"Quick! We need to get out of here!"
Thanks to Princess Viola's powers, Rosinante and the others had already located most of the kingdom's officials and citizens who had been imprisoned. And when they saw King Riku and Princess Viola together, everything clicked into place.
"Damn that Doflamingo bastard!"
"I knew it! His Majesty King Riku would never have issued those orders!"
"Your Majesty! Doflamingo actually kept you imprisoned for all these years?!"
"That scumbag! He deserves to rot!"
The crowd's emotions surged. Even with a soundproof barrier in place, their anger could no longer be contained.
"I've already contacted Admiral Fujitora. His Excellency has entered Dressrosa… but there's still a problem!"
Rosinante stepped forward before King Riku:
"The perimeter of the island is already sealed off by the 'Birdcage'—Doflamingo's method of threatening the Navy. Anyone trapped inside can't escape!"
"The good news is… Doflamingo likely didn't anticipate that His Excellency, the Admiral, would already be inside the Birdcage. If we take out the user, the cage will vanish!"
"Our priority now is to protect the civilians and wait for the Admiral to apprehend Doflamingo. But if the top officers of the Donquixote Family show up…"
"Uhahahahaha! Well, look who we have here…"
Before Rosinante could finish, a mocking laugh echoed in the corridor. He sighed.
"Knew it… We've been spotted. That was fast."
Turning around, Rosinante saw him—the last remaining executive of the Donquixote Family—Diamante.
"Well, if it isn't Corazon... No, Rosinante."
Diamante squinted as he watched Rosinante light a cigarette, his voice laced with venom.
"Taking all these people somewhere, are we? You know, Doffy gave us explicit orders to 'protect' them… carefully."
Behind Diamante stood the remaining members of the family: Giolla, wielder of the Art-Art Fruit; Baby 5 with her Arms-Arms Fruit; the half-fighting fish Dellinger; and Sugar, nonchalantly munching on grapes from her basket.
"So Gladius isn't with you… Seems you haven't found any reliable underlings in all these years."
Rosinante stepped forward, as Cavendish drew the famed blade Durandal, and Ain unsheathed the twin swords at her waist—Oto and Kogarashi, once wielded by the Golden Lion, Shiki.
"Your Majesty, Princess Viola—take everyone and get to the outer corridors. Find a way to escape from here!"
Rosinante said in a low voice:
"With the Birdcage up, our reinforcements can't get through, but Admiral Fujitora won't need long to bring Doflamingo down. We'll hold off Diamante and his crew. Just hang on until the Birdcage disappears!"
"If it starts shrinking…"
A flash of memory hit Rosinante—Wright's warning—and his eyes narrowed.
"That means Doflamingo is going all in. If that happens, get word out to evacuate the civilians immediately!"
"…"
King Riku paused, then nodded with solemn resolve.
"I'm counting on you, Vice Admiral."
Princess Viola glanced one last time at Rosinante, cloaked in his coat of Justice, her teeth clenched as she turned away.
Donquixote Family's former "Heart," Corazon… Is this fate?
If this is a dream… Please don't let me wake up.
…
"I thought you'd all be scrambling to escape by now."
Rosinante stared at the smirking Diamante and spoke slowly:
"You're here searching for hostages, so you must know that the Navy Headquarters has dispatched an Admiral. Doflamingo's Warlord status can't protect you anymore. You're just pirates now."
"So what gives you the confidence to defy the Navy and resist, even now?"
"Uhahaha… Rosinante. When Doffy gives an order, we follow it—simple as that."
Diamante drew his sword and pointed it at Rosinante, while the other officers fanned out around him.
"If we catch you, then even an Admiral won't scare us."
"As for the ones that got away? Insignificant. Once Kaido shows up, even an Admiral won't make it out in one piece!"
"Doffy's going to become the next Pirate King! The restrictions of the Warlords only held him back—his true greatness was wasted!"
Diamante's eyes were manic. The others smirked with bloodthirsty glee.
"You think Doffy doesn't see it? The World Government is growing impatient. You and your Fleet Admiral are just waiting for a chance to wipe us out!"
"Well, bring it on! Dressrosa is about to become a true pirate nation! Are you Marines ready for another Marineford?!"
Rosinante's expression shifted strangely. Everything Diamante was saying…
"You do make a good point. But tell me—do you really think Doflamingo can hold out against an Admiral until Kaido gets here? And if Kaido doesn't come… then what?"
"Since when did Doflamingo put his life in someone else's hands?"
"Do you even understand what the Yonkos are? In Kaido's eyes, Doflamingo is nothing more than a pawn. And you lot really think you matter?"
"All this... over a single healer?"
Diamante's face darkened instantly.
"How do you know that?!"
"…Idiot."
Blowing out a stream of smoke, Rosinante shifted into a battle stance.
"Admiral Fujitora is already inside Dressrosa. Princess Mansherry has been rescued. Even your so-called ally, Kaido's Calamity of Arms, X Drake—he's already been driven back."
"Maybe Kaido will show up—but none of you will live to see it!"
"Ain, Cavendish—let's go!"
"Yes, sir!"
…
BOOM—
Upper levels of the palace, in the royal garden.
Doflamingo crashed through a layer of flooring, coughing up blood as he slammed into the ground below.
"Damn it!! Why the hell is Fujitora inside the Birdcage?!"
Though once a Warlord and feared across the seas—comparable to even the top officers of a Four Emperor—Doflamingo had always preferred manipulating events from the shadows, pulling strings from behind the curtain.
Just like his String-String Fruit, he treated the world like a marionette—twisting and controlling for profit and power. If only he had dedicated that same effort toward strengthening himself, then with his early awakening of the String-String Fruit… he might've claimed a seat among the Four Emperors by now.
He knew better than anyone that power ruled the seas.
But he hadn't yet reached the pinnacle himself.
Against an Admiral, he could barely hold his ground. If it weren't for Issho's caution—afraid of harming the yet-unrescued civilians in the palace—Doflamingo wouldn't have lasted this long.
"Oh? Looks like Vice Admiral Rosinante has completed his task… Then I suppose I can stop holding back as well."
Fujitora's exceptional Observation Haki had already sensed the prisoners flooding toward the Flower Hill. He could "see" King Riku, and Viola—her eyes filled with tears—looking directly at him.
Recalling her ability profile, Fujitora nodded and drew his shikomizue.
"Doflamingo… Kaido won't reach you in time."
"Now—will you drop the Birdcage willingly, or must I knock you unconscious to make it happen?"
"You… you're here too?!"
Another image flashed before Doflamingo's eyes—Rosinante.
He clenched his teeth so hard, they nearly cracked.
"Rosinante!!"
—————————
Want to read ahead of schedule? Head over to my Patreon ——— patreon(.)com/JuanPiece [remove the parenthesis ( )]
Note: This fanfic has been completely translated and is available on my Patreon.