For some reason, when Aokiji heard the phrase "match actions with words," something lit up inside him, like a bright light shining into the dark corners of his heart.
The feeling was so strong that his body trembled slightly.
His eyes went wide, filled with shock. He murmured, "So that's it... that's what it means!"
This new understanding shook him deeply, and his mind suddenly felt wide awake.
He realized that the balance he had been chasing—between power, justice, and responsibility—wasn't out of reach after all. It could be achieved through real, concrete action.
At that moment, Aokiji felt full of hope and confidence.
He now understood that as long as he stuck to his beliefs and kept moving forward, he could truly live by what he preached—and become a stronger, more meaningful person.
And it all came from those four simple yet powerful words—match actions with words.
Ryuen looked at Aokiji with a strange expression. Even though Aokiji wore sunglasses, Ryuen could still feel the change in his gaze.
He could tell—Aokiji wasn't quite the same anymore...
Aokiji slowly snapped out of it. He looked at Ryuen with a complicated expression and said, "I didn't expect this trip to bring such a surprise. Ryuen, you really are a strange guy..."
"As long as you understand." Ryuen cleared his throat. Kuzan's look—like he had just seen some kind of monster—made him feel a bit proud.
"Maybe someday in the future, we could even work together somehow. I'm leaving now. Goodbye..." Kuzan pulled his thoughts back, his face calm again. After speaking, he jumped down from the ruined building.
Watching Kuzan walk away, Ryuen smiled slightly. "So you're not lost anymore, huh? This just keeps getting more interesting..."
"Admiral Kuzan, we..." Seeing Kuzan return, his aide quickly stepped forward to ask about the next move.
But Kuzan cut him off before he could finish. "We're heading back to HQ. It's time to deal with that matter."
Everyone's face lit up when they heard that.
"Admiral Kuzan!" The marines tried to hold back their excitement as they responded.
As the three navy ships turned around, the Dream Crew felt something strange. Kuzan had been acting really weird today.
At that moment, Ryuen returned to the Dream.
"Ryuen, what did you two talk about just now?" Robin couldn't wait to ask. She had noticed something seemed to change in Kuzan.
The others were curious too, but not as eager as Robin.
"Not much. Maybe a lost lamb found its way home. Oh, right—Marine is about to pick a new Fleet Admiral. It'll be between Akainu and Kuzan. They'll decide it through a duel." Ryuen spoke casually.
"Sengoku's really stepping down?" Nojiko was shocked when she heard the news.
Sengoku had always been a strong and experienced Marine leader. If he retired now, it would definitely have a big impact on the whole Marine system.
Nami frowned and said with concern, "If the Marines change Fleet Admiral, their policies will probably change too. Ryuen, will that affect the orphanage in East Blue?"
She was thinking about the kids they once helped, worried the new Fleet Admiral might take a different approach to charity work.
As that thought crossed her mind, Nami's face filled with worry.
The others also looked uneasy.
After all, the East Blue orphanage meant a lot to all of them.
"If Kuzan wins, then no. But Akainu... it's hard to say. We'll have to see what the World Government wants. But don't worry—we're not powerless," Ryuen said after thinking for a moment.
His words made everyone feel a bit more at ease.
Even if they couldn't predict the future, at least they knew they weren't helpless.
Everyone replied at the same time, showing they agreed.
They were no longer the weak and helpless group from East Blue. After all their hard work, they had become a strong force.
Even if they had to go up against Marine HQ, they had the strength to face the challenge.
In other words, with the power and influence they now had, they could go head-to-head with the Marines if needed. Whether Kuzan or Akainu became Fleet Admiral, they were ready.
"Alright, we don't need to worry about this for now. But Ryuen, we still need to keep an eye on the intel." Robin spoke gently, like a big sister.
Ryuen nodded. "Don't worry, Robin. The information should be here soon."
He knew very well how important intel was. In fact, intel had played a huge part in getting them this far.
"Well then, it's time to begin. If the first island in the New World is already this strange, I can't wait to see what's next..." Nami said with a hint of excitement.
"Let's get started!" Ryuen raised his hand.
After Kuzan left, the Dream Crew quickly got to work.
This island had been abandoned for a long time, but it was full of strange and interesting things. Everyone spread out and started moving toward the center of the island.
Their goal over the next few days was to fully explore this Rain Island. Nami also wanted to figure out the exact pattern of the rising sea currents.
The Dream Crew split into two teams. One, led by Robin, was in charge of exploring. The other, led by Nami, was responsible for drawing the sea charts.
For every island on the Grand Line, they planned to include its history and culture along with the map.
Even though the workload had gone up, everyone felt fulfilled every day.
Right now in the New World—
Since the Marines were able to track the Dream Exploration Crew, it meant their movements were no longer a secret.
In just one day, word had already spread across the seas that the Dream Exploration Crew had entered the New World and arrived at the Island of Rain.
For ordinary people, this was great news.
The Dream Crew was known for being kind and fair, and their good reputation had already reached every corner of the sea. Even now, warships carrying children were still heading to orphanages in the East Blue thanks to them.
But the New World belongs to pirates—especially to the Four Emperors!
The Beasts Pirates, Big Mom Pirates, and even the Red-Haired and Whitebeard Pirates didn't want the Dream Crew's fame to keep growing.
Each group had its own plans, but they all agreed on one thing—they didn't want the Dream Crew stepping on their turf.
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