"Ten years? Twenty years?" Moria's voice was low and bitter, his expression darkening.
Ivankov glanced at Dragon, doubt flickering in his eyes.
Dragon caught the look and offered a reassuring smile and a slight nod. He was confident in his own strength. If it came down to it, he could suppress Moria without much trouble. So even if Moria joined the Revolutionary Army, it wouldn't pose a real problem.
More importantly, Dragon believed in his own persuasiveness. He had ideas, vision, and a way with words. If Moria agreed to join, Dragon would keep him close, educate him gradually, guide his thinking. Give it three to five years, and he was certain he could reshape the man's worldview entirely.
By then, Moria would be a devoted revolutionary fighter.
Dragon had already sized up Moria's psychological state in their brief exchange. The man had become a pirate on a whim, swept up in the fervor of Roger's final words. If Roger hadn't ignited the Great Pirate Era, Moria might never have set sail at all. Dragon never knew Moria true indentity.
Dragon was skilled at reading people, and what he saw in Moria was emptiness. A void where purpose should have been. Right now, that void was filled entirely by the desire for revenge, but revenge was a fleeting goal. Once it was gone, Moria would have nothing left.
People like that were easy to guide. Easy to mold.
Dragon's instincts weren't wrong. In the original timeline, Moria's decline over the next twenty years, his transformation into a reclusive shut-in who relied entirely on his zombie subordinates, was a direct result of that inner emptiness. His constant refrain of "You there, do this for me" was just another symptom of a man who'd lost his way.
"That's right," Dragon repeated calmly. "Ten years. Twenty years."
Moria's jaw tightened. After a moment, he spoke, his voice heavy. "Regarding the Kozuki Clan… Kozuki Oden is already dead. Theoretically, Kaido has wiped out every last descendant of the Kozuki bloodline in Wano Country."
Dragon's eyes widened. "What?"
With O'Hara destroyed, the Kozuki Clan had been Dragon's last hope for understanding the Poneglyphs. And now, before he'd even managed to contact them, Moria was telling him they were extinct.
It would have been stranger if he hadn't reacted.
But Moria continued, his tone shifting slightly. "That said, I did manage to gather some intelligence while I was in Wano. Kozuki Oden's wife, Kozuki Toki, apparently possesses an extremely rare and powerful ability. She can send people into the future."
Dragon's brow furrowed. "What do you mean?"
"There are rumors," Moria said slowly, "that the Kozuki bloodline wasn't extinguished. Toki used her ability to send the survivors forward in time."
Dragon stared at him, processing the implications. Time travel? That sounded almost absurd, like something out of a fantasy novel rather than the harsh reality of the seas.
"No one knows how far into the future she sent them," Moria added. "Or when they'll reappear. But if the rumors are true, then Wano Country will see upheaval again someday." He leaned forward slightly, his expression hardening. "Dragon, whether it's ten years or twenty, if change comes to Wano Country and you can't help me when the time comes, I'll leave the Revolutionary Army. No hesitation."
Dragon blinked, caught off guard. "Wait. You're agreeing?"
Moria exhaled slowly, his shoulders sagging just a fraction. "All my subordinates are dead. I was planning to rebuild my crew eventually, maybe try to join the Seven Warlords of the Sea and use the World Government's resources to get close to Kaido. I never thought I'd have anything to do with the Revolutionary Army." He paused, his tone softening. "But now… joining you doesn't seem like such a bad option."
Dragon smiled, genuine warmth in his expression. "I'm glad you see it that way."
"I don't care about your revolution," Moria said bluntly. "I just want revenge. So let's be clear. This is a transaction. I join you. I help you. And when I need you, I expect you to keep your word."
"Of course," Dragon said without hesitation. "Once you join, we'll be comrades."
Moria suddenly thrust out his hand, his voice rising. "It's a deal!"
Dragon grasped it firmly, his grip strong and steady. "It's a deal."
At that exact moment, a lazy yawn echoed from the far corner of the bathhouse.
All three men, Dragon, Moria, and Ivankov, turned sharply toward the sound.
In their engrossed conversation, they'd forgotten entirely that someone else might still be in the bathhouse. They'd assumed Moria's intimidating entrance had driven everyone else away.
"I was wondering who was making such a racket over there," a voice drawled from the corner, muffled and irritated. "Disturbing my perfectly good nap. Honestly, Dragon, are you people insane? If you want to discuss secret Revolutionary Army business, why not find somewhere private? Do you really have to do it in a public bathhouse?"
The speaker didn't even bother to sit up. He remained leaning against the pool wall, a towel draped lazily over his face.
Dragon's expression shifted from surprise to helpless amusement. A faint smile tugged at his lips.
Ivankov and Moria, meanwhile, frowned and stared at the figure in confusion. Neither of them had ever met Finn in person or even heard his voice up close. They hadn't been paying attention during the broadcast in Loguetown, so they had no way of recognizing him now.
But the tone alone was infuriating. Arrogant. Dismissive. As if Dragon, the World's Most Wanted Criminal, was nothing more than a noisy nuisance. As if Moria and Ivankov didn't even exist.
Moria glanced at Ivankov. "Who is that?"
Ivankov shook his head slowly. "No idea. But he sounds… important."
Dragon raised a hand and rubbed his forehead, sighing. "Why are you here? When did you even arrive?"
"I've been here the whole time," Finn said lazily, still not moving. "I was already asleep when you walked in."
"That was careless of me," Dragon admitted, a rueful smile on his face. "I should have checked more carefully."
"So the Revolutionary Army is this sloppy with their operations?" Finn continued, his tone laced with exasperation. "Having critical discussions in broad daylight, in a public hot spring, where anyone could overhear…"
Dragon chuckled softly. "To be fair, I only came here to ask Moria about Wano Country. Recruiting him was a spur-of-the-moment decision. And I chose this location specifically because we didn't trust each other yet. Moria was wary. An open, public space felt safer."
He shook his head, still smiling. "I just didn't expect to run into you here, of all places."
"Never mind," Dragon continued, his tone shifting slightly. "It's not a big deal. You already know plenty of our secrets. I've always considered you something of an ally, anyway." He paused, his voice becoming more serious. "Admiral… Finn."
Finn pulled the towel off his face with a sigh and sat up, stretching languidly. "Half an ally? You say that every time we meet, Dragon. It's getting old."
The moment Finn's face came into view, Ivankov and Moria both froze. Their eyes widened in shock, and both of them instinctively stood, their postures tense and defensive.
"An Admiral?!" Ivankov's voice was sharp, disbelieving.
Moria's expression twisted into something between anger and panic. "Finn?! What the hell are you doing here? Are you here to arrest me?!"
Moria's mind raced. As far as he knew, the Marines had no jurisdiction over the Revolutionary Army. They only moved against Dragon when cooperating with CP agencies. Which meant Finn wasn't here for Dragon.
The only other high-profile pirate on the island was Gekko Moria himself.
In contrast to their alarm, Finn looked utterly unbothered. He remained seated in the pool, his posture relaxed, his tone almost bored. "Relax. I was here first, remember? How could I be targeting you? Besides, if I wanted to fight, why would I choose a hot spring? A place that severely limits Devil Fruit abilities? Think it through."
He glanced at Moria, his lips quirking in faint amusement. "And you, Gekko Moria. If you hadn't shown up today, I would've assumed you died quietly in some corner of the New World by now."
Dragon waved a hand casually. "Don't be nervous. Finn isn't an enemy."
He shifted in the pool, settling into a more comfortable position against the edge. "Would you like to join us over here, Finn?"
Finn's gaze flicked toward the other pool, where Moria and Ivankov were still standing. His expression twisted slightly in distaste.
In that pool, there's Moria and Ivankov. Only someone as carefree as Dragon could sit there without a second thought. I'm not going anywhere near it.
"I'm fine where I am," Finn said, waving dismissively.
"Suit yourself." Dragon didn't press the issue. Instead, his tone brightened. "Come to think of it, I haven't congratulated you yet. You finally got what you wanted. You're an Admiral now. I remember you talking about that goal back at Headquarters. I didn't expect you'd reach it so quickly."
Finn grinned, running the towel through his wet hair. "I'm a man of my word. Hahahaha."
Dragon's eyes gleamed with interest. "Though from what I've heard, your promotion caused quite a stir. There's been friction between the Marines and the World Government over the Seven Warlords plan and your appointment, hasn't there?"
Finn's expression cooled slightly. "If you're thinking of exploiting that, forget it, Dragon. But yeah, you're right. Relations with the higher-ups aren't great right now."
He didn't seem interested in dwelling on the topic. Instead, he turned his attention to Moria, a note of genuine surprise in his voice. "I really never thought I'd see the day. You, a Revolutionary."
Finn had been half-asleep earlier, hearing their conversation in a haze. At the time, he'd thought he was dreaming. It wasn't until he'd fully woken up that the reality had sunk in.
Moria? Joining the Revolutionary Army?
What kind of butterfly effect had he caused this time?
Dragon smiled but didn't respond to Finn's comment. Instead, he shifted topics smoothly. "By the way, I never properly thanked you for last time. The information you gave us about the CP ambush saved lives."
"Don't mention it," Finn said with a shrug. "I was just using you to eliminate some troublesome rivals."
He was taking the blame for Stussy without hesitation.
"That's exactly why I consider you a half-ally, Finn," Dragon said, brushing wet hair back from his face.
Finn studied Dragon for a moment, curiosity finally getting the better of him. "What happened to your face, anyway? Did Vice Admiral Garp catch you and beat you with his shoe?"
Dragon's expression twitched.
Can you speak like a normal person for once?
Do you want to fight?!
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