-Broadcast-
Dawn broke over the Grand Line, painting the sky in shades of amber and gold. Throughout the previous night, the Sky Screen had broadcast an endless loop of flames consuming Dressrosa's red-light district, the explosion's aftermath playing like a broken record for the world to witness. By morning, however, the resilient kingdom had already begun to heal its wounds.
The Donquixote Family's efficiency was nothing short of remarkable. Where rubble and ash had marked the night, pristine stone buildings now rose from the earth as if the destruction had been merely a bad dream. The explosion that had seemed so catastrophic in the darkness now appeared to be little more than an inconvenience—a minor blemish on Dressrosa's carefully maintained facade of peace and prosperity.
If anything, the mysterious incident had only increased the island's appeal. The harbor was more congested than anyone could remember, with ships of every description crowding the coastline like eager spectators at a festival. Port workers scrambled to accommodate the unprecedented influx of visitors, their usual routines overwhelmed by the sheer volume of arriving ships.
Hidden among the merchant ships and pleasure craft, several Marine warships maintained their vigil, their crews maintaining the pretense of routine patrol while preparing for something far more significant.
In the dining cabin of one such warship, two figures sat across from each other at a polished wooden table, their breakfast laid out with a care that would have been unthinkable just months ago. Admiral Gin methodically worked his way through a plate of expertly prepared fried rice, while Admiral Smoker attacked a serving of perfectly smoked chicken with his characteristic intensity.
The irony wasn't lost on either man. Before their recent promotions and the Marine's newfound prosperity, such luxuries would have been reserved for Fleet Admirals and Celestial Dragons. Now, even the lowest-ranking seamen enjoyed meat rations three times a week—a transformation that had done wonders for morale throughout the ranks.
"Any intelligence on last night's explosion?" Gin asked between bites, his scarred face betraying none of the curiosity in his voice.
Smoker gestured toward one of his subordinates, who approached carrying a news bird in a reinforced cage. "The Marines have been evacuated from the island as planned, but I managed to acquire some additional information."
The bird appeared ordinary enough—just another of the countless messenger birds that carried newspapers across the world's oceans. But as Gin watched with growing amazement, the creature's beak opened and human words spilled forth.
"CP0 mission failed... captured... Doflamingo's group... big problems... big problems..."
The voice was distinctly feminine, though distorted by the bird's anatomy. Before Ada's consciousness had been forcibly sealed within that crystalline prison, the woman had managed one final act of defiance—redirecting her parasitic control to this messenger bird and sending it to find friendly forces with crucial intelligence.
The news bird continued its mechanical repetition until Smoker signaled for his men to remove it from the cabin. "Any thoughts?" he asked, lighting up a fresh cigar.
Gin leaned back in his chair, his expression thoughtful. "Doflamingo, the fallen Celestial Dragon. I can see why Acting Fleet Admiral Artoria sent me here personally. The other Admirals probably saw this assignment and decided they'd prefer to handle Shichibukai who don't come with quite so much political baggage."
The casual mention provided the audience with their first confirmation of what many had suspected—the abolition of the Shichibukai system would require the Marine Headquarters to deploy multiple Admirals, each tasked with neutralizing one of the former Warlords of the Sea.
"Speaking of problematic assignments," Gin said "shouldn't you be dealing with Buggy the Clown instead?"
Smoker's expression remained carefully neutral, though his tone carried a hint of disdain. "That red-nosed fool? His only claims to fame are a single broadcast during the Marineford War and some tenuous connection to Red-Haired Shanks. The World Government only offered him a Shichibukai position because they needed to fill an empty slot. Compared to Doflamingo, he's practically harmless."
Before Dressrosa, Smoker had come to Punk Hazard instead of pursuing the Clown Emperor, this was because of an encrypted Den Den Mushi message from one of his former subordinates in the East Blue. Though the call had been brief and cut short abruptly, it had revealed enough to justify investigation: illegal human experiments and the disturbing possibility of a high-ranking accomplice within the G-5 base itself.
Smoker had delegated Buggy's capture to Vice Admiral Hina and her forces, a decision that would later prove to have far-reaching consequences. But that was a concern for another day.
"Come on," Smoker said, standing and adjusting his coat. "Time to meet our guests. Doflamingo prepared quite a few surprises for us on that island."
The brig of the Marine warship was a study in contrasts. Seastone-lined cells held two very different prisoners, while three additional holding areas contained specimens that defied easy classification.
The first cell held a man nearly three meters tall, his distinctive goat horns marking him as something other than entirely human. His face bore the colorful evidence of a thorough beating, and his usual arrogant demeanor had been replaced by desperate servility. The moment Admiral Smoker came into view, he pressed himself against the bars with pathetic urgency.
"Admiral Smoker! Please, I was wrong about everything! Don't kill me—my scientific talents are still valuable! I can continue serving the Marines, I swear on my life!"
[Former Marine Science Unit member Caesar Clown, user of the Gasu Gasu no Mi (Gas-Gas Fruit).]
In the adjacent cell, a calmer voice cut through Caesar's panicked pleading. "Smoker-san. Have we arrived at Dressrosa yet?" The speaker was a tall man in a checkered coat, distinctive lightning-bolt sideburns framing his face. Even secured with multiple layers of seastone-enhanced chains, he maintained an air of professional composure that stood in stark contrast to his companion's hysteria.
[Marine G-5 Base Commander, Donquixote Family officer—Vergo.]
Gin studied both prisoners with keen interest, his analytical mind already piecing together the implications. "A disgraced scientist and a Marine Vice Admiral, both working for the same Shichibukai. Smoker, I have to say—your investigation yielded impressive results."
"I owe it all to my former subordinate who died getting this information to me," Smoker replied grimly, his expression darkening as he remembered the garbled final transmission. "Without that sacrifice, this entire operation would have remained hidden indefinitely."
He began to outline the scope of what they had uncovered on Punk Hazard, his voice carrying the weight of genuine anger at the betrayal they had discovered.
Caesar Clown had once been a respected member of the Marine Science Unit, working alongside the legendary Dr. Vegapunk himself. But where Vegapunk's genius was tempered by ethics and restraint, Caesar's ambition knew no boundaries. His willingness to conduct horrific human experiments had eventually led to his expulsion from the unit, though not before he had stolen significant research data and caused untold suffering.
The gas-powered scientist's subsequent escape from Marine custody and alliance with Doflamingo had created a business partnership that spanned the criminal underworld. Together, they had established a pipeline that connected Caesar's artificial Devil Fruit research to Kaido's insatiable hunger for Zoan-type powers, creating an army of artificial ability users that threatened to upset the delicate balance of power in the New World.
Vergo's role in all of this was perhaps even more disturbing. For over fifteen years, he had served as Doflamingo's eyes and ears within the Marines, rising through the ranks with exemplary service records while systematically covering up evidence of Caesar's activities. His position as G-5 Base Commander had provided the perfect cover for their operations.
"Artificial Zoan-type Devil Fruits," Gin mused, his voice carrying a note of genuine concern. "And you're certain these aren't perfect replications? There must be side effects—drawbacks that limit their effectiveness."
The implications were staggering. If the artificial fruits Caesar produced were truly comparable to their natural counterparts, then Kaido's forces had been growing exponentially stronger with each passing year. The thought of an entire pirate crew composed of Devil Fruit users was nightmare fuel for any Marine strategist.
Smoker approached Caesar's cell and planted his boot firmly on the cowering scientist's face, pressing down just hard enough to make his point clear. "Repeat to Admiral Gin exactly what you told me back on Punk Hazard. Every detail."
"It hurts... Admiral, please... your boot is crushing my magnificent face..." Caesar whimpered, his usual grandiose vocabulary reduced to pathetic pleading as the seastone shackles prevented him from accessing his Logia abilities. "I'll tell him everything, just please stop stepping on my beautiful features..."