This time, Dragon's expression became much more solemn.
"What's this 'business' you mentioned, Mr. Chrollo?"
"Well, Lord Dragon, I was wondering if you'd heard about the theft of the Heavenly Tribute from the Sorbet Kingdom?" Chrollo asked, meeting his gaze.
"I've heard rumors," Dragon nodded.
Chrollo looked at him meaningfully. The World Government hadn't made the matter public to save face, so the news of the theft was only known within small circles of the Navy and CP high command. It seemed the Revolutionary Army's intelligence network was far more sophisticated than it appeared on the surface.
"I'm the one who did it," Chrollo admitted casually.
A flicker of surprise crossed Dragon's eyes as he looked Chrollo up and down again. Stealing the Heavenly Tribute right from under the noses of a tight Navy and CP guard was no small feat.
"It seems you're not just a great thinker, Mr. Chrollo, but a man of rare capability as well," Dragon noted.
"And your reason for confessing this to me?" Dragon asked, his tone inquisitive.
"I'd like to discuss a partnership with the Revolutionary Army."
"I'm listening."
Chrollo composed himself and gave a sweeping gesture. Behind him, a mountain of shimmering, glittering treasure manifested. He looked toward the Revolutionary officers and spoke clearly:
"I want to pack up this entire hoard of gold and gift it to the Revolution."
"!!!"
Dragon hadn't even had time to look shocked before his subordinates' eyes turned into saucers. They rushed forward, one of them grabbing Chrollo's hand with fervor.
"You saw our progress was too slow, so you came to provide our startup capital?!"
"What a saint!"
"Not only did you give us a new ideology, but you've taken action yourself, handing over the hard-earned Heavenly Tribute to breathe life into our cause! You... you're the Godfather of the Revolution!"
"Godfather! Godfather! Godfather!"
Chrollo smiled, calming the wildly enthusiastic crowd. "Comrades, everything is for the final victory!"
Little did he know, this gesture made him appear even more towering and noble in their eyes.
Dragon wore a joyful smile as well, but he knew Chrollo's proposal involved more than just charity. He signaled the overexcited crowd to give them some space and led Chrollo to a quiet corner. He sat down and poured Chrollo a cup of tea.
"Let's talk details."
"I'm sure you're familiar with the situation in the Sorbet Kingdom, Lord Dragon. Their northern regions are impoverished; they simply cannot sustain such crushing taxes," Chrollo said.
Dragon nodded, a look of remembrance crossing his face. "Kuma's homeland..."
"So, I plan to hand this gold over to the Revolutionaries. In exchange, I need you to use your resources to discreetly support the Sorbet Kingdom, ensuring they don't suffer under those brutal levies."
"Furthermore, you can use Sorbet as the first testing ground for your new plan. With this capital, you'll have plenty of time to spread the ideology and build the power of the people."
Dragon's eyes grew brighter as he listened, and he nodded firmly. "Of course we can. However..." A hint of confusion appeared. "I don't quite understand the catch. This doesn't seem to benefit you at all, Mr. Chrollo."
Dragon wasn't like his subordinates; he didn't blindly believe Chrollo was some selfless saint sent by the heavens. Surely, the man had his own agenda.
Chrollo glanced tenderly toward the other side of the room, where Bonney was messing around with the Troupe members.
"First of all, Sorbet is Bonney's home, isn't it?"
"Bonney is a vital companion of mine. If she has worries, I'm going to resolve them for her."
Dragon followed his gaze, his eyes full of warmth. He felt a newfound respect for Chrollo. "It seems Bonney has found herself a crew of true friends."
Chrollo nodded with a smile.
"Secondly, the World Government won't stop investigating the theft. They already suspect us and have been snapping at our heels, which makes it hard for us to move freely. So, I need the Revolutionary Army to make a public announcement..."
Chrollo looked Dragon in the eye. "That you are the ones behind the theft of the Heavenly Tribute."
Dragon nodded again. "No problem. Stealing that gold is a massive blow to the authority of the Celestial Dragons. By claiming responsibility, we boost our prestige and our recruiting power."
"And there's one last condition."
Dragon's expression turned dead serious. In his mind, this last condition had to be something incredibly difficult to justify the price of the gold.
Chrollo spoke slowly:
"The last condition is... since my ship is heading out to sea next, I'd like you to provide us with a sea chart marking the locations of various world-class powerhouses. Just so we don't accidentally wander into someone's territory during our voyage."
"..."
Dragon really wanted to say: That's it?
That wasn't even a condition; that was a given! Chrollo had helped them so much and essentially given them the gold for free—protecting his safety was the least they could do!
"Are you sure there isn't anything else, Mr. Chrollo?" Dragon asked tentatively.
"That's all."
"Consider it done. Then, it's a pleasure doing business with you."
"Likewise."
Just then, a Revolutionary soldier ran in and reported to Dragon: "Lord Dragon, our scouts have spotted the Buggy Pirates in Loguetown. Should we make contact?"
"Buggy, huh?" Dragon shook his head. "No need. He's not the type to join a revolution."
Chrollo listened from the side, a look of surprise on his face. Even the red-nosed guy is here? Wait... what about Luffy?
As the protagonist, Chrollo felt it was necessary to keep an eye on his movements. "By the way, have you happened to spot a rubber man whose body can stretch?"
"A rubber man? No, haven't seen anyone like that," the soldier said.
Dragon looked at Chrollo meaningfully, dismissed the soldier, and spoke privately: "You know about Luffy. It seems you know quite a bit about me as well... Is it through some fruit ability?"
However, out of respect for the 'Godfather of the Revolution,' Dragon didn't pry. Instead, he sighed and looked a bit stressed. "Because of certain... circumstances, Luffy's had some issues."
"The navigator I had lined up for him seems to have been snatched away, and the cook he was interested in was scared off by some mysterious group. He's still stuck wandering around the East Blue..."
How terrible! Chrollo thought, nodding in agreement. Whoever did that must be really annoying!
Dragon looked troubled. "I have no idea who did it... I might need to arrange some new companions for him."
The two had a great conversation. Dragon escorted Chrollo and his crew all the way to the basement door, watching them depart.
"Lord Dragon, did Mr. Chrollo really just give us all that gold?"
Dragon nodded, looking deeply moved.
"The requirements and conditions he mentioned are things we should have been doing anyway." He sighed, looking at Chrollo's retreating back with profound respect.
"Mr. Chrollo... he was just afraid we'd be too embarrassed to accept the gift, so he made up some excuses to make us feel better..."
"He truly is... a man of no self-interest, a man living only for the revolution... a true Godfather."
"Dispatch a team. Keep a close eye on his movements. Their sole mission is to ensure Mr. Chrollo's safety."
"We must protect Mr. Chrollo at all costs!"
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