The refugee fleet, or rather the Revolutionary Army's fleet, which had stayed in Shimotsuki Village for a few days, set sail once again.
On the flagship, a vessel surrounded by the mythical dragon's motif, a small farewell banquet was underway.
"Mr. Sig, are you really unwilling to join our Revolutionary Army? Must we part ways here?"
Dragon asked, a hint of regret in his voice.
"I'm just a bandit. Even if we're at sea now, Dragon, isn't it a bit naïve to talk to a bandit about freedom and ideals?"
"A bandit? Mr. Sig, listen to what these refugees are calling you."
Dragon gestured toward the surrounding ships. The others immediately understood and began shouting in unison:
"The hero who fought against the Celestial Dragons!"
Sig smiled and took a long swig of his drink.
Yet within his smile, there was a trace of somberness.
After days of intense cramming on navigation from his subordinates, coupled with Stussy, an experienced navigator now on board, Sig was finally capable of sailing independently.
Still, if possible, he wished to keep leaning on the Revolutionary Army's powerful support.
From the intercepted communications yesterday, CP0 regarded Sig as a significant criminal closely associated with the Revolutionary Army, intending to use him as bait to reel in a larger target.
"Dragon, it's not just that I can't join the Revolutionary Army. Even continuing to travel with your fleet would be very dangerous."
Sig took another sip of his drink, hinting vaguely.
He couldn't outright explain the situation with Stussy—it would expose too much. All he could do was hint at the potential danger.
If they didn't part ways, it would be perilous for both the Revolutionary Army and Sig himself. CP0 or the Navy would likely show up much sooner.
"Mr. Sig, is what you're planning to do really more dangerous than what we, the Revolutionary Army, are striving for?"
Dragon laughed casually but felt a sudden shift in his thoughts.
"That statement from Mr. Sig seems to carry a deeper meaning. Is he implying that his goals are even grander than ours?"
He recalled his earlier speculation about Sig's ambitions:
Changing the world! Uniting the five seas! Ushering in the Great Age of Banditry!
If that was truly Sig's goal, it indeed surpassed the Revolutionary Army's aim of overthrowing the World Government.
"What I'm planning to do? Right... what was it again?"
Sig took another sip, looking somewhat dazed.
"To conquer the Holy Land of Mary Geoise!" came a voice from nearby.
"Right, to conquer the Holy Land..." Sig started, then immediately realized something was off. He turned to glare at Baldy, who had appeared out of nowhere.
This reaction, seen by Dragon and the others, only made them shake their heads secretly.
"Even now, he's pretending in front of us."
Among their group of leaders, who didn't know that Sig had a grand plan and was preparing to ambush an Admiral?
"As for the plan to ambush a Navy Admiral, if Mr. Sig requires assistance, our Revolutionary Army will provide intelligence support. I look forward to the day we can collaborate again, Mr. Sig."
Dragon spoke earnestly.
All he felt was a headache. Losing the "golden thigh" of the Revolutionary Army, leaving him to deal with Stussy alone, was already troubling enough.
And now they were bringing up ambushing a Navy Admiral...
Throughout the farewell banquet, Sig wrestled with the decision of whether to discuss Stussy with the Revolutionary Army.
Amidst the lively and joyous atmosphere, Sig, who was ostensibly the guest of honor, seemed somewhat out of place. He frequently drank by himself, lost in thought.
This behavior surprised Dragon and the others.
In their impression, Sig was always calm and collected. Neither the Celestial Dragons, CP0, nor even Navy hero Garp could rattle him.
But now, after just a few short days in Shimotsuki Village, Sig seemed burdened by some unspoken concern.
"What happened in Shimotsuki Village?"
"Could it be related to his private conversation with Koshiro?"
Some Revolutionary Army officers began to speculate.
Others, however, were having different thoughts.
"Mr. Sig seems to have had quite a bit to drink. Is he drunk?"
"This is our last chance. We should seize this opportunity, and after that..."
At another table, a Revolutionary Army officer lowered his voice while eyeing the hiccuping Sig.
Hearing this, the expressions of the other officers turned strange.
"You're seriously thinking that way about Mr. Sig?"
"Is this really necessary? It feels a bit... low."
"'A bit' low? That's an understatement..."
The others whispered amongst themselves.
"I admit it might seem a little low, but this is for the sake of the Revolutionary Army!"
The officer in question declared righteously.
"What? For the Revolutionary Army?"
"You're laying it on a bit thick, don't you think?"
The others frowned, a hint of disdain creeping into their gazes.
"Of course, it's for the Revolutionary Army! This involves the secret of Mr. Sig's incredible strength. At any other time, Mr. Sig likely wouldn't be willing to share it."
The officer spoke with conviction.
"Wait, this involves the secret of Mr. Sig's strength?"
The other officers were dumbfounded.
They watched as the officer, smiling, stood up and approached Sig's table, raising a toast.
After a few pleasantries, the officer casually smiled and said:
"Mr. Sig, could you tell us the secret to your incredible strength?"
Hearing this question from the officer proposing the toast, the others suddenly understood and felt a sense of relief.
"So, he just wanted to probe for information, to ask about Mr. Sig's secret to becoming so strong..."
"Will Mr. Sig answer? It might be a closely guarded secret."
The question piqued everyone's curiosity, and they all turned their gazes toward Sig.
Sig, however, simply smiled without saying a word. Instead, he lightly tapped his temple with his finger, offering no response.
"What... what does that mean?"
"The path to becoming strong... Is it something that words cannot convey and must be pondered deeply?"
Everyone fell into quiet contemplation.
The officer who had asked the question looked equally confused. After standing there in thought for a moment, he seemed unwilling to give up and asked again:
"Mr. Sig, I'm not very clever. Could you explain a bit more? For example, how do you train to become so strong?"
Dragon frowned slightly and waved his hand dismissively. Questions , for some strong individuals, were considered private matters and could potentially anger Sig.
"It's fine. My training methods aren't a big secret—I don't mind sharing them."
Sig let out a drunken hiccup, smiled, and said:
"One hundred push-ups, one hundred sit-ups, one hundred squats, and a ten-kilometer run every day..."
Not only the officer but also Dragon and the others were stunned.
"Don't underestimate this training method," Sig chuckled.
"I've already had my crew follow this exact regimen."
He continued with a smile:
"This training method actually has a special name."
"The Ultimate Training Method."