Dressrosa, in the New World. Just days prior, the Riku royal family, falsely accused and usurped by a certain pirate, had reclaimed their rightful throne. Rurning from a meeting at Mariejois, Kanata made a detour to this very island.
Naval warships crowded the harbor, creating a peculiar scene where merchant vessels, the Marines' gull flags, and pirate Jolly Rogers all flew side-by-side.
Accompanied by Ragnell and Chiyo, Kanata disembarked and headed directly towards the temporary naval headquarters.
Naturally, everyone in the Marines knew Kanata's face. She passed through with little resistance, granted almost immediate access to the inner sanctum where a high-ranking officer awaited.
"Kanata-dono, a pleasure. I am Rear Admiral Lucas."
The officer greeted, offering a crisp salute. His manner suggested a respect beyond that typically afforded to a pirate, even a Warlord. Kanata returned a brief nod, accepting the courtesy.
"Are you in charge here?" she inquired.
"No, Vice Admiral Tokikake is the officer in charge. However, he is currently away, delivering a report."
"I heard there's a factory made of Seastone. Can we access the site?"
"Certainly. Allow me to guide you."
Whether Tokikake had already informed him or not, Lucas briskly led them out of the tent and towards the plateau where the royal palace resided. Below the plateau was a trading port, a hub of illicit dealings. The entrance was known as the "Toy House," where Dressrosa's toys supposedly returned each night.
"Though, it seems that was a cover story... We've received reports that the toys were forced to carry cargo at the trading port throughout the night," Lucas added.
"...The 'Donquixote Family'..." Kanata muttered.
The name Donquixote rang a bell. One was a Celestial Dragon she had killed. Another, a former Celestial Dragon expelled from the Holy Land for the supposed murder of a Celestial Dragon. And lastly, a Celestial Dragon currently collaborating with her regarding Fish-Man Island.
The first two were deceased, and the last was in a sort of alliance with her. There shouldn't be a connection, yet Kanata couldn't shake a nagging feeling of unease.
"The factory is located in a corner of the trading port. This is the place in question."
Lucas stopped before an imposing cylindrical structure with a domed roof designed to allow light in. Lucas frowned as he examined the heavy, bolted doors. "It appears the doors are secured from the inside. Forcing them open would be difficult."
A key was needed to open it from the outside, a key that the Donquixote Family had undoubtedly taken with them. Creating a new one would be time-consuming.
"Step back," Kanata instructed.
"Yes, ma'am."
After briefly examining the door, Kanata gestured for the three to move further back. She focused her attention on a specific point on the reinforced Seastone door and delivered a swift, powerful kick.
The impact resonated with a resounding BOOM, a sound far more forceful than one might expect. Lucas gasped, expecting the door to splinter, but the surface remained unchanged. He assumed she had failed, but Kanata calmly pushed open the now unlocked doors and stepped inside.
"Incredible! It opened!?" Lucas exclaimed.
"Don't just stand there, let's go," Kanata replied, already disappearing into the factory's depths.
As Ragnell and Chiyo followed, Kanata reappeared and stopped them.
"Don't come in yet. We need to ventilate the area," she instructed.
"Ventilate? Why?" Chiyo questioned.
"Poison gas has been released."
Lucas's eyes widened in alarm. He quickly slammed the doors shut. "I'll get gas masks," he stammered, rushing back towards the temporary headquarters. Kanata, having detected the gas immediately, had retreated quickly enough to avoid any ill effects.
"But why poison gas...?" Ragnell murmured.
"The dwarves inside were all dead. Likely to silence them." Kanata explained.
Judging by the fallen Donquixote Family member who had presumably been overseeing the operation, the act had been carried out with brutal efficiency. Locking the factory from the inside would severely limit access, minimizing the risk of theft. They hadn't anticipated Kanata's ability to pinpoint and destroy the locking mechanism from the outside. Such drastic measures suggested something they desperately wanted to keep hidden, or perhaps something they couldn't afford to lose.
"There was a chemical called 'SAD' that Caesar Clown created, and something resembling a farm. They were likely producing 'SMILE' fruits."
"Does that mean Kaido's artificial Devil Fruit users won't increase anymore?" Chiyo pondered.
"Potentially. If they have someone else who can produce them, that's a different story, but I doubt it's that simple. Even if we can't stop them completely, reducing the supply is valuable."
"Well, if they don't increase anymore, that's fine. It seemed troublesome if they increased any further," Ragnell added.
"Rear Admiral Lucas has gone to retrieve gas masks. I'm returning to the ship. I have no further business here. Vegapunk requested we recover as much of the remaining chemicals and 'SMILE' fruits as possible and transport them to 'Egghead', so I'll leave the rest to the Marines," Kanata decided.
Transporting the chemicals required a specialized tanker, not an ordinary warship or merchant vessel. The tanker from "Punk Hazard" should be in the Marines' possession, so they would need to request Sengoku to prepare the personnel and transport it to Dressrosa.
That would take a few days, and Kanata did have business at "Egghead" but… she had been away from Hachinosu for too long. Work was piling up. She would send Ragnell to "Egghead" to deal with Vegapunk. The Maraptonoka incident had raised various suspicions, so she needed to settle accounts properly.
"There's always the chance someone else might come and try to open it. One of you should stay and keep watch until Rear Admiral Lucas returns. Who's staying?" Kanata asked.
Silence.
"Let's decide with rock-paper-scissors," Chiyo suggested, completely ignoring Ragnell's withering glare, which clearly communicated, You should stay. With a sigh of resignation, Ragnell raised her hand. She lost.
***
Back on the ship, Kanata made a call from a soundproofed room. Her contact was Feiyun.
"—Yes. What is it?" Feiyun answered.
"Did it go well?" Kanata asked.
"Of course. Do you have any questions?"
"I could have waited until you returned, but I happen to be in 'Dressrosa' right now."
"Understood. Please wait a moment."
Feiyun didn't bring him directly; Kanata only heard Feiyun giving instructions on the other end of the line. Shortly after, the person she had requested appeared, crying loudly and pleading for his life.
It was Caesar Clown, the scientist they had abducted from "Punk Hazard."
"Please~~~!! Don't kill me!! I'll do anything!!! I can make weapons, anything you want!! Just don't kill me~~~!!" Caesar wailed.
"...He's a bit loud," Kanata commented dryly.
"I'm sorry. Give me a moment," Feiyun replied.
The sound of something being struck repeatedly, followed by pained cries, echoed from the other end of the line. It wasn't pleasant to listen to, but the conversation wouldn't progress otherwise. Though Feiyun had asked for time, someone else was likely the one doing the actual hitting. If Feiyun had done it, even with restraint, Caesar's neck would probably have snapped.
After confirming that it had become quiet, Kanata quickly asked the questions she had. She needed to confirm the basics, partly to verify the information obtained from Senor Pink.
"You created 'SAD'," Kanata stated, more than asked.
"...Y-Yes, that's correct..." Caesar stammered.
"You also know how to make 'SMILE'," Kanata continued.
"I do..."
"If you tell me everything you know, I'll consider sparing your life."
"Thank you..."
Caesar, practically sobbing, answered Kanata's questions without any resistance. They should have recovered most of the documents left in "Punk Hazard," but having the man who actually created them would speed up the analysis. There might be a possibility of removing the effects of "SMILE"... Realistically, she thought it was highly unlikely, but if there was a chance, it was worth pursuing.
"Who gave you the orders?" Kanata asked.
"The Donquixote Family... I heard that 'SMILE' was being sold to Kaido. Because the 'SMILE' from other sources was better, Kaido was complaining... Huh? Who told me that...?"
"Is there someone else who can create 'SMILE'?"
"I don't know the details. The person who told me seemed to know, but they didn't mention any names... I think."
Whoever had told Caesar had likely chosen not to mention names to avoid unnecessary trouble. Considering Caesar's tendency to be provoked by those he felt inferior to, it was probably someone related to Vegapunk. As she was thinking this, there was a knock on the door.
"We'll talk later. I'm counting on you for the escort to 'Hachinosu', Feiyun," Kanata said, cutting the call short.
"Yes! Leave it to me!" Feiyun replied enthusiastically before the line went dead.
The door knocked again. One of her subordinates appeared with a message.
"What is it?" Kanata asked.
"Vice Admiral Tokikake requests a consultation!" the subordinate reported.
"Tokikake? Is he outside the ship?"
"Yes. What are your orders?"
"Instead of standing around, bring him here."
Kanata quickly stored any sensitive documents in her desk drawer. Tokikake arrived shortly afterward, alone, presumably due to the confidential nature of the discussion.
Tokikake greeted her casually with a wave and promptly sat down on the sofa.
"Yo, sis. Long time no see," he grinned.
"You haven't changed, Tokikake. Still hitting on every woman you see?" Kanata retorted, a hint of amusement in her voice.
"Are you jealous? How cute! ...Well, actually, I've run into a bit of a headache. I need your wisdom."
"Mine, not Sengoku's?"
"Well, yeah. I've already consulted with Sengoku, but… this case is a bit special, or rather, strange."
Tokikake scratched his head, looking perplexed.
The issue stemmed from Dressrosa's occupation by pirates. A single pirate, not even a Warlord, had taken over a country that remained a member of the World Government, causing some confusion within the government.
Judging by the evidence, there was no way the Marines could have missed this. The government, claiming it was the Marines' negligence, and the Marines, countering that they had acted on official written orders from the government, were locked in a bitter standoff.
It was a political power struggle, with the government seeking to shift blame, and the Marines trying to avoid it.
"If the government's orders are documented, you have no chance. What are the Five Elders thinking?" Kanata questioned.
"They're claiming the orders were forged, based on the fact that the pirate's name and wanted poster don't exist. Have you heard of Donquixote Doflamingo?"
"Not until recently," Kanata replied.
"Right? Anyone would know a pirate with a bounty over 300 million. It doesn't make sense that a pirate no one's ever heard of was a Warlord. Sengoku wasn't buying it."
"…Indeed."
"? Something bothering you?" Tokikake asked, noticing Kanata's furrowed brow.
Kanata felt a strange sense of dissonance. She prided herself on her memory, and the inability to recall something she knew she should remember was unsettling. However, there was no point in mentioning it to Tokikake.
Currently, internal conflict between the government and the Marines was intensifying. With the recent activity of the Four Emperors Alliance, it wasn't ideal to have their own movements restricted.
"So, you want me to mediate this conflict," Kanata summarized.
"Well, that's about it. I figured you could handle it," Tokikake grinned.
"That's... not something the Marines should be asking of a pirate."
"Hahaha. Sis, even though you're called a pirate, you're practically family within the Marines."
Currently, the only ones who were still wary of her were the Admirals, Sengoku, Garp, and Tsuru. Some Marines who hated pirates were the same, but generally, "Twilight" was viewed favorably. After all, they were just a maritime transport company. The Marines had no complaints if they also happened to contribute to maintaining order.
Tokikake seemed to believe that she would be able to resolve this issue as well. Or perhaps, he was simply dumping the problem on her. She doubted Sengoku would readily seek outside opinions, but given the unusual circumstances, she would offer hers.
"...What about the king of this country?" Kanata asked.
"King Riku is back, but public sentiment isn't great. He caused quite a bit of trouble in the past, which led to the pirate takeover. The government would probably like to replace him… and his daughter, Princess Viola, was apparently an executive of the Donquixote Family."
"I heard she joined the Family to plead for her father's life," Kanata stated.
"Sharp ears. That's right… while she's deserving of sympathy, she was still a pirate, and her father was overthrown. From a certain perspective…"
"It could appear as though she aimed to usurp the throne. The Donquixote Family likely intended to create that impression."
The atrocities King Riku had committed now seemed to have a hidden motive. Kanata couldn't say for certain without knowing the circumstances at the time, but reinstating a king who had once resorted to such violence was risky. She couldn't afford to have problems arise on a nearby island.
In that case, she would have to lay the groundwork.
"I'll place 'Dressrosa' under my rule," Kanata declared.
"...You're going to make it 'Twilight' territory? A World Government member nation?" Tokikake questioned.
"Do you know how many member nations are already within my sphere of influence?"
"Well, yeah, but..."
Due to the nature of their maritime transport business, they sailed regardless of whether a nation was a member of the World Government or not. If the islands where "Twilight" ships docked were considered her sphere of influence, most member nations were already under Kanata's sway.
However, there were few countries under her direct rule. There were countries she could influence, or countries where she could interfere in domestic affairs to some extent, but the number of countries completely under her rule was limited. She intended to add "Dressrosa" to that list. She understood Tokikake's wariness.
"The government's official stance is that a pirate who wasn't even a Warlord ruled a member nation. The Marines' issue is that it was done on the government's orders," Kanata explained.
In other words, the government wanted to blame the Marines for not taking action, and the Marines were distrustful of the government for supporting the pirate. It depended on what Sengoku wanted to leverage from the government with this card, but escalating internal conflict amidst the turmoil with the Four Emperors Alliance would hinder their ability to act decisively. Even if she wasn't relying on them, it would still be troublesome.
Since both sides insisted they were blameless, a third party mediating was ideal.
"I, a Warlord, will manage 'Dressrosa.' We'll frame it as a puppet government established by an unaffiliated pirate, giving the government grounds to expel them from the World Government. If the citizens or King Riku wish to rejoin later, they can apply under my rule. As for the Marines' compromise… let's say they agree to a government audit to prove there was no forgery, in exchange for the government cutting ties with those involved behind the scenes."
Sengoku likely had his own plans. The Donquixote Family, who had established roots in "Dressrosa," originated from the "North Blue
She knew that Sengoku had been trying to expose the darkness in the North since his time in the field. It was highly likely that he wanted to use this opportunity for a large-scale crackdown, or even a complete sweep.
The government would avoid one blunder in exchange for losing the profits from the North's underworld dealings. The Marines would be subjected to a government audit to prove they hadn't forged documents, in exchange for exposing the North's underworld.
This seemed like a reasonable compromise. The government would suffer the greater damage, assuming the document was genuine. Sengoku was likely confident because he knew whether the document was authentic or not, and the North's underworld would be exposed anyway. It was a small price to pay to cut off a troublesome loose end.
The moment Dressrosa was expelled from the World Government, the Marines would no longer be obligated to protect it, and the Four Emperors Alliance, seeing it as easy prey, would undoubtedly descend. There was no choice but to place it under "Twilight's" rule.
"Ruling a country is costly and not very rewarding," Kanata sighed.
"You're probably the only one who thinks that. Most pirates would be blinded by status and money," Tokikake retorted.
"I don't deny those who crave status, honor, money, or power… but such things attract pests."
"…Bad memories?" Tokikake asked, noticing the subtle shift in Kanata's expression.
Kanata hated three things. Above all, she despised traitors. Those who betrayed the organization or nation they belonged to. Eradicating the pests they attracted wasn't easy. Currently, Feiyun was finding and eliminating most of them, and she had structured things to minimize their infiltration, but they were unavoidable.
"…Is that all you wanted to ask?" Kanata inquired, bringing the conversation back on track.
"…Yeah. Thanks, sis. You're a lifesaver," Tokikake grinned.
"Have Sengoku consult with you, and if this approach is acceptable, I'll make my move."
Sengoku would likely have his own considerations. It wouldn't do to act unilaterally and hinder his plans. The darkness in the North ran deep. A war spanning forty years, with a steady supply of weapons. The gap between rich and poor was widening, and slave hunting was on the rise. It would be difficult for the Marines to resolve this alone. There was a strong possibility she would be asked to assist.
Tokikake stood up, stretched his back, and patted his waist, satisfied that the problem was on its way to being solved.
"Well then, I'll be going," he announced.
"Yes. I hope to hear something beneficial for me next time," Kanata replied.
"Wahaha, I hope so too!"
Tokikake exited the room, whistling cheerfully. He returned a few seconds later, claiming he had forgotten something, and offered an additional piece of information.
"There are dwarves in this country, you see," he began.
"I know," Kanata replied.
"Their princess is still missing. The Marines are searching, but they haven't found her yet. It's possible she was taken. Just keep that in mind."
With that, Tokikake closed the door and left the ship.
Still a noisy man, Kanata thought, making a note of it. More work.
There were still unknowns regarding "Dressrosa," such as the matter of the toys. She would likely need King Riku's cooperation to rule. She didn't know his character yet. She was busy herself. She would need to assign someone to monitor him and observe his behavior to minimize the risk of further incidents.
She would make the necessary preparations. Within reason.