Chapter 88: The Revolutionary Army
ââWano Country, Onigashima.
Inside the massive hollow of that rocky mountain lies our estate.
"Mmmnnn⊠FwahâŠ"
"âLady Nue, are you awake?"
"Mmmnnn⊠Yeah, I'm up~. NnghâŠ!"
On the large black bed, I stretch as I wake up.
The room is enormousâmore than spacious enough for a personal chamber, and lavishly decorated at that. The ceiling is high enough to comfortably fit a giant, and the layout is more than sufficient. Itâs a refined space, naturallyâa fusion of Wano and Western aesthetics, crafted by Wano artisans and our own. Every piece of furniture is custom-made, and the smaller items are either from my personal collection or things Iâve brought in myself.
In other words, this is my room.
Andâright now, itâs morning.
When Iâm not out at sea or on another island, I sleep and wake up here. Not that I need to sleep, but it does feel good, and itâd be a waste not to use my own bed.
The one who just spoke to me is one of my subordinatesâa blue-haired mermaid woman with a long tail fin. Standing over eight meters tall, with red horns protruding from her hat, she looks far sleepier than I do.
Beasts Pirates "Tobiroppo" â SonĆ
"Good morning, Lady Nue. Now then, Iâll go ahead and⊠report todayâs schedule and updates⊠so please⊠donât go back to sleep⊠zzzâŠ"
"YOUâRE the one nodding off!!"
"Ah⊠My apologies. I only got fifteen hours of sleep yesterday, soâŠ"
"Thatâs way too much."
Her ridiculous excuseâimplying she did nothing yesterday because she oversleptâcomes from SonĆ, the mermaid I picked up during one of our past vacations. Thatâs rightâsheâs now a full-fledged Tobiroppo of the Beasts Pirates. And she also handles managerial work for me.
Not that sheâs my only attendantâI have a few close aides, like the kind of page youâd see in Wano. Like that cute girl over there. âĄ
"Komurasaki-chan, did you sleep well~?"
"âŠYes, I managed to get some rest."
"Good, good. ⥠You worked hard during training yesterday, after all. âȘ The way you desperately, desperately ran for your life⊠it was wonderful!!"
"âŠIf it pleased you, then I am glad."
The one I address with a smile and cheerful tone is the kimono-clad girl standing beside SonĆâHiyori⊠no, Komurasaki-chan.
Though sheâs already seventeen and quite the beauty now. Not that she can compare to me, of course! Still, I wish sheâd drop that serious face and smile a little. Seems she still hasnât let her guard down around us. Would it kill her to be friendly? Even when I try to engage her, all she does is bow politely. Well, whatever.
"So, todayâs newspaper?"
"My apologies. Itâs running a bit late⊠It should arrive within the hour."
"Hmm, I see. What about Kaido?"
"Captain Kaido is currently suffering from a hangoverâ'My head fuckinâ hurts'âso he went off to vent his frustration by personally crushing some pirates whose location he got from intel."
"Ah, the usual. Guess Iâll take a bath then."
"Yes⊠as always⊠what a hassle⊠haahâŠ"
SonĆ sighs in exhaustion as she follows me to the bathâbut then again, this is the norm.
Kaido drinks. Especially at nightâhe always drinks. Well, he drinks whenever he feels like it, so heâs pretty much drinking all the time. But in this case, "drinking" means drinking until heâs wasted.
Iâm the sameâbooze-filled parties are basically a daily occurrence. If weâre free or have nothing to do, weâre probably drinking. That hasnât changed since our apprentice days. We drink when we want to. Thatâs our way.
So Kaido getting drunk and causing havoc is just another day for us. Today, he apparently went out to crush some random pirates because his hangover made his head hurtâbut honestly, thatâs tame for him.
At least the victims are just some no-name pirates. Itâs practically a public service, taking out enemies. Thereâs zero chance of failureâheâll just come back like normal when heâs done.
"What about Yamato and Musashi?"
"âŠLord Yamato is⊠somewhere in the estate. Lord Musashi is⊠somewhere in the country."
"So you have no idea where they are or what theyâre doing, huh~?"
"My apologies⊠It was too much trouble to check."
"THATâS your excuse!? Well, whatever!!"
I canât believe she didnât even try to confirm⊠SonĆ is something else. I couldnât help but snap at herâbut eh, itâs fine. Itâs not like it matters where they are or what theyâre doing.
Besides, if theyâre in Wano, I can always detect them with my UFOs. If I focus⊠yeah, Yamato is definitely in the estate. Musashi is harder to pinpoint, but I can vaguely sense him/her(?) in⊠Hakumai? Probably somewhere around there.
My Observation Haki covers a huge rangeâI can sense the presence of people and living beings, but identifying who is where is only possible if I already know their aura well. Like Kaido, the All-Stars, the Tobiroppo⊠Orochi too. Yamato and Musashi barely make the cut. Thatâs about it.
Though, if I concentrate, I can get a rough idea of how many people are in Wano at any given time, so itâs usually not an issue. If someone emits strong Haki or if my UFOs detect something, I can sense enemies or disturbances. Especially if someone destroys a UFOâIâll know immediately, even without focusing. Theyâre like an extension of my senses, part of my ability.
Thatâs why I use them to monitor, defend, and patrol our territory. In a way, Iâm probably the hardest worker in the Beasts PiratesâŠ
As I undress and step into the private bathâa beautifully lit hot spring with lanternsâSonĆ and Komurasaki follow me inside. The reports continue, this time from Komurasaki.
"âŠLady Nue. Also, a message from General Orochi⊠'We captured a retainer of the Kozuki last night. If you want him, come and get him. Weâll be holding a banquet, soâŠ'"
"Hmm~, I see. Orochiâs as fixated as ever. But Iâve had my fill of retainers, so Iâll pass. The banquet does sound fun, though⊠Maybe Iâll drop by. For now, just tell him 'Iâll come.'"
"âŠUnderstood."
Komurasaki bows respectfully in front of me as I sink into the bath. Her emotions must be a mix of sorrow and hatred right nowâI can feel it. The thought makes me smile. Sheâs about to break⊠or maybeâŠ? Heheh, itâs good to see her growing. âĄ
Honestly, I wouldnât mind if she tried to slash me with that sword at her waist right now. This tub is pretty shallowâmy feet touch the bottom easily. If I lie down, my head goes under, but sitting normally, the water only reaches my shoulders.
And at that depth, I can still move just fine. Besides, even if you dunk me in the sea, I wonât be hurt. So attacking me in the bath isnât much of an advantageâunless youâre really strong. âȘ
If that day ever comes, itâd be pretty entertaining. Though, even Iâd have trouble if, say, Linlin or Garp barged in while I was bathingâthat first hit would sting.
The reports continue, and SonĆ starts to speak againâ
"Also, about the All-Starsâ"
"âNue-san."
"â!"
At that moment, a voice calls out from outside the bathâone I recognize instantly. I glance at SonĆ.
"Guess we donât need to talk about that anymore~âȘ"
"Yes⊠So, can I go back to sleep now?"
"Stay. Itâs more fun with you here. âĄ"
"Ugh⊠What kind of logic is that�"
"SonĆ-san⊠Thatâs exactly what you just tried to pullâŠ"
Komurasaki deadpans at SonĆâs shameless attempt to bail, which only amuses me further. Before I can tease her more, the voice outside speaks again.
"Nue-san. I have a report. Mind if I come in?"
"Sure~!! Wanna join me while youâre at it?"
"âŠSpare me the jokes."
Coolly brushing off my offer, the towering figure steps into the bathâhis wingspan dwarfing even SonĆ, let alone Komurasaki. His name is one even these two know⊠hell, most of Wano and the New World knows it. Though, given how tense theyâve both gotten, I canât blame them. Among the All-Stars, heâs easily the most intimidatingâ
"Ehhh? Youâre really turning down a chance to bathe with little olâ me~? King, youâre no fun."
"âŠThis is your private bath. For me, itâd be little more than a foot soak."
"Well, technically true!!"
One of our proud All-StarsâKing the Wildfire. A loyal, indispensable subordinate who works tirelessly for our sake.
Iâd almost let my guard down to bond with him like a proper captain should, but King, ever the pragmatist, shuts it down with a single observation. Just then, SonĆ lifts her head, seizing the opportunity.
"Lord King, this seems like a critical report. As a mere Tobiroppo, it might be improper for me to overhear. Shall I excuse myself?"
"Wow, way to sound noble while dumping this on King just to leave."
"Youâre not leaving. Do your job."
"âŠYes, sir."
I call out her bluff, and King shuts it down harder. With a resigned sigh, SonĆ stays put. Gotta admitâfor all her laziness, sheâs got nerve. Most Tobiroppo wouldnât dare act this casual around King.
But then again, thatâs our crew for you. As long as you meet the conditions, even attitude like hers is tolerated. Because we allow it.
King shifts his focus back to me, cutting straight to business.
"Few updates. Firstâthat pirate crew that sank one of our subs and fled? Since Kaidoâs out, I used your name to order Whoâs-Who after them."
"Ahh, thatâs been happening a lot lately. Fine by meâIâll back you up."
"Appreciate it. They wouldnât budge for my ordersâŠ"
The first issue is a uniquely us problemâa minor headache, but nothing new.
Lately, skirmishes targeting our fleetâboth main and subsidiary crewsâhave spiked. Whether itâs schemes by other Emperors or the Navy, or just rookies testing their luck in the New World, itâs part of the price of infamy. When youâre strong, you invite challenges. And as the Beast Pirates amass power, itâs only natural others would try to whittle us down.
Not that I mind. Crushing overconfident foolsâor puppets sent to provoke usâis its own reward. Our Tobiroppo handle most of it, but even the All-Stars occasionally get dragged into the mess.
Because hereâs the thingâwe operate on absolute freedom.
For the strong, that is.
"Let me guessâonly Whoâs-Who and Sasaki were available from the Flying Six?"
"Right. The others are tied up."
Kingâs reply confirms my hunch.
Kaido and I run the Beast Pirates on meritocracyâwhere strength comes first, results second, and everything else is irrelevant.
The strong rule. Thatâs our law. Our truth.
Humans are beasts. And among beasts, the powerful naturally dominate. Why should the weak lead? Thatâs absurd. If someone weaker tries to stand above you, crushing them is only logical. Weâre piratesâthis isnât some corporate ladder. Strength decides everything.
So in our crew, seniority means nothing. A rookie whoâs strong enough gets promoted to Tobiroppo on day oneâjust like SonĆ.
"Sigh⊠The Flying Six have it so easy⊠But more responsibility sounds exhausting. Iâd rather lounge around in luxury."
"âŠSonĆ-san, you have zero ambition⊠despite your strength."
"Not really⊠Iâm just decent near water. On land? Well⊠Talkingâs tiring, so imagine the rest."
"How am I supposed to imagine a conversation�"
Komurasaki and SonĆâs banter is amusing, butâwell, thatâs freedom for you. As long as theyâre strong, Tobiroppo and above can do as they please.
Many of our officers are former pirate captains absorbed into our ranks, still commanding their own crewsâraiding, defending territory, or pursuing personal ventures.
Most Tobiroppo are fiercely ambitious. They follow Kaidoâs and my orders, but we often sweeten deals with rewards to motivate them. We let the strong do as they pleaseâno micromanaging.
That said, every member respects Kaido and me as their superiors. Even the most headstrong know better than to openly defy us.
But that deference stops at us.
The Tobiroppoâlike Whoâs-Who and Sasakiâare ex-captains with egos to match. Theyâre gunning for the All-Starsâ spots, convinced theyâre just as strong.
(Not that the All-Stars share that delusion.)
"Speaking of, Whoâs-Who, Sasaki⊠maybe even Jack might challenge the All-Stars soon! Not that replacements are necessary⊠but ohh, whatâll you do if they try~?"
"âIâll remind those fools of their place."
"Thatâs the spirit!! Now, next report~âȘ"
"Right."
Kingâs flames flare slightlyâa silent declaration of absolute confidence. The Flying Sixâs arrogance stems from their belief that they could win. And why should they bow to those they donât deem stronger?
In the Beast Pirates, you kneel only to those whoâve proven their might.
"Weapons tradeâs booming across several nations. Drafted plans for new factories in Wano and our territoriesâreview the details with the client list later."
"Okaaay~⥠Weapons really do sell like hotcakes, huh~? Well, with how tense things are lately, every countryâs got a laundry list of people they wanna killâcanât be helped! âȘ"
I splash my feet playfully in the bath, nodding cheerfully at the news of our thriving arms trade.
While I handle deals and factory expansions on a whim, the All-Starsâveterans of our crew, second only to Kaido and me in strengthâcommand entire fleets, oversee multiple Tobiroppo, and act as our right hands in managing the organization.
They answer only to Kaido and me. Beyond that? As long as it benefits us, theyâre free to act as they please.
Most Tobiroppo might harbor ambitions against the All-Stars, but theyâd never dare defy themâthe gap in strength is too vast. Many were former pirate captains who challenged them, only to be crushed and broken into submission.
But Whoâs-Who and Sasaki are different. They bide their time, honing their strength and racking up achievements, waiting for their shot at the All-Starsâ thrones. Theyâll only take orders from Kaido or me directly. Might be a headache for the chain of command, but Kaido and I donât mind. Hell, weâre nicer than our captains were to us back in the day. If anyone but the captain gave us orders, Kaido would snap and start a bloodbathâand theyâd try to kill us for "knowing our place."
In our crew, outright killing subordinates is off-limitsâunless itâs treason. Brawls? Go wild. But pointless slaughter? Especially of Tobiroppo or higher? Thatâs just wasting resources.
Challenges for rank, though? Perfectly fair. A grunt gunning for Tobiroppo, a Tobiroppo aiming for the Flying Six, the Flying Six targeting the All-Starsâthatâs healthy. The strong should climb. Kaido and I encourage it.
(If they die trying? Well. Weakness is a sin.)
I glance at Komurasaki, her face a silent mask as she soaks. You get it, right? I taught you this already~âȘ Not that sheâd answer. Instead, I tune back into Kingâs report.
"Doflamingoâs been funneling weapons into war-torn countries tooâefficient as ever."
"Mingoâs pulling his weight~! Gotta praise him next time. âOh, speaking of wars⊠those guys still around?"
"Yes. Recently, one of our territories rebelled under their ideology. Sent Jack to crush it. Need me to hunt them down?"
"Mmm~⊠But wars do boost weapon sales⊠Plus, no clue where theyâre hiding. Eh, if we spot âem, weâll mess with âem a bit. Sounds fun~âȘ"
"Iâll have them reported on sight."
"Good enough~! âOh, whatâs for breakfast?"
"Unagi hitsumabushi. Fresh from last nightâs catch."
"Eel!! Fancy~!"
"âCan I have some too?"
"Youâre a mermaid eating fish without a care!!"
I laugh at SonĆâs questionable dietary choices (not that I mind).
As I rise from the bath, Komurasaki hesitates, then finally asks:
"Um⊠Who are those guys you mentioned?"
"Hm? âOh, right, you wouldnât know. Dragon. The Re-vo-lu-tion-a-ry."
"Dragon� You mean⊠Governor Kaido?"
Her confusionâmixing up "Dragon" with Kaidoâmakes me chuckle.
"Ahaha, no! Dragonâs his name! To put it simplyâhe leads the Revolutionary Army."
"The⊠Revolutionary Army?"
"Yep. Their leaderâs the so-called âWorldâs Worst CriminalââMonkey D. Dragon!"
Komurasakiâs been training in Wano, oblivious to world affairs. So I patiently explain: the rise of this faction, their ideology sparking wars across nations, and the man at its helm.
"His ideals are one reason wars keep breaking out! (Well, that and warmongers like Germa.)"
"I mean⊠Weâre kinda the reason too, selling weaponsâ"
"SonĆ, how dare you!! Thatâs slander!! We just prolong wars for profit! If we wanted war, weâd start it ourselvesâway* more fun!!"*
"Thatâs⊠worse? Also, half a lie."
"Caught me?"
"Painfully* obvious."*
Deadpan, SonĆ calls my bluff. Rude. Sure, I avoid unnecessary warsâbut only because Iâd rather fight for fun or chaos. A perfectly normal girl who enjoys killing! So itâs not a total lie.
"Wars are profitable~âȘ And watching others fightâs hilarious. But starting them ourselves? Thatâs the dream. Lately, itâs just skirmishesâboooring. Wish the Three Great Powers would clash in an all-out war festival~!"
"Thatâd be⊠doomsday."
SonĆ towels me off as I step out, Komurasaki silently assisting. Ahh, morning baths are the best.
"âŠWhatâs the Revolutionary Armyâs goal?"
"Hmm~? Who cares~ But they do seem funâif we bump into 'em, letâs play a little~âȘ"
"âŠâŠI see."
Oh? That answer mustâve given Komurasaki-chan something to chew on. Well, sheâd better watch and learnâah, right, almost forgot!
"Oh, Komurasaki-chan~⥠Iâve got a special gift for you laterâso look forward to it!!"
"âŠâŠA gift?"
I grin as I slip into my clothes.
"Fufufu⊠Itâs about time you became one of usâa beast.âĄ"
"!?"
The shock on Komurasakiâsâno, Hiyoriâsâface makes me decide: Todayâs gonna be fun.
This dayâthe last day sheâll ever be humanâIâll make it memorable.
Somewhere in the Grand Line, on a certain island in a certain kingdom.
The World Governmentâan organization with member nations scattered across every sea in the world. A colossal entity comprising 170 nations, it represents the worldâs established order.
Countries that refuse to join are labeled non-affiliated. Without the Navyâs protection, they often fall prey to pirates or descend into lawlessness. While not inherently criminal, their people suffer harsher lives than actual outlaws.
Thus, most nations force themselves to join the World Governmentâno matter the cost. That is the reality of this world.
And that cost? Wealth.
Only by paying the Celestial Dragons an exorbitant tributeâthe Heavenly Tributeâcan a country earn the governmentâs protection. But of course, the burden falls on the people.
Rulers who genuinely care for their citizens are rare. Most extort the money through crushing taxes, leaving their people in poverty without a second thought.
"My apologies. Times are hard. It pains me to do this." Empty words come easily. Some donât even bother with excuses, outright sneering: "Would you rather we refuse and let pirates slaughter you?" Held hostage by fear, the people fall silent.
These corrupt rulers of World Government-affiliated nations arenât as tyrannical as the Celestial Dragons⊠but they come close.
Kings rule. The people serveâsacrificing everything to protect their monarchâs lavish life in exchange for meager safety and a scrap of dignity. The country belongs to the king. Few rulers defy this truth. Even fewer truly uphold their duty to their people.
This is the world as it is. No wonder so many turn to crime. No wonder piracy thrives. No wonder wars never end.
Whether Gol D. Rogerâs words stirred the seas or not, the world has always been cruel. The weak are robbed, powerless to resist. The strong survive; the weak perish. That is the law of this world.
âUntil now.
"Hey, stop! What the hell do you think youâre doing?!"
"Beyond this point is the royal palace! You deaf or something?!"
"âŠYouâre the ones who ainât listeningâŠ!!"
"Huh�"
âFor there are those who defy this law.
"Weâve been screaming for yearsâŠ! Decades! Every damn day about how much weâre sufferingâŠ!!"
"When did you ever lift a finger to help us?! Even once?!"
"No more being robbed⊠no more being ruled like slaves!! Weâre done!!"
"W-wait⊠Youâve lost your mindsâŠ!"
âTheir ideals spread, slowly but surely⊠igniting the spark of will in the masses.
Freedom. Liberation. Their philosophy is merely the kindlingâthe people must rise by their own choice. Forced rebellion would only birth new chains.
"Weâre⊠NOT YOUR SLAVES!!! Move out!!!"
"OOOOOOOHHHHHHH!!!!"
"S-stop themâGUAHH!!?"
And once the oppressed rise, these revolutionaries never abandon them.
"âThe rebels have won."
"I seeâŠ"
The hooded man observed the smoke coiling from the palace as his towering comrade delivered the report. Cloaked in night-black robes, theyâd watched the battle unfold from the rooftops.
They werenât part of the rebellionâjust ordinary citizens whoâd revolted against tyranny. But they were the ones who planted the idea.
Those who preached freedom to the oppressed⊠who rallied them to defy the Celestial Dragonsâ cruelty.
"This victory is small, but not meaningless. What theyâve achieved matters, Teabull!"
"Aye. To change the world, people must rise. Even the tiniest flames, united, become an inferno."
He raised a fist, demanding resolve from the crowd below.
"âIf you fight for freedom, board our ship!!!"
"âŠRRRAAAAAGHHH!!!"
The collective will of the people birthed an armyâthe Revolutionary Army.
And the man leading them, his face marked by a tattoo on the left side, wasâ
"Commander-in-Chief of the Revolutionary Armyâ'The World's Worst Criminal'âDragon."
"I will change this world. And for that⊠I need all of you!"
Dragon. With his brethren in tow, he marches forwardâstep by stepâto reshape the world.
His goal? The downfall of the World Government.
To achieve it, they spread their ideals, gather allies, and amass strength. To the government, they are the ultimate threatâa growing flame that can no longer be ignored.
In a few yearsâno, alreadyâtheyâve become too dangerous to overlook. Thatâs why, though not pirates, they are hunted. Never lingering. Never revealing their faces carelessly.
"âDragon."
"! What is it, Kuma?"
"ThisâŠ"
Just as they were about to board their ship with their new comrades and return to headquarters, another high-ranking officerâa man called Kumaâhanded him a document.
It was a Revolutionary Army report. The contents made both Dragon and the officer beside him frown.
"This⊠says there was a weapons smuggling operation, Gaburu?!"
"More precisely, 'an attempted smuggling'âwe intercepted intel about it."
"âŠHad they risen just a little later, this fight mightâve dragged on."
Dragon muttered as he scanned the report. In other words, their victory had been razor-thin.
Had that deal gone through, the revolution in this country wouldâve been prolonged. At the very least, it wouldnât have ended in a single dayâand the casualties wouldâve been far worse.
One of the officers, a man with a notably large face, nodded grimly.
"âŠSo we barely made it, huh?"
"Yeah. The battle here is over, but the real problem lies ahead. Lately, thereâs been a surge in weapons smugglingâand the sources are untraceable."
Indeed⊠it was likely that illegal arms deals were being brokered across multiple nations.
Otherwise, things wouldnât add up. Countries that shouldâve been starved for weapons were suddenly stockpiling them, dragging out conflicts. For the Revolutionary Army, this was a dangerous trend.
"We tracking down the suppliers? Sounds like a pain in the ass, GaburuâŠ"
"âŠYeah. Weâll investigate, butâ"
"? Something bothering you?"
"âŠâŠâŠâŠ"
Dragon didnât answer immediately. His silence spoke volumesâhis longtime comrades knew when he was weighing a thought. And right now, he sensed something dangerous lurking behind this weapons trail. Something far worse than they anticipated.
Yet, as their leader, he had to act.
"âŠIf the smugglingâs this widespread, the Underworld of the New World is probably involved. Proceed with extreme caution."
"âUnderstood."
"Thatâs a very real possibility, Gaburu. If we dig too deep, we might stumble onto someone way out of our league. Best brace ourselves now."
"Right. And we canât afford to draw unnecessary attention."
Weapons smuggling. Black-market deals.
When multiple nations were involved, the shadowy players were almost certainly big-name pirates or brokers with deep ties to the New Worldâs underworld.
Their enemy wasâand always would beâthe World Government and the Celestial Dragons. They had no intention of picking fights with pirates.
But in this Great Pirate Era, understanding the flow of power was crucial.
The World Governmentâs military arm, the Marine Headquarters. The government-sanctioned pirates, the Seven Warlords of the Sea. And the emperors ruling the New Worldâthe Four Emperors.
Of the Three Great Powers, two were pirate factionsâfurther divided into eleven distinct forces.
To read the worldâs currents, they had to understand pirates. And that meant Dragon needed more intel than ever.
"Ivankov. Kuma. Be preparedâwe may need to make a major move soon."
"! Mmm-hmhmhm~ Roger that."
"Yeah."
"Good. Letâs return to Baltigo."
With that, they set sail for their strongholdâthe Revolutionary Armyâs headquarters.
âAnd yet, the unease gnawing at Dragon since he read that report⊠never faded.
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