In a hot spring hotel on Cornillo Island, Claudius and Dragon were soaking in the hot spring, steam rising around them as they relaxed.
Claudius had a feeling Dragon was planning sothing big, so to avoid unwanted attention, he had instructed his butler Nia to book the entire hotel for them. With no one else around, they could speak freely without fear of being overheard.
Dragon leaned back in the hot water, his expression much more relaxed than before. With a sigh of relief, he said, "It's been years since we've seen each other, Mr. Crowe. You've changed so much, I almost didn't recognize you. If it weren't for Miss Nia by your side, I would've walked right past you."
Claudius smiled and replied, "You've changed a lot too. And that tattoo on your face... what's the story behind it?" He gestured toward the lines now etched across Dragon's face.
When Claudius had t him at Naval Headquarters a few years ago, Dragon hadn't had that tattoo. Now, it seed like a permanent fixture, sparking Claudius's curiosity.
"This?" Dragon touched his cheek lightly, then smiled. "A mark of my resolve, I suppose."
Seeing that Dragon didn't want to go into more detail, Claudius didn't push him further. After all, what if it was the result of a smack from Garp? That would be a bit awkward to explain.
Changing the subject, Claudius asked, "I heard you resigned from your position as Vice Admiral earlier this year. That caught by surprise. From what I rember, you were on track for promotion to Admiral. Why give up such a promising career? With your skills and reputation, even the position of Fleet Admiral wasn't out of reach for you. So, why leave?"
Dragon leaned his head back against the stones of the hot spring, smiling softly. "Paths diverge, and sotis, they can't be reconciled. After all these years, I realized I could never fully align myself with Marine's sense of justice. There was an insurmountable gap between us..."
"What do you an by that?" Claudius asked, sinking deeper into the soothing waters.
"The justice Marine fights for isn't the justice I believe in," Dragon said, his voice calm but tinged with regret. "If I had stayed, it would have only led to more conflict and bitterness. So, I chose to leave while I still could."
Claudius nodded slowly. He had half-expected this, knowing Dragon's nature.
Dragon waited a mont, clearly expecting Claudius to ask more, but when the latter simply sat back and enjoyed the hot spring, saying nothing, Dragon's patience began to wane.
"Mr. Crowe, aren't you going to ask what I'm planning next?" Dragon said with a sigh, sounding both amused and exasperated.
Claudius blinked as if suddenly realizing what Dragon wanted and asked, "Oh right, Dragon, what's your plan?"
"Can you be a little more sincere?" Dragon replied, shaking his head with a wry smile.
The truth was that, over the years, Dragon had co to view Claudius as a close friend, soone who might share his vision for the world. He had hoped Claudius would be more invested in this conversation, given their similar ideals. But for now, it seed like he'd have to be the one to push the topic forward.
Claudius chuckled and leaned in slightly, giving Dragon his full attention. "Alright, Dragon. So, what's your plan now that you've left Marine? And why did you want to et here?"
Dragon's expression grew serious as he replied, "I'm going to strike out on my own. I've thought it over for a long ti, and now I'm ready to make my move. That's why I invited you here... I'd like you to join ."
"Join you?" Claudius raised an eyebrow, his expression a mixture of curiosity and amusent. He was starting to understand where this was going.
It's like Roger back on Sabaody. He hardly knew , yet he invited to join his crew. And now here's Dragon, doing the sa thing, assuming I'll say yes without even considering the possibility of turning him down.
"Yes, join ," Dragon repeated earnestly. "You and I, we share so differences in our views, but we also have many common ideals. I still rember what you said to in Marineford, that question you posed 'What do you think justice is?' It resonated deeply with . Since then, I've traveled the world, seen the suffering in countless nations, and realized what I need to do. So, I'm asking you, Mr. Crowe, to walk this path with ."
Claudius listened closely, but couldn't help but feel a bit wary. "Walk with you? Where exactly are you going?"
Dragon hesitated for a mont, weighing his next words carefully. Then, he sighed, deciding to reveal his true intentions. "I want to dedicate my life to changing this world. It's rotten, Claudius. The corruption has spread too deep. I believe it's ti to give this world a brighter future."
Claudius stared at him for a mont before chuckling. "You still talk like that, huh? Dressing up rebellion with fancy words. Just call it what it is, Dragon. You want to start a revolution."
Dragon couldn't help but laugh as well. "You're right, Mr. Crowe. I am being a bit hypocritical with my words. Yes, I want to start a revolution."
"A revolution against who, exactly?" Claudius asked, though he had a feeling he already knew the answer.
"The biggest oppressors of all," Dragon said, his tone growing serious. "The Celestial Dragons. You should know better than anyone how corrupt and out of touch they are. They treat everyone like dirt, like slaves, while they sit on their thrones in Mariejois. For eight hundred years, they've ruled with cruelty and arrogance. I can't stand by and watch them destroy more lives. My mission is to take them down. I want to free the world from their chains."
Dragon's words hung in the air, heavy with purpose. Claudius sat quietly, absorbing it all. After a long silence, Claudius finally spoke.
"Dragon, you know I live in Mariejois, right? You know who I am... and you're still telling this?" Claudius asked softly, his tone almost playful.
Dragon nodded, his confidence unwavering. "I know you work for CP-0. I know CP-0 is the shield of the Celestial Dragons, answering directly to them..."
"Then why are you so willing to tell all of this?" Claudius asked, genuinely curious.
"I'll admit, I was hesitant at first," Dragon said, a small smile on his lips. "I've been wrestling with this decision for months. But in the end, I decided to trust you. Everything in life can be faked, except for one thing your convictions. I believe in your convictions, Claudius. I'm convinced you'll join ."
"You?" Claudius raised an eyebrow, now fully understanding what Dragon was implying.
"Yes, to show you that I'm serious about this, I've already started gathering like-minded individuals. Together, we've ford a force a 'Revolutionary Army.' We're united by the sa goal: to overthrow the Celestial Dragons and reshape this world."
Claudius smiled slightly, impressed by Dragon's sincerity and the risks he had taken by revealing this much. "You've laid all your cards on the table... But I'm afraid I can't join you, Dragon."
Dragon blinked, caught off guard. He had expected so resistance, but not a flat-out refusal. "You haven't even heard my full plan. Why reject so quickly?"
Claudius shook his head. "Dragon, it's not about the plan. It's about sothing much more fundantal. I can't join you because..."
"Because what?" Dragon frowned, sensing sothing off. A nagging feeling of dread crept over him.
Claudius paused, then smiled softly. "The reason I can't join you, Dragon, is because I'm not actually a mber of CP-0."
"Huh?" Dragon stared at him, confused. "Isn't that better? If you're not CP-0, then—"
Claudius raised a hand to stop him. "Listen. While it's true I'm not part of CP-0, if you're really going to go down this path, then... the two of us are destined to be enemies."
"Enemies?" Dragon repeated, his voice dropping as realization dawned on him. His body, still subrged in the hot spring, tensed as he whispered, "You... you're..."
"That's right," Claudius said, his voice calm but filled with a strange weight. "I'm one of those 'corrupt, cruel' Celestial Dragons you're talking about."
Dragon's world seed to stop. He froze, his mind racing. "You... you're a Celestial Dragon?"
Claudius nodded, smiling faintly. "That's right. My full na is Donquixote Claudius. I'm a mber of the Donquixote family, one of the original 19 Celestial Dragon clans."
Dragon's jaw tightened, his mind reeling from the revelation. He'd co here, exposed his deepest secrets, and now he realized he'd been talking about revolution with a Celestial Dragon.
********
Check out the other fanfictions I'm working on;
* Ultimate Man [JJK X SOL]: Loading Golden Entries at The Start
* My Hero Academia: Thunder God
*Naruto: Reborn As Orochimaru
*Starting With Real Madrid
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