The natural system started off strong, but the navy finally reached its peak!

When Kuma is forced to choose between the 'greater good' of the revolutionary army and the 'life' of his loved ones...

Every word Ivankov uttered was like a needle piercing the dragon's heart.

"You chose to remain silent, didn't you?"

This statement, though not a question, is sharper than any other.

It exposed the deepest scars in Long's heart and the cold, yet equally painful, choice he made based on a "greater goal."

The dragon's body stiffened slightly, and the hand that was slamming on the table slowly clenched, its knuckles turning white from the force.

He fell silent, and the shadow beneath his hood deepened.

Ivankov's words left him speechless.

The silence in Baltimore seemed especially heavy at this moment.

Ivankov looked at the dragon, whose silent figure appeared particularly heavy in the shadow of the hood, and felt a mix of emotions.

It would be a lie to say that I felt no resentment or aversion whatsoever.

After all, compared to the revolutionary leader Dorag, who had grand ideals and lofty goals, Bartholomew Bear and Ginny were Ivankov's childhood friends, like family.

That affection has long been ingrained in my bones.

Otherwise, he wouldn't have joined the revolutionary army and initially gained a foothold back then.

They immediately tried to contact Xiong and Ginny, inviting them to join the cause of fighting for freedom.

He sincerely hoped that they could fight side by side and realize their childhood dream of saving people from suffering.

This is precisely why, when Ginny met with misfortune in the Holy Land, and when Bear was forced to make a painful choice between the "greater good" of the Revolutionary Army and the "life" of his lover...

Ivankov understood the bear's inner torment better than anyone else.

He desperately hoped that the revolutionary army would spare no effort to rescue and support their comrades.

However, as a senior officer in the revolutionary army, he also clearly saw the situation that Long was facing.

At that time, the revolutionary army was still in its infancy and was in an extremely vulnerable stage of development.

To directly attack Mary Geoise, the sacred site and power center of the World Government, for the sake of a relative of an official (even a very important one).

This is tantamount to throwing an egg against a rock, and could very well drag the entire organization into an abyss of no return, rendering years of hard work and the sacrifices of countless comrades futile.

The dragon chose silence, choosing to "consider the bigger picture."

At that moment, Ivankov's heart was truly... in so much pain that he couldn't breathe, so much pain that it felt like it was being torn apart.

He understood the cold logic behind that choice, and couldn't even rationally accuse Long of making a mistake.

Standing in the position of a leader, a revolutionary army leader who carried the hopes of countless people, Long's choice was undoubtedly the most "correct" and "rational" at the time.

But this "correctness" means a certain "sacrifice" and "betrayal" of their mutual friends and that deep friendship.

This intense conflict between reason and emotion, this pain of knowing the other party is not wrong yet still being unable to let go, gnawed at Ivankov's heart like a venomous snake.

He looked at the dragon, unable to angrily accuse it like an ordinary friend, nor could he completely express understanding and agreement without any reservations.

The ideals of revolution are brilliant, but the road to those ideals is full of harsh and real thorns.

Just as Ivankov was immersed in that complex emotion that he had to force himself to understand, his heart felt as if it were being torn apart by two opposing forces...

The dragon, who had been silent all along, suddenly spoke in a low voice, as if by some strange twist of fate, with a hint of uncertainty and probing.

“Ivan…”

The dragon's roar broke the stillness and interrupted Ivankov's thoughts.

"You said... after all that Xiong has been through, is it possible... that he might choose to come back?"

After all, Ginny is safe now, and it seems that Gern is safe too…

"Dorag!!!" Ivankov suddenly raised his head, almost shouting as he interrupted the dragon!

Ivankov's signature large eyes, no longer exaggerated as usual, were now fixed intently on the dragon beneath the hood.

His chest heaved with excitement, and his fingers trembled slightly.

This roar contained so many emotions:

It was astonishing that people could still have such fantasies about dragons!

It's ironic that the dragon, after making the decision to "give up," still hopes to "win back"!

It is outrage at how the suffering endured by Xiong and Ginny has been so lightly dismissed!

Furthermore, he was extremely disappointed by Long's "naivety" and even "selfishness" at this moment, which was inconsistent with his status as the leader of the revolutionary army!

This "Dorag" is no longer a term of address among comrades; it's more like a resounding slap across the face of a dragon.

"Big Bear and Ginny, they are... my 'friends'!!!"

Chapter 345 The debt of gratitude owed to Guern can never be repaid

"Drag, Big Bear, and Ginny, they are... my 'friends'!!!"

Ivankov's roar was like a splash of cold water, instantly snapping the dragon out of its momentary daze.

He immediately realized how cruel and irresponsible the words he had just blurted out were for Ivankov, who had recently suffered the pain of losing a close friend.

For a moment, a hint of regret flashed across the dragon's face beneath the hood.

“I’m sorry, Ivan… I misspoke.” He took a deep breath, softened his tone, and said with genuine apology, “I was… a little distracted just now.”

Seeing Long apologize and his undisguised exhaustion, Ivankov's anger dissipated like a punctured balloon.

He understood Dragon, and knew that during this time, the Revolutionary Army was internally conflicted due to Kuma's departure, the impact of the Holy Land incident, and the potential pressure from the World Government.

This has already exhausted the leader, and he probably hasn't had a proper rest in a long time.

Under immense pressure, it's understandable that someone might occasionally say something thoughtless.

"Never mind... I know you're tired too." Ivankov sighed heavily, his anger replaced by a complex sense of helplessness.

So he waved his hand and softened his tone: "I'll go take care of things now, you should also take some time to rest."

After saying that, Ivankov turned around and prepared to leave the oppressive room.

However, just as his hand touched the doorknob...

"Mr. Long! Commander Ivankov!"

A rapid, excited shout, accompanied by hurried footsteps approaching from afar, broke the silence of the headquarters from the corridor outside the door!

Ivankov abruptly stopped in his tracks as he opened the door, and almost simultaneously, he and the dragon inside the room looked up at the doorway in confusion.

The next second, the door was pushed open with a bang, and a young revolutionary soldier appeared in the doorway, panting heavily. Before he could even catch his breath, he shouted with all his might, "He's back! He's back! Mr. Long! Commander Ivankov!"

"Big Bear... Big Bear is back!!!"

The news struck like a thunderbolt in the minds of Long and Ivankov!

The next moment, without hesitation, Long and Ivankov rushed out of the room like arrows and sprinted toward the open space in the center of the base!

Sure enough, in the center of the circle of revolutionary soldiers who had spontaneously formed, that tall and familiar figure was standing quietly. It was Bartholomew Kuma!

He looked travel-worn, but his expression was unusually calm.

The soldiers around him greeted him with a mixture of surprise and doubt, creating a warm yet slightly strange atmosphere.

"Bear!!" Ivankov was the most excited. He shouted and, with his agility, smashed through the crowd, jumped up, and used both hands and feet to hang on the bear's broad back like a koala.

"You rascal! Why did you suddenly come back?! Where's Ginny?"

"How is she? Is she safe?" Ivankov asked in rapid succession, his voice filled with concern and urgency.

Feeling the familiar weight behind him and Ivankov's excitement, the bear's face revealed its usual gentle smile.

He turned his head and answered in his deep, steady voice, "Yes, I'm back. Little Ivan."

Ginny...she's safe now, at Base G-10 in the New World.

"G-10 base?"

Xiong's words, though not loud, were like a boulder thrown into a calm lake, instantly creating ripples all around!

The smiles on the faces of the revolutionary soldiers who had just been enthusiastically surrounding the group instantly froze, and the surprise in their eyes was quickly replaced by astonishment, confusion, and even a hint of wariness.

As if pushed aside by an invisible force, the crowd retreated in tacit silence, and the originally tight encirclement quickly expanded, leaving an abrupt clearing around the bear.

The air seemed to freeze at that moment.

The bear remained standing in place, calmly enduring all the complex gazes.

His gaze slowly swept over the familiar and unfamiliar faces around him, finally settling on the person standing not far away, across the open space.

Wearing a dark green cloak, with a complex expression beneath the hood, Monkey D. Dragon hesitated to step forward.

Ivankov also noticed the sudden change in the atmosphere and the bear's unusual calm.

The excitement on his face gradually faded, and an ominous premonition welled up in his heart.

So, with decisive agility, he jumped off the bear's back, stood in front of it, tilted his head back, and stared intently at the bear with his signature large, expressive eyes.

His voice trembled slightly, almost imperceptibly: "Bear...you came back this time...for...?"

“Little Ivan, everyone…” Bear sighed deeply.

He didn't answer Ivankov directly, but silently took off the simple knapsack he was carrying.

He placed it on the ground, and then solemnly took out a neatly folded garment from inside.

It was a pure white naval admiral's righteous cloak!

Under the shocked and incredulous gazes of everyone, Xiong slowly unfastened the light-colored cloak that symbolized his identity as a revolutionary soldier, letting it slip to the ground.

Then, with a flick of his arm, he draped the brand-new white cloak, embroidered with the powerful words "Justice," over his broad shoulders.

A white cloak fluttered behind him, and the huge characters for "Justice" were prominently displayed.

It stood out so starkly in the Revolutionary Army headquarters in Baltigo, a base established to overthrow the World Government!

"I'm back this time..."

The bear's voice rang out, tinged with a barely suppressed sob, as it looked at its best friend, Ivankov.

Tears finally streamed down that enormous body uncontrollably.

"I'm here to... make a clean break with everyone."

“Mr. Gurn’s kindness… his rescue of Ginny and me…” Bear’s voice trembled, choking with emotion.

"I...I'm afraid I'll never..."

"It's all over... Little Ivan!!!"

Chapter 346 This combination is surprisingly good.

Bear's words, choked with tears, were, "I can never repay Mr. Guern's kindness in my entire life."

Like the final verdict, it completely shattered Ivankov's wishful thinking.

Now he finally understood that Xiong's return this time was not out of a change of heart, but rather with a heart set on saying goodbye.

Let's make a clean and decisive break with him, with the dragon, and with the entire revolutionary army.

Thinking of this, Ivankov opened his mouth, looking at his best friend's tearful yet resolute face, and for a moment a thousand words stuck in his throat.

He understood Xiong's choice, but it was precisely because he understood that the pain was all the more heart-wrenching.

Meanwhile, the dragon, standing not far away, witnessed everything.

He took a small step forward, his lips trembling slightly, as if he wanted to say something.

I wanted to explain the unavoidable circumstances at the time, to persuade this important comrade to stay, and to express my deep remorse...

But eventually, realizing that all explanations after the dust had settled were pale and powerless, even bordering on 'sophistication'.

So, the dragon could only sigh and say in a deep voice, "Bear... I... I'm really sorry about what happened before."

"Mr. Long..."

Dragon's apology was sincere, but in the current situation, it seemed so insignificant.