"What's the situation in Dressrosa?"
After securing Caesar's heart and handing the terrified scientist over to the Research Department with a stern warning, Wilder didn't spare him another thought.
With that matter settled, news of the Straw Hat Pirates' landing in Dressrosa reached his ears right on schedule.
"Continue monitoring."
"Yes, sir."
After giving the order to the Monitoring Unit agent, Wilder didn't intervene further, choosing instead to quietly observe the developing situation.
A steady stream of reports began to flow in.
"Straw Hat and Trafalgar Law have broken into the royal palace of Dressrosa."
"The new Marine Admiral, Fujitora Issho, has appeared in Dressrosa and is likely to meet with Doflamingo."
"Former Fleet Admiral Sengoku has arrived in Dressrosa."
"Suspected presence of the Revolutionary Army detected."
"An explosive attack has occurred at the Dressrosa royal palace, suggesting a clash between two parties."
As the reports flooded in, Bica, Bacon, and Sherilmo also sent word confirming their arrival at their respective destinations. The Giant Serpent was already on its way back.
General Kuchiel's unit had also successfully transported their personnel and supplies to the nearby islands, hiding them from Big Mom's spies.
Only Vice had yet to report his arrival.
Wilder wasn't concerned. The island Vice was heading to was the farthest away, and given the "drop-off" schedule, his team was the last to be delivered by the Giant Serpent. A slight delay was normal.
Therefore, Wilder kept his focus on Dressrosa, watching the events unfold.
He had originally wanted to go to Dressrosa to witness the battle firsthand, but considering the presence of Fujitora and Sengoku, he decided against it to avoid suspicion. After all, the clandestine operations he was currently running were all being done under a cloak of anonymity.
It wasn't that Wilder was being overly cautious; at this stage, it was best to keep a low profile and avoid conflict with the Marines. Maintaining their current relationship was most beneficial for his plans.
Seated on a sofa, Wilder watched a projection screen. The image, broadcast by a Den Den Mushi, showed the current situation in Dressrosa.
From the angle, it was clear the Monitoring Unit agent was filming from a concealed position, with the corner of a wall partially obscuring the left side of the frame. The filming was being done with extreme caution.
Wilder watched the screen with cold eyes, occasionally lifting his glass to take an elegant sip of crimson wine.
The Dressrosa on screen was already engulfed in the flames of war. The projection showed raging fires, collapsed buildings, and piles of rubble.
The pale city walls were shattered into pieces, some as large as hills, others as small as grains of sand.
Soldiers rushed through the streets while terrified civilians fled in panic, desperate to escape the most intense areas of fighting and avoid being caught in the crossfire.
Suddenly, a splash of scarlet bloomed on the screen. Wilder watched as a soldier in the kingdom's uniform was decapitated mid-sprint, his head flying high into the air. A pirate with a cruel grin on his face swaggered past, a bloodstained saber in his hand.
He stepped over the soldier's body, glanced up at the royal palace with a sneer, and licked the blood from his lips. With a savage smile, he strode forward.
Thud.
The dull sound of a body hitting the ground came through the Visual Den Den Mushi.
The pirate had only taken a few steps before his body went rigid and he pitched forward, landing face-first on the ground. Blood pooled beneath him. A sharp stone shard, sent flying from a nearby explosion, was embedded in the back of his head. There was no chance of survival.
The battlefield was not a place where strength alone determined everything. Sometimes, stray bullets and shockwaves from explosions would kill people indiscriminately, often without any warning or chance to react.
It seems the original story didn't capture the full picture, Wilder mused. Besides the Straw Hats, there are plenty of other outside pirates here. And not all the pirates from the colosseum are on Luffy's side. Most of these little ants have their own agendas. Some just want to cause chaos, while others are looking for an opportunity to sneak in and steal some filthy lucre.
These guys... they're completely worthless.
A mocking smile spread across Wilder's face as he thought about it.
"As expected, my vanguard, Mr. Straw Hat, is much more pleasant to watch."
BOOM!
The battle on screen raged on. The sounds of cannon fire and explosions rang out constantly, with barely a minute passing between them, a testament to the intensity of the fighting.
However, Wilder had yet to see any of the key players. Doflamingo, the Straw Hats, Law, Fujitora—none of them were visible. What he was seeing was just the general chaos of the battlefield, the macro-level conflict.
CRRRRUMBLE!
Speak of the devil. Just as Wilder was starting to frown at the screen, a dense series of crashing sounds came from the Den Den Mushi. Then, he saw the massive castle in the distance suddenly begin to move.
His eyes lit up, and he focused intently on the distant structure.
"If I'm not mistaken, that must be Pica. Doflamingo's most impressive subordinate. Nyehehehe... Interesting."
Wilder leaned back comfortably against the sofa, draping his arms over the backrest and crossing his legs. He took a sip of wine, watching the screen with great interest.
His fingers tapped a steady, rhythmic beat on the armrest as time ticked by. He watched the projection without blinking, enjoying what was, to him, a beautiful sight.
The general battle had now reached a fever pitch. Aside from the brief moment of interest when Pica, the moving castle, had demonstrated his ability by manipulating and merging with the buildings—a power Wilder was seeing for the first time—the subsequent scenes became rather dull.
The fighting was not confined to one area, so Pica didn't remain on screen for long. Besides, he was too far away to be seen clearly, and none of the other major figures appeared. Wilder frowned.
This won't do. I can't get a real-time grasp of the battle's progress like this. I need to get the camera focused on the main players.
Wilder tried to recall who had been sent to Dressrosa for this surveillance mission. He usually only skimmed the operational plans submitted by his department heads, so his memory of the specific personnel was hazy.
After a moment, a name came to mind, but he wasn't certain.
"Hey, is Jacks leading this team?" he asked, leaning toward the Den Den Mushi.
The agent holding the Visual Den Den Mushi in the corner heard the voice in his earpiece and quickly replied, "Yes, Boss. Is there a problem?"
Wilder smiled. "Give the Visual Den Den Mushi to him. Tell him to get to a high point near the main battle and film from there. With his abilities, he shouldn't be spotted in all this chaos."
"Right away, Boss." The agent didn't hesitate. He used their special communication channel to contact Jacks and handed over the device.
A moment later, Jacks's voice came through, greeting Wilder. Wilder gave a brief reply and ordered him to focus on Doflamingo's location.
The image on the screen immediately began to move at high speed, ascending into the sky. Jacks's peregrine falcon form was incredibly fast. In no time, he reached the main battlefield and landed on a ruined high-rise, which happened to have a clear, unobstructed view of the royal palace ahead.
The instant the camera stabilized, a dramatic event unfolded on screen.
SWOOSH!
A straight white line shot up from the direction of the palace, piercing the sky and striking the clouds.
Then, an even more shocking scene occurred. The white line blossomed open, transforming into thousands of fine "threads" that rained down from the sky.
"Is this... the Birdcage?" Wilder stared intently at the projection. He had to admit, even he was shaken by the incredible sight.
Wilder had never underestimated Doflamingo. In fact, if he had to name someone in the pirate world who had truly earned his respect, Doflamingo would be one of them.
Not even Big Mom held that level of esteem in his eyes. His current focus on her was purely a matter of necessity; she was, for now, stronger than him.
As the Birdcage descended, Wilder knew that everything was about to change. Doflamingo was about to fall into hell, and his vast empire would be up for grabs. This was what Wilder had been waiting for all along. So, despite any sense of camaraderie he might feel for the man, he couldn't wait to see him fall.
"Timing-wise, everything is just about right," Wilder murmured to himself, snapping out of his brief reverie. "The planned operation can begin at any time."
A grin of excitement spread across his face as he turned his attention back to the screen, watching with renewed interest.
Time ticked by.
While Wilder was focused on the events in Dressrosa, Vice's unit finally arrived at their destination: the island kingdom of Koriusu.
"Hurry up, hurry up! Stop dragging your feet!"
"You lot! If you can't even handle a little turbulence, how are you going to get anything done?"
The ship docked at a deserted shore. Vice was the first to leap off, turning to yell at his pale-faced subordinates.
"Easy for you to say, Boss Vice! We're not like you! We can't handle that kind of speed," one of the men said weakly, his legs trembling as he staggered off the ship.
At the mention of their journey inside the Giant Serpent, a wave of nausea washed over the men, and they nearly threw up.
"Alright, alright, enough of that. It's because you're all too weak. Looks like you need more training. After this mission is over, you're all going to train until you drop! And if I catch anyone slacking... hehe." Vice shot them a cruel, malicious grin.
A chill ran down their spines, and goosebumps broke out on their skin. They swallowed nervously and sighed in resignation. "Understood."
"Good. Let's move out." Vice was satisfied. He turned and strode forward.
"Well, well, look what we have here. A fat sheep."
A high-pitched, reedy voice suddenly came from the jungle, filled with the predatory excitement of a beast spotting its prey.
Vice stopped, his face darkening. He narrowed his eyes and stared at the jungle path ahead. The moment the voice sounded, his men drew their weapons, their expressions tense as they faced the threat.
Rustling sounds came from the jungle, and then a group of menacing-looking men emerged from the trees on both sides of the path. They were armed with swords and guns, and their eyes gleamed with a predatory light as they looked at Vice and his crew.
The man in the lead had three sharp, curved tattoos on his face. He had an effeminate, almost delicate appearance, but his face was twisted into a sinister, cunning smile.
"Leave your things, and you can go," he said, his voice the same one they had heard moments before. He ignored the expressions on their faces, his eyes scanning them up and down.
"You might not be ordinary folk," he continued, "but I don't want to waste my breath. I'm only after your money, not your lives. So, if you know what's good for you, you'll cooperate. Otherwise, I can't promise things will stay pleasant."
He had over a hundred men behind him. Vice had less than thirty. The two groups stood in a standoff. Vice's face was impassive, his brow slightly furrowed as he looked at the arrogant young man.
Meeting Vice's gaze, the man licked his lips and produced a sharp dagger, seemingly from nowhere. He twirled it expertly between his fingers, the blade a blur of motion.
"Don't try to pull rank on me," he said with a chilling smile. "I'm not the type to be impressed by that. Speaking of status... I'm the captain of the Spirit Cat Pirates, under the Big Mom Pirates. My bounty is 300 million Berries. So... which will it be, gentlemen? Your money, or your lives?"
His words made Vice's heart skip a beat.
Big Mom!
Vice tensed. Of all the people who couldn't find out about this operation, Big Mom was at the top of the list.
This was a serious problem.
His face remained a mask of indifference, but inwardly, he was on high alert.
Before receiving the order to act, Wilder had commanded them to lie low and remain hidden upon arrival. They were not to expose themselves under any circumstances.
But given the current situation... it would be difficult to avoid a commotion. Unless, of course, they did as the man said, handed over their supplies, and were allowed to leave peacefully.
A thousand thoughts raced through Vice's mind. He clenched and unclenched his fists before finally relaxing them.
He looked up at the man. "I'm just a deliveryman. Before I do anything, can I at least explain the situation to my boss?"
"Oh?" The young man was intrigued by this response. He nodded, his smile unwavering. "Be my guest. But don't take too long."
"Thank you." Vice gave him a grateful smile and took out a Den Den Mushi to call Wilder.
Back in Morass, the battle of Dressrosa was nearing its end on the projection screen.
Wilder sat on his sofa, watching the beautiful scenery with a faint smile.
"It's almost time," he said, glancing at the clock on the wall. "But I haven't heard from Vice yet. I wonder if something happened."
Just then, the Den Den Mushi in his pocket began to ring. He took it out and saw who was calling. He smiled. "Finally. Vice has arrived." He answered the call.
As Vice's words came through the Den Den Mushi, the smile on Wilder's face gradually vanished. A murderous aura exploded from him, and the air around him seemed to freeze over.
Vice, still anxiously awaiting his orders, heard Wilder's low, cold voice come through the receiver.
"The operation begins."
"Anyone who stands in your way... kill them."