Dragon didn't expect York to be so sharp. His biggest secret—the reason he fled the Marines—was laid bare in seconds.
He fell silent, his grip on his hood tightening.
York chuckled. He wasn't actually reading minds; he was just using his knowledge of the original timeline and applying it to the current situation.
"At God Valley, you couldn't stand the Celestial Dragons slaughtering civilians," York said, his voice low and knowing. "So you snapped. You attacked them."
'Because of that, you cut yourself off from the Marines. You have no place left there."
"You fled to Ohara to hide, waiting for the heat to die down. But then we arrived."
"Your sense of justice compelled you to monitor us. And here we are."
York leaned closer. "Am I wrong?"
Dragon looked at York with a strange expression, half-suspicious, half-amazed.
"Can your Devil Fruit read minds?"
"Hahahaha! Of course not!" York grinned. "Just simple deduction."
Dragon fell silent again. He felt naked before this pirate. The man knew everything about him, yet Dragon knew nothing about York. The imbalance was unsettling.
York watched the emotions flicker across Dragon's face.
"You have nowhere to go, do you?"
Dragon didn't answer.
"Do you want to join my crew?" York asked abruptly.
Dragon stiffened.
"Think about it," York continued, ticking off points on his fingers. "You attacked a Celestial Dragon. You can't be a Marine. You can't be a Bounty Hunter."
"Your options are limited:
* Go back to East Blue and hide in a village until you die of old age.
* Join the Underworld and become a thug.
* Become a Pirate.
York smiled faintly.
"You probably think I'm the kind of pirate who burns, kills, and plunders, right?"
"That's a fair assumption. My bounty is 3 Billion, after all."
York's expression shifted. The playfulness vanished, replaced by a solemn, burning intensity.
"But... I have a dream."
"I want to overthrow the World Nobles. I want to establish a new order."
Dragon blinked. "A pirate... wants to overthrow the Government?"
"That sounds empty, I know," York said. "So let me be specific. I have a three-step plan:
* "Abolish Slavery." Guarantee basic human rights for all races.
* "Abolish the Nobility." Open up social mobility so merit, not bloodline, rules the world.
* "Food Security." Ensure everyone in the world can eat their fill.
York extended his hand.
"True equality is a job for future generations. But these three steps? We can do them in our lifetime."
"So, Monkey D. Dragon... do you want to come and help me change the world?"
Dragon stared at the hand.
A pirate talking about human rights and food security? It was absurd. And yet... it was exactly what Dragon had wanted the Marines to be.
He was conflicted.
"I…"
Dragon hesitated. "What if he's lying? Pirates betray people every day."
Dragon took a breath and stepped back.
"I have nowhere to go. And your ideals are... appealing."
"But you are a pirate. I cannot trust you yet."
Dragon looked York in the eye.
"Show me with your actions. Only then will I truly call you Captain."
York smiled. He stepped forward and clapped a hand on Dragon's shoulder.
"Fair enough. Just wait and see."
That night, York rented out the town tavern.
He introduced Dragon to the crew. The atmosphere was lively, though the locals drinking in the corner muttered about pirate scum talking about noble ideals.
York ignored them. "Actions speak louder than words."
When the tavern cleared out, York placed a heavy sack on the table.
"Alright, time for the rewards."
He pulled out the Devil Fruits looted from God Valley.
There were nine in total.
* One was given to Kuma (Paw-Paw Fruit).
* Kaido already had the Azure Dragon.
* Whitebeard and Big Mom had taken theirs before leaving.
That left Five Top-Tier Fruits on the table.
York lined them up.
* Paramecia: Barrier-Barrier Fruit (Bari Bari no Mi).
* Paramecia: Mirror-Mirror Fruit (Mira Mira no Mi).
* Zoan: Bird-Bird Fruit, Mythical Model: Phoenix (Tori Tori no Mi).
* Logia: Dark-Dark Fruit (Yami Yami no Mi).
* Logia: Hurricane-Hurricane Fruit (Wind/Storm Fruit).
The crew stared at the treasure. Any single one of these could create a powerhouse.
"Anyone want one?" York asked. "As founding members, you get first pick."
Kaido grunted. "I'm full. Can't eat a second one."
Gloriosa shook her head. "I prefer swimming. No thanks."
Shakky nodded. "Same here. I like my baths too much."
York looked at Stussy.
She looked hesitant. She loved her baths, but the power on the table was undeniable. The Phoenix offered regeneration. The Darkness offered control. The Wind offered destruction.
Her hand hovered over the Phoenix Fruit.
Then it moved to the Hurricane Fruit.
Finally, it settled on the Mirror-Mirror Fruit.
She picked it up.
"I'll take this one."
York raised an eyebrow. "Are you sure? That's a support ability compared to the others."
Stussy gritted her teeth and nodded.
"I'm not a front-line fighter like Kaido. Logia or Mythical Zoan would waste my potential."
"But the Mirror World... that's perfect for logistics, intelligence, and transport."
She smiled, a hint of cunning in her eyes.
"Besides... this fruit is strategically critical. If an enemy got it, they could infiltrate us easily. You wouldn't feel at ease unless someone you trust ate it, right, York?"
York chuckled. She was sharp. The Mirror Fruit was the ultimate base of operations.
He pulled Stussy into his arms and kissed her forehead.
"Smart woman. I'm sorry to make you sacrifice your baths for this."
"But you're right. With you controlling the mirrors... we'll be untouchable."
....
.....
.....
Early access to advance chapters on immortaldaowriter.gumroad.com