The commotion on Dressrosa was immense, the battle between Akainu and Doflamingo shaking the very island. Viola, who had been reluctant to leave in the first place, was now even more determined to stay, seeing that their savior had arrived. However, when she asked Elizabello II for permission to go ashore, she was met with a firm refusal.
With the island in utter chaos, Elizabello knew it was no place for two young women and a child. Even with the guards King Riku had sent, they would gain nothing by returning now; they would only be putting themselves in grave danger. For the sake of his old friend, he could not let Viola and the others leave. Besides, he had little faith in this supposed savior. Their opponent was a Marine Admiral, after all—the ruthless Akainu.
"Uncle Elizabello, can't you please let us go?" Viola asked, tugging on his arm with pleading eyes.
Looking at her pitiful expression, Elizabello II steeled his heart and refused. "My dear niece, it's not that I won't let you go. You have to understand the situation on Dressrosa right now! It was hard enough to get you out. Going back now would be suicide."
"But Uncle Elizabello, Doflamingo is here! He'll definitely save our country," Viola insisted, her grip on his arm tightening with conviction.
"Doflamingo?"
Elizabello II's brow furrowed, a sense of foreboding creeping into his heart.
Doflamingo's name was known by all on the seas, especially in the New World, a place teeming with pirates. A great pirate of his caliber was someone to be taken very seriously.
"Yes! Doflamingo! He's the most talked-about pirate on the seas right now, with a bounty of 1.24 billion Berries," Viola explained patiently, assuming Elizabello II wasn't familiar with him.
"1.24 billion Berries…" Elizabello II sucked in a sharp breath. This was the first he was hearing of Doflamingo's latest bounty. While he knew of the man, he hadn't realized the number had climbed so high.
The Marines had considered many factors when issuing such a bounty. Although Doflamingo had clashed with the three Emperors of the New World, the Marines didn't know the exact details of those encounters and couldn't precisely gauge his strength. However, the fact that he had escaped from Whitebeard was proof enough of his formidable power.
What was even more surprising was that Whitebeard hadn't sought revenge afterward. While this was partly due to his subsequent battles with Big Mom and Kaido, it also spoke volumes about Doflamingo's own capabilities.
Later, Doflamingo, still heavily injured, had fought against two Admirals. Though he had managed to escape by a hair's breadth, it was undeniable that at his current level, he had a high chance of winning against any single Admiral. Perhaps Kizaru, with his speed, could fight him to a standstill, but if either of the other two faced Doflamingo alone, the odds would likely be eighty-twenty in Doflamingo's favor.
Fleet Admiral Sengoku had a massive headache when it came to Doflamingo. He knew the Rumble-Rumble Fruit was troublesome, but he had never imagined it would be this troublesome. He didn't believe Doflamingo's strength was on par with Kaido or Big Mom; in both clashes with the Admirals, Sengoku believed Doflamingo had relied on the unique properties of his fruit, not on pure strength.
But even so, Sengoku had already overestimated him. Doflamingo's bounty was now the highest among all pirates, aside from Big Mom, Kaido, and Whitebeard themselves. The famous Emperor Commanders like King, Marco, and Katakuri had slightly lower bounties, though not by much.
While a bounty wasn't a perfect measure of one's strength, it was still a significant indicator. Elizabello II was surprised that Doflamingo would come to their aid, but his inherent distrust of pirates filled him with more worry than relief.
Pirates rarely did anything unless there was a profit in it. Elizabello II was deeply concerned, but seeing Viola's joyful and excited expression, he found it hard to voice his doubts. After a moment of hesitation, his sense of duty as King Riku's friend won out, and he shared his concerns.
"Niece Viola, how did you manage to get Doflamingo to help you? He's a great pirate! He's fought against the Whitebeard Pirates before. Why would a man like that help you for no reason?"
Viola heard the worry in his voice, but at this point, she was betting everything on Doflamingo as their savior.
"Uncle Elizabello, I know pirates can't be trusted, but Doflamingo is a friend of the Tontatta tribe. Dressrosa has no other options. He is our only hope," Viola said, her eyes blinking as she awaited his reply.
Hearing her response, Elizabello II fell silent for a moment, a wave of dejection washing over him. He was King Riku's friend, but he lacked the power to offer any real help.
"I understand. But Dressrosa is a battlefield right now. It would be extremely dangerous for you to go back. It would be better to wait until the fighting has subsided," Elizabello II proposed.
"I…" Viola started to say that she wasn't afraid, but Scarlett grabbed her by the scruff of the neck, cutting her off.
"Uncle Elizabello, thank you for your kindness. We are safest here for now," Scarlett said, then shot a glare at Viola.
Viola was still quite afraid of her older sister. Seeing her signal, she immediately shrank back, realizing her own recklessness.
"Uncle Elizabello, I was too anxious just now. Thank you for thinking of us," Viola said, offering a grateful apology.
"Haha, it's nothing, it's nothing! Your father and I have been friends for many years. You're like daughters to me," Elizabello II laughed heartily, not minding Viola's earlier outburst in the slightest. With her country and family in peril, it was only natural for the crown princess to be anxious and impulsive.
His hearty laugh put Viola at ease. After bidding him a temporary farewell, she stood at the ship's bow, her eyes fixed on Dressrosa with hopeful anticipation.
Scarlett, meanwhile, carried the exhausted and now-sleeping Rebecca back to the cabin to let her rest.
The sounds of explosions and roars from Dressrosa were relentless. Viola stared intently, her expression taut with tension.
Seeing her state, Tank Lepanto, who was guarding her, cautiously spoke up. "Your Highness, shall I send someone to the island to scout the situation?"
"Ah!" Viola, lost in thought, was startled by his voice. After a moment, she replied, "No, that's not necessary. Dressrosa is too dangerous right now. You can't risk your lives so recklessly. Dressrosa cannot afford any more losses."
Lepanto was touched by her words, his resolve to protect the princess hardening even further.
"Look! Are those Marines over there?" Viola pointed into the distance, having spotted the retreating soldiers.
Lepanto strained his eyes to see. After confirming, he replied, "Your Highness, they are indeed Marines. From the looks of it, they are retreating."
"That's wonderful! It seems Doflamingo was victorious! Dressrosa will finally be at peace again," Viola said joyfully.
"Your Highness, we shouldn't celebrate too soon," Lepanto said, ever the dutiful guard. "They are retreating in our direction. We need to prepare."
"You're right. Go and inform Uncle Elizabello immediately. Tell him to get ready!" Viola commanded.
"Yes, Your Highness!"
Soon, an informed Elizabello II came to the bow, his eyes fixed on the fleeing Marines.
His expression grew serious. Whether it was retreating Marines or retreating pirates, their small ship was directly in their path. To prepare for the unknown dangers ahead, he began to move.
He started throwing a continuous series of punches, warming himself up.
The King Punch was poised to strike.