072 The Revolutionary Army: The Dragon’s Wrath

Taking a deep breath, Xuan Ye furrowed his brow slightly, his gaze heavy as he watched the Dragon approach slowly.

“We meet again.” With a magnetic voice, Dragon lifted the hood from his head, revealing a peculiar smile.

Clad in a deep green overcoat, a red square tattoo emblazoned on the left side of his face, Dragon evoked no expression from Xuan Ye, who replied flatly, “How unfortunate to run into you here.”

“Indeed, I didn’t expect this either. But you’ve truly surprised me. For years, you vanished without a trace—as if you’d evaporated from the world. You’re not easy to find, Tori Tengu Xuan Ye Tang.”

With a deep voice, Dragon stood before Xuan Ye, extending his hand with a sincere smile. “Tori Tengu, come help me. Let’s overthrow the World Government together, change this world, and build a land of harmony, freedom, equality, and dreams.”

Gazing at the large hand before him, Xuan Ye’s lips curled into a sly grin as he eyed Dragon. “So, have you finished building your Revolutionary Army?”

Dragon laughed, his hand still outstretched. “During your absence, the Revolutionary Army has indeed been established. Come, I need your help.”

“To overturn the world—now, that is a temptation I find hard to resist. However, for now, I still need the World Government. I’m sorry, but your power is simply too weak.”

Without the slightest mercy, Xuan Ye laid bare his naked ambition and disdain.

At these words, Dragon withdrew his hand, his smile unchanged. “Then, perhaps you can do me a favor—spare Bartholomew Kuma.”

“A favor?” Xuan Ye tilted his head, bloodied all over. Suddenly, his eyes flashed gold and red. He spun, swinging a whip-like kick at Dragon’s head.

“Is your favor worth that much?”

Bang—a sound as dark as ink. Dragon intercepted the kick with his arm. With a screech of impact, Dragon flipped backward, retreating several steps before regaining his stance.

In an instant, Dragon’s expression soured, the atmosphere turning tense and frozen.

“Dragon, why did you hurry here?” Suddenly, from the distance, a panting figure approached swiftly.

As the figure drew near, an enormous face came into view—sporting a mass of deep purple explosive hair, thick lashes, light blue eyeshadow, and, most revolting of all, a pair of lips smeared with purple lipstick. The attire was equally bizarre: fishnet stockings below, a skintight, low-cut bodysuit above. Most offensive were the black leg hairs quivering through the fishnets, nearly blinding Xuan Ye with their grotesqueness.

“Emporio Ivankov, King of the Transgender Kingdom, an immensely powerful Horm-Horm Fruit user.”

In a flash, Xuan Ye recalled this figure—memorable, if only for his sheer repulsiveness.

“Oh! Dragon, who’s this? A new companion?” Ivankov batted his large eyes, sashaying over with a catwalk strut, hand reaching out as if to pat Xuan Ye’s shoulder.

Narrowing his eyes, exuding danger, Xuan Ye fought back his disgust. If this creature stepped any closer, he would kill him without hesitation.

“Tsk, tsk… What happened here? Why is our new friend injured?” Ivankov continued, oblivious to both Dragon and Xuan Ye, his hand stretching toward Xuan Ye’s shoulder.

A calm face twisted into a snarl as Ivankov instinctively met Xuan Ye’s gaze. In that instant, terror shot through him—every hair on his body stood on end, and he tried to retreat from that deadly look.

But it was already too late.

Dragon, too, sensed something amiss and tried to stop Ivankov, but the latter approached Xuan Ye from the opposite side—too close already.

All Dragon could do was shout, “Ivankov, get away from there! That man is dangerous!” With that, he vanished in a flash of light.

Bang! Time seemed to stop. Ivankov doubled over, eyes wide as saucers, blood spurting uncontrollably from his mouth, his chest cracking under the force.

Looking up, Xuan Ye’s brows bristled, his eyes burning with brutality, his blood-smeared face contorted in a fearsome snarl.

“Disgusting wretch, to think you’d dare touch me—you’re courting death.”

Boom—terrifying crimson flames erupted from Xuan Ye, blasting Ivankov’s back and sending tongues of fire everywhere.

“Aaagh!” With a scream, Ivankov became a streak of light, rolling across the ground and gouging a trench nearly two meters wide.

Retracting his leg, Xuan Ye’s body was wreathed in flames. Like a god of fire, he swiftly entered Full-Beast Form, Second Stage—Divine Transformation.

“Tori Tengu, you’ve gone too far.” Deep within the crater, Dragon’s face was dark as blood. Supporting the grievously injured Ivankov, Dragon looked up, fury flashing in his eyes.

Thud, thud—flames dancing around him, Xuan Ye advanced step by step, his face calm, his voice icy. “Dragon, you’re too full of yourself. Toppling the World Government, building a peaceful world—it all sounds grand. But it doesn’t mask your sinister ambition.”

“War means destruction, means disaster. And you intend to unleash this catastrophe. Whether won or lost, it’s always the common people who suffer. The so-called rulers are nothing but beasts whose humanity has been crushed. And you, Monkey D. Dragon—how are you any different?”

With gold-red eyes blazing like living fire, Xuan Ye’s scorn was naked and merciless.

“Most importantly, that creature disgusted me. So I’m in a foul mood—and when I’m in a foul mood, someone must die.”

Overbearing, unreasonable—Dragon could not comprehend Xuan Ye’s way of thinking at all.

“If we walk different paths, there’s no point in working together. It seems my decision was mistaken. So, will you be my enemy?” Rising to his feet, Dragon’s face was expressionless, strange ripples emanating from him as if containing boundless rage. He fixed Xuan Ye with a grinding, word-by-word glare.

“No, not at all. Whoever rules this world, I have no interest.” Raising his lips in a half-smile, Xuan Ye extended fingers wrapped in golden feathers, his tone unwavering. Then, coldly, “In this world where the strong devour the weak, only power matters. To me, the Navy, the pirates, even the World Government—they’re all just oppressors. In my eyes, they are all the same.”

“If that’s so, then why not join me? Is the position too low? You could stand as my equal,” Dragon offered, unwilling to give up.

“Dragon, what merits does this brat have to stand as your equal?” Trembling, Ivankov struggled to his feet, indignant.

“You abomination, stay out of my sight or I’ll kill you,” Xuan Ye shot back, making no effort to conceal his murderous intent.

“Ivankov, stand down. He’s more dangerous than you can imagine,” Dragon warned, shaking his head before looking squarely at Xuan Ye. “So, what do you say?”

“Haha…hahaha…” Xuan Ye burst into wild laughter, staring at the calm-faced Dragon. “To stand as your equal—that’s quite a gift. Too bad the Revolutionary Army can’t offer me what I want.”

“Name your terms.”

“I’m in a bad mood because of this freak. Kill him first, then we’ll talk.”

“Tori Tengu, don’t go too far,” Dragon replied, face twisted with anger.

“Your words annoy me,” Xuan Ye sneered, his expression turning wicked as his figure vanished from sight.

“Not good!” Dragon’s face changed dramatically—Xuan Ye’s unpredictability chilled him to the bone.

Bang—a terrifying impact. Ivankov’s pupils shrank, his entire body tensing up. Right before his eyes, a jet-black fist crackled with energy, sending his explosive hair shooting skyward.

In a flash, a menacing blue claw gripped Xuan Ye’s arm, halting his advance completely.

…