Upon hearing that, across from him, Dragon's expression froze as he held Gloriosa in his arms. But he quickly relaxed and called for soldiers to take her away for emergency treatment.
Rowen calmly waited for them to act, then said after a moment, "So? Can you see my sincerity now?"
At such a critical moment, harboring Amazon Lily, even if Rowen was a First Grade Honorable Noble, would still bring disastrous consequences if word got out.
Don't forget the standard for awarding the Glory Medal: "Outstanding contributions to maintaining the government's rule!"
Just by this measure alone, Rowen was acting completely against it.
Pū tōng…
As his words fell, a figure shot out from the void. Hancock, clutching her shoulder to avoid exposure, was full of hatred and confusion.
"What's going on?!"
Why had Soryu (Azure Dragon) hidden her in that ring at the critical moment? When did Dragon arrive? What were these two talking about?
Hancock was at a complete loss.
Pā pā pā!
In response, Dante clapped silently, crouched down, and smiled.
"You did well, Hancock."
"Facing an Admiral without a trace of fear, facing death without a shred of regret… If you had shown even the slightest hesitation or begged for mercy under extreme fear earlier, your only outcome would've been total annihilation."
"In any case…"
Dante thought for a moment and extended his hand.
"Congratulations, you passed the test!"
"What kind of sick joke is this?!"
Hancock was stunned at first, but quickly grasped the critical point. Her face turned icy cold as she slapped Dante's hand away.
Turning furiously to Dragon, she said, "I didn't choose to rebel for your sake! Your sympathy is completely unnecessary, asshole!"
The Pirate Empress, also a Haoshoku Haki user worthy of a king. Dragon's appearance now felt symbolic, but to Hancock, it was an insult. An insult that meant her fate had been manipulated!
"Tut tut… She doesn't appreciate it, Dragon San…" Dante retreated behind Rowen with a teasing smile, winking at Dragon.
Dragon said nothing for a moment and shook his head.
"Sympathy… Is that what you think this is, Hancock?"
Hancock furrowed her brow silently.
"What do you mean?"
"Whether or not you choose to rebel against the government is your decision."
Dragon stepped forward, took off his grey cloak, and tossed it over Hancock to cover her exposed body.
"But whether or not I choose to protect you… that's my decision."
"If you think you survived because I pity you, then you couldn't be more wrong."
"This world isn't lacking in courageous people, you're not that special. I chose you only because I needed to test Azure Dragon's sincerity."
"Cold, ruthless man…" Dante shrugged and smirked.
To pull himself out of the role of savior and strike at her psychological defenses with such heartless words, clearly a powerful ally within reach, yet he deliberately pushed her away.
"Do all you leaders carry this much contradiction?" Looking at Rowen, Dante asked, blissfully unaware of danger.
Rowen silently took a drag from his cigarette…
Boom!!!
Hancock stared in shock as Dante flew through the air, crashing headfirst into the cliffside. Her mind completely froze.
"Do me a favor and cancel his Devil Fruit powers… If this keeps up, I swear I might not be able to stop myself from killing him."
Rowen held his forehead, looking pained.
Dragon: "..."
After a moment of silence, Dragon waved a hand. A Revolutionary Army soldier in an outrageously flashy pink uniform emerged from the back.
He jogged over to where Dante had landed, pressed a hand on his body, and instantly,
Dante's goofy, exaggerated expression vanished. Cold sweat poured from his forehead as he recalled everything he'd done and said while his mind had been muddled by an enemy's influence.
It was a strange sensation, like waking up from a drunken stupor.
As the commander of the Assassination Force and one of Rowen's most trusted men, Dante had always given off a silent, sword-obsessed vibe.
Even if he saw something, he wouldn't speak of it, a pure, deadly blade wielded solely for Rowen.
However, in that state, he had undoubtedly unleashed his true nature!
He said whatever came to mind, his entire personality drastically shifted, and the result of that was...
Gulp!
Dante swallowed painfully, stood up despite the aches, and remained silent for a moment.
Then he slowly said: "Sir... I think... I can still be salvaged."
"No need. Too troublesome."
"Saving a life is more meritorious than building a seven-tiered pagoda, it's not troublesome at all!"
"No, if I say it's troublesome, then it's troublesome. Don't talk back."
"I'm sorry, but it really isn't a problem. Please just give me one more chance, wait! Don't come any closer!"
Σ(っ°Д°;)っ
(￣ε(#￣)
Watching as Rowen pounded his own trusted ssoldier with fists and kicks until he was no longer remotely humanoid, Hancock pulled her cloak tighter and stood up.
"So what the hell is going on? Soryu… is he part of the Revolutionary Army too?"
Otherwise, nothing happening right now would make sense.
"Heh… If someone could actually recruit the famous Marine Soryu into their ranks, anyone would laugh themselves awake… However, that's not the case."
At that moment, a tall figure in a high-crowned hat walked forward, golden messy hair dancing in the breeze, exuding warmth and confidence.
Recognizing his face, Hancock froze. "You're... Sabo? The new leader of the Revolutionary Army?!"
"That's right. That's me." Sabo exchanged glances with Dragon and smiled.
"Long time no see, Hancock. Sorry for the trouble Luffy caused you during those two years... But first, some good news: the citizens of Amazon Lily have already been taken in by the Revolutionary Army. They're currently resting on a deserted island thirty nautical miles from here. Everyone's safe, including your younger sisters."
"Phew..." Hancock's tense nerves relaxed all at once. "That's a relief... I thought…"
Suddenly, her eyes widened in disbelief as she looked at Rowen. "Wait a minute, if they're all okay, then what was all this for?"
"Before I answer that, I want to ask you a question, Hancock... It will determine how we treat you and your people going forward."
Sabo's face turned serious.
"What are your thoughts on the World Government and the Marines?"
"My thoughts?" Hancock blinked, feeling overwhelmed by everything that had happened today.
But she quickly regained her composure. With fearless eyes, she glanced at Rowen and parted her red lips: "Marines, they're nothing more than the Government's lapdogs!"
She still remembered that afternoon when she was sold as a slave to the Celestial Dragons. The ones escorting their ship? The Marines who preached Justice!
The Celestial Dragons were the source of the world's evil. The Marines were the force that enabled their tyranny. Without the Marines' overwhelming might to suppress the seas, the Celestial Dragons wouldn't have been so arrogant.
"Offending the Celestial Dragons gets you hunted by Marine Admirals", that one line says it all.
"That's why I've decided to change things, Hancock."
At some point, Rowen appeared behind her. His massive three-meter-tall frame cast a shadow that engulfed her.
Seeing the look of startled panic in her eyes, Rowen exhaled a puff of cigar smoke and said coolly:
"Now, we share a common enemy, that rotten root of corruption."
"Of course, until today, you were still just another despicable pirate to me… But if everything's rotten, then it all must be swept away together."
"Heh! So that's it, joining forces in the name of Justice..."
Hancock's face turned grim as she looked between Rowen and Sabo.
"But making a deal with a tiger, have you considered the consequences?"
Between the Revolutionary Army and the Marines, which one was the tiger? That much was obvious.
"We don't care!"
Sabo grinned and looked up at the sky.
"Our drive to resist has never been about power."
"If someone can truly sit in that seat with righteousness, then…"
"So what if I die?!"
(End of chapter)
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