After learning a bit about the situation in Dressrosa, Drake was struck by the sheer strangeness of the world.
"The Revolutionary Army would be in despair if they came here."
If you hadn't seen it with your own eyes, who would have thought that a country under Doflamingo's rule would look like this? The affluence of the common people here was comparable to the middle class of other nations. If you ignored the darkness behind it all, this place was, in a sense, a humanitarian paradise.
"It's a good thing this is the New World."
Setting sail in the New World was an extremely difficult task. If this were one of the Four Blues and people found out about a place like this, what kind of storm would it stir up? Drake could imagine a massive wave of immigration. Everyone would be scrambling to learn a foreign language, desperate to leave their own country. The scene was almost unimaginable.
"Viola must be in despair right now."
Viola was originally the princess of this country. To say she didn't want revenge would be a lie. But watching the people of Dressrosa live better and more prosperous lives, the hope for revenge was visibly fading. Her feelings right now must be very complicated.
"I have a feeling this mission will be very simple."
"I agree," Law said. He also felt that as long as they could find Viola, everything else would go smoothly. He hadn't known that someone like her existed within Doflamingo's ranks. If he had known earlier, he would have made his move long ago. He had no idea where Bellamy had gotten such confidential information.
"According to the intel, Viola usually stays in a small house in the inner city district."
"She can only move freely when she's given a mission from above."
Bellamy had, of course, gotten the location of this house from Lao G. Their only worry now was that Viola might have been sent out on a mission. If that were the case, their trip would be for nothing.
"Let's wait for nightfall. We'll sneak into the inner district as soon as it's dark."
A mere wall couldn't stop them. Law could cross it with a single teleport.
"Alright."
To be cautious, they chose to wait until dark to make their move. Drake's Observation Haki had only recently awakened and couldn't sense very far. There were many skilled fighters in the inner district, and Viola's residence was very close to the royal palace.
Neither Law nor Drake were men of many words. After a brief discussion and deciding on a plan, they stood in place and waited with their eyes closed.
Time flew by, and soon it was dark. Given Dressrosa's wealth, the city was naturally brightly lit. The lighting in the inner district was even more extravagant, with a multitude of lights illuminating the area as if it were daytime. Law had never been to the inner district before and had clearly misjudged the environment.
The two of them moved stealthily, silently arriving at the city wall. With a flick of his fingers, Law whispered, "ROOM!"
An invisible barrier enveloped them. With a thought, their figures instantly vanished. The next second, two faint shadows appeared at the base of the inner city wall, and then Law and Drake materialized. No matter how many times he saw it, Drake couldn't help but marvel at Law's miraculous ability. The power of the Op-Op Fruit was truly sinister. Perhaps only Mythical Zoans and Logias could compare. Among the Paramecia types, the Op-Op Fruit was definitely top-tier. As for Bellamy's Spring-Spring Fruit, to be honest, Drake always felt that it was holding the captain back.
"Something's not right."
The moment they entered the inner city, they realized the first unexpected problem with their plan. There were too many lights, making it as bright as day.
Drake activated his Observation Haki and scanned the surroundings. "It's fine. No one's nearby."
The spot they had chosen to infiltrate was, of course, the most remote corner of the city. No one would be coming here for a while.
"What's the plan now?"
"We'll sneak in and adapt as we go."
Since they were already here, they had to scout it out. If they could complete the mission smoothly, that would be for the best.
"Alright, let's go."
They exchanged a look, nodded, and then strolled out of the secluded corner, wandering through the inner district. Before setting out, they had both applied some makeup and disguises. The disguises weren't particularly sophisticated, but they were enough to fool ordinary people. The inner district was like a small, independent city, with many residents. As long as they didn't cause trouble, even if a high-ranking executive of the Donquixote Family walked past them, they wouldn't be recognized.
Law and Drake casually circled half the city and then, posing as ordinary people, gradually approached Viola's residence.
"This is it."
They exchanged a glance, confirming with the intelligence provided by Lao G that this was the place.
"Go in?" Law asked Drake with a look.
"Go in!" Drake replied without hesitation. They had come this far; how could they not go in?
This house was right near the royal palace. They both knew that Doflamingo was very likely not far from them. If they were discovered, their fate was sealed. But both Law and Drake were men of strong will; they would not back down here. With just a look, they reached a consensus.
Acting very casually, they walked up to Viola's front door and knocked.
"Who is it?"
The knock woke the sleeping Viola. She had just fallen asleep. "Is there a mission?"
Viola rubbed her eyes. In her current status, she was nothing more than a tool for the Donquixote Family. A tool was not allowed to have its own will. After so many years, Viola had, in a way, resigned herself to her fate. She got up quickly and opened the door.
As a user of the Glare-Glare Fruit, she could have easily used her ability to see who was outside before deciding whether to open the door. But in her situation, she had no right to refuse. Whatever mission was given to her, she had to complete it. Doflamingo had kept her alive because she was a useful tool, not for any other reason. If she dared to resist in any way, she would probably be disposed of on the spot.
Viola hurriedly opened the door and saw two strange men. At first glance, she felt that there was something odd about them. The aura they gave off seemed different from others.
Viola had eaten the Glare-Glare Fruit at a very young age. Over the years, its power had become second nature to her. Silently, her ability peered into the hearts of Law and Drake.
In that instant, Viola was both shocked and overjoyed.
"Get in, quickly!"
With just one look, she had seen their true intentions. This was the terrifying power of the Glare-Glare Fruit.