Chapter 131: A Righteous Pretext
"So we'll use... this!" Ian declared, holding up an item. "Use him as our pretext to march openly into the Kingdom of Dressrosa! Hahaha…"
All Cadres: "!!!"
The officers were stunned when they saw what Ian produced. After a moment's thought, they instantly understood his plan.
…
Tens of minutes later, at the Royal Plateau in the Kingdom of Dressrosa.
Doflamingo's internal meeting had just concluded.
"Phew… What a troublesome little Marine brat," he muttered. "Are we going to have to return to the seas as simple pirates again? Don't let me get my hands on you, Jock Ian!"
Stepping out of the dilapidated palace gates, Doflamingo finally vented his foul mood.
"Young Master! Something terrible has happened, Young Master!" a panicked voice shouted.
A fat man in a yellow suit, his hair styled like a spinning propeller, fell from the sky and scrambled to Doflamingo's side by the pool.
Buffalo!
User of the Rotate-Rotate Fruit, a Paramecia-type Devil Fruit!
One of the Donquixote Family's combatants!
He joined the family as a child and was an extremely loyal subordinate.
"Hmm? Buffalo, what is it?" Doflamingo asked. "What happened at Immigration? Could it be... someone from the Beasts Pirates has been spotted?"
In Doflamingo's mind, Kaido was far more terrifying than any ordinary pirate. If Kaido had already received news of Caesar Clown's death, it wouldn't be surprising for members of the Beasts Pirates to appear in Dressrosa. If war was inevitable, it absolutely could not be now.
"N-no... not pirates..." Buffalo stammered. "It's the Marines... The Marines have entered Dressrosa! Their leader is none other than the Marine Headquarters Vice Admiral... the 'Sea King,' Jock Ian!"
Buffalo's voice was loud and clear, audible to all the gathered cadres and family fighters who hadn't yet dispersed. Doflamingo stood frozen, a cold sweat breaking out on his forehead.
"What did you say? Jock Ian... How could he?! How dare he show his face in my territory!"
It had only been a few hours! Had Jock Ian come straight to his domain after dealing with Punk Hazard? Even if Marine Headquarters had been notified and he was found guilty of colluding with Caesar Clown, the World Government would need to deliberate carefully before moving against him. So Jock Ian had landed on the island without authorization? Didn't this give Doflamingo a legitimate reason to defend himself?
"And also, Young Master..." Buffalo continued, his voice trembling. "Jock Ian is holding... a portrait of Caesar Clown. From the moment they entered the country, they began spreading the news that the 'Mad Scientist' Caesar Clown has infiltrated Dressrosa! He's conducting a search operation on the island on behalf of the Marines and the World Government! He's demanding that all our citizens cooperate with him!"
…
Dressrosa, Acacia Port Town.
"Waaah!! Is that... a dragon?"
"Why does this legendary creature actually exist?"
"Is the leader a Marine? He looks quite young!"
"Don't you have any common sense? You don't even recognize that man?"
"Vice Admiral of Marine Headquarters, the newest commander of a New World branch base... the 'Sea King,' Jock Ian!"
"It's him, the terrifying 'Sea King.' The legends say he's eight meters tall, but he looks pretty normal to me."
"Normal? Would a normal person be accompanied by two flying dragons? That's terrifying!"
"..."
After Ian and his team made their legal entry, they immediately became the center of heated discussion in the town. Ian's plan was to openly enter the Kingdom of Dressrosa under the pretext of searching for the "Mad Scientist" Caesar Clown. Doflamingo knew Caesar Clown was dead and that Ian was the one who killed him. But unfortunately, on the crowded town streets, there was nothing he could do about it. He could only watch as Ian entered the country and drew closer step by step. The key question was... what was this Marine brat's real goal? Did he intend to wage war directly under the banner of the Marines?
"Everyone, has anyone seen the man in this portrait?" Ian's officers called out, distributing wanted posters of Caesar Clown with great fanfare. "His name is Caesar Clown, a fugitive in possession of dangerous weapons! This man once used poison gas to massacre the entire population of an island! If you see him, please report it to us immediately! Look carefully at the portrait. We have received reliable intelligence that he is currently hiding in Dressrosa!"
They worked to build momentum for their lawful performance of duty. Dressrosa, as a member nation of the World Government ruled by a Warlord of the Sea, had no valid reason to refuse cooperation with a Marine search operation.
Ian led his team with an air of confidence. After landing on the island, he promptly activated his superhuman vision and hearing. The customs and movements of the entire kingdom appeared in his mind.
Pfft…
"Huh? Lieutenant General Ian! Your nose is bleeding!" Speed exclaimed, turning to look at Ian in alarm. This was the first time she had seen Ian "injured" since meeting him. "Are you feeling unwell? Could it be an aftereffect of the battle?"
"Ahem... It's fine, Speed. Just keep moving forward," Ian replied, wiping the blood from his nose and quickly regaining his composure.
Nami's face was covered in black lines. "Ahem... Our great Lieutenant General Ian, could it be that you've seen too many... alluring figures?"
Ian: "..."
Could he be blamed? The streets were filled with girls in revealing outfits. In some particular establishments, the fabric on the dancers wasn't enough to make a skirt. It was a total foul!
The Kingdom of Dressrosa was located on a tropical island with a unique culture and customs, renowned as the "Island of Love and Passion." The island's three treasures were:
The wonderful fragrance of its flowers;
Its delicious local specialties;
And its beautiful, sexy dancers!
That damn Doflamingo, he really knows how to enjoy himself, Ian thought. He actually seized such an island and made it his base.
Ian secretly decided to take this place first. If he ever grew tired of the Marine life, he would retire to this island.
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