On the streets of New York, where skyscrapers towered overhead, Natasha—having just seized a flying craft—was locked in a high-speed pursuit with Loki.
If they wanted to stop the space portal from continuing to funnel the Chitauri army onto Earth, they had to use the Mind Scepter in Loki's hands to destroy the portal's core.
As the two weaved between buildings, Barton fired an arrow from a rooftop straight at Loki. Loki casually caught it with his bare hand and flashed a smug, mocking smile at Barton.
The next instant, the arrow exploded.
The blast sent Loki flying off the craft, and by sheer coincidence, he landed right next to Chu Yang.
Chu Yang bent down and picked up the Mind Scepter.
"Take your filthy hands off it, you despicable mortal!" Loki snarled, glaring at Chu Yang. He still vividly remembered that it was this very youth who had destroyed his carefully laid plans.
"Queen Frigga misses you very much. When you go back this time, remember to properly apologize to her, you rebellious teenage boy," Chu Yang sneered, mercilessly mocking Loki.
Being lectured by a real teenager made Loki's face visibly flush red with rage.
"Shut up! I won't allow you to speak her name with that filthy mouth!"
Loki roared in fury.
Chu Yang ignored him.
He suddenly turned around and reached out, clenching the air with his hand.
Loki's voice abruptly cut off, his figure dissolving like bubbles.
An illusion!
The real Loki was being held by the throat in Chu Yang's grip, his face turning blue.
"How did you know?" Loki struggled frantically, panic written all over his face.
"You studied magic under Frigga for so many years, and this is all you learned?" Chu Yang shook his head in disappointment. "I'm honestly disappointed, Loki. I thought we might have a proper duel of magic."
As Loki slowly lost consciousness from lack of air, Chu Yang hesitated—then ultimately didn't finish him off.
Frigga had treated him well. Killing Loki would plunge her into unimaginable pain.
As for those injured because of Loki, Chu Yang had already sent shadow clones to rescue them. As long as someone still had a breath left, he could save them with his immense life energy.
He casually flung Loki to the ground and turned toward the portal.
Loki gasped desperately, clawing his way back from the brink of death.
Staring at Chu Yang's retreating back, his eyes burned crimson.
He pulled a dagger from his waist and crept forward from behind.
Chu Yang's lips curled slightly. "He's yours."
Loki froze.
Who was he talking to?
Before Loki could understand, a massive green arm suddenly grabbed his ankle and dragged him away. Violent crashing sounds immediately echoed through the room.
Meanwhile, Chu Yang had already reached the portal device. Dr. Erik Selvig lay nearby, barely clinging to life, guilt evident in his eyes—he had regained his sanity.
Chu Yang stepped up to the device and plunged the Mind Scepter into it. Unlike Natasha, he met no resistance, easily breaking through the defensive field.
The beam connecting the two worlds rapidly contracted, and the wormhole in the sky began to close.
Barton looked up and spoke into his earpiece. "Looks like the war's over, everyone."
Soon after, as a massive Helicarrier arrived over New York, S.H.I.E.L.D. began fully taking over post-battle operations.
After hearing reports from the NYPD commissioner and the emergency services director, Nick Fury stared at Maria Hill in disbelief. "No casualties?"
"How could there be no casualties in a war this big?" Fury snapped. "Those idiots don't even know how to lie."
Hill hesitated. "Sir… I think they might be telling the truth."
Fury frowned. "What do you mean?"
"Take a look at this." Hill handed him a laptop, playing a short video.
In the footage, Chu Yang—cloaked in the Tailed Beast chakra—was healing the wounded. He simply placed his hand on them, and their injuries healed at a visible rate.
The next second, civilians who had been bleeding all over the ground were jumping around as if nothing had happened.
"Oh my God…" Even the seasoned Nick Fury was left speechless.
"So… the reports of zero civilian deaths might actually be true," Hill said.
Watching Chu Yang on the screen, Hill swallowed repeatedly. She vaguely remembered having fought him once.
Dear God… it's a miracle I'm still alive.
Fury took a deep breath. "What about the Tesseract and the Mind Scepter?"
"The Mind Scepter has been recovered by our people," Hill replied. "As for the Tesseract… Thor insists on taking it, along with Loki, back to Asgard. I think we should stop him."
Fury shot back, "On what grounds do we detain an ally who just helped us win?"
Hill clenched her teeth. "Loki caused all this destruction—are we really just letting him go?"
"As long as there are no casualties, everything else is secondary," Fury said firmly. "And we need Asgard as an ally. You saw what kind of extraterrestrial force we were up against. We couldn't have held them off on our own."
Hill suppressed her resentment and nodded. "Understood."
Inside, Fury was cursing nonstop. Did he want the Tesseract? Of course he did.
But what could Earth use to oppose Asgard?
Thor alone was already terrifying enough. Add Odin and the so-called gods, and Earth could be wiped out several times over.
Fury shoved those dangerous thoughts aside and reviewed the casualty report again, finally allowing himself a relieved smile.
With the battle over, Thor took Loki and the Tesseract and returned to Asgard.
Knowing he could freely travel between Earth and Asgard using Flying Thunder God, Chu Yang didn't particularly care about the Tesseract's ownership.
Researching it with Asgard's magic-tech might even be more effective.
Besides, in terms of research value, the Tesseract paled compared to the Mind Scepter.
The Mind Stone had awakened Quicksilver and Scarlet Witch—and even created Vision, a borderline overpowered existence.
Letting HYDRA study it for now meant Chu Yang could reclaim it later. Forcing the issue now would only create unnecessary conflict, and he simply didn't have the time or energy to study two Infinity Stones at once.
That was called efficient time management.
The Battle of New York came to an end. The area around Stark Tower suffered heavy damage, and Tony—true to his reputation as a "walking ATM"—voluntarily covered all reconstruction costs.
Public response was overwhelmingly positive, and Iron Man once again dominated the news.
Still, the real headlines belonged to the Avengers.
This war turned the Avengers into household names worldwide—even off-world—especially with Thor among them.
Beyond the main figures, Chu Yang inevitably became the center of public discussion.
In fact, stripped of media hype, he was the most talked-about figure among ordinary civilians.
He had saved far too many lives.
If Tony and Nick Fury hadn't strictly protected his identity, Stark Tower would've been flooded daily with people wanting to express their gratitude.
Tony did it to protect Chu Yang's private life.
Fury did it because he didn't want Chu Yang's influence to grow too large.
After learning his true abilities, Fury couldn't help feeling wary—someone who could instantly create a terrifying army naturally warranted surveillance.
Still, out of respect for Tony and Thor, Fury didn't go too far.
Two weeks after the battle, he invited Chu Yang to S.H.I.E.L.D.
The organization was undergoing massive expansion.
The battle had made its importance clear—especially to terrified elites and tycoons.
Captain America became the face of S.H.I.E.L.D., training new recruits, with Natasha and Barton assisting.
As Chu Yang and Tony passed through the main hall, they saw the group assembling.
Tony called out teasingly, "Steve, back to your old job?"
Steve shrugged.
When Natasha saw Chu Yang, she whispered something to Steve, then walked over with a guilty look.
"Hey, Yang… about last time, I'm really sorry."
"Thanks to you, I had a very interesting trip," Chu Yang replied calmly.
"Really?"
"Of course. In a way, I should be thanking you."
If Natasha hadn't stirred things up back then—and Tony hadn't added fuel—Chu Yang might never have gone to New Mexico, met Thor, or been taken to Asgard.
Seeing he truly wasn't upset, Natasha finally relaxed. Lately, she'd been stuck between Fury and Tony, caught in the middle.
Steve stepped forward and extended his hand. "Thank you for your help that day—and for saving so many lives. Director Fury told me there were practically no casualties. That's nothing short of a miracle."
Just as Chu Yang was about to respond politely, Tony cut in sharply, "And now the kid who created that miracle is being dragged here for questioning."
Steve sighed. "Tony, watch your words. It's not an interrogation—just a discussion. We need to understand Yang's abilities. It benefits everyone."
Tony was about to argue again, but Chu Yang stopped him. "It's fine, Tony. I understand Fury's concerns. This isn't the Captain's fault—don't take it out on him."
Tony finally backed down with a shrug. "Alright. Sorry, Steve."
Steve nodded gratefully at Chu Yang.
"But let me be clear," Tony added coldly. "If Yang mysteriously disappears again after this, I won't let it slide. I mean it."
"You can relax," Steve said. "I'll go in with him myself. Fifteen minutes—we'll both be out."
Tony glanced at his watch, then nodded. "I'll wait here. Call me if anything feels off."
Before leaving, Tony had secretly slipped a communicator into Chu Yang's clothes.
Chu Yang agreed and followed Steve into the elevator, heading to the top floor—to Nick Fury's office.
Hill greeted them at the elevator. When she saw Steve, she hesitated. "Captain… I'm afraid you'll need to wait here."
Steve frowned. "Why?"
Hill explained, "There's another official inside the office—the World Security Council's secretary, Alexander Pierce. The contents of this meeting require confidentiality."
Steve felt something was off and was about to object, but Chu Yang moved before he could.
Chu Yang calmly walked forward, then turned back and smiled at Steve.
"I'll wait right here. If anything happens, just call out to me."
Steve spoke as if encouraging him.
The door closed, and Hill led Chu Yang deeper inside.
Behind the door was a long, narrow corridor. At the far end stood another elevator.
The two stepped inside.
Chu Yang noticed there were no floor buttons—this elevator went directly to some hidden section of the building.
"You're pretty well liked. I didn't expect the Captain to be that concerned about you," Hill said with a smile.
"He's probably just grateful I saved those civilians," Chu Yang replied, eyes closed, silently calculating the elevator's descent speed to estimate their depth.
Ding.
The elevator doors opened. They stepped out, and Chu Yang scanned his surroundings. Everything was built of alloyed steel—quiet, dimly lit, and oppressive, like an interrogation chamber.
Chu Yang frowned slightly.
"Ah—don't misunderstand. This really is Director Fury's office. He just likes this kind of oppressive aesthetic. I tried to talk him out of it during renovations, but it was useless. He's very stubborn about certain things…" Hill hurriedly explained when she saw his expression.
Chu Yang: "..."
The alloy door ahead suddenly opened, and a bald, dark head popped out—it was Nick Fury.
"This isn't oppressive. It's understated, Agent Hill. Casually criticizing someone else's taste is rude," Fury said, narrowing his eye.
Hill gave an awkward yet polite smile and stepped aside, gesturing for Chu Yang to go first.
"Thank you," Chu Yang said, stepping inside.
He immediately saw Alexander Pierce sitting on the sofa, holding a glass of red wine high, wearing a meaningful smile.
When Nick Fury turned back, Pierce instantly switched to a friendly expression.
"How does it feel to become a hero everyone talks about?" Fury asked as he bent down to pour Chu Yang a glass of wine—then remembered Chu Yang's age and paused. "Can you drink?"
"My coming-of-age ceremony was held in Asgard," Chu Yang replied with a grin.
The high-quality red wine slid down smoothly, its mellow flavor surprising Chu Yang—it was his first time drinking alcohol.
Nick Fury drained his glass in one gulp before speaking again. "When I first met you, I thought you were an agent from another country, so I had your background investigated."
"Then I thought you were a mutant and tried to recruit you into S.H.I.E.L.D."
"And in the end, you turned out to be a mage—displaying astonishing power in the recent war—forcing me to invite you here."
Fury fixed Chu Yang with a deep gaze and joked, "Care to tell me if there's any other identity I don't know about? I'm a timid man—I don't handle surprises well. Better to prepare myself in advance."
Chu Yang flashed a wide smile. "I'm just an ordinary mage. No other identities."
Fury let out a long breath. "You don't look very 'ordinary' to me."
"And you don't really match the word 'timid,' either," Chu Yang shot back.
They exchanged smiles. Then Fury began asking about the abilities Chu Yang had used earlier. Chu Yang, in a good mood, cooperated fully, giving explanations that were half true and half false.
The reason he was in such a good mood was the other man in the room—Alexander Pierce.
A core HYDRA figure hidden within S.H.I.E.L.D.
If Chu Yang controlled him, taking control of S.H.I.E.L.D.—and even HYDRA—would only be a matter of time.
Chu Yang had been wondering where to find him. He hadn't expected Pierce to deliver himself to his doorstep.
And moreover—
Pierce seemed quite interested in Chu Yang as well.
After Nick Fury finished his questions, Pierce took the initiative to speak. "Nick, could you give me a moment? I'd like to speak with this young man alone."
"Tony Stark is waiting for him in the lobby," Fury replied instead of agreeing, clearly reminding Pierce not to try anything.
Fury knew his former colleague and friend's personality all too well.
Pierce smiled. "No ill intent. Just a conversation. All right?"
Fury turned to Chu Yang. Chu Yang readily agreed, smiling brightly.
"Three minutes," Fury said before quickly leaving the office.
"Hello, Mr. Chu Yang. My name is Alexander Pierce. I'm the current Security Council secretary, responsible for coordinating with S.H.I.E.L.D. You can think of me as Director Fury's superior."
"Hello, Secretary Pierce. It's a pleasure to meet you."
They shook hands. Pierce suddenly leaned in and whispered into Chu Yang's ear, "Are you interested in working for me personally? With me, you'd gain power beyond imagination."
In Pierce's eyes, despite Chu Yang's shocking strength, he was still just an inexperienced youth.
Young people like that were often easy to tempt.
Money. Power. Beauty.
Pierce knew Chu Yang was close to Tony Stark, so money and beauty might not be enough. That left power.
"Power beyond imagination?" Chu Yang asked, feigning excitement, then leaned close and whispered back, "Are you offering me HYDRA?"
"What?" The word HYDRA froze Pierce on the spot. His expression changed drastically as he exclaimed, "You—"
Before he could finish that last word, Chu Yang had already cast the Imperius Curse. The incantation echoed in Pierce's ears like a devil's whisper.
Pierce's expression went vacant, as though his soul had been stripped away.
Three minutes later, Chu Yang and Pierce exited the office together, both smiling, looking as though they'd had a pleasant conversation.
Nick Fury waited by the elevator, suddenly curious about what they had discussed.
After seeing Pierce off, Fury escorted Chu Yang back to the top floor to rejoin Captain America.
Seeing Chu Yang unharmed, Steve finally relaxed.
Just as they were about to return to the lobby, Fury couldn't help asking, "What did Pierce say to you?"
Steve looked at Chu Yang in surprise.
Chu Yang smiled faintly. "Secretary Pierce invited me to work for him and offered many benefits, but I declined. For now, I just want to focus on studying. For certain reasons, I've been on leave from school for quite a while."
Fury seemed to have guessed Pierce's intentions. He nodded and didn't pursue the matter further.
Chu Yang stepped into the elevator and pressed the button for the lobby, humming happily to himself.
Steve found his unusually good mood amusing and teased, "Looks like Secretary Pierce offered you quite a generous deal—enough to leave you feeling pretty validated."
Chu Yang's smile grew even brighter as he nodded repeatedly. "It really was a very sincere offer."
Nick Fury stood by the elevator, watching the two of them go down. An uneasy feeling lingered in his heart, but he couldn't quite put his finger on what felt wrong.
In the lobby, Tony was holding a newspaper he'd swiped from somewhere, reading it with great interest. Natasha, however, noticed that out of the corner of his eye, he kept glancing at his watch.
Ding!
The elevator arrived. Tony and Natasha both turned to look.
Chu Yang and Steve slowly stepped out.
A smile appeared on Tony's face. He deliberately glanced down at his watch, then praised Steve, "Captain, you're a very punctual man. If I were a lady, congratulations—you'd have won my heart."
Tony's casual joke unintentionally struck a sore spot. It made Steve think of the one appointment he had missed in his lifetime.
Pain flickered through his eyes for an instant.
Natasha gently patted Steve on the shoulder.
"All right, sightseeing time is over. If we head home now, we can still make it in time for Pepper's home-cooked dinner."
Tony slung an arm around Chu Yang's neck and swaggered out of S.H.I.E.L.D. with him.
Steve took a deep breath and turned back toward the group of recruits waiting for training.
Once they were seated in the sports car, Tony finally asked seriously, "What happened in there?"
Chu Yang recounted everything from start to finish.
After listening, Tony snorted. "I knew it. Those people were trying to poach my talent. I knew calling you in wasn't out of good intentions."
Chu Yang smiled slyly. "Who's poaching whose talent isn't so certain."
Tony froze. "What do you mean?"
Of course, Chu Yang had no intention of confessing his little home-invasion operation. But just imagining Tony and the others unknowingly working for him made him want to laugh.
Tony tilted his head in confusion and exchanged a glance with Happy in the driver's seat. Happy looked even more confused.
...
The world of pirates.
The Red-Hair Pirates were holding a banquet on an island somewhere in the New World.
Chu Yang found Shanks sprawled on a huge rock, sleeping soundly, and shouted into his ear, "Captain, I need to leave for a while!"
Shanks jolted awake and rolled off the rock, grumbling, "If you want to go wander around, just go. Why'd you have to wake me up?"
Chu Yang said seriously, "This trip might take a long time."
Shanks' expression turned solemn. He was silent for a long moment, then asked only one question, "Do you need help?"
Chu Yang grinned and shook his head.
"I see." Shanks laughed along with him. "Then go early and come back soon!"
"Why are we going to such lengths to send this human back to her homeland?"
"Arlong, we're almost there already. Why are you still saying things like that? If Big Brother Tiger hears this, he'll be upset again."
"Big Brother Tiger is far too kind to humans—soft, even. These past few years at sea have disappointed me more and more."
"That's enough, Arlong. Don't say any more."
On the deck, Arlong of the Sun Pirates was whispering with the ship's doctor, Aladdin. When they saw a human girl approaching, they immediately stopped talking.
Aladdin forced a smile and asked, "Koala, is something wrong?"
"Captain Tiger is looking for you," Koala said nervously.
"Thanks. I'll go right away." Aladdin patted Koala on the head and, before leaving, shot Arlong a warning look.
Arlong sneered dismissively, glaring at Koala with hostility.
Koala grew even more nervous. The man before her was the one she feared most on the ship—without question.
Arlong suddenly asked, "We've been sailing for weeks now. If I count the days, we should be almost at your hometown, right?"
Life instantly returned to Koala's stiff little face. She nodded eagerly.
But then Arlong's tone changed, cold and heavy. "In that case, remember to get off the ship obediently when the time comes. To be honest, sharing a ship with you all this time has made me sick."
Koala clenched the corner of her clothes tightly. Her eyes filled with tears, shimmering at the edges. She struggled to keep herself from crying, silently enduring Arlong's cruelty.
Keeping in mind Tiger's and Jinbe's earlier warnings, Arlong didn't go any further. After muttering a few curses, he brushed past Koala and left.
The next day.
The Sun Pirates successfully arrived at Koala's homeland—Foolshout Island.
"Everyone stay on the ship. I'll take Koala home myself. If we all go ashore together, it might cause panic among the locals," Tiger said as he disembarked first.
Koala followed behind him, turning back reluctantly to wave goodbye to the crew. "Goodbye, everyone! When I get back, I'll tell the villagers that there are many good people among the Fish-Men!"
The crew shouted their farewells in response.
On the way home, Koala—both excited and nervous—took the initiative to hold Tiger's hand. His body stiffened at once, and he grew nervous as well.
At the entrance to the village, many villagers were waiting expectantly. One young woman in particular was so anxious she couldn't sit still.
The moment she saw Koala, she rushed forward.
After years of being taken away by the Celestial Dragons and enslaved, Koala was finally reunited with her mother.
Mother and daughter clung to each other, crying tears of joy.
Tiger turned away with a gratified smile, but suddenly heard Koala's voice behind him.
"Thank you, Captain Tiger, and everyone from the Sun Pirates! I'll never forget what you've done for me!"
With his back to Koala, Tiger waved his hand and walked away without looking back. At that moment, wrapped in happiness, Koala could never have imagined that Tiger would die on this very island because of her.
After walking some distance, Koala's village gradually faded from Tiger's view.
He was genuinely happy for her.
Yet at this moment, he couldn't bring himself to smile.
Suddenly, a large number of Marines appeared before him, completely surrounding him. Countless gun barrels were aimed straight at him.
"Fisher Tiger, you madman who dared to set fire to the Holy Land! Today is your day of death—go to hell and atone for your sins!"
Vice Admiral Strawberry said coldly.
Seeing the Marines, Tiger was first shocked, then seemed to realize something. Disappointment slowly spread across his face.
He asked softly, "Why?"
"That little girl you brought back," Strawberry replied. "A person branded as a slave by the Celestial Dragons is a slave for life."
Tiger understood in an instant.
They had used his life as the price to buy Koala's freedom.
Immediately after, rage filled his heart—rage at humanity's selfishness, and hatred for the Celestial Dragons.
"Send him on his way," Strawberry ordered.
Gunfire erupted in an instant. Tiger threw his arms wide and laughed wildly in grief and fury, welcoming his death.
At that moment, the ground beneath Tiger suddenly heaved. Trees as thick as a man's waist burst through the earth, rising up directly in front of him.
The bullets failed to penetrate the trunks, instead clanging loudly as if striking iron plates.
"This is…"
Tiger froze. This ability was familiar to him. A figure flashed through his mind.
"Sir, what do we do now?" a nearby Marine major asked quietly.
"Keep firing!" Strawberry gritted out.
Even heavier firepower rained down on Tiger's position.
Under the hail of bullets, the trees around Tiger grew wildly. While protecting him, roots spread rapidly underground, reaching the Marines' feet.
More trees and vines burst from the soil. In just a few breaths, Strawberry and all the Marines were swallowed by a dense forest.
"Sir… this ability, I think I've heard of it at headquarters…"
The major suddenly remembered someone. His body began to tremble as he stammered, "It's that man—on the Red-Haired Emperor's ship, the one said to stand shoulder to shoulder with Vice-Captain Benn Beckman, the left and right hand of—"
"Shut up!"
The furious shout made the major instantly shrink back. He glanced at his superior, only to find that Strawberry was trembling even more violently than he was.
Of course Strawberry knew exactly who his subordinate was referring to.
Just half a year ago, he had been on patrol in the central region of the New World with his immediate superior, Vice Admiral Borsalino, along with several other vice admirals, when they happened to encounter the Red-Hair Pirates.
The battle had been almost completely one-sided.
On the opposing side, only two people had taken action.
Vice-Captain Benn Beckman fought Vice Admiral Borsalino to a standstill.
As for the remaining vice admirals, they were wiped out instantly by a single young man!
One of the Four Emperors, Red-Haired Shanks, never even lifted a finger from beginning to end.
To this day, Strawberry still vividly remembered the horrifying scene on the deck of the warship—towering trees growing everywhere, comrades being strangled to death one after another by wooden tendrils, blood dyeing the entire ship crimson…
That young man had held a wooden blade in his hand, walking toward him step by step.
Just like now.
Strawberry froze, lifting his head in terror.
Chu Yang was already standing in front of him, raising the wooden blade in his hand.
With a single slash, Strawberry's head flew skyward.
Within the dense forest, screams rang out incessantly, then gradually faded into silence.
All of the Marines became nourishment for the trees.
"Yang?"
Tiger looked at the newcomer in delight.
"I said I'd come back to see you."
Chu Yang helped Tiger up, checked his injuries, then treated him with pure life energy.
"If you hadn't shown up this time, I'd definitely be dead," Tiger said bitterly. "I never imagined that the thing that nearly killed me would be my own kindness toward humans."
"Kindness itself isn't wrong," Chu Yang replied calmly. "What's wrong are the people who exploit that kindness."
He turned back to look at the small village and asked, "How do you plan to deal with those people?"
Tiger was dazed for a moment, then slowly shook his head. "I put in so much effort to bring her home. I can't very well destroy her home with my own hands."
Chu Yang sighed. "Tiger, you're still the same as ever."
Tiger looked at Chu Yang seriously. "No. If you hadn't come today, I would've grown to deeply hate humans—maybe I'd have hated them until the very moment I died."
"In the end, you didn't let me down."
"But today's experience also taught me something: for those who were once slaves of the Celestial Dragons, gaining freedom isn't as simple as erasing the mark on their bodies."
Chu Yang listened quietly, then said as if in realization, "Unless the root of the problem—the Celestial Dragons themselves—is dealt with."
Tiger smiled.
Yes. That was exactly what he was thinking.
All this time, Tiger's goal had been to free slaves. Conflicts with the Celestial Dragons only occurred when they were unavoidable.
But now it was different. Tiger realized that as long as the Celestial Dragons still existed, no matter how many slaves he saved, new slaves would continue to appear.
The only thing that could be done was to completely overthrow the rule of the Celestial Dragons.
"Yang, will you help me?" Tiger asked, looking at him earnestly. "I want to try to change this world."
Chu Yang had no interest in changing the world. He had only one goal.
Revenge.
Even after so much time had passed, Chu Yang still remembered what he had suffered when he first came to this world. Every time he touched his chest, he could still feel the lingering heat of the branding iron.
"As long as it's something that harms the Celestial Dragons, I'm very interested."
Hearing Chu Yang's reply, Tiger's eyes lit up.
Later that day, the two returned together to the Sun Pirates' ship. When the Fish-Men saw Chu Yang, they were stunned.
"Hey! Am I seeing things? I think I just saw that kid Yang!"
"Probably not, because I saw him too!"
"Didn't the captain go to send Koala home? How did he bring Yang back with him? This is amazing."
"Stop yapping and hurry down to greet them!"
A large group of Fish-Men rushed down from the ship, surrounding Chu Yang and bombarding him with questions about where he had gone all these years.
Chu Yang chatted with them warmly in return.
Jinbe walked over to Tiger and quietly asked what had happened. Tiger brushed it off with a few vague words, choosing not to mention his earlier encounter and intending to bury the incident forever.
After finally getting the Fish-Men to view humans a little more favorably, Tiger didn't want all those years of effort to go to waste.
Sensing that his big brother seemed tired, Jinbe didn't press further and joined the others in welcoming Chu Yang back.
That night, the Sun Pirates held a banquet. While everyone else was celebrating, Tiger and Chu Yang sat by the bonfire, discussing their next steps.
"Tiger, have you heard of the Revolutionary Army?" Chu Yang asked.
"It sounds a bit familiar," Tiger replied. "If I remember right, they're an organization active on land."
"That's right. The Revolutionary Army mainly operates on land, liberating countries oppressed by the World Government."
"You mean those countries that can't afford the Heavenly Tribute?" Tiger asked.
"Yes. Those countries not only receive no protection from the Marines, they also face the threat of annihilation by the Celestial Dragons."
"Damn Celestial Dragons," Tiger cursed angrily, then asked, "You suddenly brought up the Revolutionary Army—are you thinking of cooperating with them?"
"Yes," Chu Yang nodded. "Although the Revolutionary Army is still in its early stages, I believe they'll eventually become a major force against the World Government."
Tiger fell into deep thought.
He wasn't opposed to cooperating with other factions, as long as they had basic principles.
Tiger didn't know much about the Revolutionary Army, but from what he'd seen in the news, they didn't seem like bad people.
"How do we get in touch with the Revolutionary Army?" Tiger suddenly asked.
"Their headquarters is in Baltigo," Chu Yang replied.
"You know the Revolutionary Army quite well," Tiger said in surprise. "You even know where their headquarters is."
"After all, I'm currently a crew member of one of the Four Emperors," Chu Yang said with a smile. "I've got access to that much information."
Does a Four Emperor even know where the Revolutionary Army's headquarters is?
Tiger silently muttered to himself but didn't call it out. Everyone had their own secrets—he only needed to decide whether to trust Chu Yang.
"Since you mentioned the Four Emperors," Tiger asked curiously, "if you openly stand against the Celestial Dragons, what does Shanks plan to do?"
"The captain isn't an ambitious man," Chu Yang replied. "The title of Four Emperor isn't something he deliberately pursued. He probably won't interfere. However…"
"If I run into a threat I can't handle, those guys will definitely come help me."
Tiger knew that by "those guys," Chu Yang meant the crew of the Red-Hair Pirates.
"So, he'll remain neutral for now," Tiger nodded. "I understand. Let's figure out a way to contact the Revolutionary Army first."
Just then, a figure walked over.
"Everyone else is enjoying the banquet, and you two are sneaking off here to chat. What are you talking about?"
"Brother Tiger!"
"Yang!"
A slightly tipsy Jinbe staggered over, complaining nonstop about the two of them being unsociable.
Chu Yang and Tiger exchanged a look.
Tiger smiled, pulled Jinbe down to sit beside him, and whispered something into his ear.
Jinbe was momentarily stunned.
Then his expression froze, panic flashing in his eyes.
What?!
Big Brother wants to go to war with the Celestial Dragons?
I must be drunk…
Jinbe suddenly felt his lips dry and his throat itch. He wanted to say something, but no words came out.
Chu Yang took in Jinbe's expression.
If it were Jinbe ten years later, he'd probably slam the table and say, "Let's do it." But the current Jinbe didn't yet have the resolve to directly oppose a Four Emperor–level power.
After finally digesting the news, Jinbe couldn't help asking, "Brother Tiger, why are you telling me this?"
Tiger smiled with narrowed eyes. "The Marines are always watching my movements. If I head to Baltigo myself, I might cause trouble for the Revolutionary Army. So I want you to represent the Sun Pirates and make contact with them."
Jinbe was shocked, but also hesitant. Under normal circumstances, he'd agree without hesitation, but this matter was too important. He was afraid he might fail and end up delaying Tiger's plans.
(End of Chapter)