One Piece Gunslinger

Therefore, the World Government had already lost the moment it took over Leon and began planning this ambush. They had already fallen into Leon's trap back then.

Leon intended to use himself as bait to lure the World Government into a trap, thereby destroying its foundations in one fell swoop. Without most of its member states, the World Government would be like a tree without roots or water without branches, teetering on the brink of collapse.

However, this also presents a problem: the Revolutionary Army's victory is temporary, the World Government's army is still there, and it still holds the world's strongest military force—the Navy.

With the support of this vital force, it would be easy to launch a counterattack and reclaim the advantages gained by the revolutionary army.

So, in order to ensure that the World Government could only continue to defend passively and be unable to reclaim lost territory after discovering the Revolutionary Army's true intentions, this task fell to Leon.

Li Ang's mission is of paramount importance. Not only does he have to act as bait and sacrifice himself, but he also has to undermine the morale of the Navy, erode their fighting spirit, and sow discord between the Navy and the World Government.

If this succeeds, it will be a fatal blow to the world government.

Therefore, Leon's dying words were of great significance, not only to awaken the world's resistance and inspire the revolutionary process, but also to shake the navy.

And now, that moment is finally almost here. Li Ang waits quietly, waiting for this final moment to arrive. Like the ephemeral beauty of the night-blooming cereus, Li Ang will also experience the final bloom of his life.

Everyone in Marineford was anxiously waiting. Time ticked by, everything was ready, but why hadn't the revolutionaries arrived yet? If they waited any longer, it would be noon before the execution. Did they have to wait until the very moment of the execution to see them?

Could the Revolutionary Army have really given up on the rescue? Sengoku couldn't help but wonder. He had considered this possibility, and everyone had analyzed it; the probability was only about 10%. Ordinary people might not understand, but those at the top of the hierarchy were very clear about it, especially Sengoku, who had some knowledge of Dragon, Garp's son.

It's true that Dragon is the leader and commander-in-chief of the Revolutionary Army, and the Revolutionary Army was founded by Dragon and a few others. However, Dragon's abilities are not sufficient to achieve the current level, or even to openly challenge the World Government.

Dragon's abilities are primarily manifested in his leadership qualities, formidable strength, and keen eye for talent. With him at the helm, the entire revolutionary army can operate smoothly and thrive. Moreover, it was he who discovered so many talented individuals, including the entire Leon family.

However, through the fragmented intelligence transmitted by spies at great risk, it was discovered that Li Ang was the one responsible for controlling the entire revolutionary army's movements. The revolutionary army's development to this point was entirely due to Li Ang's abilities.

How could the revolutionary army not come to the rescue of such an important figure who had transformed the revolutionary army from weak to strong?

As Sengoku pondered, the CP0 member sent by the World Government to assist him glanced at his watch and said disdainfully, "It's time for the execution in thirty minutes, and the Revolutionary Army still hasn't arrived. Looks like they're afraid of us. The so-called Revolutionary Army is nothing special. It seems tomorrow's headlines will be: The Revolutionary Army is cowardly and weak, and can't possibly stand up to the World Government."

Hearing what the CP0 members said, Sengoku felt a little strange. Logically speaking, if the Revolutionary Army was afraid, what was the point of fighting the World Government? They should just disband and be done with it. They were never afraid when they were just a small force, so why would they be afraid of the World Government now?

"Yes, they must be trying to launch an attack when we are careless and relaxed. That last minute is when we are at our weakest."

Thinking this, Sengoku glanced at the many soldiers and noticed that quite a few had been waiting since early morning, standing for several hours, their faces showing signs of fatigue or boredom and impatience. This further confirmed Sengoku's suspicions.

Sengoku shouted, "Everyone, stay alert! Don't let your guard down! The rebels are very likely to launch their attack in the last thirty minutes!"

Yes, they still haven't come to their senses. They still think the revolutionary army will either storm the execution ground or chicken out and not come. There's no third possibility.

This is also why Li Ang vigorously developed his military strength but kept it hidden, and vigorously developed external aid but also kept it hidden. He fooled several Shichibukai, but still couldn't control them.

The goal is to prevent the World Government from realizing that the Revolutionary Army, when fully mobilized, is capable of launching a total war and using the countries around the world that have secretly joined the Revolutionary Army as springboards to launch a fierce attack on the entire globe.

"An army is raised for a thousand days to be used for one day; we must bide our time and wait for the right opportunity. Now is the time for the revolutionary army to exert its strength."

Hearing Sengoku's shout, Li Ang even felt a little amused. It turned out that watching others outwit thin air was so interesting. Moreover, now there were not only Garp and Li Ang on this execution platform, but also two Marines who had been there two hours earlier, holding guns to their necks as if afraid that Li Ang would run away.

“I’m saying, no matter what you think, these are the last thirty minutes, it’s time for me to say a few last words,” Li Ang said.

Chapter 378 This is the Real Revolutionary Army

"Last words?!"

Sengoku had almost forgotten about this whole thing. Shiba, we're at a crucial stage in the power struggle between the World Government and the Revolutionary Army, and everyone's on guard against an attack from the Revolutionary Army. How could they possibly care about the nominal protagonist on this execution platform?

However, according to ancient custom, it is indeed customary for criminals to give their last words before execution. This is also to let the world see the ugly faces of those vicious criminals more clearly.

A CP0 member also said, "Oh? Last words. That makes sense. Phrases like 'I'll be waiting for you in hell,' 'I'll get my revenge,' 'Come and fight me one-on-one if you dare,' and '*……%&@#' always sound pretty good. Now I want to hear what's different about this rebel chief of staff."

Hehe, there are so many differences, I guarantee you'll want to punch someone after hearing it.

Alright, the ceremony still needs to go through. We've already made such a big show of it, we can't let it end abruptly. We need to complete the execution process.

So Sengoku walked to the front of the execution platform, checked his watch, and said solemnly, "You have less than thirty minutes to say your last words. Make any requests you may have, such as what you want to eat. As long as it's not too outrageous, we will generally grant your request. Execute me immediately when the time is up."

Wow, this shows the world that the navy's selflessness is not without its human touch. Sengoku is truly a seasoned veteran.

With Sengoku's approval, the public execution had reached its final stage, and countless Den Den Mushi (snail phone teleporters) and other devices were pointed in Li Ang's direction. This treatment was even more impressive than Roger's back then. Regardless of the circumstances, this death would at least leave his mark on history.

"Thank you, but my request isn't unreasonable. I only have one thing to say: listen carefully to my last words."

Meanwhile, the numerous reporters who had been waiting for hours at the live broadcast sites around the world, just like the naval soldiers, had waited in vain, and their physical condition was far inferior to that of the navy. By now, they were starving, their backs and legs aching from standing. They even started cursing the revolutionary army, making their long wait seem pointless, and then they chickened out.

The journalists who came to record and report on this major event are definitely not ordinary journalists; they are all veterans and seasoned media professionals in the industry.

Veteran journalists have endured countless hardships for news stories, including working two days and two nights straight to gather material. However, that's all based on the premise of a truly big story, giving them the motivation. Now, without news, there's no motivation; even standing for an hour feels tiring.

Now that they finally had something to record, they listlessly picked up pens and paper. They couldn't possibly go on this trip empty-handed, only to return with a stack of blank paper. These reporters planned that once this mess was over, they'd go home, have a good meal, and take a nap on the sofa. This news story really wasn't worth writing about; they'd just hand it over to the new interns for practice.

Meanwhile, on an island in the South China Sea, Buggy was leading his troops in a landing operation, saying, "Everyone, don't reveal yourselves. I'm still a Shichibukai, landing with my legal status. We'll take control of the king and his ministers directly, saving us from unnecessary fighting."

"Don't worry, Captain Bucky, don't we understand such a simple truth?"

Bucky nodded, then checked the time: "It's almost time. Let's get to the signal the World Government is sending to the whole world. I need to listen carefully to what Li Ang will say. That guy's a smooth talker; let's see what he comes up with this time."

In the first half of the Grand Line, the old King Cobra of Alabasta was with the newly appointed Admiral Kirk, standing outside the gates of a royal palace.

This was clearly a personal campaign by the emperor, and it must be said that this move had a significant impact on boosting the morale of the soldiers.

"You, Cobra, who never thought you were so unassuming, actually have such a big ambition. Do you think you can do whatever you want just because you have influence in the World Government? Come out and fight me one-on-one if you dare!"

Cobra, of course, paid no attention to which king was shouting from the city tower. That king hadn't even figured out the situation yet; Cobra was no longer backed by the World Government.

Even without Cobra's intervention, Kirk had already arranged the troops and shouted towards the city wall, "Surrender and you will not be killed!"

With tens of thousands of troops looming over them, the sheer number of soldiers below was terrifying. Add to that the soldiers' unison shouts of "Surrender and you will not be killed!" and even the two thousand defenders on top began to waver.

Cobra and Kirk's strategy was to talk their way out of things rather than actually attack; winning hearts and minds was paramount, while conquering cities was secondary—a principle consistently emphasized by the Revolutionary Army. After all, in the end, everyone except those in the upper echelons would become their own.

Thinking of this, Cobra also took out a Den Den Mushi and started fiddling with it. Now should be the most critical moment of the Revolutionary Army's plan. He tried to get the World Government's signal on his face, so that he could at least hear that person's last words.

As for the revolutionary army, they are now besieging the city from all sides. However, what puzzles the people inside the city is that the revolutionary army has not continued its attack. Instead, they have set up broadcasting equipment and loudspeakers, seemingly to broadcast something.

The revolutionary army was too preoccupied with the siege to care about anything else, and most of them were only just learning about Li Ang's plan. Those at the lower ranks learned about it later, and upon hearing the news of Li Ang's impending sacrifice, they nearly descended into chaos. Fortunately, the emphasis on discipline and obedience proved effective. However, they were determined to hear Li Ang's final words.

The world reacted differently to the last words, with a stark contrast between those who knew the inside story and those who didn't. Many onlookers who had been waiting in front of the changing screens were already planning to leave after learning that it was basically a done deal and the revolutionary army was unlikely to come.

I complained that I'd stood there for ages for nothing, and this is what I got in return.

Under this strange gaze, Li Ang looked down at the still-ready naval personnel and at the Den Den Mushi (snail communication devices) transmitting images and sounds, and spoke.

Right there on the stage.

right here.

Just today.

Li Ang delivered a final speech that shocked the world!

"Today, I am very happy to have this opportunity, and I am glad that you can listen to what will be the grandest speech in the history of the world for the fight for freedom."

"Pfft!" Upon hearing the opening line, many people burst out laughing.

The CP0 members laughed and said, "It's really different. This is unlike anything before. There's even something to be happy about. And he didn't treat it as his last words at all. He thought he was giving a speech on a stage. This is the first time I've ever seen someone give a speech while kneeling."

However, even though Li Ang saw his reaction, he couldn't see the reactions of everyone else in the world, and continued calmly.

"Eight hundred years ago, the World Government was established. But in these long eight hundred years, nothing has changed. What do we see today, eight hundred years later? We must face the tragic fact that people still do not have freedom. Eight hundred years later, under the shackles of the World Government and the chains of the Celestial Dragons, people's lives are severely exploited. Eight hundred years later, people live on an impoverished island in a materially abundant ocean. Eight hundred years later, people are still huddled in a corner of this boundless world, and realize that this situation may continue for a long time to come. Today I am here to expose this horrifying situation to the world."

It's all bullshit. Yes, what Li Ang said was true, but it was also nonsense, at least that's how many people saw it. The CP0 members present were practically rolling on the floor in frustration.

Who the hell doesn't know this fact? Yet we're forced to confront this tragic reality and publicize this horrifying situation. Is this a joke? Everyone in the world knows this, and you're the one making it public?

This is a tragedy for humanity. Most people think this way, accepting it as the norm, as an inescapable law. The World Government is the heavens, and the Celestial Dragons are the heavens. This is something you should have known from birth.

Similarly, this is a fact that the World Government and the Celestial Dragons have been constantly propagating: you are just commoners, so hurry up and get to work and pay your taxes. As a result, this is the reality for almost all kingdoms.

However, as Li Ang continued speaking, their laughter soon faded.

"I am here to remind the world that this is a very urgent moment. Now is not the time to talk about calming down. Now is the crucial moment for the revolutionary army."

If anyone still underestimates the urgency of time and our resolve, then you are mistaken. The sweltering heat of righteous indignation will not pass until the crisp autumn of liberty and equality arrives. There can be no peace or tranquility in the world until the people are granted their fair and basic rights, and the whirlwind of revolution will continue to shake the very foundations of the world until the bright day of justice arrives.

And when we act, we must ensure we move forward. We cannot go backward. Now some people will ask me, 'When will you be satisfied?'

We will not be satisfied as long as we continue to suffer unspeakable brutal persecution from the powerful and wealthy.

We will never be satisfied as long as we toil away in the world, drag our weary bodies home, only to find that all our hard work has been taken away by the Celestial Dragons and the kings and nobles.

We will never be satisfied as long as our activities are confined to filthy slums or dilapidated slave cages.

As long as our children continue our fate, and as long as we foresee that they will continue to be exploited, that the sons of slaves will always be slaves, and that the children of slums will grow old and die in slums, we will never be satisfied.

We will never be satisfied as long as any person on this beautiful, blue planet covered by the ocean suffers such treatment, and as long as any person believes that their efforts and struggles will be in vain.

No! We are not satisfied now, nor will we be satisfied in the future, unless justice and fairness come crashing down like a mighty ocean wave.

Li Ang's words made people all over the world realize that their understanding of the "rebels" was wrong, and that it was a slander by the world government.

Justice and fairness, resistance and freedom—that's what a revolutionary army is all about!

Chapter 379 I'll Spit You to Death

What Li Ang said was truly harsh.

All that preceding was just setup; these last two paragraphs directly portray the World Government as the root of all evil, while the Revolutionary Army is the only hope for saving the world. The Revolutionary Army is the epitome of justice.

Just as expected, the CP0 members not only stopped laughing but also wanted to fight. Their faces darkened as they immediately shouted for action, ignoring the fact that there were still twenty minutes left.

Of course, Zhan Guo couldn't pretend he hadn't heard Li Ang's words, and he frowned at Li Ang's actions of raising the banner of justice and fairness.

Looking at the ugly faces of the CP0 members around him, he was glad that all the Den Den Mushi had turned to Li Ang, otherwise these incompetent teammates would have carried out what Li Ang said.

"Enough! Aren't you ashamed enough? Didn't you say you weren't afraid of what others would say?" Sengoku shouted. Sengoku stopped them; if they really got angry and executed twenty days early, wouldn't the villains become villains themselves?

"Sengoku, you'd better watch your mouth!" the CP0 member retorted, displeased. "I'm not your subordinate!"

Not only are they not Sengoku's subordinates, but these CP0 members are directly under the command of the Five Elders, holding a similar status to Sengoku. Moreover, sometimes, with the Five Elders' orders in hand, they can even command the Navy in return.

The head of the world's largest armed organization must be feeling incredibly frustrated. He's not afraid of a naval revolt; I don't know what he's thinking.

However, this concerned the Navy's reputation, something the World Government couldn't interfere with. Any damage to the Navy's reputation was unacceptable, and Sengoku refused to back down, simply telling them to leave and handling the matter himself. Even mud figures have fire resistance; if the Fleet Admiral were to unleash his power, these CP0 members wouldn't fare well either, and might even get a beating if things continued. Faced with Fleet Admiral Sengoku, the World Government probably wouldn't actually punish him.

Then, just as Li Ang finished speaking and was proclaiming the righteousness of the revolutionary army, Sengoku stepped forward and entered the broadcast frame.

In order to save face for the navy, Sengoku had no choice but to confront Ryo directly and engage in a battle with him.

"Hmph, utter nonsense." Since the Warring States period, he'd said, "What do you mean the Revolutionary Army is the only righteous force? How laughable! I'll ask you this: where were you Revolutionary Army when our Navy was fighting the pirates?!"

As the saying goes, experience is the best teacher. Sengoku immediately pointed out the key point: compared to oppression and the World Government, pirates are far more terrifying. They commit all sorts of atrocities, from burning and killing to looting. Encountering them is worse than being oppressed.

The navy is the real force in dealing with these pirates, and with just one sentence, he redeemed the impression he had left.