly important, strategic step for our Revolutionary Army's expansion in the North Blue; we must stabilize the region and protect the people."
After saying that final command, Dragon didn't give everyone another chance to desperately persuade him otherwise.
He swiftly put on his heavy green cloak, the fabric snapping sharply in the air, and strode purposely out of the headquarters' doors.
He left everyone standing in the room with only the sight of his broad, unyielding back as he headed toward the docks.
Crow and Koala looked at each other, seeing the helplessness and worry in each other's eyes, but they could only obey the order.
[Akarin Note:
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