Ivankov suddenly leapt out from the pile of prisoner corpses.
That pile of corpses was the secret entrance to Level 5.5—the "Newkama Land."
He looked at Kuma.
The comrade who once fought side by side with him, shedding blood together for the revolutionary cause.
Why was Kuma here in Impel Down?!
"..."
However, after confirming that the person before him was Ivankov, Kuma simply smiled and nodded.
A simple gesture, yet one that carried a thousand unspoken words.
"Tap—"
"Revolutionary Army, Grand Line Army Division Commander..."
Hawke walked forward slowly, his gaze falling on the oddly dressed man.
"Emporio Ivankov?"
"!!!"
"A Marine?!"
Ivankov instantly took up a fighting stance, his sharp nails aimed at Hawke.
"Step—"
Kuma stepped forward, his towering body firmly blocking Hawke. Facing Ivankov, he slowly shook his head.
That small gesture instantly turned the vigilance in Ivankov's eyes into shock.
Why?!
Why would Kuma take a protective stance in front of this Marine Rear Admiral?!
What in the world had happened?!
"..."
Hawke calmly watched Ivankov.
Emporio Ivankov.
One of the founders of the Revolutionary Army, Grand Line Army Division Commander, Queen of Kamabakka Kingdom, user of the Paramecia-type Horm-Horm Fruit.
He had been so busy harvesting Justice Points that he had actually forgotten about this Revolutionary Army officer.
In the original story, the Revolutionary Army's ideology was to liberate oppressed people across the world and overthrow the Celestial Dragons' rule.
That was fine.
But their actual strength and efficiency... he did not approve!
The Supreme Commander of the Revolutionary Army—Monkey D. Dragon, always elusive, pulling off sneak attacks on the Holy Land or cutting off food supplies.
Effective, yes.
But in his eyes...
Too small in scale, too low in efficiency.
The situation across this sea had already undergone tremendous change.
The Marines.
Under the leadership of Fleet Admiral Sengoku, the top brass had already made the decision—to lead the Marines in breaking the shackles of the World Government and achieve true independence.
The Marines would no longer be the lapdogs of the Celestial Dragons. They were to become the creators and guardians of order across the sea.
And this, in turn, had given the Revolutionary Army an unprecedented opportunity.
A chance to cooperate with the Marines to reshape the entire world together.
The future global structure should look like this:
The Marines, as the only and most powerful force, would be in charge of "destruction."
Breaking the rot of the old world, using the most iron-blooded methods—eradicating the Yonko, annihilating all evil pirates, sweeping the Shichibukai system into the garbage heap of history.
Even...
If necessary, turning their cannons on Mary Geoise, letting those who called themselves gods among the Celestial Dragons taste the firepower of mortals.
Wherever the Marine fleet passed, all evil would be purged, all rotten order crushed to dust.
And the Revolutionary Army, would be in charge of "creation."
On the "clean" lands cleared by the Marines, they would establish new order.
They had ideology, vision, grassroots organizational experience. They knew how to mobilize the masses and how to build a government that truly cared for its people.
The Marines would wield sword and fire, sweeping away all obstacles for the birth of the new world.
The Revolutionary Army would wield thought and system, constructing the framework of the new world.
One outward, one inward.
One with the sword, one with the plow.
In this way, the sea would finally see true dawn!
Of course, this was only his current idea. He still needed to communicate with the Fleet Admiral and the others, and even more so, to have a proper discussion with the Revolutionary Army's high command.
After all, as things stood now...
The Marines were absurdly strong!
Even without the Revolutionary Army, the Marines could accomplish all this on their own.
It would just be more difficult and take longer.
With the Revolutionary Army, the process would become far more efficient.
Thinking of this, Hawke took a Den Den Mushi out of his pocket and tossed it to Ivankov.
"Don't worry. I have no hostility."
"You must have lost contact for a long time."
"Report your safety to your Supreme Commander. And while you're at it, I'd like to have a word with him."
"Hm...?"
Ivankov subconsciously caught the Den Den Mushi, staring at Hawke in astonishment.
This Marine...
Not only was he not trying to capture him, but he was even letting him call to report his safety?
"Ivankov..."
At that moment, Kuma's voice sounded.
"Trust Rear Admiral Hawke..."
"Kuma..."
Ivankov looked at the comrade who had once escaped God Valley with him, saw the trust in his eyes, and gradually calmed his doubts.
He hesitated for a moment, but finally dialed the call.
After a few transfers, from the other end of the Den Den Mushi came the sound of whistling wind.
"Ivankov?"
A calm, steady voice came through.
"Dragon, it's me!"
"You escaped?"
"No!"
Ivankov glanced at Hawke. "The situation is complicated. There's a Marine Rear Admiral who wants to talk to you..."
"....."
The other end of the line fell silent.
...
East Blue.
High above, a man wearing a dark green cloak, with a mysterious tattoo on his left face, rode the raging winds at high speed.
The Supreme Commander of the Revolutionary Army, Monkey D. Dragon.
Dragon.
His eyes were a little distant.
He had deliberately left the Revolutionary Army's headquarters on Baltigo, heading to the East Blue to see his son, and to send him off on his journey to chase his dreams.
Unexpectedly, just as he was approaching Loguetown, he had run into his father—Garp.
Before he could even speak, the old man's Haki-coated iron fist came crashing down like a storm.
As he attacked, the old man roared furiously.
"You ungrateful brat!"
"The times have changed!"
"If that kid Luffy sets sail again as a pirate, it will be a road straight to death!"
Dragon could not understand. His usually careless, easygoing father—why was he suddenly so furious?
But during his covert stay in the East Blue, he had indeed noticed many unusual things.
The entire East Blue was frighteningly clean, with almost no trace of pirates.
And before, a Marine Commodore had bombarded Mock Town, erasing it completely from the sea—an incident that had already spread like wildfire across the Grand Line.
The Marines had become ruthless, iron-blooded, showing no mercy.
Now...
Ivankov, who had been captured and locked in Impel Down, suddenly called him.
Saying a Marine Rear Admiral wanted to speak with him?
This...
What on earth had happened to this world?
And what path should the Revolutionary Army take?
"Hello, I am the Supreme Commander of the Revolutionary Army—Monkey D. Dragon."
"Hello, I am Marine Headquarters Rear Admiral—Rayne Hawke."
"Rear Admiral Hawke...!!!"