I Punch the Tailed Beast Ball

”I’m afraid no one would ever imagine that the world’s most wanted criminal, the leader of the Revolutionary Army whom the World Government is investigating at all costs, is sitting inside Marine Headquarters.”

Nagasawa smiled as he teased Dragon, who was calmly drinking tea in his house.

”Compared to that, the news that the Hero of the New Era of the Marines, an Admiral, is serving as an advisor to the Revolutionary Army would probably be even more shocking,” Dragon replied.

The two looked at each other before both breaking into smiles.

Akainu’s plan for eliminating the Revolutionary Army was straightforward.

First, concentrate all available forces to wipe out the Revolutionary Army in the New World, then move on to deal with the Revolutionary Army in the Four Blues.

Perhaps because Aokiji was also among them, Akainu decided to personally eliminate Aokiji, the Marine traitor.

Akainu would personally lead the operation, accompanied by the veteran Admiral Kizaru and a number of powerful Marine Vice Admirals, bringing the main Marine force to completely eradicate the Revolutionary Army in the New World.

To support this operation, the World Government mobilized the Cipher Pol units while also ordering Marine branch bases to cooperate with Marine Headquarters. Nearby member nations were instructed to dispatch troops to surround and eliminate the Revolutionary Army, and even the Seven Warlords of the Sea began taking action, making it clear they would not stop until the Revolutionary Army had been completely destroyed.

Of course, getting so many different departments and factions moving together could not be accomplished overnight.

There was a period of preparation.

So Nagasawa and Dragon discussed the matter and concluded that the Revolutionary Army now possessed enough strength to catch the Marines completely off guard by seizing Marine Headquarters.

Once Marine Headquarters, the Marines’ main force, was lost, the branch bases, the armies of the member nations, and the Seven Warlords would no longer pose a significant threat to the Revolutionary Army.

As long as they captured Marine Headquarters, the World Government would effectively lose control of the New World.

”I never thought that when you returned to Marine Headquarters, it would be to attack your former comrades and subordinates. Feeling sentimental?” Nagasawa asked after noticing Aokiji sitting there silently the whole time.

Aokiji was momentarily stunned before slowly nodding.

He had served in the Marines for so many years that, even after leaving, he had never imagined he would stand against them so soon.

If the Revolutionary Army could not provide civilians with a more peaceful life, Aokiji would have chosen to preserve the existing order.

The Marines were the guardians of that order.

Not only would he never attack the Marines, but if necessary, he would even warn them.

But now, Aokiji had seen hope in the current Revolutionary Army.

Hope for creating a better world.

A world without Celestial Dragons who were born superior and possessed every privilege.

A world without pirates running rampant.

A world where everyone was equal.

A world where discrimination between different races no longer existed...

To be honest, Aokiji’s wishes were not that extravagant.

If the Celestial Dragons disappeared, if pirates disappeared, and ordinary people could safely live out their lives, he would already be satisfied.

Because in the current world, even ordinary people who struggled with all their might just to survive still had to rely on luck.

Pirates ran rampant everywhere.

Corrupt officers were not uncommon even within Marine branch bases.

There were slave traders, nobles who oppressed civilians, and the Heavenly Tribute paid to the Celestial Dragons...

In this world, for an ordinary person, merely surviving already required giving everything they had.

Even then, they still needed luck.

That was why Aokiji chose the Revolutionary Army.

Considering that Aokiji had once been a Marine Admiral, Dragon had spoken with him before coming to Marine Headquarters.

Aokiji could have stayed away and been assigned to another operation instead.

It was Aokiji himself who insisted on participating in this mission.

Because he understood that although he had already left the Marines, he still possessed considerable prestige within the organization.

If he were present, persuading Marines to surrender would become much easier.

Aokiji also did not want those Marines who genuinely upheld justice to continue working for the World Government and remain tools used to maintain its rule.

”But when it’s time to fight, I won’t hesitate,” Aokiji said firmly.

”There’s no need to be so serious. Relax. We have more than enough top-tier fighters this time.”

Seeing Aokiji become so solemn, Nagasawa laughed.

Because there were already many Revolutionaries inside the Marines, Nagasawa had been able to quietly bring a large portion of the Revolutionary Army’s top fighters into Marine Headquarters.

Not only had Dragon come, but the commanders of the Revolutionary Army’s five armies and Sabo were also secretly hidden inside Marine Headquarters.

It wouldn’t be an exaggeration to say that most of the Revolutionary Army’s highest-ranking combat forces were currently gathered there.

Leaving aside Nagasawa, whose strength was in a league of its own, Dragon and Aokiji both possessed Admiral-level combat power.

In addition, the commanders of the Revolutionary Army’s five armies were all warriors on the level of the Seven Warlords of the Sea.

Combined with powerful Marines such as Fujitora and Chaton, who had already joined the Revolutionary Army, the hidden Revolutionary Army force inside Marine Headquarters could truly be described as terrifying.

If Akainu knew the Revolutionary Army’s true strength, he probably wouldn’t dare speak so confidently about wiping out the Revolutionary Army in the New World in one fell swoop.

Forget everyone else.

Nagasawa alone was enough to make the entire Marine force treat the situation with the utmost caution.

Moreover, two of the three Admirals were already undercover members of the Revolutionary Army.

The only remaining Admiral was someone who simply coasted through his duties.

If Akainu ever learned that, he would probably cough up blood from anger.

”Since the World Government insists on proclaiming that we possess the power to threaten the world, then we’ll show them exactly what power capable of threatening the world truly looks like.”

Dragon smiled as the corner of his mouth curled upward.

This operation was even more important than liberating ten countries.

The liberation of those ten nations had shocked the entire world, but it had merely elevated the Revolutionary Army to the same level as the Marines.

And what were the Marines?

Simply one of the World Government’s military organizations.

People still subconsciously viewed the Revolutionary Army as being comparable only to the World Government’s strongest military force rather than placing it on equal footing with the World Government itself.

But if the Revolutionary Army could defeat Marine Headquarters, then no one in the world would compare it to one of the World Government’s military organizations anymore.

Instead, they would regard the Revolutionary Army and the World Government as equals.

Beyond changing public perception, capturing Marine Headquarters offered countless benefits.

It would greatly strengthen the revolutionary movement.

Because the Marines had always emphasized justice and portrayed themselves as heroes, there were many Marines within the organization who genuinely believed in justice.

Aokiji, Smoker, and Zephyr were all examples of such Marines.

There were actually many more like them.

However, constrained by reality, they had no way to realize the justice they believed in, nor did they know how to achieve it.

Furthermore, without Marine Headquarters, the World Government would effectively lose its sharpest claw.

Whether in the Four Blues or the New World, large-scale revolutionary liberation campaigns could then begin.

If the liberation of ten countries was the Revolutionary Army’s declaration of war against the World Government—a signal that they would no longer remain hidden and had begun their counteroffensive—

Then this operation at Marine Headquarters would mark the beginning of an unprecedented war launched by the Revolutionary Army against the World Government.