Monkey D. Dragon

Thanks to 'Cao a Cao a Cao', 'Chen Chen Chen Chen Chen Yan', and 'Qiansha Weini' for the tips. Thank you for your support!

"Teacher Kubo--"

With a terrified cry, Bai Ina's eyes snapped open, but what met his gaze was the familiar ceiling of his own room in the Dao Academy.

"Hiss--"

Bai Ina instinctively tried to sit up, but the moment he moved, a tearing pain erupted from his abdomen.

"I suggest you don't move around, or your condition will only worsen."

Just then, an unfamiliar voice reached Bai Ina's ears. He turned his head and saw a man with a red square tattoo on his left cheek sitting by the table, holding a document of unknown origin.

"You..."

Bai Ina recognized the man's identity instantly. He was about to demand why he was here, but he froze the moment he spoke; his throat felt as if it were scorched by fire, and his voice was hoarse beyond recognition.

Bai Ina's mind flashed back to the battle amidst the flames. His last memory was of that man with wavy hair repeatedly striking his abdomen with a fist wrapped in Haki. He had been defeated miserably, and in the end... he seemed to have lost consciousness...

"I am the leader of the Revolutionary Army, Monkey D. Dragon."

The man—no, Dragon—replied.

Bai Ina pondered for a moment, then asked hoarsely, "Did you save me? What about Zongcilang and the others? And..." As he spoke, a sharp pain tugged at his chest, as if his heart refused to recall that person...

"You can consider it my doing. If you're talking about those two brats, don't worry, they are fine." Dragon shook his head slightly, looking at Bai Ina with an expressionless face. After a pause, he continued, "As for Kubo Yamato, by the time I arrived, he was already... dead!"

Bai Ina's pupils shrank, and he instinctively shouted, "That's impossible! They were clearly trying to capture the teacher, so why would he be dead?"

Dragon shook his head but said nothing more.

Creak--

At that moment, the door opened slowly, and Loxi walked in carrying a bowl of rice porridge. When he saw Bai Ina awake on the bed, his expression brightened: "Yina, you're finally awake?"

Finally?

Bai Ina was stunned, then asked, "Have I been unconscious for a long time?"

"Yes, you've been out for ten days. When Mr. Dragon brought you back, you were covered in wounds. The injuries on your hands were fine, but the damage to your abdomen was terrifyingly severe. If it weren't for the physician accompanying Mr. Dragon, you might have died—"

Loxi's tone held a hint of resentment. After all, when Bai Ina left, he had promised only to bring Zongcilang and the other back and vowed not to confront CP9, yet he returned in such a dying state.

Ten days?

Bai Ina raised an eyebrow; even he hadn't expected to be unconscious for so long.

After a moment of contemplation, Bai Ina asked, "What about Zongcilang and Tufang?"

Loxi hesitated, not knowing how to begin.

"The two of them have joined the Revolutionary Army. They are inheriting their teacher's original mission and are currently gathering a team, preparing to overthrow the decrepit nobles of the Goa Kingdom."

It was Dragon, who had been silent on the side, who answered. He slowly stood up, placed the item in his hand by Bai Ina's bed, and said, "This is your sword, right? A fine blade. Don't go throwing it around in the future!"

Looking at Black Blade Dawn by the bed, Bai Ina forgot everything else, and endless sorrow welled up in his heart...

"This 'Black Blade Dawn', forged in the same furnace as the 'Black Blade Night'—one of the Supreme Grade Swords—may not have reached the level of the Supreme Grade, remaining at the pinnacle of the Great Grade Swords, but its durability is in no way inferior to Black Blade Night. It will become a new signpost on your life's path, a correct signpost, a signpost that will absolutely never... break!!!"

"It will lead you to break through the darkness, leading you to the beautiful path of dawn that follows. And I... will be a passerby on this path of your life, ready to become your guide whenever you need it!"

"Are you... willing to accept this hope of dawn and stay?"

"..."

Is it truly dawn after the break of day?

Teacher, why is it that even after the dawn, all I see is the same boundless darkness?

Tears slid silently down the corners of Bai Ina's eyes. Although it had only been half a year, in that short time, Teacher Kubo's selfless devotion was something he could never forget for the rest of his life...

Seeing this, Loxi's expression dimmed, not knowing how to comfort Bai Ina. In the end, he could only wipe the tears from Bai Ina's eyes with a handkerchief in silence.

As he wiped, a stray lock of hair was brushed aside, and a flash of desolate white caught Bai Ina's eye. It was... his hair. His once pitch-black hair had turned a pale, ghostly white at some point.

With his pale hair and cheeks soaked in tears, Bai Ina looked so helpless and sorrowful.

Bai Ina cried silently for a long time until the tears stopped flowing, whether because he felt a little better or because he had run out of tears...

"I want to join... the Revolutionary Army too!"

His hoarse voice revealed a frantic hatred. Bai Ina's eyes, bloodshot and intense, stared fixedly at Dragon.

"Very well..."

Dragon nodded slightly, then suddenly said, "But just like those two brats, you must use your own strength to overthrow the corrupt nobles of the Goa Kingdom. I will not provide you with any help other than supplies and intelligence. You must recruit all your members yourselves!" With that, Dragon gave Bai Ina a deep look and turned to leave.

Waiting outside the door were two small figures. One was about the same age as Bai Ina, wearing a top hat with goggles, golden short hair, and missing a tooth—it was the future Chief of Staff of the Revolutionary Army, Sabo!

The other figure was somewhat mysterious, wrapped tightly in a hooded cloak similar to Dragon's, making it impossible to tell if they were male or female.

"Let's go, there's nothing left for us here." Dragon turned to look one last time at the white-haired boy on the bed inside and sighed heavily: "I must say, Kubo Yamato, you truly are a miraculous person. To think that the paranoid little brat from Frost Moon Village was changed by you into this."

Saying this, he turned to leave. Sabo followed without hesitation, but the cloaked figure remained motionless.

"I want to talk to him—"

A cold, clear voice reached Dragon's ears, causing his footsteps to pause. He didn't look back as he said, "We'll wait for you on the ship!" With that, he led Sabo away from the Dao Academy.