Dunn?
Dragon, who was in Baltigo, froze. The strange boy he had met in Shimotsuki Village came to mind.
"Dunn? What about him?"
Dragon was genuinely intrigued.
He waved a hand, and the several Revolutionary Army officers in the room glanced over curiously but didn't interrupt him.
"You should have noticed his talent."
Koushiro's voice came through the Den Den Mushi.
The officers grew even more curious, while Ivankov, who had met Dunn, looked puzzled.
Dragon was puzzled too.
"Of course I know. That boy is certainly talented. It's rare for someone his age to have mastered Observation Haki and Armament Haki."
"That's not what I mean."
Koushiro's voice sounded again, and he told them about his sparring sessions with Dunn over the past while.
This time, surprise showed on Dragon's face.
"He doesn't get injured?"
Dragon asked in astonishment.
"That's right. We've been sparring for quite a while, and he hasn't been injured even once."
Koushiro's words made the Revolutionary Army officers exchange glances.
"Could he really be from that race?"
Dragon had denied that Dunn was a Lunarian before, but now he wasn't so sure.
Or perhaps this boy named Dunn had the same talent as Charlotte Linlin?
Charlotte Linlin had sailed the seas for many years.
She had once been part of the Rocks Pirates, and after they disbanded, she had founded the Big Mom Pirates on her own and made a name for herself.
One of the woman's talents was especially famous.
Steel Balloon.
Her body's defensive power was terrifying.
Plenty of people knew about it.
Thanks to her unusual constitution, Charlotte Linlin had rarely been injured, even when facing opponents of comparable strength.
If what Koushiro said was true, then Dunn's talent was terrifying.
"So what is it you're trying to say?" Dragon asked, though he already had a guess.
"Perhaps we could try again to recruit him into the Revolutionary Army."
Koushiro's voice came through.
Dragon fell silent.
"That's impossible. He turned down my invitation before, and I could tell what he was thinking."
"He doesn't know what we're doing. Maybe we could tell him a little," Ivankov suddenly said.
Dragon glanced at him, then shook his head and spoke into the Den Den Mushi.
"He doesn't care about what we're doing. Telling him wouldn't change anything."
After a pause, Dragon sighed and continued speaking into the Den Den Mushi.
"You've sensed how he feels about the outside world, so you should understand. What we're doing, pirates, the Navy, even the World Government or the Celestial Dragons—none of it matters to him."
"I just thought we could try one more time."
There was a hint of helplessness in Koushiro's voice.
"That's not the only reason you brought this up, is it?"
Dragon had become the leader of the Revolutionary Army for a reason. He was quick-witted, and had already realized Koushiro hadn't contacted him solely to discuss recruiting Dunn.
"Right. I don't have what it takes to teach him. He needs a better teacher, so his talent won't go to waste."
Koushiro revealed his other reason.
"Maybe you could ask him what he thinks."
Dragon smiled and offered a suggestion.
"All right. I'll ask him."
"Then let's leave it there for now."
Dragon waited a moment after he finished speaking. When Koushiro said nothing more, he hung up the Den Den Mushi and turned to the officers.
"Does that kid really have talent that terrifying?"
After Dragon hung up, Ivankov couldn't help asking.
He had seen Dunn with his own eyes, so he was all the more curious.
At the time, he certainly hadn't noticed anything.
"It must be true. Koushiro wouldn't say that unless he'd confirmed it."
Dragon shook his head as he spoke, his gaze sweeping over the group.
"All right. Let's put this aside and continue discussing our plans."
Shimotsuki Village.
After dawn, Koushiro called Dunn over alone. He told him that he had contacted Dragon, recommended that Dunn join the Revolutionary Army, and hoped to find him a new teacher.
Dunn listened calmly.
"Dragon said you wouldn't agree, but I still wanted to ask what you think."
Koushiro looked at Dunn's calm expression and asked him.
"That's your fight."
Dunn was silent for a moment, then shook his head.
Dragon had guessed right.
Dunn's answer left Koushiro feeling helpless.
"I'm not capable of guiding you for much longer."
Koushiro spoke to Dunn earnestly.
"It's fine. I won't stay here much longer. I have some things to take care of after a while."
Dunn said it as if it didn't matter much.
"You're leaving Shimotsuki Village?"
Dunn had said before that he wouldn't stay here long, but now it seemed he had a specific time in mind.
"Yeah, but I won't be leaving the East Blue."
Dunn nodded.
"Won't you reconsider? Dragon is much stronger than I am."
Koushiro pressed on.
"No thanks. Your ideals aren't right for me."
Dunn refused again.
"If that's how you feel, then all right."
Koushiro nodded and didn't bring it up again.
He had been in the wrong to contact Dragon without asking first, and since Dunn had made his position clear, Koushiro wouldn't insist.
Still, he believed Dunn needed a better teacher to guide him. Otherwise, that terrifying talent would surely go to waste.
But he didn't know Dunn's true circumstances.
Dunn, on the other hand, understood his own situation perfectly.
His time sparring with Koushiro had taught him one thing.
Combat was the best teacher.
Whether he wanted to improve his fighting skills or try out a new technique he had thought of, he could do it in battle.
Even his physical constitution had improved quickly during this period of fighting.
So finding suitable opponents was the best path for Dunn right now.
Of course, he already had a very good opponent right here. Rather than going elsewhere to look for one, he could keep getting stronger by sparring with Koushiro.
He could improve while waiting for the right time to leave.
After that conversation, Koushiro never brought up recruiting Dunn again.
Every day, he was left astonished by how quickly Dunn improved.
Meanwhile, Dunn searched for a fighting style that suited him and studied techniques to use alongside the Mera Mera no Mi.
Of course, he was also figuring out how to recreate Old Man Yamamoto's techniques.
Even if he couldn't reach the same temperatures, there was still a lot he could learn from them.
Then a piece of Big News appeared in the newspaper headlines.
Doflamingo became the king of Dressrosa and accepted the invitation to join the Shichibukai.
Before you continue