The revelation that a single touch could turn a person into a toy and erase them from the memories of everyone they loved sent a chill through the crew. Carl's expression was deadly serious, leaving no room for doubt.
"Mr. Carl, are you serious?" Luffy asked, his usual grin replaced by a rare frown as he considered the weight of such a terrifying power.
Zoro, leaning against the mast, spoke up with his typical stoicism. "It sounds like a Devil Fruit ability".
Carl nodded in agreement. "Exactly, Zoro. The girl is named Sugar. She is a core member of Doflamingo's crew and has the power of the Hobby-Hobby Fruit. Despite her appearance, she is a dangerous adult trapped in a child's body. If she touches you, you become a toy, and the world forgets you ever existed. If Luffy were changed, we would forget our captain; Ace and Sabo would forget their brother; even Dragon and Garp would lose all memory of him. The world would simply forget a member of the Five Emperors ever lived".
To help them prepare, Carl sketched a rough portrait of Sugar, highlighting her distinct red cloak and crown. The crew gasped, realizing how "buggy" and unfair such an ability was.
Law stepped forward, his voice low and grim. "It is the dark secret of Dressrosa. They call it the 'Country of Love, Passion, and Toys,' but those living toys are actually humans and animals Sugar transformed. Their families walk past them every day, never knowing they are looking at their own fathers, husbands, or children because their memories have been wiped clean".
"That's horrible!" Luffy shouted, his anger boiling over. "He's tearing families apart! Doflamingo is truly a monster. I'm definitely going to kick his ass!".
The rest of the Straw Hats felt the same surge of hatred. Tashigi, still grappling with her sense of justice, looked at Carl. "You mentioned in Alabasta that Doflamingo took the throne by force. Is this part of it?".
"It is," Carl replied solemnly. "You will see the truth for yourself once we arrive".
Law watched the crew's reaction with approval, noting that Carl's leadership was vital for keeping the group focused on the mission. Carl then turned to the tactical problem. "Since Sugar looks like a child, we need someone who can take her down from a distance. Who wants the job?".
Every eye on the deck turned toward Usopp. The sniper immediately felt the weight of their expectations. "Well, I think I just came down with a 'can't-go-on-that-island' disease...".
Even though Usopp had awakened his Haki and grown stronger, his old cowardice still flickered when faced with such high stakes.
Zoro clapped a hand on Usopp's shoulder, a rare smirk on his face. "This is a job for a sniper. Only the 'Sogeking' can handle someone as evil as Sugar".
Sanji joined in, patting the other shoulder. "Sniper King, the mission to save all those innocent toys belongs to you. You're the marksman for a Yonko-level crew. You can handle one little girl!".
"Go for it, Usopp!" the others cheered.
Usopp looked like he wanted to cry. The thought of being forgotten by his father, Yasopp, or by Kaya back in Syrup Village was terrifying. However, the pride of having his friends rely on him was stronger than his fear.
"Fine! Leave that Sugar girl to me, Captain Usopp!" he declared, striking a pose. "The rest of you just make sure you don't lose to the small fry!".
"Hey, I'm the captain!" Luffy protested.
"Come on, Luffy, let me have it just this once," Usopp joked.
"Well... no! It's still my job!" Luffy argued back. Their bickering continued until Nami silenced them both with a swift punch to the head.
Law sighed, still not used to the chaotic nature of the Straw Hat crew. He quickly brought the focus back. "We must succeed. We have to take down Doflamingo this time".
Luffy adjusted his straw hat and smiled at Law. "What are you talking about, Tra-guy? We're partners. Of course we're going to win".
As the Thousand Sunny surged toward Dressrosa, the island itself was becoming a powder keg. Pirates from across the New World had gathered for the Mera Mera no Mi tournament, and the delay caused by the Straw Hats' detour to Punk Hazard was making them violent. Riots were breaking out in the streets as the competitors grew tired of waiting.
Inside the Royal Palace, Doflamingo was fuming. "Where are they?" he hissed, veins bulging in his forehead.
"Young Master, the Straw Hats are still two or three days away," a subordinate reported, trembling.
"Two or three days?! How am I supposed to keep this crowd under control for that long?" Doflamingo roared. "That brat Law played me. He stayed behind just to watch a duel!".
Torrebol leaned in, trying to calm him. "Dover, don't worry. As long as we keep the representatives from the Yonko—the Blackbeard, Beast, Big Mom, and Whitebeard pirates—happy, the rest don't matter".
Doflamingo took a deep breath, forcing a cruel smile back onto his face. "You're right. Focus everything on entertaining the big players. As for the rest... if they make too much noise, kill them to set an example".
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