Meanwhile, at the Revolutionary Army's headquarters in Baltigo.
Inside a massive conference hall, a large stone round table was surrounded by people.
Each of them bore some injuries, wrapped in white bandages.
However, unlike the somber expressions of the high-ranking Marine officers gathered in Mary Geoise, their faces showed excitement.
The atmosphere of the meeting was far more cheerful!
All eyes were fixed on their leader Bob, seated at the head of the table, their gazes brimming with anticipation.
Feeling their stares, Bob smiled slightly and raised an eyebrow.
After the Summit War, he had remained at the Revolutionary Army headquarters.
He knew that while the war had ended, its repercussions were still spreading far and wide.
And this was exactly what Bob had anticipated.
His primary goal in the Summit War wasn't the destruction of Marineford.
That had only been his secondary objective.
His true aim was to announce his return to the world—and to reveal the hidden truths of the World Government, along with the forces he had assembled.
His purpose was simple: to lay the groundwork for the next phase, awakening the people's rebellious spirit and overthrowing the World Government.
"The World Government suffered a crushing defeat this time! It's a massive blow to them," Bob said calmly, scanning the room.
"Exactly! All thanks to the leader's brilliant planning!"
"Now, resistance groups against the World Government are popping up everywhere. Their strength and credibility have hit rock bottom!"
"Rumors even say some nations are refusing to pay the Celestial Tribute!" Bob's number one fanboy, Bartolomeo, blurted out excitedly, his first words being an outright flattery.
The others shook their heads slightly, exasperated by Bartolomeo's antics.
Though they revered their leader just as much, they kept it to themselves.
"Given the current situation, the World Government must be scrambling!"
"External pressure and internal divisions—both are fatal!" Crocodile's eyes gleamed sharply as he chuckled darkly, a sinister smirk playing on his lips.
"So... the question we must consider is: what will the World Government do next?"
Dragon, seated beside Crocodile, folded his arms and spoke up.
The Summit War was now in the past and he refused to underestimate the World Government just because of this victory.
A government that had ruled the world for 800 years couldn't possibly be as simple as it appeared on the surface.
Hearing this, the others nodded in agreement.
Though the World Government had suffered a devastating defeat in this battle and Marineford itself had sunk beneath the sea—a starved camel is still bigger than a horse.
The World Government remained an immensely powerful force in this world.
"Exactly!"
"The World Government will undoubtedly make a major move in the coming days!" Bob straightened slightly, his tone calm but firm.
"The first and most urgent thing they'll do is undoubtedly to bolster their strength."
"What actions do you think the World Government will take?" He swept his gaze across the room, posing the question.
At this, everyone present paused briefly before furrowing their brows in thought.
After a long pause, Cavendish spoke up, "To expand their forces, the Marine will train soldiers from various branch bases!"
"And they'll select talents from these branches to be trained by the Marine's top brass!"
Hearing this, Bob nodded slightly and asked, "What else?"
"Based on my past experience in the Marine, this method would have worked before!"
"But now it's no longer feasible—the shortage is too great, and the base is too small!" Dragon voiced his opinion.
"Indeed. If the World Government wants to expand its strength, they'll surely aim to recruit as many willing Marine candidates as possible in the shortest time," Crocodile remarked coolly.
"In other words, the World Government will likely conduct... a large-scale conscription campaign," Kuma, who had been silent until now, suddenly spoke.
At this, the others turned their gazes towards Kuma before shifting their attention to their leader, who had yet to speak.
"Leader! What do you think?" Tesoro, seated beside Crocodile and silent until now, finally asked.
Without a doubt, he held absolute trust in their leader.
In this world, there was nothing their leader did not know.
He seemed almost omniscient and omnipotent—not only in strength but also in his clear understanding of the world's affairs.
Hearing Tesoro's question, Bob could no longer remain silent.
His intention in raising this issue had been to encourage everyone to think more deeply.
"Yes, the World Government will undoubtedly expand its forces in a short time!"
"And they'll achieve this through worldwide conscription!"
As his words fell, the expressions of those around the round table shifted slightly.
"Worldwide conscription... now that's a grand move," Crocodile murmured.
"And this is precisely why I called this meeting!"
"We must also stake our claim in the coming world order!" A faint smile curved Bob's lips as he spoke slowly.
At these words, everyone's eyes sharpened, their expressions turning solemn.
There was no doubt—their leader's next words would be of utmost importance.
They would play a crucial role in shaping the future of the world.
"Like the World Government, we too will conduct worldwide conscription!"
"But under the banner of the Revolutionary Army!"
Silence.
The room fell into complete stillness, every mouth slightly agape, unable to speak for a long moment.
For the past forty years, the Revolutionary Army had operated in the shadows.
They had never truly confronted the World Government openly.
Even the location of their headquarters had remained a mystery.
But now, the Revolutionary Army would openly recruit worldwide.
This would undeniably place them in direct opposition to the World Government—though they had always been enemies, the implications now were entirely different.
At this moment, everyone was stunned—not out of fear, but joy.
"Is this day... finally upon us?"
Tears welled in Dragon's eyes.
This man, who had devoted more to the cause than anyone except Bob and Talia, was now shedding tears.
This was the day he had waited for far too long—not just him, but all those oppressed by the World Government as well.
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