In the South Blue, there was an uninhabited island covered in dense jungle, seemingly untouched by human hands. Near the island's center, a sheer cliff face concealed a hidden cave. Inside, a vast network of winding tunnels stretched deep into the mountain, as if the entire peak had been hollowed out. It resembled nothing less than a secret base built by some clandestine organization.
This was, in fact, the South Blue base of the Freedom Fighters, an organization now officially branded by the World Government as an illegal armed force.
Inside one of the cavern chambers, Dragon rubbed his temples, a headache forming as he stared at the mountain of documents before him.
"If this continues, our funds will run dry in just two years. Without sufficient money, the organization won't survive. We have to find a new source of funding!" Dragon groaned, clutching his head in frustration.
Across from him sat a bizarre-looking man with an oversized head and grotesque makeup, his appearance both comical and unsettling. This was Dragon's trusted partner and later co-founder of the Revolutionary Army—Emporio Ivankov.
"What about the people who used to support us?" Ivankov asked, frowning.
"Ever since the World Government labeled us an illegal armed group, those same people have been avoiding us like the plague..." Dragon sighed heavily.
"That's a serious problem. How about this—why don't we pick a Member Nation and rob them for funds?" Ivankov suggested darkly after a moment's thought.
Dragon shook his head. "That's not an option, Ivankov. Not every Member Nation is our enemy. Many only joined the World Government for protection and security. Our goal isn't to overthrow those countries, but to topple the tyrannical regimes that exploit them!"
Dragon hadn't created the Freedom Fighters to become raiders. If that were his aim, he could have simply formed a pirate crew. A raid or two might have been excused at the beginning, but living off plunder from Member Nations would only destroy their reputation. If their name became tainted, the Freedom Fighters would never grow.
"Then what? You're no businessman, and we don't have any promising ventures... How about becoming mercenaries? We could protect nations harassed by pirates and other scum, then charge them for protection," Ivankov proposed again.
Dragon considered it. It wasn't impossible, but it was clearly not a long-term path. At most, it could work while their organization was still small.
"Do you know anyone powerful in the South Blue? Someone wealthy enough to back us?" Dragon asked hopefully.
A flicker of nostalgia crossed Ivankov's eyes, and a faint smile tugged at his painted face. "I do know someone strong. But he's poor. Even if he had wealth, I'm certain he'd give it all away to those in need. A man like that will never be rich..."
"Oh?" Dragon leaned forward with interest. "Who is he?"
"Just a gentle but clumsy priest. Don't bother with him. Unlike me, he only wants a quiet, peaceful life," Ivankov said with a smile.
"I see..." Dragon had been curious, but hearing Ivankov's words, he could only shake his head in disappointment. "If that's the case, then there's nothing more to say."
Ivankov quickly changed the subject. "You're the son of the hero Garp. Don't tell me your connections are this weak. You don't know any wealthy benefactors who could support us?"
"There are some," Dragon admitted, "but not in the South Blue. In the East Blue, I have a friend who's a master swordsman. He runs a dojo on a small island. It looks simple enough, but he's actually incredibly wealthy!" Dragon chuckled.
As Dragon and Ivankov continued discussing how to secure funding for the Freedom Fighters...
Not far from the deserted island, Ortoren's warship was cutting through the sea.
On the deck, Gion held a pair of Seastone shackles in her hands, eyeing Ortoren with anticipation.
"It should be any day now, right? The full moon's coming. Ortoren, to avoid any accidents, why don't I tie you up now, hang you from the stern, and drag you behind the ship?"
Ortoren, busy packing up his fishing gear, froze at her words and looked at her in horror. "How can you be so cruel?"
"If you go berserk, this entire warship won't be able to withstand it. As the commander of this ship, you're responsible for everyone's safety. What are you afraid of? Back at Marineford, didn't Zephyr-sensei and the others hold you down in the bay and beat you up? Don't worry, I can handle it!" Gion said, almost gleeful.
She still remembered how Ortoren had nearly blasted her away with a single punch. Just thinking about it made her shiver.
For two years, she'd had no chance to get payback. Now she was on a mission alone with Ortoren, and it just so happened to be a full moon. With such a legitimate reason to beat him up, how could she not take it?
Ortoren gave her a look that said he'd already seen through her, sneering. "Why do you think I've been adjusting our course these past few days? According to the South Blue charts, there's an uninhabited island directly ahead. So save yourself the trouble. When the full moon rises, I'll go ashore myself. I won't endanger the ship."
"What?" Gion said with clear disappointment. "But even so, no one will be able to snap you out of it. Isn't that wasting this full moon? I still think it's better if I tie you with Seastone and drag you behind the ship. Or fine—we both go ashore, and I'll help you there!"
"There's no need. I've been beaten by Garp-san and Zephyr-sensei back at Headquarters, and that was no problem. What new Marine hasn't been beaten by them? But being beaten by you, especially in front of my subordinates, would damage my authority. How would I ever command troops after that?" Ortoren said firmly.
His pride was one reason, but truthfully, he simply didn't want this wicked woman Gion laying a hand on him.
Just as Gion was about to argue again, Ortoren waved her off. "Besides, that was at Headquarters, where it was safe. Right now we're out at sea. If you bind me with Seastone and drown me in the water, and we run into a strong enemy, wouldn't that be a huge problem?"
Gion paused at that. She had to admit he was right. If Ortoren went mad, his combat power was terrifying, but at least he could still fight. If he was shackled and submerged, and they happened to encounter enemies, it would be disastrous.
Though she doubted there was anyone in the South Blue who could pose a real threat to them, it was better not to take risks.
"Fine, we'll use that island," Gion finally agreed, though the way she swung the Seastone chains in her hand showed she wasn't happy about letting this chance slip by.
Soon, the warship cut across the waves. Marines stationed at the lookout tower atop the mast peered through their binoculars and spotted the silhouette of their target island on the horizon.
At the same time the Marines spotted the island, a young member of the Freedom Fighters rushed into Dragon's cavern, flustered and anxious.
"Dragon-san, there's a warship that looks like it's from Marine Headquarters. It's heading straight this way and will arrive soon!"
"What?" Dragon was stunned.
This godforsaken island had no resources, not even visible fresh water. Only the excavated caves within the cliff made it habitable. From the surface, the place looked utterly worthless.
So why were the Marines coming here?
And from the boy's words, they weren't just passing by—they were heading straight for the island. That meant there was a very high chance they intended to dock.
"Quick, hide all our ships! Don't let them find us. My guess is they're only stopping to rest. They'll probably leave after a short stay. Tell everyone on the island to return to the caves immediately and seal the entrances. Make sure the Marines don't detect us," Dragon ordered without hesitation.
Once his orders were given, he calmed down. From every angle, this island had no value, and with no water on the surface, the Marines couldn't stay long.
Their base was also well hidden, buried inside the cliffs with only two cave entrances. As long as those were sealed, no one outside would notice anything unusual.
Dragon was confident they could avoid this unexpected encounter with the Marines.
After all, it wasn't as if the Marines had lunatics who would storm the island for no reason and blow the mountain apart...