Deep within the factory, Usopp seized the moment to launch a decisive assault on Sugar.
"Special Attack! Green Star: Devil!"
He fired a specialized seed from his slingshot that landed precisely at the young girl's feet. Before she could react, thick vines erupted from the ground, entangling her limbs in an instant.
"What is this? Turn into a toy!" Sugar shrieked, reaching out to touch the plants. The moment her palm met the greenery, the vines transformed into harmless toy trees.
Usopp was not discouraged. Knowing that getting close to her meant an instant transformation into a toy, he relied entirely on his expertise as a sniper. He fired a rapid succession of seeds toward her position.
"Special Attack! Green Star: Sleepy Grass!"
A new plant blossomed, releasing a dense cloud of spores. Sugar inhaled the mist and her eyes began to droop as she grew disoriented. Usopp did not let up.
"Special Attack! Green Star: Bamboo Forest!"
Sharp bamboo shoots burst from the floor, piercing Sugar and snapping her back to consciousness with a jolt of pain.
"Special Attack! Green Star: Rafflesia!"
A massive, corpse-scented flower bloomed, releasing a stench so foul that Sugar nearly lost her senses again. Finally, Usopp delivered the finishing blow.
"Special Attack! Green Star: Skull Explosive Grass!"
The plant exploded upon contact, creating a massive cloud of skull-shaped smoke. This time, the little girl's eyes rolled back into her head, and she collapsed, completely unconscious. Usopp's overwhelming fear of her had led him to use every tool in his arsenal, successfully completing the mission.
Trebol's expression shifted to one of pure panic. "Damn it! Sugar has fainted! This is a disaster!"
"Are you still in the mood to worry about others?" Marie's calm voice cut through his panic.
She appeared directly in front of Trebol, her small hands moving in a swift cross-strike against his chest. With a sickening pop, the thick layer of mucus covering his body exploded outward, revealing his scrawny, fragile frame underneath.
"I said I would stop you," Marie said leisurely. "Now lie down obediently, or I won't have time to eat my biscuits."
She drove a small fist into Trebol's stomach, sending him flying across the room. Trebol felt as if his internal organs were being shredded; the blow contained a terrifying force that seemed to bypass his external defenses.
"Is this... advanced Armament Haki?" Trebol managed to murmur, his vision fading. "How can someone her age..."
He slumped to the floor, unconscious. Marie looked down at him and provided the answer he couldn't hear.
"Color patterns are the patterns of dreams," she explained. "I use colors to suggest power to myself, becoming as strong as I imagine. Armament Haki is just an external force I can imitate. While I may not be able to defeat a monster like Kaido, it is more than enough for someone like you."
She climbed back onto Richie's back and resumed eating her biscuits.
As Sugar lost consciousness, her power over the toys broke. Across Dressrosa, thousands of toys were suddenly liberated, their forms shifting back into humans and animals. The factory was suddenly crowded with pirates, Marines, and ordinary citizens, many of whom burst into tears of joy.
"Long live the Straw Hats! Long live the Sniper King! Long live the Painter!" the crowd cheered in heartfelt gratitude.
In the center of the room, Rebecca and Kyros also returned to normal. Seeing the man before her—scarred and missing a leg—Rebecca wept.
"Dad? Are you really my father?"
"Yes, Rebecca! I'm your father!" Kyros cried, pulling her into a hug. "I'm so sorry I couldn't protect your mother! I've made you suffer for so long!"
At the same time, in the waters near Dressrosa, a battle of titans was underway.
Carl hovered on his massive sword, circling Blackbeard and launching sharp slashes of air. Blackbeard countered using the powers of the Float-Float Fruit he had stolen, summoning sea lions made of water, yet he could not touch Carl. Carl had already mastered combat against the Golden Lion's abilities, rendering Blackbeard's current tactics useless.
Deciding to goad his opponent, Carl began a mental assault.
"Hey, Blackbeard! Even the Golden Lion himself wasn't my match," Carl taunted. "Do you really think his tricks will work for you? Why don't you use your Dark-Dark Fruit instead? Or better yet, just turn into a dog and start barking, or I'll beat you into one!"
Blackbeard's face twisted with rage. He loathed Carl with an ultimate intensity—not just because Carl had force-fed him a useless Devil Fruit in the past, but because of Carl's sharp, insulting tongue. However, Blackbeard's greatest strength was his patience.
"Zehahaha!" he laughed, forcing himself to stay calm. "You won't provoke me that easily, Carl! I might not be able to beat you yet, but you can't beat me either!"
Carl shrugged. "Perhaps. but don't forget why you're here."
He gestured toward Doflamingo, who was currently being overwhelmed by Sengoku and Vice Admiral Tsuru, with Law occasionally jumping in to land a blow. Doflamingo was strong, but he wouldn't last much longer against such odds.
Blackbeard's expression darkened. He needed Doflamingo. The Warlord controlled the underground markets of the New World and held the keys to countless taboo businesses. Losing such a partner would be a devastating blow to Blackbeard's long-term plans.
Realizing he could no longer hold back, Blackbeard let out a roar. A thick, black mist billowed from his body, rushing across the waves toward Carl.
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