Inside Bob Shipbuilding Company in Water 7, across a spread of grand red carpet, Emporio Ivankov and a mysterious figure appeared directly before Shiraishi.
Shiraishi wasn't surprised at all to see Ivankov in Water 7—or that he was a major shareholder in one of the seven local shipyards.
After all, Moyade had been recommended by Ivankov in the first place, and Moyade himself had spent years studying and mastering navigation and ship design in Water 7.
"And this is?"
"Dragon. Garp's son."
Standing alongside Ivankov was a man cloaked in a deep green coat, a striking red facial tattoo marking the left side of his face.
Naturally, Shiraishi knew his background well, though he hadn't anticipated that the man future generations would designate as the World's Most Heinous Criminal would appear right here in Water 7.
"I'm no longer a Marine."
Seeing Shiraishi fall silent, Dragon let out a subtle laugh. He and Ivankov had originally dropped by the company to settle a few administrative matters, but upon hearing of Shiraishi's arrival, Dragon decided to meet him in person.
"I was there in Loguetown too. You and I are the same kind of person—I can tell simply by looking into your eyes."
Dragon had personally witnessed Shiraishi's clash against Vice Admiral Garp. Unlike ordinary onlookers, Dragon saw through the surface chaos. While the Pirate King's execution had triggered a massive tidal wave of piracy, the systemic turmoil created by Shiraishi and Roger was merely a tragic reflection of the world itself.
It was a glimpse into the future of a world governed by survival of the fittest, where true happiness could never stay—all because the World Government was thoroughly corrupt and incompetent.
Dragon was determined to transform this world, a world that stripped countless people of their freedom. Yet he refused to become a pirate, for his ambitions reached far beyond mere lawlessness on the seas.
During the battle at Loguetown, Dragon's sharp senses had picked up something profound in Shiraishi's eyes—a realization that Shiraishi might very well be walking a parallel path. That rare intuition was what drove him to seek this meeting today.
In truth, Shiraishi was indeed one of the few people on earth who truly understood Dragon, as his actions back in his original world aligned almost identically with Dragon's revolutionary vision.
After a brief pause, Shiraishi spoke in a measured tone: "The World Government may be corrupt, but the immense power they hold has led them to view themselves as gods. The path you've chosen will be exceptionally brutal, if not treacherous."
"I believe that even if I fall, as long as the spark is ignited, that day will eventually come."
"I'm just a pirate. I don't pretend to understand grand ideals."
"Over the years, Water 7 has accumulated a vast trove of advanced shipbuilding technology and blueprints. I'll find a way to hand those over to you. In exchange, I need your assistance with something."
"Do you require access to our sky corridor routes?"
Shiraishi reacted instantly. Currently, the Sunagakure Pirates possessed sole control over the world's only airborne route—a massive strategic advantage that granted them unparalleled mobility across the Grand Line.
Dragon and Ivankov sought Shiraishi precisely because the nascent Revolutionary Army needed a secure, secret transport network to expand their global reach.
"Yes."
"Developing the resources of Sky Island indeed requires more allies. There are plenty of areas where we can cooperate."
Though the Revolutionary Army had not yet officially taken shape, Dragon was already assembling his core leadership. Like-minded allies were scattered across the globe and along the Grand Line. Securing access to the Sunagakure Pirates' sky corridor was a crucial strategic move for their future campaign against the World Government.
For Shiraishi, leveraging the Revolutionary Army's network offered a reliable pipeline of long-term allies—partners far more trustworthy than volatile pirate captains.
Shiraishi remained in Water 7 for a period of time. Using Bob Shipbuilding Company as a front, he recruited a group of elite shipwrights and transported them to Sky Island. There, inside a massive artificial drydock, they began constructing a brand-new fleet of warships for the Sunagakure Pirates.
The raw timber carved from the Gedo Mazo utterly stunned the veteran shipwrights; none of them had ever dreamed they would lay eyes on such flawless, ideal shipbuilding material.
One year later...
Located in the West Blue, the archaeological sanctuary of Ohara was a modest, unassuming island. Yet it was globally renowned for housing the world's premier archaeologists, an elite research expedition team, and the greatest library on earth: the Tree of Knowledge.
Inside that colossal, pod-like tree resided priceless historical manuscripts gathered from every corner of the world.
Ohara was home to a group of deeply devoted, highly educated scholars who secretly researched the Poneglyphs, seeking to uncover the true history behind the Void Century wiped out by the World Government.
Nico Olvia was an intellectual beauty with silver hair. To fulfill her late husband's dying wish and pursue her own archaeological dream, she had left her two-year-old daughter behind on Ohara to set sail with the research expedition in search of Poneglyphs.
Because the historical truth sought by Olvia's team was the World Government's most taboo secret, Marine warships were dispatched to hunt them down relentlessly.
Unlike the original events where Vice Admiral Jaguar D. Saul led the pursuit, the Marine Vice Admiral heading this operation was Sakazuki.
Haunted by his failure at the Battle of Loguetown, Sakazuki—unlike the relaxed and lazy Borsalino—viewed his inability to crush the Sunagakure Pirates as an absolute disgrace.
Consequently, his methods had grown increasingly ruthless and unyielding.
Hunting down Nico Robin's mother and her expedition team, Sakazuki showed no mercy. A single molten magma fist vaporized the expedition's vessel, sending it plummeting into the sea.
Violent streams of magma burned fiercely across the water's surface...
Olvia's face was deathly pale as she watched their ship sink into the depths. Despair and frustration filled her heart—she had so much left to accomplish. Their deciphering of the Poneglyphs had only just begun; she still had to expose the truth of the Void Century.
"Vice Admiral, the scholars on the ship..."
"Those who violate Justice are granted no quarter. Even if they are merely scholars, they remain dangerous tools ready to be exploited by malevolent forces."
Sakazuki glared at the blazing vessel with cold indifference. He had no intention of conducting rescues or taking prisoners—executing them on the spot was the only logical choice.
Just as everyone on board fell into absolute despair, a towering figure stepped onto the wreckage. Unfazed by the blistering heat, he lightly swept the war fan in his hand, generating a massive blast of wind that scattered the magma effortlessly.
Noticing Uchiha Madara standing before him, Sakazuki's eyes darkened into a sinister glare: "Uchiha Madara... What is a member of the Sunagakure Pirates doing here?!"
Clad in blood-red armor, Uchiha Madara held his gunbai fan and staff-blade, exuding an overwhelming, dominant aura over the ocean.
Madara glanced down at Olvia and demanded imperiously: "Woman... I hear you can decipher the Poneglyphs?"
"A pirate...?"
"Answer my question."
Madara's uncompromising tone brought a faint flush to Olvia's pale face: "Yes..."
"Good."
Sheathing his weapon, Madara turned his gaze toward Sakazuki and the Marines: "In that case... the rest of you can leave."
Sakazuki grit his teeth, glaring furiously at the arrogant pirate standing on the water: "Don't mock me! A mere pirate dares to order the Marines around?!"
A colossal storm of molten lava erupted from Sakazuki, surging directly toward Madara. But around Madara, a towering dark-flame giant materialized instantly. With a single punch, Susanoo shattered the magma storm.
Madara looked down at Sakazuki with icy contempt.
"A mere pirate?"
With a deafening explosion that made the sea boil, Madara clapped his hands together. Having pushed the powers of his Mythical Zoan Dark Nine-Tails Fruit to its absolute limit, the surrounding space itself seemed to warp and distort.
Enveloped in dark flames, Susanoo manifested six massive black-flame Magatama beads, swirling menacingly between heaven and earth!