At the iron bridge between Green Bit and Dressrosa—
"This is Doflamingo's 'Birdcage'..."
Tashigi stepped forward, slashing at the wire-like walls—but they didn't budge an inch.
"It's hard to believe... that a Devil Fruit user could create something like this. These threads... even Admiral Fujitora couldn't break through them easily?"
The Birdcage blocked transponder snail signals, rendering her unable to contact those still trapped inside—Admiral Fujitora, Rosinante, and the others.
Behind her stood a contingent of Marines, as well as the mobilized forces of the Resistance and the Tontatta warriors.
"This is... Doflamingo's ability?"
The leaders of the Resistance—Princess Scarlett, former Dressrosan captain Kyros, Tontatta warrior chief Leo, and Princess Mansherry, who had insisted on coming—were all visibly shocked.
"He's sealing off the entire nation?!"
"Then how do we even get inside...?"
Even from the outskirts of Dressrosa, they could faintly hear the panic rising within—screams, cries, chaos. The Birdcage had struck terror into the hearts of the citizens.
"CRACK!"
Before anyone could say more, a sudden change overtook the Birdcage.
"What's happening?!"
Tashigi looked up—above them, the deadly threads that formed the dome began retracting, vanishing one by one. Before long, the Birdcage dissolved entirely before their eyes.
Pururururu... click.
"Admiral Fujitora!"
"Ah... Tashigi. Doflamingo has been defeated. Right now, the people are gathering beneath the King's Plateau. King Riku and Princess Viola are doing everything they can to restore order."
The voice of Fujitora sparked a wave of cheers among the Resistance and the Tontatta forces. Knowing that King Riku and Princess Viola were safe—that was the best news they had heard in years.
"Tashigi, Vice Admiral Rosinante and the others have taken care of the Donquixote executives. Head underground at once. We must stop any pirates from escaping through the black market trade port!"
"Yes, Admiral! The 500 Tontatta captives are being held underground too. I've already coordinated with Princess Scarlett and the Tontatta warriors. We're preparing to launch a rescue operation!"
"Oh? All the better... Then focus on saving lives first. There's no need to risk too much for the sake of chasing down pirates."
"Yes, Admiral!"
As Tashigi ended the call and turned to issue orders, Kyros stepped forward.
"Captain Tashigi. The Donquixote Family has been defeated by the Admiral. Allow us to handle the underground port ourselves."
"As long as His Majesty King Riku is safe, the people will be fine. They were deceived by Doflamingo. Once King Riku makes a public declaration, no one will long for that tyrant's rule again."
"I'm going with you!" Tashigi replied firmly.
"I'll order the Marines to pursue any pirates. But as for the remaining Donquixote officers—those are mine to face. That's my duty as a Marine!"
"Let's move! We don't have much time!"
...
Offshore from Dressrosa—
From a distance, "Calamity of Arms" X Drake stood with arms crossed, watching the last traces of the Birdcage dissolve into the sky. He shook his head lightly.
"Kaido-sama... regrettably, Joker couldn't hold back Admiral 'Fujitora'."
Before him, a transponder snail directly connected to Kaido sat on the deck, its eyes narrowed, long mustache swaying with the motion of the pirate ship.
"Worororo... That fool Joker really thought he was irreplaceable? Like I'd go just because he asked me to?"
Kaido's laugh rang out, scornful and mocking.
"If he hadn't been useful all this time, I'd have crushed him long ago! He's just an arms dealer... and at most, a convenient link to the World Government!"
"Whitebeard's already dead. And in the past year, I've gathered more troops than I did in the last five! Doflamingo's little network? Hah—means nothing to me!"
"Worororo... Betrayal—that's what being a pirate is all about!"
Drake listened quietly to Kaido's mad laughter, then said with measured calm:
"Kaido-sama, Doflamingo's defeat will embolden the Navy even further... And the gift he meant to deliver to you—something important—it's now in Marine hands."
"Hmph! Joker was never one to stay beneath others for long. The Warlord title? It wasn't enough for him. Better to throw him to the Marines before he starts scheming under my protection!"
"Why would I clash with an Admiral over that pawn? Without the Warlord title, who even is he? I don't need him!"
"Drake, you've already seized control of several of Joker's arms trafficking routes. Wouldn't the arms trade be far better in your hands—as 'Calamity of Arms'—than in the hands of an outsider? Worororo!"
"I hate middlemen who jack up prices! The way he drags his feet collecting Devil Fruits... When the hell is my army of empowered warriors going to be complete?!"
"That 'gift' he prepared for me? No matter how rare it was, it couldn't be more valuable than his underground network. Now, that's mine too."
Drake let out a faint, unreadable smile.
"You're right, Kaido-sama... I suppose it's almost time for our next round of Seastone and arms negotiations—with CP."
"Thanks to the groundwork Joker laid, I imagine this round will go very smoothly. He really was a good guy."
"Worororo! Well said! Joker really was a good guy! Worororororo!"
...
Back in Dressrosa, Doflamingo—still unaware he had been fully betrayed by his so-called ally—lay collapsed on the shattered palace floor, his entire stronghold in ruins.
Even the Awakening of his Devil Fruit couldn't stand against the overwhelming power of Admiral Fujitora. Facing a Navy Admiral one-on-one... it was the last scenario he wanted. But there had been no escape.
Against the Admiral's control over gravity, Doflamingo couldn't even flee.
Blood spilled from his mouth. He could feel the bones in his body cracking, crushed beneath the Admiral's sheer might.
He lost consciousness—only to be jolted awake by the pain.
"Damn it... If only you were outside the Birdcage, this wouldn't have happened!"
"I could've—"
"Held out until Kaido arrived?"
Fujitora gently shook his head.
"Stop deluding yourself, Doflamingo. I was at Green Bit. That 'Calamity of Arms' barely slowed me down. In fact, he handed me the leverage you offered him—so that his team could withdraw safely."
"Without leverage... what makes you think Kaido would come for you?"
"From the moment you swore loyalty to Kaido, this outcome was already sealed."
"Come quietly to Impel Down. It's over... You've lost."
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