"The World Government... the underground arms trade... the Revolutionary Army... the final battle..."
These disparate phrases slowly connected in Bellamy's mind, forming a coherent line.
"The transaction list!"
Bellamy thought he had figured out what Jack was doing in Dressrosa. As he considered the critical importance of that list, his eyes narrowed. Anyone who knew Bellamy understood that this expression meant the killing intent in his heart was becoming almost impossible to suppress.
What a pity. It's too soon.
Doflamingo shouldn't have died at this time. Now was not the best moment to initiate the final war. Even if he got his hands on that list, he couldn't truly shake the World Government's foundation. The Four Emperors weren't ready, the Revolutionary Army wasn't ready, and the protagonist had yet to make his formal debut.
Most importantly, he wasn't ready yet.
You have to learn to be patient, Bellamy, he told himself. That moment will come.
Still, letting such an opportunity slip by was a genuine shame. By now, that transaction list was likely in Jack's hands. Its importance could not be overstated; it recorded years of the World Government's extensive underground dealings. And to be clear, this wasn't a list of transactions between pirates, but the World Government's own weapons procurement list. The so-called rulers of the world, buying weapons on the black market for decades instead of producing their own. If news like that got out, it would cause an unimaginable uproar.
If the Revolutionary Army obtained this list, the damage they could inflict on the World Government would be immense. With their legitimacy questioned, the first to waver would be the Marines. But this was something only the Revolutionary Army could do to achieve the best effect. If Bellamy were to use the list to condemn the World Government, it would likely just make the Marines defensive and defiant. Such is the power of reputation.
But at this point in time, the Revolutionary Army was still relatively weak. Even if they got the list, it would be very difficult for them to disseminate it. Moreover, Bellamy had no connection to them whatsoever. If the two sides were to negotiate, the possibility of conflict was probably greater. After all, his reputation was truly terrible.
Before the Summit War arrives, should I try to build an alliance with the Revolutionary Army?
Bellamy hesitated. He and the Revolutionaries were not on the same path. Even if they forced an alliance, they would eventually come to blows for one reason or another.
Should I make the Summit War the final battle?
If the Summit War was to be the final battle, then allying with the Revolutionary Army was a necessity. But if that one battle couldn't topple the World Government, then Bellamy could completely ignore their power.
Let's wait. Nothing has happened yet. I'll make my plans after the dust settles. Ace hadn't been captured yet. It was too early to think about these things. Bellamy filed the plan away in his mind.
For some reason, at that moment, Bellamy's thoughts turned to Fujitora Issho. He had been wanting to have a deep conversation with him for a while. There was no time like the present. With a rare moment of leisure, Bellamy grabbed a bottle of good wine from his room and headed to the ship's brig.
The brig was a cell specifically designed by the Celestial Dragons to hold prisoners. The entire room was constructed from Sea-Prism Stone. Once locked inside, escape without a key was absolutely impossible.
Bellamy arrived at the cell door, opened it, and walked straight in. The moment he entered, the power of the Sea-Prism Stone began to rapidly weaken him.
"Care for a drink?" he offered.
"Of course."
Bellamy paid no mind to the feeling of weakness. He often wore Sea-Prism Stone during training to quickly deplete his stamina. He was long used to the sensation.
Fujitora was a little curious as to why Bellamy had suddenly come to see him. "Is there something you need?"
Bellamy poured him a glass of wine and then one for himself. "Nothing in particular. Just wanted to chat. Why do you think the world turned out this way? What happened eight hundred years ago that made the Great Kingdom suddenly disappear and Joy Boy fall?"
This was the secret the World Government desperately tried to hide. While ordinary people could never know, top-tier powerhouses like them knew bits and pieces.
"It was betrayal," Fujitora said. He had wandered the New World for a long time and had even encountered several Poneglyphs. Although he couldn't decipher the text, his experiences over the years had allowed him to learn many secrets unknown to the common man.
"So it really was betrayal." An unsurprised look appeared on Bellamy's face. He had long suspected as much but couldn't be certain. The twenty royal families that founded the World Government had betrayed the Great Kingdom and Joy Boy. That was why they tried so desperately to cover up that period of history. In truth, one could tell from the World Government's actions that they had played anything but a heroic role back then.
"Then why do so many people still desperately defend such an evil government?" This was the part Bellamy could never understand.
"Because of the Celestial Dragons' national treasure," Fujitora said after a moment of silence, suddenly revealing a world-shattering secret.
I think I just heard something I shouldn't have. A shiver went down Bellamy's spine. He never expected to hear such a secret from Fujitora's lips. "What exactly is the Celestial Dragons' national treasure?!"
"I don't know." Fujitora slowly shook his head. "It's some treasure hidden in the Holy Land, Mary Geoise, that can only be activated by someone who has undergone the Perennial Youth Operation. Legend says this treasure possesses the power to easily destroy the entire world."
"Just a legend?" Bellamy was a little disappointed. If it was only a legend, what was the point?
"It is not merely a legend, but a verifiable fact," Fujitora stated, his tone filled with absolute conviction. "This treasure is real." It seemed he had confirmed its existence through some means.
"Is that so." If that were the case, then Bellamy could perhaps understand why men like Sengoku and Garp were willing to be dogs for the Celestial Dragons. "The power to easily destroy the world."
What could it be? An Ancient Weapon? An invincible Devil Fruit? Or perhaps a super bomb powerful enough to sink the Red Line? Sengoku had once said that Whitebeard's power was enough to destroy the world. So, was the entire balance of power in the New World solely due to Whitebeard's existence?
After their conversation, Bellamy had a deeper understanding of the world's background. But at the same time, more questions arose in his mind. If that's all it is, then both Fujitora and the Golden Lion possess the power to destroy the world. If the Golden Lion went all out, he could destroy every island in the world. Fujitora's power was even more terrifying. Meteors falling from the sky—who could withstand that?
The Celestial Dragons must possess even more terrifying power. It can't be as simple as a single national treasure. Otherwise, it wouldn't be enough to keep the Marines in check. Putting others aside, Akainu was definitely not someone to be trifled with. If the Five Elders couldn't control Akainu, the Marines would probably have rebelled on the spot.