Chapter 68: Dragon: Help Me Take Care of Kuma

After a long conversation, Bartholomew Kuma looked at Claudius with a mixture of surprise and disbelief. He finally asked, "Mr. Dragon, are you telling me that the books authored by the 'Sage Claudius' were actually written by him?"

Dragon nodded. "That's right. Well, to be precise, the first two were entirely his work. The last three were a collaboration between the two of us. It was an exchange of ideas, though we do have some significant differences. He advocates for reform from the top down, while I push for a revolution from the bottom up. In that sense, we don't really see eye to eye."

Dragon smiled and continued, "In fact, before I learned his true identity, I was planning to recruit him as a mentor for the revolutionary army."

Claudius laughed heartily. "You trust me that much? Aren't you afraid I'll betray you? Hahaha!"

Dragon waved dismissively. "Ideas can't be betrayed."

Claudius smiled at Dragon's remark, knowing that Dragon's words were more polite than sincere. Sure, Dragon said Claudius was "trustworthy," but Claudius knew that deep down, Dragon wasn't naive enough to put all his faith in him. Dragon undoubtedly had contingency plans and safeguards in place, as any smart leader would.

Claudius was certain that if Dragon didn't have such precautions in place, he'd consider Dragon a fool, unfit to lead. But this was the natural way of things between them, each watched the other carefully, slowly building a fragile trust while remaining cautious.

For now, they were friendly, and who knew? Maybe their relationship would deepen in the future. But for now, there was no need to pick apart every unspoken detail. Both men understood the game they were playing.

After a bit more conversation, Kuma had a clearer understanding of Claudius. Like many, Kuma had heard of Claudius by name: the Celestial Dragon who captured Shiki, helped take down John, and became the leader of CP-X. Based on these achievements, Kuma had assumed Claudius was just another powerful figure serving the World Government.

But after meeting him in person, Kuma found his assumptions challenged. Claudius was different. If it weren't for the fact that he knew Claudius was a Celestial Dragon, Kuma might've mistaken him for a revolutionary thinker himself.

The three of them continued to chat, with Claudius and Kuma establishing a friendly rapport. After a while, Dragon seemed to remember something and shifted the conversation.

"By the way, you never did tell me why you're here in South Blue. You're not on vacation?"

"I told you, I'm on a mission," Claudius replied nonchalantly. "I'm here to catch Roger, the Pirate King."

Dragon blinked, then looked at Claudius as if he were insane. "You? Catch Roger? In South Blue?"

Claudius frowned, a little annoyed. "Why is that so unbelievable?"

Dragon gave him a skeptical look. "Well, for starters, Roger's likely hiding out in the New World right now. And even if he weren't, you think you can catch Roger? The Pirate King? My father's been chasing him for years and has fought him countless times. Roger's no joke, Claudius. He's on another level."

"Are you looking down on me?" Claudius replied, clearly displeased.

"I'm just being realistic," Dragon said. "I don't know how you managed to catch Shiki, but don't let that go to your head. Roger's a different beast entirely. And, as your friend, I'm advising you, if you plan to take him down, you'd better have more than just your little crew here. You're going to need serious firepower."

Claudius sighed. He understood that Dragon was offering genuine advice, out of concern. But what Dragon didn't know was that Claudius wasn't planning to rely on brute force to capture Roger. He had an ace up his sleeve: Vice Admiral Garp, one of the few men capable of standing toe-to-toe with Roger.

Still, Claudius wasn't about to explain that to Dragon. "Yeah, yeah," he said, waving his hand dismissively. "I hear you. Don't worry, I won't be reckless."

Dragon eyed him suspiciously but didn't press the issue. Instead, he changed the topic. "Actually, since we've run into each other, there is something I could use your help with."

"I figured as much," Claudius said with a smirk. "So what is it? You didn't just come all the way to South Blue for no reason, right? What's the favor?"

Dragon took a sip of his drink before speaking. "It's about Kuma. He's no longer a king, he's become a pirate, but that's not really what he wants. He's been using his time fighting off pirate forces in South Blue, which is how he earned the nickname 'Tyrant Kuma.'"

"Okay, go on," Claudius nodded.

"Well," Dragon continued, "I'm just letting you know he's on our side. He's working with the revolutionary army now. If you can, I'd appreciate it if you'd keep an eye out for him. Make sure he doesn't get into any trouble with Marine or the World Government."

Claudius chuckled. "You're really dumping this on me? Why not just ask Garp? He's the Marine hero."

Dragon smiled but shook his head. "Positions matter, Claudius. Kuma's officially a pirate, which makes him an enemy in the eyes of the Marines."

"I see," Claudius murmured, nodding. "Alright, I get it. I'll do what I can to keep Kuma safe."

"Thanks," Dragon said sincerely. "The plan is for Kuma to continue playing the role of a pirate for now. It's a good cover, and if there's anything we, the revolutionary army, need done that's too risky, we can use him to handle it."

Claudius raised an eyebrow, catching Dragon's meaning. Dragon was subtly hinting that if Claudius needed any discreet favors in the future, Kuma could help out, no strings attached. It was an offer to deepen their alliance.

Claudius smiled to himself. Dragon might not fully realize how strong Kuma was, but Claudius did. He had just been offered the assistance of one of the most powerful figures in the revolutionary army, and it was clear this "favor" could prove very useful in the future.

Their conversation didn't last much longer. After a bit more chatting, Dragon and Kuma prepared to leave. As Dragon climbed back into the small boat, he called out with a grin, "Good luck catching the Pirate King, Claudius."

With that, Dragon and Kuma sailed off, as swiftly as they had appeared.

After they were gone, Claudius smiled to himself and stretched lazily on his sun lounger. "Alright, it's time to move. Anchor up. Let's head to Baterilla Island. I've heard the scenery there is stunning, and who knows? Maybe something interesting will happen."