As soon as these words were spoken, everyone's gaze turned to Kalifa.
The girls who had just crossed over were drawn to the topic.
'The Revolutionary Army? What was that?'
'The Yukinoshita sisters had joined that organization?'
'How were they doing now?'
Mrs. Yukinoshita put down her chopsticks and asked with some urgency, "Are they well?"
When she first crossed over, Mrs. Yukinoshita was also eager to know about her two daughters.
But after obtaining the Pure Gold, she got busy with romantic affairs with her man and temporarily forgot about them.
It's her fault, her fault.
Robin took the initiative to step forward and explain the current situation of the Revolutionary Army to everyone.
"The Revolutionary Army is led by Revolutionary Dragon. It can be said to have a wealth of talented people and experts."
She paused for a moment, then continued.
"East Army Commander Belo Betty, West Army Commander Yukinoshita Yukino, South Army Commander Smoker, North Army Commander Issho… each one is a formidable expert. Especially the West Army Commander, Yukinoshita Yukino, who is skilled at controlling seawater, and the North Army Commander, Issho… their strength is truly extraordinary."
"Additionally, the second-in-command, Sabo, and executives like Ivankov, Karasu, and Morley are not to be underestimated. Their overall strength is comparable to, or even surpasses, the Four Emperors' crews."
Robin glanced at Makoto.
"If the Commander is the most feared existence by the World Government, then the Revolutionary Army would be a close second."
Hearing this explanation, even Makoto was a bit surprised.
He hadn't expected the Revolutionary Army to be this much stronger than in the original work.
Smoker and Issho had both joined the Revolutionary Army… indeed, that lineup surpassed the Four Emperors' crews.
"Isn't there a woman named Ginny?"
Makoto suddenly remembered something and asked.
Robin was taken aback. She thought for a moment, then shook her head.
"I haven't heard of any Revolutionary Army's officer by that name. Could it be a lower-ranking member?"
'Alright.'
'It seemed that Ginny, just like in the original work, had become a Celestial Dragon's 'comfort woman' and was gone.'
Makoto found it somewhat amusing.
'Heh… Even with the Revolutionary Army this strong, it seems Sweat Prince still hasn't improved much.'
Just then, Yu remembered something and reported to Makoto, "Senpai, I recalled something. Ten years ago, that Yukinoshita woman asked to borrow the Pure Gold from me, apparently to save a woman named Ginny."
Hearing this, Makoto was speechless again.
'So, they hadn't listened to a single word I had said back on Onigashima.'
Robin continued, "Although Yukinoshita Yukino is nominally the West Army Commander, she is the most famous person in the Revolutionary Army. Over the years, she has been the one who went to subvert many government-affiliated countries. It is also said that Smoker, Issho, and the others were recruited by her."
Makoto said with a smile, "Looks like that woman is doing quite well."
While she hadn't changed much of the plot, to be honest, given Yukino's abilities, this was likely the limit of what she could achieve.
Kalifa used this opportunity to join the conversation, asking tentatively, "Commander, should we help the Yukinoshita sisters?"
Yu immediately swore, "What stupid nonsense are you saying? With the Revolutionary Army's small-time squabbles, does it require Senpai's intervention?"
At these words, Kalifa was ecstatic internally.
If Makoto had no intention of helping the Revolutionary Army, that was undoubtedly good news for the World Government.
But Kalifa kept her expression fearful, bowing to Makoto in apology. "I was rude, Commander. I thought that since those two are your women, I would..."
"With the Yukinoshita sisters' level, are they worthy?"
Yu was even more contemptuous.
Kalifa lowered her head, the corners of her mouth turning up slightly.
A few evenings later.
Kalifa hid in the restroom again to report the day's gathered intelligence to the World Government.
"Nishikawa Makoto has no intention of helping the Yukinoshita sisters and no plans to interfere with the Revolutionary Army."
The Five Elders breathed a sigh of relief at this.
But they clearly overlooked one problem… although Makoto had no interest in dealing with the World Government, there were others on this ship who wanted revenge.
For instance—
Nico Robin.
Subsequently, Makoto's group, aboard Otherworlder-Go and Perfume Yuda, made their way back to the New World.
Their first stop was, naturally, the New Amazon Lily.
Partly to send Ace back to see his mother, Rouge, and to retrieve his scumbag father's old sword.
Ace stood before the Shogun's Mansion in the Flower Capital, watching Rouge walk out. His lips moved, but he couldn't say a word.
Rouge looked at her now fully grown son, at his face and features increasingly resembling that man's, her feelings extremely complex.
But finally, she smiled, opened her arms, and gave her son a hug.
"Welcome back."
Ace's eyes reddened slightly. He nodded firmly.
"Mom, I missed you so much."
After a long while, Rouge released him, turned, walked inside, and brought out a large sword.
Supreme Grade Blade… Ace.
Roger's sword.
Ace took the sword, his fingers gently caressing the sheath. He was silent for a long time.
Meanwhile, Neptune, along with Queen Otohime and Shirahoshi, had been waiting at the port for a long time.
Seeing Makoto's ship dock, Neptune hurried forward and bowed deeply.
"Commander! Welcome back!"
"Hmm."
Makoto nodded, his gaze falling on the colossal figure behind Neptune.
Shirahoshi.
The mermaid princess, just turned thirteen, was already nearly ten meters long.
She wore a pink dress and a pearl hair ornament, her large eyes filled with nervousness and curiosity.
Like before, she tried to hide behind Otohime, but Otohime's petite frame couldn't possibly conceal her enormous bulk.
"Shirahoshi, come here."
Neptune beckoned to his daughter.
Shirahoshi hesitated, then slowly swam over.
She stopped before Makoto, head bowed, fingers twisting together, lips trembling slightly.
"N-Nishikawa-sama..."
Her voice was very soft, like a mosquito's buzz.
Makoto looked at her, raised his hand, and lightly touched her forehead.
"Don't be nervous."
His voice was very calm.
"Just live normally."
Shirahoshi looked up at Makoto's gentle face, the tension in her heart slowly subsiding.
"Yes..."
She nodded, a faint smile appearing on her face.
Neptune watched from the side, inwardly breathing a sigh of relief.
Just as Makoto's group was about to leave, Kaido arrived with his Beasts Pirates.
The massive azure dragon circled in the sky, black flame clouds wrapping around its serpentine body, blotting out the sun.
Then, the azure dragon landed and transformed into human form.
Kaido, shouldering his kanabo, strode over.
"Heard you guys were back."
His gaze swept across the crowd, finally landing on Ai.
"Hayasaka, I heard you got the Dark-Dark Fruit?"
Kaido had taught many students back in the day, and Ai was one of them.
He had noticed back then that this girl was deliberately hiding her strength, though he hadn't exposed her.
Ai glanced at Makoto. Receiving his nod, she turned and walked into the cabin.
A moment later, she came out dragging a bound and gagged man.
Foxy the Silver Fox.
User of the Slow-Slow Fruit.
They had caught him on the way back to Amazon Lily.
Ai threw Foxy onto the deck, killed him with a single chop to the neck like she was slaughtering a chicken, then placed her right hand on his abdomen.
Black mist surged from her palm, seeping into Foxy's body.
Black mist surged out from his body, enveloping a pale purple light.
Ai picked up an apple with her left hand and guided the light onto it.
The moment the pale purple light touched the apple, its surface began to change… its color shifted from red to purple, and spiral-like patterns appeared on its skin.
Within seconds, a new Devil Fruit was born.
The Slow-Slow Fruit.
The entire scene was silent.
Everyone stared with wide eyes at the pale purple Devil Fruit in Ai's hand, emitting a faint glow.
"..."
Kaido's pupils contracted sharply.
After he had witnessed the Dark-Dark Fruit's ability firsthand, the shock in his heart was beyond words.
"If I hadn't seen it with my own eyes, I wouldn't have believed it..."
"Sesei, do you want to eat it?"
Ai raised the Slow-Slow Fruit and asked.
Kaido's brow darkened.
"I'm already a user. Why would I eat this?"
Not everyone was like Blackbeard and could eat two Devil Fruits.
"Oh my~ Looks like you don't really want to die that badly after all, Dad."
Yamato leaned in from the side, grinning teasingly.
Although the world knew Kaido's hobby was 'suicide', with him picking fights with the Marine or other Emperors, or jumping from ten thousand metres, Yamato had always suspected her father's behavior was just performance art or purely showing off.
If he really wanted to die, wouldn't it be easier to just eat another Devil Fruit?
Hearing this 'unfilial daughter' embarrass him like that, Kaido's brow furrowed. He grabbed his kanabo and swung it at Yamato's head.
Yamato was prepared. She also drew her kanabo and met it head-on.
Boom—!
The two kanabos collided with a deafening impact. The shockwave spread outwards, with most of the force rushing skyward, splitting the clouds in two.