One Piece: Starting in God Valley as a Slave

Revolutionary Army Headquarters, Baltigo

Inside the command center, the remaining high-ranking members of the Revolutionary Army gathered together. Each of them wore a grim expression, and the atmosphere was suffocatingly heavy.

At the head of the room stood Lindbergh, a feline Mink wearing protective goggles. He was the last remaining commander of the Revolutionary Army's forces, specifically the leader of the Southern Army.

Lindbergh, along with the others in the command center, had been ordered by Dragon to stay at headquarters, which was the only reason they had survived the massacre at Totto Land.

Dragon, Sabo, Karasu, and the others were all gone. Their deaths left Lindbergh as the highest-ranking officer in the Revolutionary Army, making him the acting commander-in-chief. However, this newfound leadership role felt like a burning hot iron in his hands.

The Revolutionary Army was dealt a devastating blow at Totto Land. To call the damage "severe" would be an understatement, it was more like having their jugular slashed.

Still, even a wounded camel is bigger than a horse. The Revolutionary Army remained a top-tier force below the level of an Emperor's crew.

Lindbergh himself was strong, with power approaching that of an Admiral. In the past, he had even had a shining moment during his confrontation with Admiral Aramaki at Mary Geoise.

Moreover, being a Mink, his strength would drastically increase under a full moon thanks to the Sulong transformation.

The purpose of the current meeting was to discuss the Revolutionary Army's next steps.

Lindbergh crossed his arms and sat at the head of the table. Adjusting his goggles, he scanned the room with a serious gaze before speaking in a deep voice,

"Everyone, Dragon is no longer with us. Sabo and Karasu... they're gone too..."

At this point, Lindbergh felt a lump in his throat, and the others shared his sorrowful expression.

Ahiru and Koala, the two female officers, couldn't hold back their tears. Koala, in particular, had been deeply attached to Sabo, and she broke down, sobbing uncontrollably.

Lindbergh let out a heavy sigh and said,

"Koala, please don't cry. We're all grieving, but now is not the time to be overwhelmed by sadness. We need to consider relocating our headquarters. If the Marines find us here, the consequences will be unthinkable!"

Intelligence Officer Gildeo spoke up,

"That's right. Just a few days ago, our scouts spotted CP0 agents in the nearby waters. The situation is already critical."

Lindbergh nodded gravely,

"We need to leave. But the question remains: where should we establish our new base?"

Gildeo clasped his hands on the table and replied in a serious tone,

"My suggestion is to temporarily retreat from the Grand Line."

This statement caused an uproar in the room.

"What?! Retreat from the Grand Line?! That would mean abandoning everything we've built here over the years!"

"Exactly! If Dragon were still here, he'd never agree to this!"

"I suggest we don't settle in one place. Let's form a fleet and scatter across the Grand Line. That way, it'll be harder for the Marines to track us!"

Listening to the commotion, Lindbergh felt a headache coming on. He turned to Gildeo with a troubled expression and asked,

"Gildeo, what do you think...?"

Gildeo furrowed his brow before slamming his hand on the table. The room immediately fell silent, and everyone turned to him.

After a moment of pause, Gildeo sighed and said,

"Everyone, as an intelligence officer, I have access to more information than most of you. The Grand Line is now almost entirely under the Marines' control. Even nations that were previously unaffiliated have started joining the World Government. It's nearly impossible to find a place in the Grand Line without a Marine presence. Over the years, our operations have become increasingly difficult. I'm sure you've all noticed this."

He paused, and seeing no objections, continued,

"Therefore, I believe there's no point in staying in the Grand Line. To be blunt, staying here is a path to destruction!"

His words struck a nerve, and everyone was momentarily stunned. Lindbergh gave Gildeo a look of approval and gestured for him to continue.

Gildeo stood up and walked to the map hanging on the wall behind Lindbergh. Pointing to it, he said,

"Our current situation is dire. We've suffered heavy losses. What we need to do now is regroup and rebuild in secret. We must recruit more allies. Remember how Fujitora, when he was known as Issho, joined us after a chance encounter with Dragon? There are bound to be others out there who share our ideals. Even if we don't find someone like him, we can train talented young fighters. With fresh blood, I believe the Revolutionary Army will one day return to the Grand Line stronger than ever!"

As Gildeo spoke, his voice grew impassioned, and he clenched his fists with determination.

After he finished, Lindbergh was the first to applaud. If not for Gildeo's lack of combat ability, Lindbergh would have considered letting him take over as acting commander.

The others exchanged glances before eventually nodding in agreement.

Lindbergh breathed a sigh of relief and shifted his posture, crouching on his chair. He said,

"In that case, we'll follow Gildeo's plan and retreat from the Grand Line. Gildeo, where do you suggest we establish our new headquarters?"

Without hesitation, Gildeo replied,

"The East Blue! Both Dragon and Sabo came from the East Blue. Compared to the other seas, we still have some influence there, which will make it easier to gain a foothold. Once we're settled, we can appoint three new commanders to develop our forces in the other seas."

Lindbergh clapped his hands and said,

"Good! You've thought this through. Let's proceed as you suggested. Time is of the essence. All commanders, begin mobilizing your forces immediately. Once everyone is assembled, we'll set sail for the East Blue!"

As a military organization, the Revolutionary Army was far more disciplined than pirates, particularly in terms of execution.

The officers stood up to carry out Lindbergh's orders. However, before anyone could leave the room, a sudden, deafening boom echoed outside, followed by the violent shaking of the ground.

Lindbergh disappeared from his chair in a flash, landing on all fours. His furry ears twitched as he picked up a sinister and maniacal laugh in the distance.

"Zehahahaha!!"

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+240 chapters on p@treon/tambeerg