Even though he was the only one left standing in the arena, even though it seemed like a futile struggle—
Marco would never surrender.
"Ace, Vista..."
The situation was growing increasingly dire, yet Marco remained calm and composed. Even under the relentless pressure from Aokiji, he continued searching for an opportunity.
Perhaps it was the transformation brought about by the experience of the Summit War…
Or maybe, as the First Division Commander of the Whitebeard Pirates, he simply would not repeat the mistakes of that war.
Thus, even with Vista gravely wounded and his fate uncertain, and Ace immobilized by the shadows, Marco did not allow himself to be distracted. He remained fully focused on resisting Aokiji.
"Arara, as expected of Whitebeard's First Division Commander."
No matter how much force Aokiji exerted, Marco blocked every attempt, preventing any real breakthrough.
This wasn't the chaotic battlefield of Marineford…
In a one-on-one fight, taking down a combatant of Marco's caliber—someone who surpassed the standard level of an Emperor's top officer—within such a short span was simply unrealistic.
Still, Aokiji wasn't in a hurry.
Though he had yet to gain the upper hand decisively, he maintained steady pressure on Marco, keeping him at bay.
Blue flames clashed against unyielding ice.
Surges of power erupted, and frozen landscapes formed in an instant.
Between destruction and renewal, the cycle repeated—a spectacle of sheer intensity.
...
Outside the Battlefield.
The members of the Maude Pirates observed the fierce battle with varying expressions.
"Captain, should we help Kuzan?"
Everyone turned their gaze to Maude.
Having already finished their own fights, they initially considered repeating their earlier strategy—ganging up on Marco to bring the battle to a swift end.
But just as they moved, Maude stopped them.
"No need. Instead, focus on cleaning up the aftermath."
Maude retracted his gaze from the battlefield and looked around at the surrounding devastation.
In the distance, numerous corpses lay buried beneath the rubble.
Most of them belonged to the low-ranking grunts of the Donquixote Family—hardly worth the trouble.
However, among them were the bodies of the Beasts Pirates' subordinates, each proficient in Armament Haki—these were worth retrieving.
Due to the ongoing modifications of the Thriller Bark, the crew was facing a manpower shortage.
Even with the aid of the Heart Pirates, the Fallen Monk Pirates, and the Hawkins Pirates, they still lacked sufficient numbers.
Thus, Maude planned to create a zombie army in the near future to serve as reliable labor.
For that purpose, corpses were more valuable than shadows.
And the remains of the Donquixote Family and Beasts Pirates could perfectly meet his needs.
Moreover, if the corpses were of high enough quality, they would be better suited as soldiers rather than mere laborers.
In short, Maude had no intention of leaving the countless corpses scattered across the harbor.
Since Admiral Fujitora and his Marines were still present, Maude didn't want to linger for too long.
"I'll leave the corpse recovery to you. As for quality, use your own judgment."
He gestured toward the bodies buried in the ruins.
The crew nodded in response.
After delegating the task, Maude turned his attention to Law.
"Law, come with me."
"Alright."
Law, still clutching Kikoku, approached Maude.
The intense battle had nearly drained him of all his stamina.
Though he was utterly exhausted, he stubbornly refused to show any weakness.
Only Gaya noticed.
So stubborn…
Gaya chuckled to herself as she watched Law walk toward Maude.
Maude had called Law over to extract the hearts of Blackbeard and his crew.
Although he could have just taken their shadows, removing their hearts as well provided an added layer of security.
If only they had Seastone cuffs, that would be even better.
"Can you still use 'Room'?"
Maude asked as Law reached him.
Law nodded, conserving even his words to preserve energy.
"Good. Extract their hearts."
Maude pointed to where Blackbeard and his subordinates had been gathered.
Without a word, Law raised a finger, activating a small-scale Room and systematically removing their hearts.
When he finished, he was on the verge of collapse. Without hesitation, he sat directly on top of Blackbeard's unconscious form, casually crossing one leg over the other while resting Kikoku on his shoulder.
This smooth maneuver perfectly concealed his exhaustion.
Maude pocketed the hearts, casting an amused glance at Law, who had lowered his head slightly in an attempt to look composed.
Suddenly, something occurred to Maude.
"Oh, right, there's still—"
"!!!"
Hearing this, Law assumed there was more work to do, and his crossed leg nearly slipped.
"Never mind, we'll leave that for later."
Maude cut himself off mid-sentence, a faint smile in his eyes as he watched Law's obvious relief.
This guy…
Maude shook his head slightly.
"Good work, Law."
With that, Maude turned and headed toward the entrance of Dressrosa.
...
At the entrance.
The Marines tensed up as Maude approached, preparing for a possible confrontation.
Compared to them, Fujitora remained calm, "watching" Maude walk forward.
"Issho."
Given the presence of numerous Marines, Maude addressed him directly by name.
As he spoke, his gaze shifted past Fujitora toward the town of Dressrosa.
Even from here, the chaotic clamor of the recently freed criminals causing havoc could be clearly heard.
Maude withdrew his gaze and looked at Fujitora, raising a finger to point at the Thriller Bark hovering above the harbor.
"We'll be leaving soon, so… mind lifting the 'gravity' hold?"
"Hmm…"
Fujitora hummed in thought.
Sensing hesitation, Maude spoke seriously, "I know you don't want this to escalate further. If we really fight here, I can't guarantee much—but I can assure you that Dressrosa will sink into the sea. Do the Marines really want that?"
Fujitora remained silent, but the surrounding Marines looked visibly alarmed.
They knew that for powerhouses like Maude and Aokiji, sinking an island was entirely feasible.
If events unfolded as Maude suggested, then Dressrosa, having just escaped from the rule of the Donquixote Family, would likely face complete destruction.
The thought alone sent waves of tension through the Marines, and they instinctively turned to Fujitora.
Ultimately, the decision rested with him.
Fujitora, with his advanced Observation Haki, could clearly sense the emotions of his subordinates.
Tension, fear, reluctance…
Realizing this, he knew that even as an Admiral, agreeing to Maude's request was something his men would welcome.
In reality, lifting the gravity wasn't just a simple concession—it was an unspoken ceasefire.
"At this moment, a large-scale battle is indeed unwise."
Acknowledging the situation, Fujitora agreed to Maude's terms.
He understood that Maude had made this effort to avoid forcing his hand.
Given the circumstances, if both sides fully committed to battle here…
It would be Dressrosa that suffered the most.
Seeing Fujitora agree, Maude smiled.
Though he wanted to invite Fujitora aboard for a bowl of noodles, their identities and positions ultimately made such a thing impossible.
Looking once more toward the town, Maude added, "Aside from that, I have another proposal."
"Hmm?"
Fujitora was visibly surprised as he "looked" at Maude.
The Marines around him instinctively tensed up, their nerves tightening.
Maude smiled and said, "Hand over the pirates and criminals in this city to me. You don't have to lift a finger; I'll deal with them personally. How about that?"
"…"
Fujitora and the assembled Marines fell silent.
Maude continued, "Pirates killing each other has never been a bad thing for the Marines, wouldn't you agree?"
"But ensuring the safety of civilians is a duty that falls upon the Marines. It is not something we would entrust to a pirate," Fujitora firmly rejected Maude's proposal.
Maude sighed softly. "Well, that's a shame."
Before his words even fully landed, Maude's figure flashed past Fujitora, dashing toward the town at high speed.
Clang—!
The cane sword in Fujitora's hand was unsheathed in an instant.
A powerful gravitational force, laced with swirling violet patterns, descended from above and struck Maude with crushing precision.
But before it could take full effect, Maude's shadow had already surged ahead.
Phase Shift.
With nothing more than an instantaneous switch with his shadow, Maude effortlessly escaped from the gravitational field.
"Reckless as always, Maude," Fujitora sighed inwardly, sheathing his blade before immediately giving chase.
...
Inside the Town.
The freed pirates and criminals, desperate to vent their frustration, rampaged through the streets, demolishing shops and buildings along the way.
Starved for chaos, they slaughtered anyone they saw and plundered whatever they could get their hands on.
The city was plunged into utter turmoil.
However, the soldiers of Dressrosa's army, now liberated, took up arms to defend their homeland from the lawless invaders.
Soon after, additional Marine reinforcements, led by Chaton, arrived to suppress the pirates' rampage.
Yet, the Donquixote Family had enslaved tens of thousands as toys over the past nine years, and a third of them were either pirates or criminals.
Even with Chaton's forces joining the fray, restoring order in a short period was an impossible task.
Viola emerged from the Toys House and made a beeline for the Corrida Colosseum.
With the situation spiraling out of control, she had only one priority—to find her sister's daughter, Rebecca.
As she ran through the once-prosperous streets, she was met with a nightmarish scene of lifeless bodies strewn across the ground.
Shops on both sides were engulfed in raging infernos, their windows and doors vomiting thick, black smoke that clawed hungrily toward the sky.
"…"
Viola clenched her fists tightly, biting her lip as she gazed at the hellish devastation.
"Help! Somebody, please help me!"
"No! Don't kill me!"
"No—!"
As she turned a corner, the desperate cries of civilians were abruptly cut short, replaced by an eerie silence.
Following the sound, Viola saw a group of over ten shirtless men wielding weapons from the Corrida Colosseum.
At their feet lay five or six bloodied civilians, and surrounding them were the corpses of dozens of fully armed Dressrosa soldiers.
The source of the earlier cries of despair was obvious.
Viola's expression darkened with fury.
"Hey, look over there—a woman! Damn, check out that face and body."
One of the men immediately perked up upon noticing Viola.
"Oh? You're right. Heh, she's mine."
"Whoever gets her first claims her!"
Lust ignited in their eyes as they stared at Viola.
Seething with rage, Viola raised her hands, pressing her index and middle fingers against her eyes, drawing forth an overwhelming surge of tears.
Tears of Heated Iron—Kujira!
The tears she summoned solidified into three massive iron whales, which charged directly at the armed men.
"She's a Devil Fruit user! Watch out!"
The men scrambled to dodge.
Five of them were too slow and were instantly struck by the superheated whales, screaming in agony as they collapsed to the ground.
"Cut off her hands!"
The remaining five warriors, demonstrating remarkable agility, evaded the attack. Their swift movements revealed their formidable combat prowess.
With savage grins, they lunged at Viola, their swords infused with Armament Haki slashing mercilessly toward her.
Viola's heart tightened as she hastily retreated to avoid the deadly strikes.
Shrrrip—!
A vertical slash tore through her dress from her chest down to her waist.
Her sun-kissed skin and the curve of one breast were suddenly exposed to the air.
"Not bad at all."
The man who had cut her dress licked his blade with a twisted smirk.
Viola glanced down at her torn dress and the thin trail of blood seeping from the shallow wound on her skin.
Even in a brief exchange, she had experienced the immense strength of her opponents.
No wonder the kingdom's elite soldiers had been slaughtered by these men…
Her expression grew tense.
"Hey, don't frown like that. It ruins your beauty," one of the men sneered, raising his blade high as he charged toward her at frightening speed.
At that moment, a shadowy pillar, shaped like a massive fist, struck the man square in the face.
Boom!
His body crashed onto the stone pavement, blood spraying from his mouth as he died instantly.
"What?!"
The sudden turn of events sent shockwaves through the remaining four men.
TAP. TAP.
Maude approached them with measured steps.
"This guy… isn't normal!"
Fear gripped the men as they stared at the newcomer.
Having been turned into toys years ago, they knew little about Maude.
"Maude!"
Viola's eyes lit up with joy.
Once again, this man—the one she regarded as a hero—had come to her rescue.
Yet Maude paid her no mind, stepping past her to stand over the corpse of the man he had just struck down.
"I only used a fifth of my strength… and he still died?"
Looking at the lifeless body, Maude shook his head.
He had intended to merely knock the man unconscious, but even after holding back, he had inadvertently killed him.
A waste.
But, missing one wouldn't make much of a difference.
His gaze shifted to the remaining four men.
"You…"
The men paled in terror.
They had overheard his casual remark and, whether it was true or not, he had still felled one of them in a single blow.
Maude then glanced in the direction of the Toys House and activated his Observation Haki.
Sensing no familiar presences, he relaxed slightly.
It seemed that Sunny and the others had already finished their business and left Dressrosa.
Just as Maude turned to Viola, the four remaining men seized the opportunity and lunged at him.
But before they could get close, shadows coiled around Maude's feet like serpents and shot out, knocking them all to the ground in an instant.
He hadn't even spared them a glance.
"You had something to say?"
Viola, still in shock, momentarily forgot what she had intended to ask.
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