Chapter 86

As Dragon emerged from the cabin, a sense of unease seemed to wash over the deck. Even Doffy and Mihawk, both formidable fighters in their own right, couldn't help but feel a certain weight in the air as they gazed upon the enigmatic revolutionary.

Mihawk, ever the composed one, spoke carefully with his hand on Yoru's hilt. "It seems we have quite the unexpected guest on board."

Dragon's gaze swept over the trio, his eyes betraying none of his thoughts. "I apologize for the intrusion. Circumstances necessitated a discreet passage."

"No need for apologies, Dragon-san," I replied, stepping forward to address him while gesturing for both Doffy and Mihawk to relax. "Your presence is unexpected but welcome, especially considering the situation we find ourselves in." I looked back only to see the Maine ships slowly vanishing into the distance.

The caravel continued to slice through the waves with unnatural speed, leaving the Marine blockade far behind. As we sailed into the open sea, a sense of relief washed over us. However, the weight of what had transpired in Loguetown lingered, and the implications of Roger's final words still hung heavy in the air.

Dragon gazed at the unconscious form of Smoker, raising his brows as if seeking an explanation for the situation. I simply shrugged with a chuckle in response.

"Thank you, Ross. I owe you one for saving mine and Buggy's lives today." Shanks expressed his gratitude as he was the first to speak.

"Regarding the matters that happened in Loguetown, I hope you can keep it a secret for me," Shanks made a request, acknowledging that I must have overheard everything the CP0 agent had shared. However, Shanks had yet to sort out his thoughts and decide on the information he had received. In his gut, he felt that whatever the CP agent told him must have been the truth.

I regarded Shanks with a solemn nod, understanding the weight of the request. "Your secrets are safe with me, Shanks. But remember, the truth has a way of surfacing eventually. When the time comes, you'll need to confront it."

Shanks nodded in acknowledgment, a sense of determination flickering in his eyes. "I know, Ross. But for now, I need time to process everything."

With a reassuring smile, I placed a hand on Shanks' shoulder. "Take all the time you need, my friend. At least you know who you truly are."

As the conversation settled, Mihawk spoke up, his voice carrying a hint of curiosity. "Dragon, what brings you to our humble vessel? And what do you make of the events that transpired in Loguetown?"

Dragon's gaze shifted to Mihawk's, his expression unreadable. "I came seeking information, but it seems fate had other plans. As for Loguetown, it's clear that Roger's final words have set the world on edge. The search for One Piece will only intensify from here on out."

Doffy, ever the pragmatist, interjected with a sly grin. "Well, if chaos is what the world wants, then chaos is what we'll give them. Isn't that right, Ross?"

I chuckled, nodding in agreement. "Indeed, Doffy. It seems our journey is far from over. But with Dragon-san's guidance and our combined strength, there's no obstacle we can't overcome."

"Well, speaking of chaos, what are your plans, people? The world will soon be too chaotic for anyone to care," I questioned, although I knew what most of them were going to do from canon knowledge. I was curious to know if there would be any immediate changes.

Just then, Buggy, who was knocked out, stirred and sat up groggily. The first face he saw was Dragon's, looking at him with an unreadable expression.

"You... you are Dragon! Why are you here?" Buggy flustered and moved back, knocking himself against Mihawk, who stood behind him. As he turned in a hurry, he came face to face with the famed Marine Hunter, whose piercing gaze made him falter. He hurriedly looked around, trying to find a way out, and saw Doffy casually playing with the blue flames on his hand, grinning at Buggy, who was sweating buckets.

Buggy realized that the young man in front of him was someone with more than half a billion bounty on his head. He was completely surrounded by monsters on all sides, failing to notice that myself and Shanks stood next to the caravel's railing.

Finally, Shanks couldn't see his best friend make a fool of himself and stepped up, dragging Buggy back to his side.

"You bastard, Shanks! Why did you leave me alone? Where the hell are we?" He shook Shanks aggressively, as if wanting to force the answer out of him.

"Buggy, shut up! We are on Ross's boat. He rescued us from the Marines when we were about to be captured." Shanks gave a brief rundown of what exactly happened in Loguetown. I could see a hint of gratitude in Buggy's eyes.

"Say, guys, do you want to join our family?" I threw out the question towards Shanks and Buggy out of the blue, catching everyone on the boat off guard. Even Doffy was surprised, but he chose not to question my decision.

"Oye, Ross, have you forgotten that we are part of Roger's Pirates?" Buggy regained a bit of his courage now that he was in the presence of familiar faces.

"That was in the past, Buggy. Your captain is no more, and the same goes for the Roger Pirates. Everyone here will have to decide where our lives will go from here. I am sure some of you have already decided on it." I gazed at the rest of the people on the boat. "So if you want to join us, then I would be glad to have you both be a part of the future that we are aiming to build," I offered.

Although Buggy seemed weak in canon, his luck was heaven-defying, and his devil fruit was quite underrated in my opinion. As for Shanks, he would grow up to become an absolute powerhouse.

"And what kind of future are you planning to build, Ross?" Dragon was intrigued and wanted to know more. Because if he could, he wanted to pull Ross into the revolutionary group that he was planning to build, and with Ross came quite a few future powerhouses, like his brother Doflamingo and Dracule Mihawk.

"Haha, you can forget about getting me to join your so-called revolutionaries. As for the future, I have envisioned that it simply involves us ruling this world. It's as simple as that," I commented casually.

Dragon, who maintained a neutral expression, widened his eyes as my words sank in. Even Shanks widened his eyes in shock because he didn't see even a hint of doubt in my words. The idea of ruling the world was so audacious that it was hard to believe, even for them.

As the weight of my words settled over the group, a tense silence engulfed us. Dragon's brows furrowed, betraying a hint of concern, while Shanks seemed conflicted, caught between his own ambitions and the implications of my ambitions.

Doffy and Mihawk, on the other hand, exchanged knowing glances, seemingly unsurprised by my declaration. Buggy, still reeling from the shock of the situation, remained silent, his eyes darting between each of these madmen in front of him.

After a moment, Dragon spoke up, his voice calm but probing. "Ross, ruling the world is no small feat. What makes you believe you have what it takes to achieve such a lofty goal?"

I leaned back against the ship's railing, meeting Dragon's gaze with a confident smirk. "Call it arrogance or call it conviction, but I've always believed in my own power and the power of those who stand beside me. The world is ripe for change, Dragon San, and I intend to seize that opportunity."

Shanks, who was coming to terms with his own decision for the future, interjected, his tone measured. "But Ross, ruling the world... What kind of world do you envision? One built on fear and tyranny, or one founded on freedom and justice?"

I paused, considering Shanks's words carefully. "A world where strength reigns supreme, but also a world where people have the freedom to pursue their own paths. Perhaps it's a lofty ideal, but it's one worth striving for, but at the end of the day, my family needs to be on top."

Doffy chuckled, breaking the tension with his signature grin. "Well, count me in for the ride. Chaos or order, it doesn't matter to me as long as it's entertaining!"

Mihawk nodded in agreement, his gaze fixed on the horizon. "I've always been drawn to power and skill. And as my friend, if you intend to carve out your own destiny, I'll be there to witness it."

"So you guys want to replace the current Celestial Dragons and rule the world in their place? You want to oppress the world in the future, just like they did for centuries?" Dragon's tone grew solemn.

As Dragon's inquiry hung heavy in the air, the warmth in his tone dissipated, replaced by a stark confrontation of ideals. His commitment to freeing the world clashed directly with my assertion of wielding power to dominate it. It was a clash of philosophies, a collision of our visions for the future.

At the mention of the Celestial Dragons, Doffy's demeanor shifted, his expression contorting with disdain. While his ambition to rule the world burned brightly, he recoiled at the notion that his future rule would resemble the current regime of the World Government.

"You're naive, Dragon-san," I retorted, my voice carrying a weight of conviction. "Do you truly believe that the world will embrace your vision of change without the strength to enforce it? Peace often demands sacrifice, and sometimes that sacrifice is made in the form of wielding power with an iron fist. Humanity is driven by instinct, by the allure of authority. If I must tread the path of oppression to achieve my goals, then so be it. I make no claims to saintliness; my actions are driven by a selfish desire to protect those I hold dear, even if it means reshaping the world to suit my ambitions."

The tension between us simmered, each of us entrenched in our beliefs, unwilling to yield to the other's perspective. Dragon's commitment to liberation clashed starkly with my resolve to assert dominance, leaving a palpable divide in our alliance.

"Naive, you say?" Dragon's voice dripped with venom, his eyes ablaze with indignation. "You speak of achieving obidience through strength, but what you fail to see is that true strength lies in liberation, not subjugation. The Celestial Dragons may wield power, but their rule is built on fear and suffering.I seek to break that cycle, to create a world where power is wielded for the betterment of all, not the few."

By the side, Doffy couldn't hold back his laughter anymore at Dragon's lofty ideals and spoke, "You speak of liberation and achieving equal status for all, but this is a world dictated by strength. What you envision is merely an illusion. Have you ever thought about what would happen to the world once there was no one to maintain order? Even if you become that new power that maintains order with your lofty ideals, not everyone will see you as a savior. Some will blame you for the suffering. Remember this," Doffy's eyes narrowed as he spoke, revealing insights he had come to realize since his youth.

"Power tends to corrupt, and absolute power corrupts absolutely. Maybe today you might be the saviors, but soon enough, with the allure of power, you will inevitably become the same monster that you tend to kill. So in such a world, rather than being the oppressed answering to the whims of others, I'd rather become the oppressor," Doffy remarked, his voice laced with a cynical wisdom born of experience.

I nodded in agreement with Doffy's sentiment, my gaze unwavering as I addressed Dragon once more. "I understand your vision, Dragon-san, and I respect it. But the reality is that this world is not so easily swayed by ideals alone. Sometimes, to bring about true change, one must be willing to confront the harsh realities of power and authority."

"Sigh, I originally thought our ideals would match and I could have someone to support me in my cause, but it seems like we are at a fundamental disagreement here." Dragon's voice was heavy with disappointment as he looked at me and Doffy. "I understand that strength is crucial in this world, but using it to oppress others is not the solution. We must strive for a world where everyone can live freely and peacefully, without fear of oppression or tyranny."

Doffy chuckled, his expression unyielding. "Ah, but that's where you're wrong, Dragon. Freedom is merely an illusion, a concept fabricated by those in power to maintain control over the masses. In reality, true freedom can only be attained through strength and authority. Those without power will always be at the mercy of those who possess it."