Chapter 212

Luo En, with his eyes closed, smiled at him and said, "But I didn't come here to express gratitude to the Revolutionary Army."

Dragon, Sabo, and Ivankov all regarded him with serious expressions.

They were all curious and puzzled about Luo En's purpose, but no matter how many times Sabo asked over the past two days, Luo En revealed nothing, only saying he wished to speak with Dragon in person.

Under their gazes, Luo En slowly revealed the purpose of his visit.

"Dragon, I came to see you to form an alliance with you and the Revolutionary Army."

Sabo and Ivankov both reacted with shock upon hearing his first words.

Dragon's eyes narrowed slightly: "The opponent is…?"

"The World Government."

Sabo and Ivankov froze.

Dragon stared at him and said, "The Revolutionary Army has always fought against the World Government. Are you proposing to ally with us?"

Luo En shook his head: "My thinking differs from yours."

A flicker of confusion passed through Dragon's eyes.

Under the gaze of the three, Luo En continued: "The Revolutionary Army was founded to overthrow the unequal rule of the Celestial Dragons who control the World Government. For all these years, the Revolutionary Army has indeed grown stronger, but with minimal results—barely toppling the governments of a few nations. It's still unknown how many more years it will take to overthrow the Celestial Dragons' rule over the entire world."

"This is even under the condition that the World Government is preoccupied with pirates. If the World Government mobilizes its strongest marines and forces against the Revolutionary Army, the Revolutionary Army would have little chance to resist. The reason they haven't acted yet is probably because they still don't see the Revolutionary Army as a real threat."

Dragon's eyes narrowed as he stared directly at Luo En, whose eyes remained closed: "So your meaning is…?"

"To completely overthrow the current World Government, the Revolutionary Army's current small-scale actions are utterly hopeless."

Luo En spoke calmly: "Only by gathering elite combat power and utterly destroying Mary Geoise can we topple the Celestial Dragons' dominion and fundamentally change this world."

Dragon, Sabo, and Ivankov were stunned by his words.

"Destroy… Mary Geoise?"

Ivankov opened his eyes wide, muttering dazedly: "How could that ever be possible…"

Sabo also wiped a bead of sweat from his forehead: "The World Government inside Mary Geoise has a large force of elite troops stationed there, and the Marine Headquarters, Marineford, lies just off the nearby seas of the Red Line. If Mary Geoise is attacked, Marineford can respond immediately…"

"Mary Geoise also houses the Five Elders and the elite warriors who protect the Celestial Dragons," Dragon said, his gaze fixed on Luo En. "Simply infiltrating Mary Geoise is nearly impossible, let alone destroying it."

"Destroying Mary Geoise—even if the Four Emperors joined forces, they would find it nearly impossible."

"Indeed, it's extremely difficult."

Luo En nodded: "But it's not entirely impossible."

Dragon, Sabo, and Ivankov stared intently at him.

Luo En reached into the void and drew out a wooden chessboard, covered with intricately carved wooden pieces. He swept all the pieces off, placing the empty board onto the round table.

With his eyes closed and calm demeanor, Luo En picked up a wooden piece engraved with the characters "Kaido" and placed it onto the board.

"This ultimate war to overturn the world—whether you want it or not—everyone is destined to be drawn into it."

188, two acquaintances

The contents of this meeting held in Baratie were known to no one else besides the four present.

After this meeting,

Dragon officially formed an alliance with Luo En.

Whether the Revolutionary Army's subsequent actions would proceed as discussed in the meeting would depend on Luo En's next moves.

Forming the alliance was merely the prologue within the prologue.

After Luo En left Baratie,

Dragon immediately issued orders to the entire Revolutionary Army to overthrow the government of the nation of Saint Dreya as quickly as possible and end the conflict there.

If everything he said in that meeting was true, then the Revolutionary Army had little time left and could not afford to waste more time or energy on Saint Dreya.

………

Several days later,

The Straw Hat Pirates, accompanied by the ship's doctor Chopper, arrived at Alabasta.

There, Luffy encountered someone he never expected.

"Ace?!"

Luffy stared at the man, filled with overwhelming joy.

Ace sat there, smiling warmly and waving: "Hey, Luffy, long time no see."

The two brothers, separated for over three years, met again in a restaurant.

They sat at the same table, eating and talking.

During their conversation, Luffy learned why Ace was there.

"Marshall D. Tich?"

Luffy swallowed a piece of meat: "Is he your companion, Ace?"

"He was, but he did something unforgivable and was expelled from the Whitebeard Pirates. I came here specifically to capture him."

Ace said while eating: "That guy's nickname is Blackbeard—he's dangerous and treacherous. If you ever meet him, stay far away."

"I understand. By the way, Ace, I met Luo En in the East Blue."

Ace looked up, surprised: "You met him?"

Luffy nodded: "He fought that guy called Hawk-Eye, then left the next day."

"Oh, he also told me Sabo isn't dead."

"Really?"

Ace's expression turned eager as he stared at Luffy: "Sabo really isn't dead?!"

"Yeah, he's alive. Luo En said Sabo is now with the Revolutionary Army. He never returned to find us because he lost his memory in an accident back then."

"Is that so… I see." Ace murmured: "Sabo isn't dead… That's truly wonderful."

……

After Ace and Luo En had traveled together through Alabasta for a stretch, he parted ways with him midway and left.

The two agreed to meet again on the open sea next time.

After Luffy's group and Princess Vivi bade farewell to Ace, they continued onward toward Alabasta, located in the desert.

By the time they arrived in Alabasta.

Smoker, bringing along Tashigi, had already followed behind him and reached this country.

The great decisive battle of the Alabasta Kingdom is about to begin!

…………

And at this moment.

Having parted from Kuina, Robin, and the others over two months ago, Luo En returned to the Sabaody Archipelago and, in that bar called "Xia Qi's Extortion Bar," met Xia Qi.

"Xia Qi, long time no see. How have you been?"

"Of course… and you?"

Xia Qi, seeing Luo En again after two years, gazed at him pushing the door open and walking into the tavern, her expression uncommonly dazed.

It's only been a few years since then…

That black-haired youth from that first meeting in her memory, a nobody she had never even heard of, had now become the composed, tall and sturdy young man before her. His fame had long since spread across the sea, and he had become a great figure mentioned in the same breath as the Four Emperors…

"I'm doing well too. Is Lei Li here?"

Luo En, eyes closed, asked her with a smile.

"He went to Rusukaina Island. Kuina and the others are over there too."

"Is that so…"

Xia Qi watched him walk toward the tavern door and couldn't help asking: "Are you going over there? In another two days they should be back."

"No, I trust Lei Li. I'm just going to wander around the Sabaody Archipelago for a bit, clear my head."

Luo En said with a smile, waving to Xia Qi with his back to her, and stepped out of the tavern.

He had just detected two 'acquaintances' through the Observation Haki covering this island.

He planned to go meet them.

…………

At this moment, in the most bustling and lively district of the Sabaody Archipelago.

Dressed in casual clothes, Tina and Tsuru walked along the crowded street.

"This leisurely feeling, it's really been a long time since I've felt it."

Tina, wearing a red women's suit, with sunglasses perched on her forehead and pink long hair draped over her shoulders, looked around with an expression of utter contentment.