Everyone turned to look at Buggy. No one had expected him to say such things.
They looked down on Buggy from the bottom of their hearts, a weakling who had gotten this far through sheer luck.
Without his status as a former Roger Pirate, his connection to Shanks, and various coincidences, Buggy wouldn't be where he is today.
Yet, for some reason, as they faced defeat and looked at Buggy, bruised and battered from their own beatings, they realized that they were the cowardly ones.
Buggy's goal was grander than theirs. Failure meant nothing. What if he actually obtained the great treasure?
What if the great treasure truly held the power to dominate the world? Would they still need to rely on personal strength to build a nation free from the World Government's oppression?
Did such a nation even exist? And how long could it be protected?
Hiss! Puff!
Crocodile took a deep drag from his cigar and slowly exhaled.
"Perhaps this good-for-nothing has a point. We chose the wrong target from the start. The Whitebeard Pirates aren't interested in the great treasure. If Whitebeard truly wanted to become the Pirate King, he would have found it long ago. We should find the great treasure first. After obtaining it, then we can deal with the Whitebeard Pirates."
"So you've decided to follow him?" Mihawk asked.
"There's no other path left. Either we disband or continue forward, gamble against Red Hair and Straw Hat. If we win, we still have a chance. If we lose, we exit the stage for good," Crocodile said.
"I'm still unwilling to accept it. I haven't killed Kaido yet," Gecko Moria said.
"What do you two think?" Crocodile looked at Kuzan and Mihawk.
One stood, the other sat. Kuzan sat on the ground, gazing out at the sea, then glanced back at Buggy.
"Although this guy is a good-for-nothing, it's undeniable that he's right. We chose the wrong target from the start. We should have aimed for the great treasure," Kuzan said.
"Kishishishi, Hawk Eyes, what do you think? This is our last chance. Don't you want to see what the great treasure really is?" Gecko Moria looked at Mihawk.
"I... don't care either way," Mihawk said indifferently.
"Since that's settled, it's decided. Let's set sail, for Straw Hat and Red Hair!!"
"You guys..." Buggy hadn't expected this. He inwardly wailed.
'I just wanted to break away from them and return to the East Blue! How can I compete for the great treasure? Don't drag me into this! I just want to go home, I want to go home~~~'
Buggy's heart wept without tears. In the end, he was practically carried along as they set out from Wano. The Cross Guild had been defeated, but they were heading to the next battlefield to compete for the ultimate treasure.
Meanwhile, Roy arrived at a pink-colored island. On the way, he had encountered someone, and the two traveled together toward the island.
"What are you doing here?" Roy asked.
"I am following a direction."
The other man opened his eyes. Though his sightless pupils could perceive no light, within his eyes resided something else.
That something was light itself!
"So you came here?" Roy smiled.
"Yes. I wanted to see if I could find what I need here," Issho said.
He had resigned from the Marines and was no longer Admiral Fujitora.
Like Kuzan, the moment he left the Marines, he became simply Issho, no longer Admiral Aokiji.
"The Revolutionary Army? Perhaps it's possible," Roy smiled.
"And you? Why are you here? You're a pirate? Are you connected to the Revolutionary Army?" Issho asked curiously.
"How should I put it... It's a collaboration. After all, our goals align. The enemy of my enemy is my friend, right?" Roy smiled.
"The enemy of my enemy is my friend!!"
Issho pondered the phrase, finding it increasingly reasonable. The Whitebeard Pirates' target had always been the Celestial Dragons, and the Revolutionary Army's main purpose was to strike against them as well.
Since their goals were the same, they were friends.
"You're right. The enemy of my enemy is my friend. I saw no benevolence in Mary Geoise, only exploitation," Issho said with anger.
"Doflamingo was once a Celestial Dragon. A former Celestial Dragon could persecute an entire country, sell weapons, and incite wars worldwide. The World Government must have known his aims, and the Celestial Dragons benefited from it," Roy smiled.
"The Celestial Dragons benefited too?"
"Of course. Think about it. Besides Doflamingo's weapons trade, doesn't the World Government also engage in such business? Where does the Marines' vast supply of Seastone come from? As a former Admiral, you must have encountered this," Roy said.
"I did consider these questions. It's a pity my eyes cannot see those filthy things. Perhaps I should have kept my sight to continue observing this world," Issho said.
"It is a pity, but it's not too late. You will see the world's benevolence someday. Darkness cannot last forever; light will eventually appear," Roy smiled.
"Actually, I have already seen it," Issho suddenly smiled.
Roy was taken aback, then realized something.
"The light within people's hearts!!"
On the shores of the Kamabakka Kingdom, a crowd had gathered. Revolutionary Army leader Dragon looked up at the sky.
"Why so slow? What is he doing?!!" Emporio Ivankov paced back and forth anxiously.
"Iva, you're too impatient. We can already see them," Sabo smiled.
"Sabo, you've met him before. Is that guy ferocious?" Ivankov leaned in and asked Sabo.
"Not at all. Mr. Roy is very easy to talk to. Otherwise, he wouldn't have given us so much help," Sabo smiled.
"Could he be a fraud?" Ivankov asked.
"Mr. Roy is a good person. He wouldn't be a fraud," Sabo shook his head.
"You can't trust someone so easily, especially a pirate. Dragon, how long have you known him?" Ivankov asked.
"Twenty... or thirty years now," Dragon said.
"That long?" Ivankov, Sabo, and the others looked at Dragon in surprise.
They already knew Dragon's former identity as a Marine; the World Government had publicly revealed his information as a former Vice Admiral.
"Yes. I encountered him when he was with the Whitebeard Pirates, but we didn't interact much then. Our first real exchange was twenty years ago, after the Ohara incident," Dragon said.
"No wonder Mr. Roy has always supported us and provided so much assistance," Sabo said.
"It seems it's time to lay our cards on the table. Wait, who is that..." Dragon stared in surprise at the two figures flying toward them. Besides Roy, the person beside him was even more shocking.
"It's him, Marine Admiral Fujitora!!" Sabo said nervously.
"He's no longer a Marine Admiral. Why are they together?" Ivankov exclaimed.
The two of them together seemed utterly strange.