"Leaving in such a hurry?"
King Riku, who had just barely escaped a disaster, couldn't help but shed tears when he saw the little girl he hadn't seen in a long time.
"There's no choice," Viola's eyes were also red.
"That bastard Ian is in a hurry. We can't delay any longer."
"Viola," Her older sister, Princess Scarlet, holding a little girl, glanced cautiously at the deck of the ship by the shore.
"Is it really okay to say that?"
Calling Pirate Emperor Ian "that bastard"?
"That guy doesn't care about that kind of thing," Viola said casually.
"Although the rumors say he's a bastard, Ian isn't really a villain. He treats his own well."
She paused for a moment. "I'm doing quite well over there. You don't need to worry."
The kind elderly mother had tears in her eyes. "Hmm, you've all gotten a bit chubby."
"No way!!"
Viola immediately bristled. "Even though I'm an office worker, that jerk Ian never lets us slack off. We have to exercise every day! There's no way I'd get fat!"
"In any case, Viola," King Riku gently ruffled the little girl's hair and said softly, "You're alone out there. You must take good care of yourself."
"..."
Viola's lips tightened as she reached out to pull her father, mother, and sister into a hug.
"I'm leaving now."
The ship set sail immediately, heading nonstop toward Hive Island.
This time, there was no Kuma to help them; they had to sail back honestly on their own.
King Riku's family stood on the shore, watching the ship depart as they bid Viola farewell.
The queen's tears flowed uncontrollably, and Scarlet's eyes were red and swollen.
It had been a long time since they had seen each other, but after just a few words, she was leaving in a hurry — it felt unbearably cruel.
"What will become of that child in the future?"
Scarlet hugged her daughter tightly and sighed. "The Beasts Pirates, Ian the Skyfire, what kind of future awaits them?"
"Ian isn't just an ordinary pirate," King Riku said suddenly.
Although last time Ian came to Dressrosa, he used underhanded tricks to steal the little people, everyone now knew that the waters under his rule around Hive Island were the safest seas in the world.
Putting aside the pirate identity, he was also an outstanding king.
What would his future be like?
King Riku didn't know.
But one thing he was certain about.
Even if everyone forgot him, the World Government shouldn't recognize Doflamingo, a pirate, as the king of Dressrosa, right?
As expected, Neptune's suggestion was absolutely right.
Besides King Riku's family, there was one more person seeing them off here.
Crocodile stood quietly on a huge rock at the edge of Dressrosa, watching the ship sail away.
"That was quite a show," he muttered softly.
His tone was cold, but his eyes looking into the distance were full of caution.
That guy Doflamingo had been crushed without mercy.
If he faced that woman, he probably wouldn't have a good ending either.
He still needed to regain his old strength.
At the same time, just like Doflamingo said, to challenge that bastard Ian, he had to gather more power.
There was just the right person.
He had a great grudge against Kaido and Ian.
Crocodile turned into sand and disappeared.
Not long after, Hive Island, Ian's office.
"Poor Doflamingo," Ian said with pity as he looked at the newspaper, "He's also been removed from the Seven Warlords."
"That's obvious," Tesoro said casually from the office, "The World Government wouldn't allow the Seven Warlords to attack allied countries. That would shake the foundation of the World Government. Besides, he's already been captured by Miss Yamato."
"Since he dared to defy you, this outcome is only natural."
"In that case," Ian folded the newspaper, "there are already three vacancies among the Seven Warlords. I wonder how the government will fill those gaps."
Last year, Hanafuda was taken down, leaving an empty spot.
Not long ago, another Shichibukai was knocked off by pirates, creating another vacancy.
Now even Doflamingo has been defeated.
The government's Shichibukai, who serve as a deterrent to the seas, are down to only four members.
"There aren't many pirates left on the sea worthy of being Shichibukai," Tesoro said with a smile.
"These three candidates are probably going to give the government a headache for a while."
Ian smiled too.
Under his command, there were four original Shichibukai.
Unfortunately, none of them — Hancock, Kuma, Jinbe, or Law — would become Shichibukai again.
Now, he just had to wait for his good brother Doflamingo to explode with gold for him.
Though the Donquixote family wasn't that powerful, the forces under it were quite strong.
…
Doflamingo suddenly opened his eyes.
Cold.
So cold!
The chill came from deep in his bones, making his body tremble uncontrollably.
Besides the cold, there was pain.
His head felt like it was about to split open with intense pain!
His whole body felt like it was boiling alive with agony!
Then came weakness — his body was powerless, and his eyes could barely open.
Wait!
Last time, that annoying girl had hit him again on the head with a stick!
What happened after that? Did he lose?
"Finally awake, Doflamingo," A mocking voice came from in front of him.
Doflamingo opened his eyes sharply and struggled to sit up.
"Law?"
He looked at the young man before him.
Only then did Doflamingo notice — he was inside a big pot, and the water around him was boiling.
No wonder his whole body hurt so much!
"What are you doing, you brat?"
Doflamingo's voice was as weak as his body.
"Instead of questioning me, you should be thanking me right now, Doflamingo," Law lifted Doflamingo out of the boiling pot and casually threw him onto the ground.
Looking down at the man he once had to look up to long ago, he smiled cheerfully and said, "Yamato froze you so hard that the ice wouldn't melt. It took me a lot of effort to wake you up."
Doflamingo gathered his thoughts and grit his teeth, asking, "Is this Hive Island?"
"Of course," Law nodded. "Where else could you go besides Hive Island?"
He gave Doflamingo a kick. "Let's go. Ian wants to see you. The purity of the sea-prism stone shackles binding you shouldn't be strong enough yet to restrict your movements."
Doflamingo lowered his head. His hands were bound by iron shackles.
He clenched his teeth silently and stood up unsteadily.
"Heh heh heh heh! Then lead the way. I want to see what that guy wants to do!"
Doflamingo's smile was cold and sharp.
Law glanced at him with a teasing smile.
The Donquixote family ends here.
**********
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