one piece: gene extraction and fusion system-Chapter 238: A Revolutionary Visitor

Bai Feng and his companions stared at Monkey D. Dragon with murderous intent.

After all, someone who arrives without notice is rarely welcomed—especially when no one knows their purpose.

Monkey D. Dragon understood this well, so he didn't take offense. Still, he was genuinely surprised by the strength of this "Black Crow." Despite having just arrived, he was immediately discovered. That alone spoke volumes about the other party's perception ability.

He had no intention of becoming an enemy of the Black Crow Pirates, so his apology had been entirely sincere.

Provoking such a powerful force at this stage would bring nothing but disaster to the Revolutionary Army.

"Then what is the purpose of your visit?" Mio asked calmly as he reeled in his fishing rod and set it aside. "Don't tell me you're here to invite me to join the Revolutionary Army."

"I wouldn't do something so pointless. The odds of success would be zero, wouldn't they?" Dragon responded with a helpless expression. His gaze then turned to Nico Robin, and his voice deepened. "I came here for Miss Nico Robin."

The goal of the Revolutionary Army was to overthrow the rule of the World Government.

Of course, saying it was easy—doing it was another matter entirely. Right now, the Revolutionary Army didn't even dare to show itself openly. Like rats in the dark, they could only develop in secrecy.

The moment they appeared publicly, the World Government would descend upon them with full force.

After establishing the Revolutionary Army, Dragon realized that what the World Government feared most was likely the void century—the blank 100 years of history. That history was recorded only in the Poneglyphs, or perhaps found at the final island, Raftel.

But he didn't know where Raftel was. He couldn't find it, and he didn't have the time to look.

As for the Poneglyphs, when Dragon had tried to locate a scholar from Ohara to help translate them, Ohara had already been wiped off the map.

Only Nico Robin remained.

Initially, Dragon hadn't planned on seeking Robin out. He doubted a young girl could translate the ancient language—one even seasoned scholars struggled to learn.

And besides, Robin had gone into deep hiding after escaping Ohara's destruction.

The Revolutionary Army hadn't had the resources to track her down.

It was already hard enough just surviving. The World Government was constantly hunting for their traces, doing everything it could to strangle the revolution in its infancy.

But after the rise of the Black Crow Pirates, Dragon realized something.

If Robin had been accepted as a crewmember of this group—an elite pirate crew filled with dangerous individuals—then it meant she had some true value.

There was no way an ordinary little girl could join the Black Crow Pirates. Just one look at the rest of the crew showed they were all strong. Robin wouldn't have made it in unless she had a skill they needed.

So Dragon had no choice but to meet with Mio in person.

If Robin had joined some other, weaker pirate crew, Dragon might have risked taking her away directly to request her help. But with the Black Crow, such an attempt would have been suicidal.

It would undoubtedly turn the Black Crow Pirates into an enemy of the Revolutionary Army.

If that happened, the Revolutionary Army's situation—already dire—would become even more hopeless.

"Robin, huh?" Mio narrowed his eyes as realization dawned. "I see what you're after. But the Revolutionary Army is currently being hunted by the World Government. Do you really think I'd want to get involved in that mess?"

"If the World Government notices anything strange, I'll be the next target. I don't need that kind of trouble."

"What do you want?" Dragon asked, his tone serious.

Mio's response had been fair. He knew it. Dragon wasn't about to try swaying Mio with noble ideals like "saving civilians." That kind of speech wouldn't work on a pirate, especially one like Mio.

Let's be honest—ordinary lives weren't as valuable as people made them out to be. Even someone like Whitebeard cared only about his people, not the general public.

"I want to make a deal," Mio said with a smile. "No—correction. I want to make a deal with the Revolutionary Army."

"A deal?" Dragon raised an eyebrow, his eyes thoughtful. After a moment, he replied, "Let's hear it."

"Not now," Mio shook his head. "The Revolutionary Army isn't in a position to make deals with me yet. And I think you're well aware of that."

"Right now, you're nothing more than rats scurrying in the shadows. Sure, you're still surviving, but how long can that last? If the World Government truly focuses its efforts, the Revolutionary Army could be wiped out. So if you want a deal, first prove your worth."

"As things stand... you're worthless. Wouldn't you agree?"

Silence fell.

Dragon opened his mouth, then closed it again.

Because Mio was right.

The Revolutionary Army's situation was pathetic. Though their ideology appealed to civilians, very few dared to believe in them. After all, Dragon himself had been labeled a criminal.

What kind of civilian would put their faith in a group led by someone like that?

After a long moment, Dragon looked at Robin once more. Then he turned his gaze to Mio, eyes steady.

"In that case, I'll return in the future," he said slowly. "And by then, I believe the Revolutionary Army will be worth your time."

"I'll be waiting," Mio replied with a calm smile.

As soon as the words left his mouth—

A gust of wind blew past.

And Dragon was gone.

Bai Feng, who had been tense the whole time, finally relaxed and said, "He's gone."

Robin approached Mio, curiosity in her eyes. "Captain, was I really the reason he came?"

"Yes." Mio nodded, ruffling her hair. He looked out at the sea and smiled. "After all, you're the only one left in the world who might be able to read the Poneglyphs."

"The Revolutionary Army wants to read the Poneglyphs?" Robin asked, eyes wide in surprise.

"If they want to overthrow the World Government, they'll need to know what's hidden in that blank century," Mio said flatly. "There's no way around it. If they try to do it with brute force alone, who knows how long it will take."

"And even if the Revolutionary Army thinks they've built up enough power... with how deep the World Government's roots go, they still might not succeed."

"That's why the void century matters so much to them."

"Then... why did you reject him, Captain?" Robin asked, puzzled. "If he came to me for the Poneglyphs, doesn't that mean he knows where a lot of them are? Wouldn't it be worth working with him?"

"Haha, what are you imagining now?" Mio gave her a light knock on the head and turned back to the bow, resuming his fishing. "Don't overestimate the Revolutionary Army—or underestimate the World Government. It's best not to get involved with them for now."