Whitebeard bellowed,
"Are you saying I need to go there personally again? What do you take me for!?"
From Whitebeard's perspective, being rejected once was bad enough. Asking him to approach Shanks again would mean losing face on the Grand Line.
Dragon wiped away the spit Whitebeard had inadvertently sprayed on him and said calmly,
"Newgate, there's no need to get so worked up. I wasn't suggesting that you go in person again."
Whitebeard frowned and asked gravely,
"Then what are you suggesting? Send someone to deliver a letter to Red-Hair and set up a meeting spot?"
Dragon shook his head.
"No. Two Emperor crews moving simultaneously would draw too much attention and leak our plans. It's better if I go meet Red-Hair myself. I believe my identity carries enough weight for him."
Whitebeard raised an eyebrow. He thought Dragon's suggestion was good, but his pride made it difficult to agree outright.
Having honed his observational skills over the years, Dragon noticed Whitebeard's hesitation and chuckled,
"Newgate, perhaps you and Red-Hair should take a step back. After all, Red-Hair is one of the Emperors now. You can't always treat him like a junior. He may have recently gained even greater strength, and coupled with his youth, it's only natural for him to overstep occasionally. Let's understand each other."
This gave Whitebeard an excuse to relent. He snorted,
"Fine, let's do it your way."
Marco offered a kind reminder,
"Dragon, Red-Hair's ambitions are vast and unpredictable. Be cautious when dealing with him."
Dragon nodded.
"I understand. But don't worry too much—I'm not going alone this time. A strong Commander from my army will accompany me."
Whitebeard asked,
"You mean that kid Sabo?"
"No, Sabo is still stationed at the base. This Commander is someone I encountered during my travels—he's only recently joined the Revolutionary Army."
"Oh? So, a rookie? And you already gave him a Commander position? You trust him that much?"
Dragon's face lit with a confident smile.
"Of course. We share the same ideals, and his character is trustworthy."
Whitebeard became intrigued.
"For a man like you to hold someone in such high regard, they must be extraordinary. What's his name?"
Dragon smiled mysteriously.
"Newgate, not everyone seeks fame. Though this person wields incredible strength, he prefers to remain low-key. However, I believe his name will soon echo across the seas."
Whitebeard didn't press further. Instead, he casually tossed a jug of sake at Dragon. Dragon caught it single-handedly, took a large swig, and turned to leave,
"I'll depart immediately. Wait for my good news."
...
Meanwhile, aboard the Red Force,
Shanks, resting on the deck, suddenly opened his eyes, a red glint flashing through them.
Standing by the ship's railing, Benn Beckman snuffed out his cigarette and turned to look at him.
Shanks narrowed his eyes.
"Things have been lively lately. Another visitor is coming."
Beckman spoke,
"The Night Butterfly Pirates are about to cross paths with those cloaked figures."
Shanks nodded.
"They're not flying a pirate flag, and they don't look like pirates."
Both Shanks and Beckman possessed advanced Observation Haki, allowing them to glimpse into the future. In their vision, the entire Night Butterfly Pirates crew collapsed in an instant, clearly overpowered by someone with mastery of Conqueror's Haki.
The Night Butterfly Pirates, a weak group under the Red-Hair Pirates' protection, stood no chance against such an opponent.
However, it seemed the cloaked figures had no intention of harming the crew, using Conqueror's Haki only to subdue them.
Shanks slowly got up and instructed Rockstar,
"Rockstar, notify the Night Butterfly Pirates. If they encounter a suspicious ship, they're to retreat immediately."
Rockstar nodded and went below deck to contact the Night Butterfly Pirates via Den Den Mushi.
Beckman asked,
"Are we going to meet them?"
"No need. Their target is us—they'll come to us."
With that, Shanks leaned back into his chair and closed his eyes again. Beckman, saying no more, lit another cigarette and gazed out at the sea.
After a while, he murmured,
"They're here."
At Beckman's words, the crew gathered at the railing. From the distant horizon, a large ship emerged.
As Shanks had foreseen, the figures standing on the ship's prow were cloaked.
Beckman signaled for the crew not to act rashly and watched as the ship drew alongside the Red Force.
Two figures leaped from the other ship, landing on the Red-Hair Pirates' deck.
They removed their hoods. One, smiling warmly, greeted Beckman,
"You must be First Mate Benn Beckman. A pleasure to meet you. Allow me to introduce myself—"
Beckman cut him off.
"Supreme Commander of the Revolutionary Army, Monkey D. Dragon."
Dragon's smile didn't falter. Beside him stood a middle-aged man with black, cropped hair, two prominent scars on his forehead, and closed eyes. Despite his fearsome appearance, he exuded calm.
Sensing Beckman's gaze, the man introduced himself.
"I am Issho, Commander of the Revolutionary Army's Grand Line forces."
Beckman, unfamiliar with the name Issho, could nonetheless sense his strength.
Beckman nodded politely. However, his next words froze the smile on Dragon's face.
"Alright. If you're not here to start a fight, leave. Our captain won't appreciate your presence."
Dragon was momentarily taken aback. The Revolutionary Army had no quarrel with the Red-Hair Pirates, and their paths rarely crossed. Beckman's bluntness was unexpected.
But retreating without meeting Shanks was unthinkable. If Dragon left now, how could he face Whitebeard later?
As Dragon began to speak, deliberate footsteps echoed from behind Beckman.
The Red-Hair crew parted to make way, and Dragon saw Shanks approaching.
Shanks lowered his head slightly, his crimson hair swaying. He murmured,
"The Revolutionary Army... what exactly are you trying to overthrow?"
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+255 chapters on p@treon/tambeerg