XX-level Hokage

Upon hearing this, the dragon said in a deep yet firm voice, "You don't understand the meaning of revolution at all, sorcerer! We don't have a powerful army or a large force, but we have the support of the people."

Everything we do is for the sake of ensuring that this corrupt world can one day truly be free from tyranny and oppression.

"Oh? The support of the people?" Mashiro's tone was full of sarcasm. She slowly walked up to Dragon and looked down at the bound man. "After all these years, what has the Revolutionary Army actually changed? Your petty squabbles have accomplished absolutely nothing except causing the World Government some minor annoyance."

Her voice gradually became serious.

But what about me? I saved Cocoyasi Village from being controlled by evil fishmen, liberated the Alabasta Kingdom from Crocodile's conspiracy, defeated Enel who claimed to be a god on Skypiea, revived Ohara, the land of scholars, cleared away future threats for Fishman Island, and even defeated Kaido, restoring peace to Wano Country.

And Dressrosa, the people enslaved by Doflamingo, have now also gained their freedom.

Mashiro's tone gradually rose, carrying an overwhelming momentum: "And you, Monkey D. Dragon, where is your Revolutionary Army? You are still hiding, still planning those meaningless actions."

Compared to me, you are nothing but incompetent delusional dreamers.

Dragon's expression changed slightly. Although Mashiro's words were harsh, they undeniably hit the nail on the head.

For many years, the Revolutionary Army has indeed failed to deliver a fatal blow to the World Government. Instead, it has been overwhelmed by Mashiro's series of victories in a short period of time.

Nevertheless, Long was not completely convinced. He coldly retorted, "What you did was ultimately nothing more than the satisfaction of personal ambition. You defeated Kai..."

"You liberated many oppressed kingdoms, but all of this was to consolidate your own power."

“Is that so?” Mashiro smiled slightly, seemingly unconcerned to refute. “Ambition and power are indeed part of what I pursue, but can you deny that the people of these kingdoms are living better lives now than before? Can you deny that the enemies I defeated were the source of evil in this world? Compared to your Revolutionary Army, my actions are faster and more effective, while you only hide in the corner, waiting for others to finish everything.”

Dragon fell into a brief silence; Mashiro's words undoubtedly left him with mixed feelings.

As the leader of the revolutionary army, he naturally could not accept Shinji's actions, but he could not deny her achievements.

After a moment, he looked up at Mashiro and said coldly, "Even if you liberate those countries and overthrow the corrupt rulers, you are still just another ruler."

The 'peace' you seek is ultimately nothing more than an extension of your personal desire for domination. A person like you has no understanding of true freedom and peace.

Mashiro was not angered by the dragon's accusations. Instead, she revealed a disdainful smile: "Freedom and peace? What a naive fantasy! The world is chaotic, and human nature is greed and desire."

Without absolute control of power, your so-called freedom is nothing more than a breeding ground for new chaos.

You and your revolutionary army cannot understand this, and are destined to hide like rats until they are completely swallowed up by the torrent of the world.

"I will establish an ocean kingdom," a completely new system that transcends any nation or power. This kingdom will break down all old boundaries, and there will be no more corrupt nobles or Celestial Dragons in power. I will concentrate all my strength to ensure order and peace in this kingdom.

And you, Dragon, if you so desire, your revolutionary army will become the oversight force on land, responsible for monitoring government officials in various countries and ensuring their safety.

They will no longer be corrupt.

Long's expression gradually became complicated. Zhen Zi's plan was clearly more intricate than he had anticipated.

She not only wants to overthrow the world government, but also to create a completely new system of governance, utterly overturning the existing order.

Deep down, Ryu had to admit that Shinji's plan was indeed feasible, even more practical than the Revolutionary Army's ideals. But he still refused to accept this future.

Chapter 177: Kerla

He said coldly, "Sorcerer, you are nothing more than a substitute for the tyranny of the World Government in another form."

The kingdom you've built is ultimately nothing more than one person's control over the entire world; the peace you speak of is merely a pseudo-peace under violence and coercion. The people...

What is needed is freedom, not a new dictator.

Mashiro, still smiling, replied after hearing Ryu's words, "Dictator? Perhaps you're right. I don't mind being called a dictator."

But it is precisely because I possess sufficient power that I can truly bring peace to this world. The concentration of power is not for my own ambition, but to prevent new chaos.

"I will rule this world in the name of divine wisdom, and will no longer tolerate any form of betrayal or turmoil." "In the name of divine wisdom?" The dragon frowned. Hearing this title for the first time, he felt a vague unease.

Mashiro said calmly, "You can continue to indulge in your childish ideals, Dragon, but you will soon find that reality cannot be changed by fantasy. I will prove to you that my ocean kingdom will bring true order and peace. At that time, you will find that your so-called freedom is nothing but useless empty talk."

"Are you threatening me?" the dragon asked.

"No, I'm just giving you a choice: join me or continue struggling in this corrupt world. Only by standing on my side can you truly achieve your ideals."

Long fell silent, feeling an immense struggle and inner conflict within him.

“I believe that true liberation will only be achieved by the people themselves, not by a self-centered tyrant,” the dragon said slowly.

Mashiro raised an eyebrow slightly, her smile gradually fading, and then she said calmly, "Perhaps, but you must understand that times have changed. Even if you are unwilling to accept it, the future direction is no longer determined by your revolutionary army. Follow me, or be forgotten in future history."

Dragon's heart was in turmoil over Mashiro's words. He knew that no matter what, he could not bow down to this former comrade. "I am not afraid of sacrifice," Dragon said softly. "I will continue to fight for my beliefs, even if it is for that tiny hope."

"Hope?" Mashiro sneered. "Do you think hope can change everything? I've seen the truth of this world, while you're still asleep in your dreams. You can continue to cling to your beliefs, but I'll show you that this world doesn't need those empty ideals at all."

"Think it over carefully yourself, or I won't mind electing a new leader for the Revolutionary Army." After saying this, Mashiro turned and left, leaving behind the still calm and angry Ryu.

His figure gradually disappeared in the shadows of the prison cell, seemingly taking away all hope and faith.

Ryu's resolve remained unshaken. He knew the road ahead would be even more difficult, but he would never give up. Leaving the cell, Mashiro frowned slightly.

It seems that the Revolutionary Army cannot rely on Long for the time being and must find a backup candidate.

It seems I'll have to find out more about the Revolutionary Army's members. Walking the streets of Dressrosa.

All the civilians and the revolutionary army that came to their aid looked at Mashiro with great respect.

They also read the latest report from the World Economic Herald and learned about Mashiro's deeds. It can be said that at this time, Mashiro was definitely the most influential person in the world.

Just then, a cheerful voice reached Mashiro's ears.

Yes, yes, this is it. Let's define the area with lines first.

Mashiro stopped in her tracks and looked in the direction of the sound.

Within a broken wall, a beautiful young woman with orange hair, wearing a short dress, a small hat with goggles, and wearing a dress, stood...

The woman was directing a group of revolutionary soldiers dressed in gray to do various tasks.

The area suffered immense damage to buildings and houses due to the great battle between Dragon and Akainu. Sabo then contacted the Revolutionary Army, who had been waiting outside Dressrosa, to help rebuild the destroyed area.

Mashiro remembers that the person in charge of the reconstruction was a girl named Koala, which should be her.

At that moment, Koala, who had turned around, also noticed Mashiro. Smiling, she approached Mashiro and greeted her warmly, "It's a pleasure to meet you, sorcerer-sama. My name is Koala, and I'm roughly considered a cadre in the Revolutionary Army."

“It’s nice to meet you, Koala. Just call me Mashiro,” Mashiro replied with a smile.

She was always friendly to beautiful young girls. Name: Sabo

Gender: Male Age: 22

Affiliation: Revolutionary Army

Three types of Haki: Armament Haki, Observation Haki

Devil Fruit: None; Weapon: None

Height: 160cm; Luck Value: 60; Approval Rating: 35

Looking at the girl's information, Mashiro felt a little emotional.

160cm, a height that is quite normal in the world, is quite rare in this world.

That won't do. You and Lord Dragon are equal allies. If I don't use honorifics, Sabo will definitely complain about me later.

"Since you don't like the way I address you, then I'll call you Lady Mashiro." Koala said with a bright smile. "Of course, it doesn't matter what kind of title you use."

"But, Koala, I feel like I've heard your name somewhere before," Mashiro said softly.

You've heard my name? That must be a coincidence. I'm in charge of intelligence within the Revolutionary Army, specializing in espionage missions, so my name is rarely seen in the public eye. "Because of the importance and trust Dragon showed towards Mashiro, Koala had no intention of hiding anything from her."

"Perhaps I misheard. But, is Kera from Forsythe Island?" Mashiro asked softly, as if she had thought of something.

Upon hearing the name of Forsythe Island, Kera was immediately startled and said, "Lord Mashiro, how do you know the name of my hometown? Could it be that the Kera you've heard about is really me?"

"Since Koala-chan Mashiro was born on Forsythe Island, then there's no problem. As for why I know your name that I've heard about, actually..."

"Jinbe told me that before, but I didn't pay much attention to it at the time," Qibai asked softly.

Upon hearing the name Jinbe, Koala froze instantly, and her expression became excited.

"Jinbe-sama?! Lord Mashiro, you actually know Jinbe-sama?! How is he? I've always wanted to visit him on Fish-Man Island, but because of my identity, I've never been able to go," Koala said excitedly.

"Not only do we know each other, but Tiger and I co-founded the Sun Pirates, the crew Jinbe was previously in, and I became the vice-captain of the Sun Pirates. However, for some reason, I left the Sun Pirates first," Mashiro said calmly.

Upon hearing the names "Sun Pirates" and "Tiger," Koala instantly calmed down, her expression filled with gratitude yet also sadness, and glistening tears welled up in her eyes.

Water also began to form in the eye sockets.

Chapter 178: Bear and Ginny (Part 1)

“I remember Tiger died around that time,” Mashiro continued.

Upon hearing this, Koala's expression immediately turned sad and tense, and she kept talking to Mashiro.

"I'm so sorry, I'm so sorry. It's all because of me. If it weren't for saving me, Lord Tiger wouldn't have..."

Koala is a resident of Forshat Island. After being captured by human traffickers, she became a slave of the Celestial Dragons. When she was 11 years old, she escaped with other slaves when Mashiro and Fisher Tiger caused a ruckus in Mary Geoise to liberate the slaves.

However, instead of boarding the two men's ship, Mary Geoise secretly left via a cargo ship in the port.

Three years after escaping Mary Geoise, Kella lived on a small island. Because Kella was too far from her home island of Forsythe, the islanders entrusted her to Fisher Tiger, who happened to be nearby, hoping he could take her back home.

Because of the long-term abuse she suffered at the hands of the Celestial Dragons, she can only greet everyone with a smile. Whenever she is subjected to malicious insults, pressure, or suddenly feels nervous and at a loss, she will subconsciously kneel down and wipe the floor.

After being scolded by Ah Long, Kerla was terrified and tore off her trouser leg to wipe the floor.

She kept pleading, "Please forgive me, I will work, I will clean without stopping, please don't hit me, I'm sorry," and "No matter what happens, I won't cry, please don't kill me."

Because Tiger promised the islanders he would send her back to her hometown, she became the only human in the Sun Pirates. After realizing that Tiger was different from the Celestial Dragons, she revealed her true feelings and gradually became more willing to get closer to the other members of the crew. The members of the Sun Pirates also liked her quite a bit (except for Arlong).

Fisher Tiger then kept Kerla behind, took her to his room, and used a branding iron to erase Kerla's slave mark.

Tiger deliberately obtained the Perpetual Pose from Koala's hometown, Forsythia Island, so Hachi, a member of the Sun Pirates, took her to get a haircut.

I tidied her up and bought her a new dress so she could look brand new.

After several weeks of sailing, Kera was sent back to her hometown village by Tiger.

Before leaving, she also said that she would tell the people of her hometown about the kindness of the fish people. However, after returning to her hometown, the villagers informed the navy without Kella's knowledge, which led to Fisher Tiger being besieged and ultimately indirectly killed.

This is also Kera's biggest nightmare. Even after joining the Revolutionary Army for so many years, she still often has nightmares, especially on Tiger's death anniversary.

Now, seeing Mashiro, the vice-captain of the Sun Pirates, everything from the past flooded Koala's mind once again without mercy. Before Koala could finish speaking, Mashiro pulled her into his arms.

There's no need to be sad or blame yourself. Tiger's death is indeed very regrettable, and the suffering people are truly infuriating, but none of this has anything to do with you.

Tiger trusted humans too much, and at that time, humans and fish-men had a deep misunderstanding. Even if it wasn't you, there would have been someone else. I told Tiger a long time ago that he would die at the hands of the human he loved most.

So don't blame yourself too much. I think Tiger will never hold a grudge against you in the end. As Mashiro spoke gently, Koala's tears fell continuously.

The words spoken to her by a member of the Sun Pirates lessened her guilt considerably, allowing her to confront her past for the first time.