Having watched two consecutive lectures from beginning to end, Oden's thoughts were now extremely complicated.
He no longer even paid attention to the playful banter between Hiyori and Rowan sitting across from him.
Revolution...
Five years ago, when he had sailed the seas alongside Roger, such a concept did not exist in this world.
At first, everyone likely believed the so-called Revolutionary Army was nothing more than a small nuisance.
Even regarding the bounty placed on the Cloaked Man how much of that twenty billion berries was truly because of the Celestial Dragons he killed?
Probably ninety-nine percent of it.
The World Government had greatly underestimated the Revolutionary Army.
Perhaps in their eyes, the organization merely existed to help contain Mister Spark.
At that moment, Oden finally seemed to understand why Captain Roger had willingly continued existing in that undead state.
Roger had never been someone afraid of death.
Even while suffering from an incurable disease, he had still laughed loudly and fulfilled his lifelong dream during his final year.
After the execution at Loguetown, men like them had already become relics of the old era.
Someone like Roger if it were not to witness the validation of the future foretold by those words why would he willingly continue existing in a state neither alive nor dead?
Regarding the two different futures foretold...which one was truly the better future?
The stone tablets had never explained.
And now, hearing the term Revolutionary Army thinking back on it calmly after the rage caused by Kanjuro's betrayal Oden realized that the very appearance of this name during such an era already represented many things.
Returning power to the people.
No longer placing the safety of an entire nation upon the shoulders of a single person.
Just like the question Mister Spark had asked him before did Momonosuke truly possess the courage necessary to become a ruler in the future?
A ruler of a nation...
Because of his own impulsiveness, he had refused to seek outside aid.
Naively believing the enemy would honor agreements just as Whitebeard and Roger would.
If not for Daimyo Yasuie...
If not for Shimotsuki Hikoro truly bringing back reinforcements at the final moment...
If not for those two sorcerers being eliminated beforehand...
There were simply too many "ifs."
Because of one decision he made as a member of the Kozuki Clan as the ruler of Wano millions of civilians had nearly been dragged into hell.
Under the rule of the Beasts Pirates, countless people would have died, while even remaining alive would become a luxury.
Such an ending...would all have originated from a single choice made by him alone.
The lives of millions resting upon one person whether such a system was good or not...the answer now seemed undeniable.
Oden's gaze remained fixed on the passionate Revolutionary instructor outside the window, whose saliva flew everywhere as he spoke emotionally.
Among the gathered crowd, he also saw those furious samurai.
But all of that resistance before those two words would ultimately be crushed and reduced to dust within history.
Daimyo Yasuie was too stubborn.
But Oden himself could no longer afford stubbornness.
This country had already been liberated.
And what would follow next would be the liberation of thought itself.
When the day finally came for Wano to truly open its borders in the future this country had to become an ally of the Revolutionary Army.
Otherwise...Wano would fall into chaos.
A true conflict of ideology would erupt.
"You seem to have already made your decision."
Holding Hiyori in his arms while teasing her playfully, Rowan casually asked the question.
Oden lifted his teacup and took a sip.
"I've decided."
"If I continue hesitating, then all I'll bring to this country is disaster."
Rowan looked toward Oden.
Perhaps after experiencing Kanjuro's betrayal, along with the deception of Kaido and Orochi this man had finally grown, if only a little.
Compared to his experiences sailing with Whitebeard and Roger, this recent period had made him far more like an actual ruler.
"The awakening of Wano's people will still require time."
"During that period, the country needs stability."
"So for now, the shogunate and daimyo system won't change. The position of shogun will also remain under your temporary management."
Kozuki Oden nodded.
"I understand."
"The influence of Kaido and Orochi still remains, and the people have not yet undergone ideological liberation."
"At a time like this, major changes would only create panic."
"Oh?"
"You've gotten a lot smarter."
Rowan laughed softly.
But little Hiyori in his arms immediately became unhappy and reached up to tug on Rowan's hair.
"You're making fun of Father! Bad uncle!"
That instantly caused both men to burst into laughter.
Compared to Momonosuke, Rowan liked Hiyori far more at this age.
After all, no man could resist a clever, adorable, and beautiful little daughter even if she belonged to someone else.
After rubbing Hiyori's head, Rowan casually asked:
"When you, Roger, and Rayleigh reached Laugh Tale..."
"Was there any mention of me?"
"Or of the Revolutionary Army?"
The moment those words fell, Oden's hand pouring tea froze in midair.
Only after a long silence did he finally lower it.
"What exists on Laugh Tale cannot be spoken of."
"That place is the world's final hope."
"Is that so?"
Rowan did not continue pressing the matter.
Instead, he brought up another person whose presence had remained weak all this time.
"The power of the Toki Toki no Mi is very special."
"Although it cannot travel to the past, it can continuously move toward the future."
"And it can also glimpse fragments of the future."
"Lady Toki understands this world far better than either you or me."
"She herself is someone from the Void Century eight hundred years ago."
"And the Poneglyphs were carved by stonemasons from Wano."
"So I think..."
"If Laugh Tale contains prophecies regarding me or the Revolutionary Army, that wouldn't be strange at all."
Oden let out a helpless sigh and smile.
This was the difference between them.
In terms of information gathering and analytical ability, the gap was simply enormous.
This man could infer countless truths from only scattered fragments.
But Oden still did not answer.
Just as he said earlier that island contained records of two possible futures for the world.
One of them involved the existence that would make the entire world laugh along with several vague and ambiguous lines.
No matter which future it referred to, he would not reveal it.
Because it concerned the fate of the entire world.
At that moment, the speech outside on the street platform had already ended.
Not long afterward, a woman carrying several books against her chest with one arm while holding a little girl's hand with the other walked up to the second floor of the teahouse.
After glancing over, Rowan found the scene rather interesting.
The Revolutionary Army instructors brought to Wano for lectures and ideological classes had all been personally selected by Dragon and Kuma before being transported here using the Chicken Talisman and the Paw-Paw Fruit.
Compared to four thousand soldiers, their numbers were far smaller, so Dragon could still manage the workload.
Because of that, Rowan himself didn't actually know who had been sent here.
"Masked Mister!"
The voice carried unconcealed delight.
Now ten years old, Robin had grown much taller compared to two years ago.
The moment she spotted Rowan, she immediately ran over from the stairway.
"I never expected to meet you here, Mister!"
Behind Robin, Olvia gave Rowan a slight bow.
But immediately afterward, one sentence exposed little Robin completely.
"Wasn't it because you knew Mister Spark was here that you worked so hard to become an instructor, little Robin?"
That instantly threw Robin into panic.
Although she was already the island's youngest scholar and ideological instructor toward Mister Spark, the founder of the Revolutionary Army's core ideology she held nothing less than absolute admiration.
This admiration was not merely because of the rescue of Ohara.
The more she learned about the ideology brought by Mister Spark, the more she felt just how great he truly was.
Rowan himself also looked at Robin in surprise.
"So little Nico is no longer just the youngest scholar, but also the youngest ideological instructor now?"
"That's really impressive."
Those words made Robin's face turn even redder.
There was nothing more capable of validating one's efforts than recognition from the person one admired most.
At that moment, little Hiyori, who was still stubbornly sitting in Rowan's lap, became unhappy again.
Poking her tiny head out, she looked toward Robin.
"I can become an instructor too!"
Across the table, Oden looked at Robin with genuine amazement.
After hearing Hiyori's declaration, he burst into laughter.
"That's not something easy at all, little Hiyori."
"And besides... in the future, you might even end up calling this big sister 'teacher.'"
"Teacher?"
Hiyori puffed up her cheeks in dissatisfaction.
She felt this pretty older sister had appeared out of nowhere and instantly stolen all of Masked Uncle's and Father's attention.
Meanwhile, Robin was curiously examining Hiyori as well.
She even reached out and gently rubbed the little girl's brightly colored hair.
"My name is Nico Robin."
"At the moment, I'm a rotating instructor at the Flower Capital's First Academy."
"If you want to become a scholar or an instructor, you'll have to work very, very hard."
Hiyori twisted her head around trying to escape Robin's evil hands.
Unfortunately, being far too young, she could only endure Robin's playful squishing helplessly.
Soon afterward, under Robin's reluctant gaze, Olvia brought her away to order some local specialties from another table.
The interaction between the two little girls greatly relaxed Rowan's mood.
The tragic destinies from his memories...had all been changed.
The Robin from his memories the girl betrayed repeatedly since the age of eight, who trusted no one before meeting the Straw Hat crew now possessed a beautiful childhood.
And the still-fuming Hiyori in front of him the girl who in his memories bore the burden of national hatred from childhood onward, who despite being a princess of the Kozuki Clan had fallen into the pleasure district and become an oiran, deceiving men for money just to help Wano's starving citizens survive now had both Oden and Lady Toki still alive.
Orochi was dead.
Kaido had been incorporated into their side.
The original fate had been completely overturned.
Rowan lifted Hiyori and placed her onto the table.
"Study knowledge and ideology properly."
"They can help the people of Wano live better lives."
"Perhaps one day, you could even become Wano's first female president."
"Female president?"
What exactly was a president?
Seeing the confusion in her eyes, Rowan explained:
"It means the leader responsible for managing Wano's politics, economy, and military."
"Didn't you say your brother isn't capable?"
"Then perhaps you should work hard instead."
But Hiyori completely failed to hear the latter half of his explanation.
Her mind only caught the first part.
Managing all of Wano?
Wasn't that basically the shogun?
As a girl, the naturally intelligent Hiyori had always understood the difference between herself and her brother.
But now...
Masked Uncle was saying she actually could?
"Mister..."
Oden hesitated, wanting to speak.
But Rowan raised a hand and stopped him directly.
"Do you think elections choose talent?"
"Or gender?"
One sentence instantly left Oden speechless.
Compared to Momonosuke and Oden, Rowan honestly liked Hiyori far more.
Oden dancing naked for five years was the result of stupidity and a lack of resolve.
As for Momonosuke allowing his subordinates to be restrained and drained by Ryokugyu just to prove himself that was simply idiocy.
But Hiyori, as just a little girl, had realized that Kawamatsu himself barely had enough food to survive.
Believing herself to be a burden, she resolutely chose to leave.
Later, despite being a powerless woman forced into becoming an oiran, she still used the little strength she possessed to help the citizens of Wano and seek revenge against Orochi.
"I'm going to become the female president!"
"And make Momo clean toilets every single day!"
Standing atop the table with both hands raised high, Hiyori's grand declaration instantly interrupted Rowan's thoughts.
Across from him, Oden could only smile helplessly.
If only the personalities of those two children could be swapped.
The early stages of Wano's restructuring had already entered a stable path.
As a result, Rowan's focus gradually shifted back toward Marine Headquarters.
During the war against the Beasts Pirates, his morning swordsmanship lessons had also been interrupted for quite a while.
He wondered whether that durable white-haired guy had fully recovered yet.
And then there was Kuzan.
During the past several naval deployments, the memories returned by Rowan's shadow clones had started feeling somewhat subtle.
This future candidate for the Navy's highest combat power seemed to be deliberately searching for traces of the Revolutionary Army.
He had already crossed paths with CP agents several times.
Under those circumstances, Rowan was considering whether he should meet Kuzan once under another identity or wait a little longer until Kuzan truly confirmed his own convictions.
Additionally, the World Government's four-year Reverie and the new Heavenly Tribute collection period were about to begin.
Within the Revolutionary Army's Eastern Army, they had recently been rushing to complete the tribute interception routes throughout East Blue and the first half of the Grand Line.
That was extremely important.
The Revolutionary Army had entered a stage of hidden development.
At this stage, the amount of money required was enormous.
The research institute submitted new funding requests every day.
The expansion of sleeper agents and new recruits also consumed massive amounts of beli daily.
Trying to start a revolution on empty stomachs was impossible.
If not for the trade routes across the Four Seas still sustaining them, their finances likely would have already collapsed.
Knock knock.
Someone tapped the back of Rowan's reclining chair.
Lying on the deck with his eyes closed in thought, Rowan opened them.
"We're back at Headquarters?"
"Still half a day away."
Kuzan sat down beside him on an identical reclining chair.
After glancing around the surroundings, he lowered his voice and asked:
"Did you read that book?"
Most of the book's core ideas had actually come from Rowan himself.
So naturally, he hadn't bothered reading it.
Kuzan let out a breath before continuing:
"The World Government's new Heavenly Tribute collection period is about to begin."
"And in the North Blue, the World Government is preparing to move against Germa."
Rowan looked over.
"If I remember correctly, Germa is also a member nation, right?"
Kuzan nodded.
"If they dig through enough of Germa's past crimes, they can easily find excuses."
"What the higher-ups truly care about is Germa's scientific technology."
"After all, Vegapunk has been missing for quite some time already."
"Does this involve us?"
Kuzan gave a slight nod.
"Fleet Admiral Sengoku has already received the orders."
"We'll serve as the main suppression force heading to North Blue."
"Borsalino still needs to remain stationed at Sabaody."
"Sakazuki is in the New World."
"And my ice abilities can freeze the sea, preventing Germa from escaping."
Prevent them from escaping...
Germa's technology...
Rowan wondered whether those boots capable of imitating Geppo and all their other absurd black technologies had already been developed yet.
After all, even in the comic strips, things like the stealth suit had already appeared.
But the World Government had clearly prepared for this operation in advance.
Unless Judge intended to abandon everything and flee with only his children once the sea surface was frozen solid, there truly would be nowhere left for Germa to escape.
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