Chapter 94: Bro, Quit Gambling Already, Just Stop
Once the World Government's massive machinery roared to life, the Revolutionary Army immediately suffered a blow of unprecedented scale.
In just a matter of days, countless members were captured or even killed.
In the East Blue, for instance, Eastern Army Commander Belo Betty was in the middle of rallying the citizens to rise against their oppressors when she was caught in a pincer attack by government agents and the Navy.
Even Marine Admiral Kizaru arrived on the scene with terrifying punctuality, raining down an assault upon her.
Had Dragon, the leader of the Revolutionary Army, not been in the vicinity to intercept Kizaru in the nick of time, Belo Betty likely would have been hauled off to prison then and there.
The onslaught wasn't limited to her alone; Revolutionary Army branches across the globe were coming under fire simultaneously.
In the blink of an eye, several major uprisings collapsed entirely, leaving the organization with devastating losses.
At the Revolutionary Army Headquarters.
The top brass had gathered for an emergency meeting.
Sabo, the Revolutionary Army's second-in-command, spoke with a grim expression. "Chief, the World Government seems to have gone completely mad lately. They're hunting us down without a moment's rest. What on earth is happening?"
It wasn't as if the Revolutionary Army hadn't been a target before, but the sheer intensity of this campaign was on another level.
It was as if the World Government had abandoned all other duties just to focus every ounce of its strength on eradicating them.
It was utterly nonsensical.
Even Dragon found himself puzzled. While he took pride in the strength of his organization, he knew they hadn't yet reached the stage where the World Government would reasonably deploy its entire arsenal against them.
Something had happened behind the scenes—something he was missing.
But no matter how many times he turned it over in his mind, the answer eluded him.
Ultimately, he decided to reach out to Robin to see if she had uncovered any leads.
...
A short while earlier, at a casino in the West Blue.
Yumesaki, Robin, and Hashirama strolled inside with practiced ease. After a quick sweep of the room, their eyes landed on a blind man with a prominent X-shaped scar on his forehead, and they exchanged knowing smiles.
Yumesaki and Robin approached the man, taking seats on his left and right.
The man was none other than Issho, the future Marine Admiral Fujitora.
Of course, at this point in time, he wasn't yet "Fujitora"—he was simply Issho.
Issho acted as if he hadn't noticed the arrival of Yumesaki and Robin. Just like the surrounding gamblers, he held a handful of Berries, hesitating with deep focus over whether to bet on Big or Small.
He was more than capable of using his Observation Haki to cheat, but he considered such an act beneath him.
His luck at gambling might have been mediocre at best, but his gambling ethics were impeccable.
Just then, Hashirama—who had finished exchanging his chips—walked over. Without even glancing at the table, he slammed his entire stack down on "Small."
For Hashirama, having gone through the trouble of entering a casino, failing to gamble a few rounds felt like a personal betrayal of his very soul.
At that moment, Yumesaki spoke up casually. "If I were you, I'd go with Big."
Issho knew Yumesaki was addressing him, so he asked with genuine curiosity, "And why is that, sir?"
Yumesaki replied, "Because my companion chose Small."
"Huh?" Issho didn't quite follow, though he felt a flicker of intrigue.
Even Hashirama could barely contain himself. What did his choice of "Small" have to do with anything?
Yumesaki continued slowly, "This friend of mine is just like you—a gambling addict. However, his luck is abysmal. Whatever he bets on, he is guaranteed to lose. If you want to win money, bet on Big. If you're looking to lose it, follow his lead on Small."
Before Issho could get a word in, Hashirama was already panicking. "Impossible! Utterly impossible! My title is the Gambling God of Konoha! There's no way I'd lose every single bet. This is slander! Pure slander!"
Robin couldn't help but roll her eyes. Slander or not, both he and Tsunade shared the same horrific luck and the same talent for draining their wallets. Did they really have no self-awareness?
It was truly... well, never mind. Some things were better left unsaid.
She decided to let him keep what little dignity he had left.
With a hint of skepticism, Issho placed his bet on "Big." Sure enough, he won the round.
Over the next dozen rounds, the pattern held firm. Every time he bet the same as Hashirama, he lost. Every time he bet against him, he won.
Well, this... this was something else.
Issho had seen gamblers with bad luck before, but a loser as consistent as Hashirama was a first for him.
And a man like this dared to call himself the Gambling God of Konoha?
Just what kind of place was Konoha that someone like this could claim such a title?
After a dozen rounds, Issho could clearly feel Hashirama's aura shift from overconfident to deeply depressed. He couldn't help but offer a word of advice. "Bro, don't gamble anymore. Just stop."
With luck like that, even a mountain of gold or silver at home wouldn't be enough to keep him afloat.
Issho couldn't fathom how the man could have been so confident at the start despite having such a cursed hand.
Looking at him, he didn't exactly look like a novice, either.
Hashirama didn't bother responding to Issho; he was currently wallowing in a dark cloud of depression.
Seeing this, Issho could only shake his head. He knew Hashirama wasn't listening. It was common enough—after all, how many gambling addicts actually listened to reason?
And it wasn't as if he was one to talk, was he?
Shaking off the mood, Issho asked curiously, "So, what is it you want from me?"
From the moment they had entered, they had sat directly beside him. By any metric, they didn't look like people who had just happened to be passing through.
The only reason he hadn't driven them away was because he sensed no malice from them.
"Could we talk somewhere else?" Robin asked.
Issho nodded. He was perfectly confident in his own strength. If these people truly harbored ill intent and planned to ambush him, he wouldn't mind teaching them a lesson.
"Where to?"
"Just a nearby restaurant. I noticed a place that looked quite lively."
When Yumesaki had arrived, he had spotted a nice barbecue joint with a good crowd and wanted to give it a try.
Issho didn't refuse; he happened to be in the mood for grilled meat himself.
And so, the group left the casino and headed to the barbecue shop, where they reserved a private room.
Once they were seated, Yumesaki ordered a massive spread: beef, lamb, pork, dog meat, and even Sea King meat.
Robin activated her Hana Hana no Mi powers. Several arms suddenly sprouted from the table, picking up tongs and beginning to grill the meat with expert precision.
One had to admit, this ability was remarkably convenient for a barbecue.
Flipping the meat, sprinkling spices, wrapping the greens—it was a full-service experience.
Yumesaki only had to sit back and enjoy the meal.
While controlling several arms to grill meat for Yumesaki, Robin asked, "Mr. Issho, what is your view on the World Government?"
Issho paused. "Ah, well..."
Starting right off with a topic that heavy? This made him even more curious about who these people were.
Could they be those who opposed the World Government, like the Revolutionary Army or someone similar?
While he pondered that, he replied, "The World Government certainly has its dark sides, but in the end, they have stabilized the world's order and provided a way for the common people to survive."
Yumesaki nodded and said, "Quite true. As the saying goes, even the worst order is better than no order at all."
"The worst order is better than no order?"
Hearing those words, Issho couldn't help but repeat them. Yumesaki's statement resonated deeply with the principles he held in his heart.
Robin wasn't surprised by his answer. If Issho were truly an extremist who hated the World Government, he never would have become a Marine Admiral through the World Military Draft two years down the line.
"Then, what do you think of the Celestial Dragons?" she asked next.
This time, Issho's expression soured. While he acknowledged the necessity of the World Government's authority, he could not stomach the actions of the Celestial Dragons.
"Cruel!"
After a long hesitation, Issho finally voiced his true feelings.
If a World Government agent were to hear this, he would undoubtedly be arrested and face a harsh sentence in prison.
But he didn't care.
Yumesaki and Robin cared even less. Robin leaned in. "Mr. Issho, if one day the Celestial Dragons sought to destroy this world, and the World Government acted as their accomplice, what would you do?"
What was that? The Celestial Dragons wanting to destroy the world? Was there such a thing?
"That should be impossible," Issho said instinctively. The Celestial Dragons weren't fools. If the world were destroyed, how could they continue to stand atop everyone else and act as they pleased?
It was simple logic—surely even the Celestial Dragons could understand that?
And even if all the Celestial Dragons were too foolish to realize it, wasn't there still the World Government to keep things in check?
Robin countered, "Regrettably, that is exactly the reality of the matter. In a few years, the world's sea levels will rise, and most islands will sink into the ocean."
"Very few places will survive the disaster, and the Holy Land of Mary Geoise is one of them."
"The World Government has known about this for eight hundred years."
"And yet, they have kept it a secret and allowed all of this to unfold."
Issho didn't believe it immediately. Instead, he asked, "Who are you, and how do you know these things?"
Robin dropped her disguise, revealing her true face. "I am Nico Robin, the sole survivor of Ohara. I believe you have heard my name, Mr. Issho."
Issho fell silent. He had indeed heard of her.
"Can you tell me where exactly you learned of this?"
"Lord Vegapunk told us."
"Vegapunk? The world's greatest scientist?" Issho was genuinely shocked. How did this matter involve that man as well?
Robin explained, "While Lord Vegapunk is a man of the World Government, he has been secretly researching the history of the Void Century. I—"
Gulu gulu gulu...
Right at that moment, the Transponder Snail in Robin's possession suddenly began to ring.
Seeing this, Issho gestured for her to go ahead.
Robin offered an apology and picked up the call. Dragon's voice echoed from the other end.
"Ms. Robin, I have something to ask you. Lately, the World Government has been targeting the Revolutionary Army with overwhelming force. Do you happen to know what's going on?"
Robin blinked in surprise. "Doesn't the World Government always target the Revolutionary Army?"
Dragon nodded solemnly. "That's true, but lately they've gone completely manic, as if they intend to rip the Revolutionary Army out by the roots. Many of our comrades have fallen to this suppression, so I have to ask—what exactly is the World Government planning?"
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