Dragon stared at Chrollo, his legendary composure cracked. Initially, he had viewed this young man as merely a rising star in the chaotic pirate era—a capable thief with a high bounty.
But now? He looked at Chrollo as if he were looking at a prophet.
The phrase "The People are the foundation" had struck Dragon like a physical blow. It was so simple, yet so profound that it made his years of struggle feel like he had been trying to move a mountain by pushing the peaks instead of digging at the roots.
"Let us find a place," Dragon said, his voice dropping to a gravelly whisper. "To speak in detail."
Dragon led Chrollo's group to a hidden Revolutionary base beneath a nondescript tavern. As they descended, Chrollo casually surveyed the room. "A good choice. The intersection of all walks of life is the best place for intelligence to flow. Hidden in plain sight."
Dragon didn't even care about the praise. He beckoned his core officers, who lined up behind him like eager students, notebooks in hand. Dragon himself sat across from Chrollo, his gaze burning with an intensity that bordered on reverence.
"Mr. Chrollo," Dragon began, his tone shifting. "Please... elaborate on your views of revolution."
Chrollo cleared his throat, his dark eyes scanning the room.
> "I know you all carry a fire within you to change this world. You wish to uproot the Celestial Dragons. But to fell a tree that has stood for a thousand years, it is not enough to hack at the branches. You must pull up the roots."
He paused, letting the imagery sink in.
"In my history," Chrollo continued (referring to the vast library of the 'Dark Continent'—or perhaps a world only he knew), "many organizations have fought tyranny. Most fail. And those who succeed? Their descendants often grow drunk on power, becoming the very tyrants they once overthrew. That is a failed revolution."
He looked directly at Dragon. "And frankly, Lord Dragon, your Revolutionary Army is currently on that path."
---
### The Catalyst vs. The Initiator
The room exploded.
"How dare you!"
"Absurd!"
"Lord Dragon is a hero!"
Dragon raised a hand, silencing his officers instantly. The room went cold. "Let the man speak," Dragon commanded. Then, to Chrollo: "Please, continue."
Chrollo smiled faintly. "I'm not saying you are destined to fail. I'm saying your direction is wrong."
The Initiator: You build armies, recruit commanders, and liberate nations by force. You fight the World Government where they are weak. It looks successful, but it leaves a vacuum.
The Result: If you are the only ones fighting, the people remain passive. When you leave, the next oppressor simply steps in because the people haven't changed.
Dragon's face was a mask of shock. He felt as if Chrollo was describing a sickness he had felt but couldn't name. "What is the missing piece?" he asked, his voice rasping.
> "The difference is being a Promoter (Catalyst)," Chrollo said. "You should not be the ones starting the fire; you should be the wind that fans it."
### The True Powerhouse: The People
Chrollo leaned in, his voice becoming a hypnotic murmur.
Ideological Awakening: You don't just liberate a country; you spread culture and thought.
Self-Growth: You empower the locals to realize their own strength. You make them the ones who decide they will no longer pay the 'Heavenly Tribute.'
The Result: When the people rise up of their own volition, the change is permanent. Tyranny cannot survive in soil where the people have awakened. You create a land of democracy and harmony—a true 'Ideal Home.'
Dragon's eyes glowed with a light that grew brighter by the second. Chrollo opened his arms in a welcoming gesture, his voice carrying the weight of ages:
"Lord Dragon, have you heard this saying? 'Water can carry a boat, but it can also overturn it.' The people are the water. They are the largest base in this world. And the strongest force in existence..."
"...is the power of the People."
Dragon reached out and gripped Chrollo's hand with a strength that made his bones creak. His voice trembled with a mix of awe and desperation.
"Mr. Chrollo! You are a genius of revolution! You are the pioneer we have been waiting for!"
"You were born to join us!"
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