I Share His Dream

The next morning.

The damp, cold sea fog had yet to be fully dispersed by the sunlight, clinging heavily to the banyan tower at the center of the island.

Beneath the tower, in the clearing before the forest.

Chief Instructor Gismonda's tower-like body cast a heavy shadow. His bell-like voice echoed through the clearing, every syllable striking the tender hearts of the children before him like a hammer:

"Remember, those you serve are the World Nobles of the holy land, Mary Geoise.

They are the descendants of gods, the foundation of this world. The will of the World Government is the only justice in this world!"

As was customary, he indoctrinated these child agents with loyalty to the Celestial Dragons, the absolute supremacy of the Celestial Dragons, and the World Government's concept of justice.

Most of the children stood straight, near-fanatical flames burning in their eyes as they branded those cold, sacred shackles deep into their souls.

Beside Gismonda, a row of instructors stood like stone statues, arms folded over their chests as their hollow gazes swept over this World Government nursery.

Suddenly, an enormous, heart-palpitating shadow silently swallowed the ground beneath Gismonda's feet.

The instincts of a top agent made every hair on his body stand on end. An icy premonition of death seized his heart in an instant. He abruptly looked up.

A massive black boulder the size of a house tore through the thin mist overhead and came crashing down like a falling meteor.

"Hmph!"

Two streams of white vapor burst from Gismonda's nostrils as his tree-trunk-thick legs kicked up blurred afterimages.

Rankyaku: Chaos

Sharp tearing sounds erupted in rapid succession as countless condensed azure blades of air, almost tangible, formed a sudden web of death and slashed madly upward against gravity.

The boulder abruptly froze in midair, then exploded amid countless intersecting flashes of blue, shattering into flying fragments and dust. White shockwaves surged violently in every direction, whipping up dirt and grass into a chaotic curtain.

At the center of the swirling dust and violent air currents, a figure appeared clearly.

He floated in midair, his short silver-white hair standing upright in the turbulence like cold flames, wild and untamed.

Deep within the trees at the edge, an inconspicuous Den Den Mushi slightly opened its eyes, taking in everything.

At the same time, within the floating building.

A projection Den Den Mushi buzzed between the three bound figures, clearly displaying the breathtaking scene above Guanhao Island.

The lenses of Kalifa's glasses reflected the cold projection light. Looking at the silver-haired figure in the air, her voice trembled almost imperceptibly:

"Can that guy... win?"

Kaku tilted his head, the corner of his mouth curling into an almost amused smile.

"A change of scenery would be nice. Life on this island has gotten rather boring."

Lucci said nothing. His gaze remained locked on the figure in the projection who looked down upon all living things.

Below, on Guanhao Island.

"Enemy attack?!"

"Who is that guy?!"

"How... how is he flying in the sky?!"

The young agents erupted like a pond struck by a stone. Shock, fear, and disbelieving murmurs rolled through them like waves, their young faces filled with confusion and awe.

As the smoke cleared, Gismonda's face was livid, his heavy breathing exceptionally clear in the deathly silent clearing.

He stared fixedly at the figure in the air, his voice low. Every word seemed forced through clenched teeth, carrying the pressure of an impending storm:

"Brat! Do you know where this is?! How dare you cause trouble here!"

Adams slowly descended, his heavy body landing upon the cracked ground. His calm eyes met Gismonda's blazing glare, and though his voice was not loud, it clearly drowned out all the commotion:

"I know. A secret base where the World Government trains its dogs."

Gismonda's knuckles cracked as he clenched his fists, his invisible rage nearly burning through the air.

"You knowingly commit this offense. This is a declaration of war against the World Government!"

A blade-sharp curve formed at Adams's lips.

"A declaration of war? If you say so. Those pigs have ruled this world long enough."

"You bastard—!!"

Gismonda's roar was like the bellow of a wounded tyrannosaur, instantly tearing through the air. Violent killing intent exploded from his body like a tangible shockwave.

He swung an arm toward Adams.

"All instructors, tear this arrogant fool who has desecrated the World Nobles to pieces!!"

"Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh—!"

An order was iron law. The stone-statue-like instructors around them came alive in an instant.

More than a dozen figures vanished from where they stood, leaving behind only faint whirlwinds created by their high-speed steps.

The next instant, they appeared like ghosts around Adams from every direction, weaving a deadly net.

Rankyaku's vacuum blades tore through the sky with piercing shrieks;

Finger Pistols compressed the air into invisible bullets carrying enough killing intent to pierce steel;

And fists and kicks filled with every ounce of their strength came crashing toward the silver-haired youth at the center from every treacherous angle, accompanied by dull thunderous winds.

Adams did not even take a step. He extended his right arm, spread his fingers toward the shattered ground beneath his feet, and suddenly clenched them.

Earth Dragon

Rumble—!!!

It was as if an ancient beast had been awakened from its slumber. The ground beneath his feet groaned under unbearable strain, then surged upward violently like boiling black waves.

Soil, rocks, and severed roots twisted together in an instant. A savage, roaring earth-and-stone dragon burst from the ground, its enormous body making only one violent turn before crushing everything in its path.

Thud! Crack! Smash!

The dull impacts and sounds of breaking bones were instantly swallowed by the dragon's roar. The instructors who had charged forward could not even scream before they were buried and devoured by this pure force of natural disaster, like ants thrown into a meat grinder.

Smoke and dust shot into the sky, while shattered rocks rained down. The murderous encirclement from moments ago was wiped out in an instant.

A deathly silence, like the cold deep sea, instantly submerged the entire clearing before the forest. Even breathing sounded unbearably loud.

The young agents stood frozen in place, their faces pale as paper, as though invisible hands had gripped their throats.

Before the projection, Kalifa's pupils suddenly contracted behind her lenses. Kaku swallowed, while Lucci clenched his jaw so hard that blood seeped from the corner of his mouth.

Among the young agents, Stussy's slender fingers tightly gripped the hem of her clothes. Deep within her azure eyes, a terrifying light suddenly erupted.

A bead of cold sweat silently slid down Gismonda's tense cheek and fell into the devastated dirt at his feet.

He stared at the silver-haired figure slowly withdrawing his arm from the smoke, his voice trembling slightly from extreme shock and disbelief:

"This power... what is your relationship with the Flying Pirate Crew... with Golden Lion?!"

As an elite high-ranking agent of CP, he knew all too well what the ability to control the earth from thin air and make everything float weightlessly meant.

Adams lightly brushed the dust from his shoulder. An unfathomable gleam flashed through his eyes as he murmured softly:

"In theory, we have no relationship. But if I had to say there was one, then perhaps there is a little. After all, he and I share the same dream."

The moment those words left his mouth, Adams felt the imposing aura within him suddenly grow considerably stronger.

"Madman! Even if it costs me my life, I will keep you here—for justice!"

Gismonda abruptly straightened. The iron-blooded presence of a top agent once again spread outward like a tangible hurricane. He slowly clenched his fists, his finger joints unleashing a series of teeth-grinding cracks.

Adams gave an extremely soft scoff, cold and hard like metal scraping against metal.

A ring of tree-ring patterns silently emerged around his shoulder blades. His aqua-blue pupils instantly elongated and narrowed into cold, vertical oval slits, like an abyss staring at its prey.

"Then let me see just how much weight your justice carries."

TO BE CONTINUED

(PS: Golden Lion's dream is to rule the world, not to find the One Piece. I do not think this was ever stated, but I figured I should mention it.)