One Piece: With Sign-in System

Inside a dimly lit tavern in Loguetown, the air was thick with tension.

Smoker sat rigidly in his chair, his face pale, cold sweat dripping from his forehead. His heart pounded violently in his chest as Ron's words echoed in his mind like crashing waves.

"You… you're serious about this?"

"I already told you—I'm not joking."

Ron took a slow sip of his drink, his expression calm yet unwavering.

Smoker clenched his fists, his sharp eyes locked onto him. "Why are you telling me this? Aren't you afraid I'll report this to Marine Headquarters? If I do, they'll mobilize their strongest forces to stop you!"

Ron set down his cup and smiled faintly.

"I don't mind."

He leaned forward slightly, locking eyes with Smoker.

"I'm telling you this, Smoker, because I believe in you. A man like you truly deserves to uphold the meaning of justice. That's why I came to Loguetown today. I want you to stand beside me."

"Impossible!"

Smoker refused outright, his voice firm and resolute.

"I am a Marine. That word defines my stance. If you go through with this insane plan of yours, then the next time we meet—"

His grip on his glass tightened.

"—it will be as enemies on the battlefield."

Ron smirked, pouring himself another drink.

"Don't be so quick to make absolute statements, Smoker."

He swirled the liquid in his cup before continuing.

"There was a time when I believed that as long as I became strong enough, I could roam this sea however I pleased, free to live the way I wanted. But then, I realized something."

He raised his gaze, his eyes flickering like flames.

"Someone once told me—this vast ocean, which seems endless and free, is actually nothing more than a massive prison. It is bound by the rules of those who sit above the world, and anyone who dares to challenge those rules… is labeled a pirate, a criminal. And then, it's your job—the Marines' job—to hunt them down."

Ron's voice was eerily calm, but every word struck deep.

"It doesn't matter if they ever had any intention of becoming pirates. The moment they cross the rules, they are considered unforgivable."

"If those rules were truly built on fairness and justice, I would be willing to follow them. But if they exist solely to allow the ones who made them to govern the world with an iron grip, if they exist only to ensure that the Celestial Dragons can continue enslaving the masses… then there is no such thing as freedom on this sea."

Ron exhaled slowly.

"And if there is no real freedom, then even your justice… has already been twisted beyond recognition."

Smoker's grip on his glass tightened even more. His teeth clenched as he forced out two words—

"Shut… up."

But Ron was unfazed.

He took another sip and continued.

"These past two years, I did more than just train on Zou. I kept my movements hidden, traveling across the New World, visiting countless islands and nations."

He placed his empty glass down with a clink.

"The New World is chaotic, no doubt about it. But what truly shocked me was this—on the islands ruled by the Four Emperors, there was no disgusting system of nobility. Nobles and commoners lived side by side, and for the most part, in harmony."

"Meanwhile, in the territories controlled by the World Government, the class divide is deeper than ever—an undeniable, unbreakable chain."

Smoker remained silent, his body rigid as Ron's words weighed down on him.

"The truth is simple—the Celestial Dragons are parasites. They do not belong in this world, and they never should have existed in the first place."

Ron leaned forward, his gaze piercing.

"Tell me, Smoker… you think so too, don't you?"

"The Marines are filled with people who bow their heads to those so-called 'gods.' Some even abandon their belief in justice entirely to serve them, don't they?"

Smoker's hands trembled.

He gritted his teeth, his jaw tightening, but he had no words to refute him.

Because Ron was right.

Every Marine knew it. Some ignored it, some turned a blind eye, and others—like Smoker—could do nothing but suffocate under the weight of that knowledge.

Ron exhaled lightly, his voice carrying the weight of absolute resolve.

"These past two years have given me clarity."

"Even if I grow powerful enough to stand above all, even if no force on this sea can restrain me… if this world remains unchanged, then everywhere I go, I'll still see the same rotten filth, the same oppression. It's no different from the Goa Kingdom in the East Blue—"

"An illusion of peace, built on the suffering of others."

Ron pushed his chair back and rose to his feet. His tone was calm, but his words held the weight of a declaration.

"This world needs change."

"And instead of waiting for someone else to do it… I'll do it myself."

"The World Government will remain—but the Celestial Dragons will be erased."

"The Marines will continue to exist—but they will become the New Marines."

A crack rang out.

The glass in Smoker's hand shattered, fragments falling onto the wooden table. His breath was heavy, his mind in turmoil.

Ron smiled.

He turned toward the door, but before leaving, he paused and looked back over his shoulder.

"Smoker, Wanna make a bet?"

"What kind of bet?"

"You're pretty close with Aokiji, aren't you?" Ron's tone was casual, but his words carried weight. "Let's bet on which side he'll choose."

Smoker's eyes narrowed sharply. "What are you implying?! Aokiji is a Marine Admiral—you really think he'd ever stand with you?!"

"Then that means you're betting he won't."

A hint of amusement laced Ron's voice. "I'll bet that he will. If I win, you join my side—how about that?"

Smoker downed the rest of his drink in one go, then slammed the cracked glass onto the counter. With a final crack, it shattered completely.

"And if I win?"

"Then when we fight…"

Ron smirked.

"I'll take you all on—blindfolded."

Before Smoker could even process the meaning behind those words, Ron had already turned and stepped out of the tavern.

The moment Ron stepped out, Tashigi came rushing in from the opposite direction.

As they brushed past each other, she instinctively glanced at his face—but only for a brief moment, barely enough to register his features.

There was something… oddly familiar about him.

It felt like she had seen that face somewhere before.

But before she could dwell on it, she had already rushed inside. Spotting Smoker standing by the bar counter, she immediately pushed the thought to the back of her mind.

"Captain Smoker! Big news!"

…

Beyond the Tavern – On the Streets of Loguetown.

With his hands tucked into the pockets of his black coat, Ron strolled down the bustling streets, his eyes flickering with thought.

"Where could Dragon be right now?"

What Ron was about to do—what he was planning—was something the world hadn't seen in over 800 years.

A war unlike any before it.

A war that would decide the fate of the world.

A war that could topple everything.

Naturally, he couldn't do it alone—not even with the Calamity from the Skies at his side.

Right now, he was gathering his forces. And in his mind, he had already started weighing his options.

He mentally listed out the strongest individuals and factions that might join the battle:

Issho (Fujitora) – The blind warrior with the power of the Zushi Zushi no Mi. He had made a promise to Ron after their duel, but it was still unclear where his loyalties truly lay.Dracule Mihawk, the world's greatest swordsman—his stance was uncertain.Smoker—his choice didn't matter.Aokiji (Kuzan)—completely unpredictable.Empress Boa Hancock—a possibility, but not guaranteed.Silvers Rayleigh—potentially an ally, but unconfirmed.Former Admiral Zephyr—a strong candidate.The Four Emperors—none of them could be trusted. No guarantees.

Among the Yonko, however, the one who seemed most likely to be drawn into this war was none other than Kaido of the Beasts—the very man Ron had crossed swords with before.

But beyond these individuals and factions…

There was one force in the world that stood as the most likely to fight alongside him.

One force that had both the strength and the resolve to stand against the World Government.

The Revolutionary Army.

And more importantly…

Its leader—Monkey D. Dragon.

The father of Luffy.

The man Ron had met once, long ago, when he was just a child.

He would be Ron's perfect ally.

However, even after sweeping Loguetown with his Observation Haki, Ron couldn't sense any trace of Dragon.

According to the original timeline, Dragon had once appeared here to save Luffy… but now, it seemed he had not yet arrived.

Ron wasn't going to wait around.

Instead, he turned away from Loguetown and set sail for the Grand Line.

His destination?

The heart of the Revolutionary Army.

The place where it all began.

Baltigo—the White Soil Island.

-------------------------

Patreon Patreon Patreon Patreon Patreon Patreon Patreon Patreon Patreon Patreon