The pirates on the island began to retreat one after another. The remaining subordinates of Buggy emerged from the ground and happened to run into Bartolomeo. Thanks to Mr. 3's wax bunker and the protection of the barrier, a safe zone was created, shielding a significant number of people.
While these people were busy retreating, everyone on the island also saw Doflamingo being carried away. The man who had enslaved this place for ten years had finally left, and the still-conscious residents all cheered for this.
At this time, however, Violet was still maintaining her previous position, using her Devil Fruit ability to watch the sky.
Others could only see Zekrom and Reshiram repelling that attack, but she could use her ability to see Zekrom and Reshiram fighting in the sky.
She didn't know why these twin dragons were fighting; she was simply drawn in by that apocalyptic scene high above.
"Everyone! Hurry up and rescue the wounded. Medics, go provide support!"
The shockwaves first affected the King's Plateau. The people there managed to somewhat reduce the impact of the shockwave with their own attacks, but it still caused massive destruction to Dressrosa.
With Pica's ability and that final clash, Dressrosa was left almost in ruins, and many who had been hiding from the crisis were buried under the ruins.
At this moment, all the rubble was slowly being lifted by Fujitora's power, giving the ordinary soldiers a better chance to rescue the people.
This time Sengoku didn't intervene further, but was instead holding a Den Den Mushi, listening to Tsuru's report.
"You're saying a warship… was stolen?"
"Yes, it was Redfield. He broke into our fleet alone, and then somehow used an ability to create a group of sailors and sailed off with the warship.
Also, he has regained his youth, but the details are unclear."
"He really is troublesome…"
"There's more trouble. Because of Redfield's appearance, all our arrangements have been thrown into chaos. Most of the pirates have already escaped the encirclement, and there are also a few people from the Donquixote Family missing."
"Tsuru-chan, please prepare a more detailed report for Akainu and the Five Elders. I'll go help Fujitora with the rescue efforts."
Sengoku really didn't want to pick up these matters the Fleet Admiral should handle, so he simply hung up the call and threw himself into the rescue work.
"So… you just brought them back with you?"
On the Pokémon Ship, Yamato was taking a headcount. Not only was no one missing, there were even a few extras.
She used Rotom to inform everyone of the gathering point for the Pokémon Ship, except for Kuzan, who had come following the Vivre Card.
"Yes, Miss."
"We thought it wouldn't be good to just leave them there. Since you said you brought Doflamingo, we brought him along with us as well."
The three from Speed's group explained as they pointed at the unconscious person next to them.
The three of them had brought back Senor Pink. They'd been sheltering near the SMILE factory, so they'd happened to witness some of the manly battle between Senor and Franky.
"So what's with this woman? She seems to be in vegetative state, right?"
"Senor said before he passed out that she was his wife, so we brought her along too."
Their reasoning was a bit odd, but not exactly wrong. Yamato then looked over at a barely breathing old man and a bald guy.
"And what about these two?"
"Pay-tan and I were dodging the shockwaves, when this old guy suddenly flew in from the side. It seems like something sent him flying.
The reason is the same as those three."
The old man brought back by Ulti and Page One was Lao G, and the bald one was Gladius. He'd blown up all his hair in the earlier battle and was now bald, and Kuzan had conveniently picked him up.
As a result, there were now three unconscious Donquixote Family executives on the ship, plus a vegetative family member of an executive.
"What a coincidence, but I have a small question."
"Ara, ara, just ask anything you like. Don't look at me like that."
"Where's my bike? Why has it turned into this twisted hunk of metal?"
Staring at that clump of unidentifiable pink metal, Yamato voiced her question, while Kuzan seemed a bit embarrassed as well, and simply put on his eye mask.
"This was an accident. I think compared to an inanimate object, human lives are more important. It's all the World Government's fault. If it weren't for that shockwave, your bike wouldn't have been ruined. I even specifically had someone maintain it for you."
"Mm, you make a good point. So, keeping an eye on him is your job now."
Pointing at Doflamingo outside the cabin, Yamato stated her request to Kuzan.
At this moment, Doflamingo wasn't knocked out, nor was he in handcuffs, but he just sat quietly outside, showing no intention of leaving.
The World Government's attitude made everything clear. Now stripped of his Shichibukai status, in their eyes he was just someone to be erased. If he recklessly left, who knows what he'd run into.
"What's the connection between these two things?"
Yamato agreed with Kuzan's reasoning, while also assigning him to keep watch over Doflamingo.
This left Kuzan rather puzzled. He couldn't figure out what link there was between the two things.
"There isn't one. I just don't trust that guy, so it's better if you keep an eye on him. Besides, you've got to do something to commemorate the bike, don't you?"
Because of this miraculous bike, Kuzan had no choice but to sit down in front of Doflamingo, falling into a staring contest with him.
"Long time no see. It's only been a day or two since we last met, and here we are again."
The last time he'd seen Doflamingo was back on Punk Hazard. Now, facing him again, Kuzan couldn't help but sigh a little, or maybe he was just making small talk.
"Looks like you're not in the mood to talk. Is it because you've lost everything you once had?"
Upon hearing this, Doflamingo looked up. There was no regret on his face, just a hint of mockery.
"There are some things that, once lost, are impossible to get back. Those b*stards at Mariejois taught me that a long time ago. But they'll regret it."
"Regret?"
"Fuffuffuffu, you've only been out of the Marines for two years. If you look at things from a different perspective, you'd see much more.
The situation on the seas has changed long ago. This is just the prelude to things going out of control.
They launched this attack at the cost of tearing up the facade, but it didn't work. So what will happen next?"
Mother Flame's attack had failed, and all the major forces had witnessed it. Even if the World Government fabricated lies to hide the truth, it would be hard to fool everyone.
Especially Yamato, who destroyed the weapon. Logically speaking, she should know the best what kind of weapon it was.
"No matter what, you still failed."
"Failed? Perhaps. But who is the ruler of these seas now? It's not us so-called 'clever' Shichibukai, not you Marines, and certainly not those brats from the Worst Generation.
The Revolutionary Army has its share of strong people, but ultimately, they're still lacking.
If you go back twenty years, the Marines were the undisputed rulers of the sea. But now?
The Beasts Pirates have already grown into a colossal force. The World Government even personally delivered a massive amount of resources to them. They were all deceived by the Beasts Pirates' apparent order. Beneath this lies a greater conspiracy!!
Now it's become unstoppable. Even if they regret it, it's already too late.
Maybe I've failed, but those Celestial Dragons on Mariejois. They're bound to be dragged down!
Fuffuffuffu. Just wait, you're sure to see it happen."
"Even if the fire isn't big enough yet, I'm going to throw on more fuel myself."
As he grew more agitated, Doflamingo even took off his sunglasses and waved his arms at the sea, paying no attention at all to what kind of look Kuzan was giving him from behind.
Kuzan also felt that Yamato assigning him to watch Doflamingo was actually quite reasonable. After all, Doflamingo really didn't seem very stable; if anything, he was acting rather abnormally.
At Mariejois, however, the Celestial Dragons—those whom Doflamingo insisted would eventually be dragged down—felt nothing of the sort.
But the Five Elders had realized the severity of the problem.
"You're saying Mother Flame was destroyed?"
"Y-yes, those two creatures are problematic. They don't belong to this world. If it weren't for those monstrous dragons, this never would have happened!"
York was explaining what had happened, and pictures of Zekrom and Reshiram appeared in the meeting room. These were the last visuals captured before Mother Flame was destroyed, and had become the Five Elders' only means into understanding this unknown power.
"Can Mother Flame be built again?"
"Everything on Egghead has already been destroyed. Making another one… is basically impossible."
The other side now possessed an incredibly terrifying weapon, while theirs was no match for it and destroyed.
Waving his hand, Saturn dismissed York, and soon only the five of them were left in the office.
"What do we do?"
The Five Elders were now facing the most difficult dilemma since taking office. Since assuming their positions, they had never been so hesitant.
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