The crew on the ship immediately surrounded the silver-haired girl, their guns trained on her. The atmosphere turned tense in an instant.
But then Dragon spoke. "Stand down. Lower your weapons."
The crew looked to Dragon in confusion, unsure of his intentions, but they obeyed and lowered their weapons.
Ivankov, clearly agitated, exclaimed, "Dragon, she's a World Government Inspector! If she exposes our location, we're in big trouble. Why don't we take this chance and finish her off while she's alone? Then no one would know."
"You don't need to tell me. I already have a plan," Dragon replied as he turned toward Kaguya, his eyes fixed on her. "You didn't come here to start a fight with us, did you?"
If Kaguya truly had hostile intentions, she wouldn't have revealed herself like this. Instead, she would've secretly notified the Navy and had them surround the area with warships. Appearing openly like this would only put the enemy on alert.
Kaguya's lips curved into a small smile. "As expected from the leader of the Revolutionary Army—sharp and rational. Compared to some muscle-bound apes with no brains, you're quite the improvement."
She deliberately glanced at Ivankov.
"What did you say?!" Ivankov yelled furiously. "Arrogant little brat! I'll teach you a lesson—"
"That's enough, Ivankov," Dragon interrupted with a raised hand. Then, turning to Kaguya, he asked, "So why exactly are you here?"
"My reason for coming is simple," Kaguya said as she casually walked over to a bench and sat down, smiling lightly. "I'm here to propose a small deal with your Revolutionary Army."
"A deal?" Dragon's eyes narrowed.
"That's right. But…" Kaguya's gaze swept across the nearby crew. "I'd prefer to speak with you in private."
Dragon turned to his crew and said, "You're dismissed. And remember—don't enter unless I say so."
"Understood."
The crew obeyed, lowering their weapons and leaving the room, though they remained just outside the door, ready in case of an emergency.
Kaguya then glanced at Ivankov, who was still standing beside Dragon. "Unrelated personnel can leave too—including you."
Dragon nodded. "Ivankov, please wait outside."
Ivankov looked shocked. "Dragon, don't listen to her. What if this is a trap?!"
"A trap?" Kaguya sneered. "If I really wanted to wipe you all out, would I need something as crude as a trap?"
"Don't get cocky!" Ivankov barked, clearly incensed. "You're just a little girl! How dare you act so arrogant in front of Dragon!"
"Go, Ivankov," Dragon said firmly.
"But—"
"It's fine. I know what I'm doing," Dragon replied calmly. "And if she really wanted to harm me, none of you could stop her."
Seeing Dragon's resolve, Ivankov clenched his teeth, reluctantly turned, and left. As he exited, he shot Kaguya a threatening glare.
Kaguya chuckled. The okama king was amusing—she didn't expect him to be so loyal to Dragon.
Once Ivankov was gone, Dragon turned back to her. "Now… will you tell me what this is about?"
"What, aren't you afraid that I'll kill you right here?" Kaguya asked with amusement.
"I don't think so," Dragon replied with a slight smile. "If I'm not mistaken, you're not here to kill me."
Kaguya raised an eyebrow. "And what makes you think that?"
"Because," Dragon's eyes narrowed, "you and I are on the same path."
"The same path?" Kaguya was intrigued.
"That's right," Dragon said. "It's true you've done a lot for the World Government and captured many pirates, but at the same time, you've let many go—even some highly wanted fugitives. Am I wrong?"
"You're not wrong," Kaguya said nonchalantly, crossing her legs. "But what does that prove?"
"It's simple," Dragon said, his gaze intense. "You're not really on the World Government's side."
Kaguya said nothing, just smiled.
"From the beginning, you never intended to follow the World Government," Dragon said firmly. "From disrupting the Ohara operation, to letting Rayleigh and Doflamingo go, to exonerating shipwright Tom—you've been subtly strengthening the pirates. I'm right, aren't I?"
Kaguya gave a small smile. Not bad for the leader of the Revolutionary Army. With sharp insight, he had pieced together her motives from a mountain of complex data.
Indeed, Kaguya had her own agenda.
Her goal was to collect all the Devil Fruits in the world—including those possibly in the possession of the Five Elders.
To her, neither pirates becoming too strong nor the government becoming too powerful was desirable. She aimed to maintain a delicate balance between the two, so that when they were both weakened from infighting, she could swoop in and achieve her objective without lifting a finger.
That's why, even after learning that Doflamingo and Kaido had survived, she didn't go after them. Her goal was clear.
If all pirates were eliminated, the World Government would reign supreme, making it much harder for Kaguya to overthrow them and take down the Five Elders—especially with their unknown strength.
Letting a bunch of muscle-headed fools test the waters for her was the perfect strategy.
"Since you're smart, I won't waste time," Kaguya said with a light smile. "Here's the deal: I can give you the latest intel on the World Government—base locations, troop deployments, all of it. I can even take action on your behalf where it's inconvenient for you."
"Agreed," Dragon nodded. What he needed most now was intelligence on the World Government.
"All I want in return is very simple," Kaguya said, crossing her legs. "Since you've investigated me, you should already know what I want."
"Devil Fruits. You want Devil Fruits," Dragon said gravely. "Am I right?"
"Exactly. Devil Fruits," Kaguya confirmed, her lips curling into a smile. "You just have to give me Devil Fruits."
"But there's one thing I want you to tell me honestly," Dragon said seriously. "Otherwise, this deal is off, and I won't give you a single fruit."
"Oh?" Kaguya raised an eyebrow. "What do you want to know?"
"I want to know," Dragon said, staring at her intently, "what exactly you're collecting Devil Fruits for."
"What exactly is the reason?" Kaguya sat on a chair with her legs crossed, speaking calmly. "That doesn't seem to concern you, does it?"
"No one wants to sell weapons to their enemies," Dragon replied. "Anyone would feel the same."
Kaguya glanced at him sideways. "I didn't expect the Revolutionary Army's leader to be so cautious."
"If you want to finalize this deal," Dragon said, his eyes sharp and focused, "I need you to tell me the truth."
"Very well, let me be honest," Kaguya said with a radiant smile. "No way."
Dragon's face darkened, his brows furrowing. "What kind of reason would make you abandon a deal just to keep it secret?"
"It's nothing really," Kaguya said lightly, twirling a strand of hair around her finger. "But if I told you just because you asked, wouldn't that make me look bad?"
Dragon's expression grew grim. "Are you mocking me?"
"That's not my intention. I don't have time for such games," Kaguya replied. "I simply hate being coerced."
"Coerced?" Dragon's eyes narrowed.
"That's right. I won't compromise for anything, and I won't do anything I dislike—" She shrugged. "—because that would really piss me off."
"And you're willing to jeopardize everything for such a ridiculous reason?" Dragon growled. "Are you toying with me?"
"Don't get the wrong idea. I never said I have to work with you," Kaguya said, legs still crossed. "To me, the Revolutionary Army is just another pawn to be used."
"A pawn?" Dragon's gaze sharpened.
"That's right. Just a piece on the board. And if I wanted to," Kaguya smiled, "I could wipe you all out."
The atmosphere immediately turned tense. The air felt thick, oppressive.
Dragon locked eyes with the silver-haired girl. "Are you threatening me?"
"Threatening you?" Kaguya gave a mocking look. "Don't overestimate yourself, Dragon. Have you been dealing with small fry for so long that you think you can take on someone like me?"
Yet despite her cutting words, Dragon relaxed slightly.
"Fine. I'll accept your terms."
"Then the deal is sealed," Kaguya clapped her hands and stood up. "Well, since it's done, I'll be taking my leave."
"Alright. I'll have someone contact you regarding the details," Dragon nodded.
Halfway to the door, Kaguya stopped, turned her head with a faint smile, and said, "Dragon, you're smart. But I suggest you don't get too clever."
With that, she opened the door, not even sparing a glance at Ivankov outside, and walked away.
The moment she left, Ivankov barged in, fuming. "Dragon! That brat was way too rude! How could you agree to her terms so easily?!"
Clearly, Ivankov had been eavesdropping outside the whole time.
Dragon stood up and gazed out the window at the endless blue sea. "You don't understand this matter."
"But—what if it's a trap?" Ivankov protested.
"No more questions," Dragon shook his head. "Go carry out the plan as scheduled."
Ivankov was bewildered, but seeing Dragon unwilling to explain, he had no choice but to obey and carry out the orders.
After Ivankov left, Dragon sighed and said, "What a terrifying person. To think she possesses such sharp intuition. No wonder she's known as the strongest woman in the world."
In truth, Dragon had only been testing her. If she had been sent by the World Government, she would've done everything to fulfill his request and push for the deal.
But instead, she had been completely indifferent. Her words were blunt and even openly arrogant, with no concern about offending him.
This alone made it clear—she likely hadn't been sent by the World Government. Otherwise, no matter how powerful she was, she wouldn't act so brazenly.
And judging by her parting words, it was obvious she had seen right through his little ploy.
The only question now was—would she eventually become a friend, or an enemy?
Dragon fell into thought.
...
"What? You're leaving already?" Koshiro asked in surprise.
"I've still got some things to take care of, so I can't stay here much longer," Kaguya said with a gentle smile. "Thank you for your warm hospitality."
"I see," Koshiro nodded, adjusting his glasses. "In that case, I won't try to keep you. But if you ever find yourself nearby again, you're always welcome."
At that moment, a little girl came running over, panting heavily. It was Kuina.
"Kuina, where have you been? I've been looking all over for you," Koshiro scolded gently.
Kuina pulled a small, delicate box from behind her back and handed it to Kaguya. "This is a gift for you."
"A gift?" Kaguya blinked and accepted the box. When she opened it, she found several soft, white dumplings inside, giving off a fresh and sweet aroma. "These are...?"
Kuina blushed and said, "I made them myself... I don't know if they're to your taste."
Kaguya reached out and gently patted Kuina on the head, smiling. "Thank you very much."
Koshiro watched with wide eyes. Kuina had always been proud and stubborn—she saw herself as a boy, and absolutely hated being patted on the head. This was the first time he'd ever seen her act so... girlish.
Kuina looked up and clenched her fists. With a determined expression, she said, "One day, I'll defeat you."
Koshiro sighed and held his head. Apparently, what he just saw really was a momentary illusion.
"Saying something that shameless when you're still so weak. Aren't you embarrassed?" Perona appeared from behind Kaguya and stuck out her tongue.
"You couldn't even beat me. You have no right to talk," Kuina huffed and turned her head away.
"Who says I couldn't beat you?! Last time, you just caught me off guard!"
"What? You want to fight again, huh?"
"Fine! Let's go! See who cries for mommy first!"
"Ugh! You're so annoying!"
Kaguya looked at the two girls bickering and sighed. "You two sure have a good relationship."
"We do not!" Kuina and Perona shouted in unison.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
40 Advanced Chapters Available on Patreon:
Patreon.com/DaoOfHeaven