The sparring between the Arlong Pirates and the Revolutionary Army revealed the formidable strength of both sides.
For an organization like the Revolutionary Army, which had been developing for nearly two decades, it was astonishing to see how quickly Souta Kiryuu's Arlong Crew had grown. In just half a year, they had drawn in so many powerful individuals that their strength could no longer be dismissed.
Even with just three figures—Souta Kiryuu, Bartholomew Kuma, and Enel—they could stand against nearly any Warlord of the Sea. Even the world's greatest swordsman, Dracule Mihawk, would struggle against the combined assault of those three, let alone other Warlords.
"Your Conqueror's Haki… it has a special property!"
Dragon's body crackled with black-and-red lightning as he hammered Souta Kiryuu with brutal strikes, instructing him on the intricacies of advanced Conqueror's Haki infusion. He knew that some Kenbunshoku users awakened rare mutations of Observation Haki, abilities rarer than Conqueror's itself.
But Souta Kiryuu's Conqueror's Haki… it wasn't ordinary. It was a mutation, a special form of Conqueror's Haki.
Even among the legends—Whitebeard, Kaido—Dragon had never heard of such a phenomenon. Perhaps the only comparison might be "Red-Haired" Shanks, whose overwhelming presence hinted at a similarly unique form of Conqueror's Haki.
"Still not enough! I can't seem to break through to full infusion yet. I understand the theory, but my Haki hasn't gone through the qualitative leap."
Souta Kiryuu staggered back from another strike, his body battered but unyielding. His Haki was vast and fierce, but it had yet to condense into the razor-sharp refinement needed for advanced infusion.
Looks like I'll need to slaughter a few more big-name pirates or Celestial Dragons to sharpen my will.
"Your growth rate is absurd. Do you plan to reach the world's peak in just a few years?" Dragon asked, his tone half frustrated, half impressed. Every Emperor of the Sea had taken decades of brutal struggle to reach their throne—including Dragon himself.
"Why not?" Souta's grin was feral, his ambition boundless. His presence swelled, his aura defiant. Some men were born to shatter the limits of the world.
If time travel itself could happen… then what was truly impossible?
Dragon sighed. "Fine. But listen well—lay low. Don't drag Kuma or Vegapunk into destruction. You've already killed a Celestial Dragon and snatched Vegapunk from under the World Government's nose. Slow down. Grow carefully. Take fewer members. Vet them thoroughly. If you expand recklessly, the Government will seize its chance to annihilate you."
"You don't need to worry about that," Souta replied with a calm confidence. With the Tontatta, the Shandians, and the Skypiean tribes under his banner, infiltration was impossible. The World Government could never slip spies past his defenses.
And from here on, every recruit would be personally selected by him. With Vegapunk and Kuma able to erase memories, there was no chance of betrayal.
Dragon's blows rained down harder. "The Flower Kingdom and the Land of Sang are at war. Interested in joining the fray? The Happo Navy's Hasshoken is worth studying, and the Land of Sang has countless famed blades. Rumor has it the Happo Navy guards an enormous glacial treasure."
To Dragon, the so-called "legitimate" pirate nations like Flower and Sang were a blight. They paid the Celestial Dragons their Heavenly Tribute and, in exchange, were granted the legal right to plunder non-affiliated islands and nations—just like the Warlords.
The system sickened him. Some nations, desperate to meet their tribute, crushed their own citizens under unbearable taxes or waged endless wars of conquest—just like Kaido's homeland, the Vodka Kingdom.
Souta Kiryuu shrugged. "Unless they've got Devil Fruit users worth my time, I'm not interested."
His eyes gleamed faintly. The Hasshoken's treasure wasn't enough to tempt him yet. Not while Shandora's gold still flowed through his coffers.
Dragon's voice dropped. "The Land of Sang's Guardian General… is rumored to wield a Mythical Zoan. Even Chinjao of the Drill Head fell to him. And Sang has stockpiled terrifying weapons from unknown sources. Right now, the Flower Kingdom is actually struggling to hold the line."
That made Souta's interest stir. Vegapunk's research thrived on powerful genetic samples. A Mythical Zoan ability was too precious to ignore.
Dragon saw the glint in his eyes. Perfect. If Souta joined the war, the Revolutionary Army could swoop in alongside him. While he drew the World Government's wrath, the Revolutionaries would gain allies, arms, and legitimacy. To the oppressed people, their "alliance" would look like salvation.
"Yes. Give me the time and place," Souta said at last.
Dragon smirked. The bait had been taken.
"Good. I'll let you know." He struck Souta again, lightning crackling with Conqueror's infusion. With Souta's existence absorbing so much Government attention, the Revolutionaries could finally breathe.
"You may teach me now, but one day I'll surpass you. I will master Conqueror's Infusion… and beyond!" Souta spat blood, but his grin was sharp, his resilience monstrous.
"Don't be so arrogant," Dragon snapped, hammering him with another wave of Haki. "It takes years of battle to master it. You're not special."
Souta laughed even as he was beaten down, his fists rising again. "If a teacher fails after two years, then he's nothing but a fraud. And I'll prove it! Within two years, I'll master Conqueror's Infusion—and crush Admirals and Emperors alike beneath my fists!"
His defiance echoed across the battlefield.