Celestial Dragons are a stain on this world, Shirogai said with a calm smile. To save this world from the endless mire of depravity, we must eliminate that stain.
"Are you saying you would become an enemy of the Marines?" Serpent asked, his face darkening.
The Celestial Dragons were beyond doubt the Marines' highest priority to defend. And Smoker, with his deep roots in the Marines and connections among Marine Admirals, would never betray the Marines.
Shirogai shook his head, regret in his eyes.
"No. The Marines are not our enemies. They are seekers of justice whose ideals merely diverge from ours."
"Seekers of justice?" Serpent echoed, surprised.
"Yes. The justice upheld by the Marines is not the justice of ordinary people. It is the justice of the Celestial Dragons who control the World Government—it is the justice of absolute rulers. In contrast, the justice I uphold is one that all common people can recognize—that is the justice of the masses."
"This sounds similar to the Revolutionary Army, Null. Do you intend to create a Revolutionary Army?" Serpent narrowed his eyes at Shirogai.
"The Revolutionary Army's aim is overthrow," Shirogai said. "What I seek is more comprehensive: to remove the Celestial Dragons entirely, and to establish an organization of true justice for the masses. One that stands on equal footing with the Marines. I will call it the Air Force."
"On equal footing with the Marines?" Smoker gasped, shocked beyond words.
He had respected the Vespera organization, given Shirogai's role in it. Yet he had gravely underestimated how far Shirogai's ambition stretched. Shirogai desired nothing less than the world's complete overhaul. It went far beyond the Revolutionary Army's goals.
"But building such a vast organization right under the Marines' nose—surely there's risk of exposure?" King Cobra of Alabasta, who had been watching silently, finally spoke. As a ruler under the World Government's sphere, he understood the risks posed by the Celestial Dragons' spy networks.
"CP0 will not interfere here. Sky island will be the future base of the Air Force." Shirogai said.
"Sky Island?" everyone asked in shock—except those known as Pegasus and Sirius remained still.
"Yes. Sky Island." Shirogai gestured briefly, smiling.
Suddenly the storm-lit sky stilled. White clouds drifted down, forming a strange island of cloud above the square platform, surrounded by islands of sea cloud. The members—many seeing this for the first time—stared in awe.
"This is Sky Island, thousands of meters above the Blue Sea, made of rare island clouds and sea clouds." Shirogai explained.
"I see. Then indeed we have no reason to fear the Marines' interference," Sky (Vegapunk) said with understanding.
"So Sky Island truly exists," Crocodile murmured, a trace of amusement in his voice.
Serpent's face was thoughtful. "It's not only because the Marines cannot reach Sky Island."
Shirogai turned to Sky, his eyes gleaming. "In time, a global disaster will strike. The whole world will sink beneath the seas. Isn't that right, Sky?" At his words, the view changed. The image of Sky Island faded into a vast dark-blue planet rising in the void. Continents were drowned under rising seawater, only small islands remaining. Then the seas surged once more, swallowing even those. Only two towering Red Lines encircled what remained.
"My data points to this," Sky said, stunned then shocked. "So that was why Null established the Vespera's base on Sky Island, so high above everything."
The assembly went pale—except Serpent at the revelation.
"What!"
"The world would submerge under the sea?!"
"Is this real?"
"From Null, this sounds strangely credible!"
Crocodile frowned at Shirogai. "Null, where did you hear such absurd claims? If the world sinks, what is the value of the things we do now?"
"This is no rumor, Crocodile. It's prophecy. And what makes it worse is that the World Government likely has its hands in it." Shirogai's smile did not waver.
"Hmph." Crocodile snorted. Serpent released a cold breath. The two glared at each other, both resolute, neither yielding.
"What an irritating man." A shared thought between them.
"Lord Null, speaking of the world sinking—shouldn't that be more than alarming?" Cobra asked, voice trembling slightly. His land held tens of millions; this disaster would consume them all.
"Tide, this is a disaster on a global scale. What you need to think on is how to enable survival, not dismiss what's coming." Shirogai's tone changed, firm, hopeful. "Because Sky Island exists, I have thought of a way to allow survival even when the waters rise."
"What is it?" Cobra demanded.
"Artificial Sky Islands," Shirogai said, raising his hand. Suddenly, countless cloud‐islands appeared above the waterlogged planet, varied in size in perfect order, connected by sea cloud.
"So when the world is submerged, people will live upon artificial Sky Islands," Sky and Serpent said in awe, their minds alight.
"How irritating, to care so much for those deemed useless," Crocodile scoffed, dismissive.
"Then the citizens of Alabasta will be saved," Cobra said, relief coloring his tone. Shirogai looked like a god to him, someone who would not fail.
"Lord Null already knows how to create island cloud," Pegasus (Gan Fall) said, voice a mixture of surprise and awe. Even the Sky Islanders had not cracked that secret for years.
Yet if Shirogai had achieved it, of course
it made sense—a godlike man capable even of making Enel seem powerless.
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