Rosinante gently pulled Law back a little with a helpless expression. "It's all because your methods are too brutal."
Standing up, Enel snorted. "Brutal? You're just too soft. You're the son of a marine admiral, the friend of a future admiral, and yet you nearly got slaughtered by a bunch of pirates. Pathetic. They should be grateful you're still alive. Otherwise, I would've shown them what true hell looks like."
"Yeah, yeah." Rosinante forced a weak smile.
Enel shook his head as his gaze shifted toward the boy beside him. "So, what do you plan to do with this brat?"
"Take him back to the Marines." Rosinante sighed. "There's no other choice. I can't just let him wander the seas alone. And he's already eaten that Devil Fruit. If the government decides to hold me accountable… well…I'll figure it out when we return to headquarters."
Enel rolled his eyes. "Now you're worried? Should've thought about that before giving it to him."
Rosinante scratched the back of his head awkwardly.
Enel let out another snort. "Relax. It's fine. Fleet Admiral Kong is about to be promoted. When that happens, Uncle Sengoku will take his place as the new fleet admiral. And with the future fleet admiral backing you, do you really think the government will make a fuss over one Devil Fruit?
"Besides, I've got Uncle Sakazuki behind me. With both of us covering for you, there's nothing to worry about. The government isn't foolish enough to throw away their sense over something this small."
At that, some of the tension weighing on Rosinante's chest lifted. "I see… but tell me, Enel, are you sure this information is accurate? Why not Admiral Sakazuki instead…?"
Enel replied in a matter-of-fact tone, "This news is practically common knowledge among the higher-ups. Of course it's true. And about Uncle Sakazuki, he's still too young. He only became an admiral not long ago. Jumping straight to fleet admiral is impossible.
"Back when he was promoted from vice admiral to admiral, he was already in his thirties. Moving up takes time. The World Government has maintained order for centuries. They follow strict rules, not chaos. You have to play within the system.
"Not to mention, hunting pirates across the seas is Uncle's real passion. If he became fleet admiral, he'd be stuck in Marineford, chained to a desk. That kind of life would bore him to death."
Rosinante breathed a sigh of relief. "Then I can stop worrying."
Enel shrugged, heading back into the cabin to continue tinkering with his weapons.
Rosinante took Law up to the top deck and stood there for a while. He lit a cigarette, puffing slowly until it burned to the end. The habit, picked up during his years undercover in the Donquixote family, was not so easy to shake.
Taking one last deep drag, he flicked the cigarette away. His eyes hardened as if he'd made up his mind. "Law, wait here. I'm going to the prison."
He turned and headed below deck.
Law blinked in confusion, staring after him. "Cora…"
* * *
Deep in the ship's hold, the prison.
Doflamingo leaned against the wall, shackled with seastone cuffs on his wrists and ankles. His face was blank as he stared at the ceiling.
Creak.
The sound of the heavy door opening echoed, and a figure in a marine uniform stepped inside, walking straight up to the cell.
Rosinante sat down in front of his brother's cell.
Doflamingo tilted his head slightly, then let out a twisted laugh. "Fuffuffuffu! That uniform suits you. You look sharper than you ever did back in the family, Rosinante."
Rosinante remained quiet for a moment before finally speaking. "I'll do everything I can to keep you alive."
Doflamingo's grin widened, as if he'd just heard a funny joke. "Still as kind as ever, Rosinante. That personality of yours will get you killed someday. But I don't need your pity. No one dares to touch me. As for you, you're the lucky one…"
Rosinante's eyes drifted off in thought. Lucky… was that really the word?
The two brothers sat in silence. Doflamingo's grin slowly vanished. After a long while, his voice grew calmer as he asked, "Rosinante. How are my people doing?"
Ever since the day Enel destroyed the Donquixote Family, forcing him to watch each of them be tortured one by one before locking him away alone, he hadn't heard a word about them.
Rosinante gave a soft sigh. "Vergo and Lao G are dead. The others are still alive."
Doflamingo inhaled sharply. "Hah…"
But his clenched fists, veins bulging, betrayed his inner turmoil.
Rosinante seemed to recall something. "Oh, right. Baby 5 was taken in by Vice Admiral Tsuru. Perhaps, under her guidance, she'll grow into a normal girl."
For a moment, Doflamingo was stunned. Then his lips curled into a faint smile. "Is that so… that's good news. That foolish girl's personality was always the most worrisome."
Thinking of Baby 5's eagerness to please anyone, Rosinante chuckled. "Yeah."
Silence fell once more, stretching long.
Eventually, Rosinante rose to his feet and stretched his shoulders. "I had so much I wanted to say. But now that I'm here, I don't know where to start. I'll come see you again next time. Brother…"
Doflamingo remained slumped against the wall, motionless, even long after Rosinante had left. Only much later did a hysterical laugh echo through the cell.
"Fuffuffuffu…"
* * *
East Blue. Foosha Village.
The Red Hair Pirates were preparing to set sail once again.
Their destination was a small kingdom near the Calm Belt in the first half of the Grand Line. The world knew it as Elegia, the Island of Music, a nation said to overflow with joy.
At the harbor, Shanks carried Luffy down from the ship by the back of his shirt. Uta followed behind with a mischievous grin. She was the one who had dragged him out this time.
Dangling in Shanks' grip after yet another failed attempt to sneak aboard, Luffy pouted. "Damn it! Take me with you!"
Shanks sighed, exasperated. "You really went and snuck on the ship again. What a pain."
He carried the boy to the pier, where Makino stepped forward with a smile, taking Luffy into her arms. "Uta found him again, didn't she? Thank you."
Uta tilted her chin proudly. "No need to thank me."
Luffy whipped his head toward her, fuming. "You said you'd support my dream!!!"
She huffed. "If Shanks says no, then it's no."
He clenched his fists tightly. "Damn it!!!"
She stuck her tongue out at him playfully. "Come on, Shanks, let's go!"
Shanks laughed, his gaze soft as he looked at her. Together, the two boarded the ship.
Watching the Red Hair Pirates set out, Luffy sprinted to the very edge of the pier and shouted with all his might, "Shanks! Next time, I'm getting on that ship for sure!"
Shanks and his crew turned, laughing as they looked back at him. "Fine. If you've got what it takes to board, then come."
Luffy turned to Uta next.
"Uta!"
She stuck her tongue again.
"Bleh!"
He made a face at her in return, puffing out his cheeks.
"Hmph."
The ship drifted farther and farther from the island, the distance widening between them.
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