Chapter 89: Doflamingo's Decision
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BOOM!!
At the center of Punk Hazard, a blinding explosion erupted, shaking the heavens. Even those dozens of kilometers away could see the towering mushroom cloud rising from the devastated island.
The sheer force of the explosion caused Punk Hazard to quake violently. At ground zero, the once-mighty research facility had been completely obliterated, replaced by a massive crater several hundred meters wide. Everything within a few kilometers—buildings, trees, even entire peaks—had been flattened into scorched ruin.
Floating above the crater in a semi-elementalized state, Portgas D. Ace looked down at his handiwork and smiled.
"Only about thirty percent of the expected ten-kilometer blast radius… Still, not bad. The destructive power should rival that of an atomic bomb."
With both the SAD factory and the research lab annihilated, Ace was satisfied. He didn't care whether Caesar Clown or Monet had survived. His objective was complete—cripple Donquixote Doflamingo's influence by striking at his supply chain.
Ace smirked. "It's only a matter of time before Joker hears about this. Even if he rebuilds, he's going to feel this loss."
Ace could only imagine Doflamingo's rage when the news reached him.
"Law… you'd better hurry," Ace muttered, "because I might not wait long enough for you to arrive before I go and take Joker's head myself."
Suddenly, Ace remembered something.
"Crap—I forgot one last thing!"
He flashed across the sky and soon arrived at another lab on the island—the Biscuit Room, where Caesar had imprisoned dozens of kidnapped children over the years for his grotesque gigantification experiments.
Ace freed them all and led the group toward the harbor, where he found a functional ship. But just as he was preparing to send the children to safety, he discovered an unexpected stowaway—Van Bock, the half-human, half-sheep centaur who had pretended to be dead earlier.
This coward had planned to escape quietly but was caught by Ace before he could set sail.
"Please spare me, sir!" Van Bock dropped to his knees—well, his four knees.
Ace stared him down. "Can you navigate a ship?"
"Yes! I was a helmsman!" Van Bock replied instantly.
"Perfect," Ace said. "Then here's your mission: escort these children safely to the nearest Marine base."
"If you do that well, I might consider letting you join my crew."
Van Bock was stunned. "You mean it?!"
"Of course. Now get moving," Ace ordered, stepping aside.
With Ace escorting them partway, the ship carrying Van Bock and the children soon departed Punk Hazard.
Meanwhile, back at the ruined lab, a strange gas began leaking from beneath the rubble. The gas rose, formed into a floating eye, and eventually coalesced into the body of Caesar Clown, who had survived by escaping in his gas form.
"Damn it! My lab… all of it's gone!" Caesar gritted his teeth in fury.
Fuming, he pulled out a den den mushi and immediately dialed his benefactor—Doflamingo.
The snail phone came to life. "What is it, Caesar?" came Doflamingo's lazy but menacing voice.
"JOKER, we're ruined! The lab is destroyed, the SAD production is gone—everything! You need to come here right away!"
Doflamingo was sipping wine when he heard the news. He crushed the glass in his hand.
"…Say that again. What happened?"
"Some lunatic named Portgas D. Ace broke in. He unleashed a huge explosion that destroyed everything—my research, the factory, the whole island's facility! He ruined me!" Caesar ranted. "JOKER, I want that guy's head!"
Doflamingo was silent for a long moment.
"Is Ace still on Punk Hazard?" he finally asked.
"I don't think so… he left after the explosion."
"Anyone still alive?"
"I am, of course… and Monet too," Caesar replied, seeing her flying toward him in the distance.
Doflamingo didn't bother asking about the others. Like Caesar, he viewed them as disposable tools.
"Listen to me, Caesar," Doflamingo said in a cold voice. "Forget Punk Hazard. Come to Dressrosa with Monet immediately. We'll rebuild the SAD factory there."
"Dressrosa?" Caesar was startled. "You want to move the operation there?"
"Yes. Punk Hazard is compromised now. Everyone in the New World will be watching it. It's no longer secure. Kaido must be kept satisfied—we can't let the artificial SMILE fruit production stop."
"Kaido…" Caesar muttered, his legs going weak at the name.
"Exactly. So stop whining and come here," Doflamingo snapped. "We'll rebuild everything under my protection. As for Ace… I'll let him live for now. But this debt—he'll pay with interest."
And just like that, Donquixote Doflamingo decided to abandon Punk Hazard.
Caesar's lab, the SMILE production, and all the dirty secrets tied to it—would now continue, hidden beneath the bright facade of Dressrosa.
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