The Spark of Revolution  

A month later.

Kanata and her crew, who had been fishing and hunting pirates near Drum Kingdom, were bored with nothing to do.

Sukura was busy, and George and the others who were left behind as guards were apparently being worked hard by Kureha.

"It's not bad to have some free time, but it's tough when it goes on for too long."

"Yeah... Hey, can I go out and have some fun when we next stop by?"

"As long as you stay within reason."

"I want to go too."

"You can go with a chaperone."

They wouldn't be able to leave the vicinity of Drum for at least another five months. They could visit other islands, but the presence or absence of a ship's doctor was a major issue in case of emergencies.

"Isn't there anyone else besides Sukura who can do medicine?"

"If there were, we wouldn't be having this problem. It's a conservative way of thinking, but just having a doctor on board makes a difference."

Tiger, based on his experience traveling alone, had some knowledge of treating injuries and illnesses, but it was more like first aid. It wasn't that different from the knowledge that Kanata and the others had.

"If George and the others who are helping Dr. Kureha learn a little bit of medicine while they're there, it would make Sukura's job easier."

Kanata had sent several of her subordinates with that in mind. Even if they couldn't handle serious procedures, having some medical knowledge would make a difference. However, since they would be returning with Sukura, they couldn't do anything for now.

David spoke with a grim expression, "But the Marines must be searching seriously. If we keep using Drum as our base, won't we be found soon?"

"Yeah, staying on Drum for too long will likely lead the Marines to us."

That being said, it would be the same with any World Government affiliated nation.

They could get an Eternal Pose somewhere and hide on Little Garden, but if they were going to stay on that island, they would definitely need Sukura.

If only they had a temporary ship's doctor, they would have a bit more freedom of movement.

"Scotch. I want you to look for an Eternal Pose when we next stop by. The destination... preferably somewhere that's not a World Government affiliated nation, but if there's none available, any island will do."

"Got it, milady. I'll buy an Eternal Pose from some random island."

"David, you're in charge of keeping an eye on Kuro. He really disappears quickly, so don't let him out of your sight."

"Understood, Captain."

"Am I a kid?" Kuro frowned.

It couldn't be helped since he would disappear the moment they took their eyes off him. If he were a bit more composed, they could let him go to town alone, but there was a risk of him getting lost and never coming back, so a chaperone was essential.

As they talked, Drum Kingdom came into view. There was no sign of the Marines. It seemed they hadn't been found yet.

But...

(... There's a strangely strong presence. It doesn't seem like a pirate. Maybe a Marine or a government dog?)

With a hint of doubt, they approached Drum Kingdom.

***

George, whom they hadn't seen in a month, looked a bit tired. Apparently, Kureha had been working him hard every day, forcing him to memorize the names of medicines.

They prepared a list of necessary items and had Samuel carry them to Kureha's house. There wasn't any particular reason for Kanata to go, but she was mostly doing it to kill time.

Besides, there was something that had been on her mind.

"... What's wrong? Is there something going on in Gastown?"

"No... well, it's not so much that something is happening, but rather that someone is there."

Someone strong enough to make even Kanata cautious.

Kanata's gaze, directed towards the town, landed on a man wearing a black hood. At the same time, the man was also looking at Kanata from within the town.

"He's looking this way, but he doesn't seem to be planning to attack."

"Then let's leave him alone. I'd rather avoid trouble."

"Yeah. Let's take care of our business first."

Kanata looked away from the man and decided to head towards the large tree on the outskirts of town where Kureha lived. In any case, she couldn't move freely within the town.

They arrived at the house, a little distance away from the town, and after showing Sukura and Kureha the cargo and having them confirm it, they left the house.

The man was standing where they could see him from the entrance. He had removed his hood, revealing his face clearly. Kanata also removed her hood, letting the wind blow through her hair as she faced the man.

"... You're the 'Dragon-Slaying Witch.' I see, I didn't expect you to be on Drum Kingdom."

"Do you need something from me? Unfortunately, I don't recall knowing anyone with such a suspicious appearance."

"It's nothing that important. I just wanted to ask you something."

Kanata furrowed her brow and waited for the man to continue. She couldn't think of anything she would be asked about, but she was willing to answer depending on the content.

"──I want to know why you killed a Celestial Dragon."

"... Why I killed a Celestial Dragon?"

It wasn't in the newspapers. It was quite eccentric to chase her down just to ask that, considering she was being labeled as a heinous criminal everywhere. But it wasn't something she needed to hide.

"Because that man tried to enslave a crew member who is precious to me."

"Even so, most people wouldn't even think of defying a Celestial Dragon. Especially if you were operating as a merchant. You must have understood the extent of their power."

"I won't bow down to power and abandon my crew members."

"... Even if it means losing everything?"

"There's nothing more important to lose than the lives of my comrades. Money, status, honor, fame – those can all be regained later."

"I see," the man muttered softly. He crossed his arms and closed his eyes, thinking for a few seconds. He seemed to have reached a conclusion, as he opened his eyes and began to speak.

"First, let me introduce myself. My name is Dragon, just a traveler."

"Dragon, huh. So, do you have any other questions?"

"No, I understand your way of thinking. Further questions are unnecessary."

Kanata slightly braced herself, observing Dragon's next move. However, he didn't move and showed no hostility as he spoke.

"I believe this world is wrong."

"... Wrong?"

"Yes. The damage caused by pirates and kidnappers, but also the existence of the Heavenly Tribute paid to the Celestial Dragons, is causing perpetual harm. I've seen countries on the verge of collapse due to the poverty caused by the Heavenly Tribute."

The citizens had no choice but to starve, and even the nobles and royalty were forced to live frugal lives to pay the Heavenly Tribute. Or rather, it would be better if the nobles and royalty lived frugally.

There were countries where they pushed the burden onto the common people while living luxuriously themselves, claiming to be the privileged class.

Dragon had traveled across the seas, expanding his knowledge and witnessing such countries.

"I'm not saying that everything is the fault of the World Government and the Celestial Dragons. But I want to do something about this unequal society."

"... Are you planning a revolution?"

"That's one possibility. But I know nothing, so I'm traveling the world in search of ways to change it."

"I see. So that's why you came to me, the one who killed a Celestial Dragon."

Perhaps he thought she might be a like-minded comrade, or maybe it was because she was the only woman in the world who had "killed a Celestial Dragon."

Either way, Dragon must have decided that she was someone worth meeting.

"If the same thing happened again, you would surely kill another Celestial Dragon."

"Of course. If they're my enemy, I'll kill them."

"Then, if I ever come into conflict with the World Government in the future – I would like you to lend me your strength." Dragon extended his hand towards Kanata.

Because she had once killed a Celestial Dragon and become an enemy of the World Government.

He was asking her to lend him her strength to overthrow the World Government, even if there was only a slight possibility of him becoming their enemy again.

Kanata thought for a moment and grinned. "If you want me to lend you my strength – convince me that it's worth it."

"... I see. We would be facing the World Government and the Marines head-on. It's only logical that you would need to understand if it's worth it."

"Exactly. So, get on my ship."

"... What?" Dragon looked at Kanata with a puzzled expression.

Kanata, still grinning, told him to show her his worth. "Whether or not you're worth betting on. The best way to gain trust is to eat the same food, ride the same ship, and experience the same things, right?"

"I see, that makes sense. Alright, I'll do it. Let me on your ship. I'll definitely earn your trust."

"Fufu... I don't dislike men like you. You're not planning to overthrow the World Government and become the king of the world, are you?"

"No. My goal is simply to correct the inequality of rights. It's not necessary for me to be at the top."

"No, if you're going to start a revolution, you should be the leader. I'm not the type to do that kind of thing."

Kanata's ultimate goal was to conquer the Grand Line. She couldn't afford to add more destinations to her journey.

Since no one had ever conquered it before, there must be some reason for that. So, Kanata had no intention of starting a revolution until she had achieved her goal.

It would take time. There was a chance she might not even be able to start a revolution. Therefore, Dragon needed to create an organization with himself as the leader. Kanata would only assist him.

If he declared himself the king of the world, he would only make more enemies, so she had to make that clear.

"We've gained quite a few crew members in a short time... well, our ship has plenty of spare rooms, so it's not a problem even if we have a few more."

"Did you recruit others recently besides me?"

"We became friends with a Fishman through a bit of a coincidence. His ship was damaged, and we're planning to take him to Fishman Island."

"I see, I've never been to Fishman Island. I need to expand my knowledge of that area, including the seas of the New World."

"You're quite enthusiastic." Kanata laughed and returned to Kureha's house, informing them that she was "going back to the ship" before leaving.

As they walked back to the ship with Dragon, she decided to tell him what he needed to know beforehand.

Both of them were wearing black hoods, so they looked quite suspicious to anyone observing them.

"The reason we visited Drum Kingdom was because our ship's doctor wanted to study medicine on this island. We can't leave the vicinity of Drum until his training is over."

"Because you don't have a ship's doctor, huh. But you're being pursued."

"That's the problem. We've already been here for about a month, and I think it's only a matter of time before we're found."

The Marines weren't fools. If they frequented World Government affiliated nations, their ship would be seen, and it wouldn't be surprising if they were reported as a suspicious vessel.

While they needed to stop by once a month, they shouldn't be staying around Drum otherwise. Once they were suspected, a trap would be set.

"I see... If you'd like, I can introduce you to a ship's doctor I know. They should be willing to help for about half a year."

"What? You have connections... yeah, that would be great if you could do that."

It would be best to rely on a temporary doctor if they had one. They would have to leave a few crew members behind on Drum, but they would be meeting up once a month anyway, so it wasn't a problem.

Dragon took out an Eternal Pose from his pocket and told her the island where the doctor was located.

However, to be precise, they weren't exactly a doctor. They had the power of a Devil Fruit and sufficient knowledge of medicine to work as a doctor, Dragon explained.

"It's this island. Momoiro Island, Kamabakka Kingdom. A few months ago, I met a comrade there – or rather, a 'newcomer,' as he call themselves."

His name was Emporio Ivankov.