One Piece: Surrounded at Marineford? Just kidding!

Chapter 271: Will the dragon slayer eventually become the dragon?

The surface of Baltimore is forever the white of death.

There is no sun here. Only white dust swirling in the air, and an endless rain of ashes.

Several figures emerged from the rocky exit.

Monkey D. Dragon walked at the front, his dark green cloak fluttering in the wind. His face still bore the excitement of the conference room, the burning desire of someone whose long-cherished wish was about to be fulfilled. Behind him stood the serious Zephyr. Kuzan Aokiji, hands in his pockets, lazily yawned, the swirling sandstorm merely a backdrop.

Chen Ye was walking at the very back.

"Mr. Tatsuba."

Long stopped and turned around. The wind and sand lashed against the red square tattoo on his face, but couldn't hide the fervor in his eyes.

"There are a few more details regarding the coordination between the Revolutionary Army and your operations..."

Long stepped forward, his brow furrowed. He was used to making every step precise to the second. The general direction was set, but the tactical coordination, such as how to use the chaos created by Chen Ye to instigate an uprising across the four seas, required more meticulous planning.

He didn't finish his sentence.

Chen Ye raised his right hand, palm facing outward. A gesture of restraint.

The movement was subtle, but the refusal was unmistakable.

The dragon's voice ceased.

Chen Ye didn't speak. He hovered in mid-air, his back to the three of them.

silence.

The wind seemed particularly harsh at that moment. Zefa's teasing words stuck in his throat; his intuition told him that Chen Ye had something to say.

"Leave the details to your chief of staff to worry about."

Chen Ye's voice was calm, and he didn't turn around.

"Dragon, our deal is done. I'll light the fire, and you'll start it. How you burn it is your business."

Long paused for a moment, then nodded.

"I understand. In that case, I won't see you off. The Revolutionary Army will be prepared and await that moment."

Chen Ye's figure began to slowly rise.

Everyone thought he was leaving.

But just as his feet were off the ground, Chen Ye suddenly stopped.

He turned around.

Looking down from a high vantage point.

He stared directly at the three people below!

"dragon."

"When you're burning with passion for your ideals and ready to smash this old world to pieces, I have a question for you."

The dragon stopped and stood tall and solemn. He held the strongest in the highest esteem, especially for a monster like Chen Ye who could change the course of history.

"Speaking."

"Dragon said in a deep voice."

"If it is a strategic concern, the Revolutionary Army is prepared to sacrifice everything."

"No, it's not a strategy."

Chen Ye's lips curled into a smile.

A laugh that was extremely ironic, even pitying.

"What I want to ask is..."

Chen Ye leaned down slightly, as if whispering to a demon.

"If one day, the Revolutionary Army really does overthrow the World Government, pull the Celestial Dragons down from their pedestals, and cut off their heads, and you, or your successor, establish a new order and sit in that position."

"How can you guarantee that your descendants, the descendants of those high-ranking Revolutionary Army members behind you, won't become the next Celestial Dragons?"

boom.

That statement went unheard.

To the dragon, it was like a bolt from the blue.

The atmosphere at the scene instantly froze.

The initial enthusiasm of the alliance and the ambition to "change the world" were dampened by this statement.

Zefa's thick arms, which had been crossed over his chest, unconsciously drooped down.

The fighting spirit that had burned in his old eyes faded, replaced by a complex and somber look. He thought of the navy, of his comrades who had been filled with justice, and how they had ended up becoming unrecognizable in the corrupting influence of power.

Aokiji pushed up his sunglasses, concealing the astonishment in his eyes. Before leaving, Chenye had actually posed such a soul-searching question.

The dragon stood still.

His pupils shrank to pinpoints.

He opened his mouth, wanting to answer Chen Ye immediately.

We want to say that we have discipline, faith, and a sound legal and oversight mechanism.

But when the words reached his lips, he couldn't bring himself to say them.

System? Law?

When those twenty kings established the World Government eight hundred years ago, did they not have any systems or laws?

Weren't they initially also trying to end the chaos, for the sake of so-called "justice" and "peace"?

The cyclical nature of history.

An invisible mountain suddenly pressed down on Long's heart, making it hard for him to breathe.

Chen Ye looked at Long's stiff face and had no intention of giving up.

He continued to deliver the finishing blow.

Every word is piercing to the heart.

"Eight hundred years ago, the twenty kings who established the World Government were probably like you at the beginning, saving the world and embodying justice."

"They may have shed blood, and they may have raised their voices for the common people."

"And the result?"

Chen Ye pointed to the gray sky above, which was in the direction of Mary Geoise.

"The dragon slayer becomes the dragon."

"This is not a curse, it's human nature."

"When you gaze into the abyss, the abyss also gazes into you. When you hold supreme power, when you are revered by all as a savior, dragon, can you truly guarantee that your heart will never change?"

"Even if you can guarantee your own safety, can you guarantee your son's? Your grandson's?"

"Centuries from now, will the Monkey family become the new 'gods,' enslaving the next generation of mortals?"

Dead silence.

Absolute silence.

Only the winds of Baltigue still howl, whipping up white sand and lashing against everyone.

The dragon's body trembled slightly.

It's not fear.

It is the pain of having the foundation of one's faith shaken.

Chenye's question transcends the outcome of war, pointing directly to the ultimate nihilism of revolution. If overthrowing tyranny is merely to establish a new one, then what is the meaning of the blood they are shedding now?

This is an unsolvable cycle of reincarnation.

A philosophical nightmare that has plagued humanity for thousands of years.

Chen Ye looked at the struggling dragon, the sarcasm in his eyes fading into indifference.

He didn't linger.

The seeds have been planted; whether they blossom or grow into poisonous weeds depends on the soil.

"I hope you can give me an answer next time we meet."

"or……"

Chen Ye's voice rose into the air along with his figure, ethereal and distant.

"Or, can you prove me wrong?"

boom!

Chen Ye's figure transformed into a dazzling golden light, tearing through the white sand and gloom, and soaring into the sky.

In the blink of an eye, it disappeared into the horizon.

Only the three people on the ground remained.

The dragon stood still, motionless for a long time.

He stood like a statue, staring intently in the direction where Chen Ye had disappeared, his eyes filled with confusion, struggle, and an unprecedented heaviness.

This pressure is even greater than facing the Five Elders or Im.

This is a test of faith.

"What a...terrible man."

Aokiji was the first to break the silence.

"He even pulled this trick before leaving."

Aokiji murmured softly, a bitter smile in his voice.

"This isn't asking a question; this is attacking someone's spirit."

"To throw this kind of question at the leader of the revolutionary army is worse than killing him."

Aokiji joked, but his mind was in turmoil.

He had spent half his life in the navy and had witnessed firsthand how so-called "justice" could rot. Chen Ye's words were harsh, yet they precisely struck at the heart of this world's most fundamental ailment.

Without solving this problem, revolution is nothing more than a game of power shifts.

Zefa remained silent.

He walked heavily to the dragon's side.

It slapped heavily on the dragon's shoulder.

boom.

Long shuddered, jolted awake from his nightmare, and turned to look at his teacher.

The previous irritability and contempt were gone from Zefa's face.

The old man, who had fought against evil all his life, had an unusually firm look in his eyes at this moment, revealing a clear understanding and ruthlessness.

"Don't overthink it, Dragon."

"Leave the future to the future."

"Focus on the task at hand. If you can't even overthrow the Celestial Dragons, you don't even have the right to worry about becoming an evil dragon yourself."

Long paused for a moment, then gave a wry smile.

"The teacher is right. I was too attached to appearances."

"but……"

Zefa then changed the subject.

"That kid's right. Human nature can't withstand the test."

"Therefore, I joined you not only to overthrow the World Government."

Zefa grinned, revealing a sinister smile.

"I'm doing this to keep an eye on you."

"If that day ever comes..."

"If your Revolutionary Army changes its nature and becomes a new oppressor, a new Celestial Dragon..."

Zefa clenched his arms tightly in front of the dragon.

Click!

"I will personally crush you corrupt revolutionaries into a bloody pulp, just like I crushed those pirates!"

"No matter who you are or how great your achievements are."

"This is my 'Z' justice!"

These words were filled with the stench of bloodshed, yet their candor was deeply moving.

The dragon looked at Zefa.

Looking at this old man with a full head of purple hair and covered in scars.

a long time.

The dragon straightened its spine.

The confusion in his eyes dissipated, replaced by an unwavering resolve. But the lingering worry planted by Chen Ye did not vanish; instead, it was buried deep within his heart, becoming a Damocles' sword hanging over his head.

Be vigilant at all times.

"I understand, Professor Zephyr."

Long nodded solemnly and gave Zefa a military salute.

"If that day ever comes, please... kill me."

Zefa snorted and lowered his arm.

"Hmph, I won't hold back."

After saying that, Zephyr turned and walked towards the base entrance, his back still showing a stubborn and lonely demeanor.

"Let's go, Kuzan! Stop standing there daydreaming."

"Now that we're on this pirate ship, we have to do the work. I'm going to see just how strong those revolutionary brats really are. If they're too weak, I won't have the face to take them to the battlefield!"

Aokiji scratched his head and sighed helplessly.

"Oh dear, so you're already working overtime just after joining? What a strict old man..."

He glanced at the dragon, then at the sky.

"The answer...?"

Aokiji shook his head, put his hands in his pockets, and followed Zephyr.

The sandstorms continue.

The dragon stood alone on the wasteland.

He looked up again at the sky where Chen Ye had disappeared.

"The dragon slayer becomes the dragon himself..."

The dragon repeated the sentence in a low voice.

Then, he abruptly waved his cloak and strode toward the dark underground entrance.

"Let's see if we're consumed by the curse, or if we... break free from this damned cycle!"

……

10,000 meters above the ground.

A golden streak of light was tearing through the atmosphere at a terrifying speed exceeding the speed of sound, hurtling towards the Grand Line.