Prologue

For the next few days, Mosen stayed by Dragon's side. The two often discussed the future direction of the Revolutionary Army.

Mosen also brought out a "secret weapon" he had prepared especially for the occasion.

He handed Dragon the little notebook. Dragon flipped through a few pages and was immediately amazed.

"Mosen, where did you come up with all these ideas? This is... this is practically a timeless classic!" Dragon asked excitedly.

"I heard them from a neighbor when I was a kid."

"Your neighbor was a genius! Is he still on the Sabaody Archipelago? I'd like to meet him."

"He's gone."

"He's gone? What a shame! It's such a pity I never got to meet someone like that," Dragon said, his face full of disappointment.

For the next two days, Dragon and Mosen "borrowed" a pirate ship and anchored near Ohara. Dragon studied what was written in the notebook while keeping an eye on the situation at Ohara.

Meanwhile, the Marine giant Vice Admiral Jaguar D. Saul was protecting a woman as he escaped from Marine Headquarters in Marineford.

It had all started three days earlier. Jaguar D. Saul, a giant Vice Admiral carrying out a patrol mission on the Grand Line, had suddenly received a call from Sengoku. Sengoku ordered him to abandon his current mission and search for a ship carrying archaeological experts.

According to Sengoku's account over the phone, Ohara's scholars were researching the history of the Void Century in an attempt to awaken an Ancient Weapon and destroy the world. Sengoku ordered Saul to execute every last one of them, no matter the cost, once he found them.

After receiving the order, Saul immediately changed course and headed to the location Sengoku had given him, where he located the archaeological team.

"Stay sharp, men! The people aboard that ship are a bunch of deranged archaeological experts who intend to overthrow the world. They'll probably attack as soon as they see us. Helmsman, be ready to dodge! Gunners, load the cannons! We'll strike first!"

The Marines followed Saul's orders, firing cannonballs at the archaeologists' ship.

But to Saul's surprise, the ship carrying the archaeologists didn't fight back when attacked. Instead, they called out to the Marines, insisting they weren't pirates.

Saul began to think these historians might not be as vicious as Sengoku had claimed. At the very least, the people aboard this ship didn't seem that way.

After a moment's thought, Saul decided to capture them alive rather than wipe them out.

As another cannonball struck the historians' ship, Saul hurriedly turned and shouted at the Marines, "Stop firing! Just board the ship and capture them!"

At his words, the Marines immediately stopped firing. But Saul's order had come too late. The scholars' ship was now riddled with holes from the bombardment and was already sinking. Many of them had been killed outright by the explosions.

By the time the Marines rowed their lifeboats over to the scholars' ship, only one woman was still alive.

The Marines worked together to pull her from the sea and bring her aboard Saul's ship.

Saul looked over the woman as the Marines brought her in. Her eyes were filled with defiance and anger.

Saul couldn't help asking her, "Were you really searching history to awaken an Ancient Weapon?"

The woman looked at Saul. "Our goal was never an Ancient Weapon. We only wanted to decipher history and uncover the truth. You Marines blindly trust the World Government, never realizing that it's only using the idea of awakening a weapon as an excuse to wipe us out. Or do you Marines actually know the truth, but fear the past you know nothing about just as much as the World Government does, and that's why you're trying to stop us?"

After hearing her words, Saul fell silent. The ease with which the Marines had destroyed the archaeological experts' ship had already made him realize that they weren't terrorists plotting to overthrow the world. What kind of terrorists would be nearly wiped out by just a few cannonballs? Even a group of pirates with bounties of a few million wouldn't go down that easily, would they?

Saul wanted to know what was really going on, so he ordered the warship to turn back. He intended to find Sengoku and demand an explanation in person.

As soon as the warship returned to Marineford, Saul hurried off to see Sengoku.

As it happened, Sengoku also had something to discuss with Saul. When he saw Saul arrive, he got straight to the point. "Saul, the World Government has decided to carry out a Buster Call on Ohara. I plan to send you to complete the mission."

Saul was stunned. For the first time, he began to doubt the justice he had always believed in.

"Mr. Sengoku, Ohara is home to the Tree of Knowledge. It contains thousands of years of humanity's accumulated wisdom from across these seas. The ordinary people there are innocent, too."

Sengoku sighed. "Sigh! Saul, do you think I don't know all that? But those scholars touched things they shouldn't have. They have to pay for what they've done."

"Then, Mr. Sengoku, please at least let me see the evidence of their crimes."

"I'm sorry, Saul. The evidence was gathered by CP9, and it's classified. I can't show it to you," Sengoku said, flatly refusing.

Saul's eyes dimmed. He had lost all hope.

Seeking the truth, Saul went alone to the prison and questioned Nico Olvia, who was being held there, about what Ohara had really done.

After learning everything from Nico Olvia, Saul suddenly felt that the justice the Marines had always upheld was utterly absurd.

What were they really protecting? These seas—or the World Government and the Celestial Dragons?

If this was the Marines' idea of justice, then he had no reason to remain a Marine Vice Admiral!

With that thought, Saul decided to act according to the justice in his heart.

He smashed open the prison door where Nico Olvia was being held with one punch, then helped Olvia escape. Together, they fled Marine Headquarters.

When Sengoku learned what Saul had done, his expression changed dramatically. He had just told Saul about the Buster Call.

If Saul left just like that, there was a good chance he would leak the order.

If Ohara's scholars learned of the order and had time to prepare, it would cause serious trouble.

At once, Sengoku ordered the Marines at Headquarters to pursue Saul with all their strength. If Saul resisted arrest, they were authorized to shoot him dead.

Sengoku also sent orders to the Marine fleet near Ohara, telling them to surround the island as quickly as possible and stand ready to launch the Buster Call.