King and Enel had left, taking Princess Viola and Princess Mansherry with them. They returned to the gigantic steel battleship floating in the sky and quickly disappeared at the horizon.
Thanks to Enel, the war between Dressrosa and Prodence was officially over.
It should be said that Dressrosa was completely victorious.
The Prodence army was almost entirely annihilated by Enel in an instant.
However, at this moment, King Riku was silently weeping, and Kyros was also utterly distraught.
"Hahahaha!"
Suddenly, a sharp laugh echoed through the narrow passage.
It was Duvy.
The General Commander of Prodence's entire military, who, when his country was in despair, had gambled the limited wealth he had to purchase weapons and expand his forces, and gritted his teeth, preparing to attack his closest neighbor, was now laughing hysterically, his face contorted with madness.
"It's over! Everything is over! Prodence, my motherland, is about to turn into a living hell on earth!"
King Riku and Kyros merely watched him quietly, showing no joy. Their eyes were filled with the sorrow of feeling like the next victim.
Just as Duvy said, the Kingdom of Prodence was finished.
The invaders' downfall was certainly a good thing. Viola's plea had indeed saved Dressrosa from a massive crisis.
However, the current situation of that country remained unchanged.
Will the current state of Prodence be the future of Dressrosa?
"It's all my fault!"
Duvy laughed maniacally, "Hahahaha! Abandoning morality and dignity, the desperate gamble only resulted in this outcome! I am an unforgivable sinner!"
He tore at his hair with both hands, pulling out handfuls of his already graying locks.
"Roa! Roa!! You lunatic, what do we countries even count for in your eyes? Does seeing us struggle in despair and pain truly bring you such pleasure?"
"Hahahaha! What foolishness am I uttering! That guy is no longer human! He is the Demon King who has come to destroy this world!"
A Demon King?
King Riku sighed mournfully in his heart.
The description was quite fitting.
But, would this world give birth to a hero to defeat the Demon King, just like in the fairy tales he heard as a child?
The frenzied shouting didn't last long. Duvy slowly turned his head to look at King Riku and Kyros.
The miserable man showed them a bitter smile. "I'm sorry, but none of us had a choice. Now that I think about it, death might be a relief."
"King Riku, Kyros, I'm done here. I wish you good luck."
Leaving this final sentence, Duvy decisively drew his blade across his neck and committed suicide.
Accompanied by splashing blood, the man collapsed to the ground.
King Riku and Kyros remained silent.
What kind of future awaits this country, this world?
But for now, there was only one thing they could do: protect this country to the best of their ability before true destruction arrived.
Additionally, how were they going to tell their family that Viola had been taken away by the Disaster Company?
Soon after, the sky-air battleship slowly began its descent toward the Disaster City floating in the heavens.
Viola, holding the crying Princess Mansherry, stood at the ship's rail, overlooking the city in the sky, which was surrounded by clouds.
Is this the headquarters of the Disaster Company?
It's actually a city flying in the sky!
No wonder no one could find their whereabouts! Because they were constantly floating in the heavens!
As they landed, Viola heard continuous roars.
It was two men fighting.
As a user of the Paramecia-type Glare-Glare Fruit, Viola saw the two constantly colliding figures instantly.
They were two equally famous, or rather, infamous men.
Kaido of the Beasts, and the Disaster King's senior executive, Mercury Bullet (Douglas Bullet)!
Such terrifying monsters!
The continuous clash of mere fists and a spiked club was enough to shake the sky.
The ensuing gales made her feel unsteady, even at this high altitude.
Finally, the massive battleship landed on the sky-city. Viola carried Princess Mansherry off the ship and, led by King, took a gigantic elevator into the interior of the Disaster City.
Next, is she going to meet the King of Disaster?
What will become of her?
Viola's heart was filled with anxiety.
But, he specially had her brought back. He shouldn't be intending to kill her, right?
The Glare-Glare Fruit... it must be because of this ability, right?
Thinking this, Viola followed King deeper into the Disaster City and quickly arrived at the lavish palace located in the depths of the city.
"Maintain respect in the presence of the Boss."
King instructed her.
Viola nodded cautiously.
This guy is super scary! He's practically an emotionless machine. Just making eye contact with him gives me a feeling of dread.
Then, Viola followed King into the palace.
In the spacious, luxurious hall, Viola saw the Demon King who had come to rule half the world.
The youth, who looked much younger than her, was lounging on a soft sofa, his head resting comfortably on the lap of a stunningly beautiful woman. The woman was cleaning his ear.
Viola recognized the woman: Boa Hancock, the former vice-captain of the Kuja Pirates and the world's most beautiful woman.
Speaking of the Kuja Pirates, that crew had disappeared more than a year ago. So, it was because of the Disaster Company?
Seeing the undisguised look of disgust and hatred on Boa Hancock's face, Viola thought, Could the destruction of the Kuja Pirates have been a consequence of wanting to seize this beauty?
"Boss, I've brought the person back!"
King's voice was very respectful.
This was the first time Viola had heard a slight fluctuation in his tone.
"Lord Roa!"
Viola quickly rushed to bow and greet him.
Regardless of how she had cursed Roa privately, now that she was actually standing before him, she had to be respectful.
Otherwise, not only she herself but all of Dressrosa could be destroyed at any moment.
Enel's terrifying display of effortlessly destroying the Prodence army had thoroughly frightened Viola.
And that monster isn't even highly ranked in the Pirate Alliance.
"Lord Roa..."
Mansherry, the Tontatta princess, whom Viola held in her arms, also greeted Roa with a pale face and a trembling little voice.
"Hmm..."
Pillowed on Hancock's supple thigh, Roa looked somewhat drowsy, his eyelids drooping as he surveyed the two women, one large and one small, before him.
Honestly, Viola was undoubtedly an outstanding beauty. Her alluring, passionate charm practically radiated from her body.
But to Roa, who had already seen and experienced much, and had even taken a great beauty like Hancock into his embrace, she was merely adequate.
He was somewhat desensitized already. No big deal, he'd say.
Conversely, the crying Tontatta princess made Roa's eyes slightly narrow.
Hiss, if I use Life Return, it might not be impossible.
If I already have a Tontatta, should I try a giant as well?
As Roa mused, Hancock, who was cleaning his ear, suddenly let out a cold laugh.
In the year and more since this scoundrel captured her, she had been virtually inseparable from Roa.
Now, with just a slight movement of Roa's eyes, she knew exactly what the lecherous bastard was thinking.
"Viola, right?"
Roa turned his eyes, focusing his gaze on Viola.
"Y-yes, Lord Roa..."
Viola instinctively straightened her back, her heart suddenly accelerating.
So scary!
Although he was a handsome man who could make a heart flutter, just thinking about what this man had done made her skin crawl.
This man is the Demon King destined to destroy the entire world!
"Do me a favor,"
Roa said. "There's a person I really want to eliminate, but he's hiding, perhaps because he's afraid of me. Use your ability to help me find that person."
A person Roa really wants to eliminate?
He must be talking about the King of the Celestial Dragons mentioned in the newspapers, the one named Imu?
The supreme ruler of the World Government has been forced into hiding by Roa?
I see. He specially captured me to use the power of my Glare-Glare Fruit to locate the King of the World?
Wait a minute!
Viola's pupils suddenly contracted.
So, Roa wants to launch the final battle?
Doesn't this mean that Roa might already possess the strength to crush the World Government?
Is this world truly about to fall into Roa's hands like this?
"Yes."
Regardless, Viola could only bow her head respectfully.
"Mhm,"
Roa lazily rubbed against Hancock's smooth, tender thigh, making Hancock wish she could jam the earpick directly into his ear and scramble his brains.
"King, for now, the Disaster City will fly around the Red Line. Viola, I believe the extreme observation distance of the Glare-Glare Fruit's Clairvoyance is four thousand kilometers, correct? During the flight, you will observe the Red Line and the surrounding sky and sea conditions."
It truly deserves to be a Devil Fruit; the range is simply exaggerated.
"Yes, Boss."
King did not hesitate.
"I, I understand, Lord Roa..."
Viola, of course, dared not say much, only nodding submissively.
"However,"
Roa glanced at Viola again. "King, what do you think about replicating a few Glare-Glare Fruits, having people eat them, then letting Judge modify them so their eyes connect to computers, allowing the sights they see to be directly imported into the computers? Then, we launch them into space to observe the world from outer space?"
Human-made satellites, so to speak.
"As expected of the Boss, that sounds incredible,"
King didn't hesitate, maybe not even thinking it through, and directly agreed, "In that case, the entire world will be exposed to our view."
"You guy..."
Roa burst out laughing.
It was a redundant question.
King, Bullet, and Dylan: these guys followed all his commands unconditionally.
Viola was dumbfounded. What does he mean by replicating Devil Fruits?
In any case, the Disaster City changed course and headed toward the Red Line. Next, the search for Imu's whereabouts would begin.
Meanwhile, the person being sought by Roa was currently in a certain sky over the world.
In this corner of the world, inside another floating fortress flying in the sky.
"Although we still can't find the whereabouts of the Pirate Alliance, the good news is that almost everyone in the other half of the world utterly despises Roa."
In a certain office, three old-timers were chatting. The one speaking was the moon-headed Figarland Garling. "At the critical moment, all we need is to raise the call, and that half of the world will probably erupt instantly."
"What's the point?"
The bald, katana-wielding Elder Saint Nusjuro adjusted his wire-rimmed glasses and snorted. "If we can't get rid of Roa, what's the point of public outrage, no matter how fervent?"
This world is just that cruel. No amount of weaklings can shake a powerful individual.
Especially not a super monster like Roa.
"It will be soon,"
The bald, mustachioed Elder Saint Warcury spoke slowly. "Once Vegapunk's energy research is complete, that will be the moment to start the war with Roa! The current temporary energy is only enough to make this ship fly. Only when the true energy is complete can its power truly be unleashed!"
"How much longer?"
Nusjuro asked the Science Defense God.
"Vegapunk says it'll be soon,"
Garling said. "But he can't give an exact time, perhaps a few months, perhaps a few years."
"If Nidhogg were still here, we wouldn't be in such a predicament,"
Warcury sighed. "Who could have imagined that such a monster would suddenly go mad and fly away, and then die of old age shortly after returning!"
"Have you still not found out where Nidhogg flew to back then?"
Garling frowned, asking.
Warcury shook his head. "There were no witnesses. No one knows where it actually went."
"Alas."
Garling also sighed.
If the invincible Nidhogg were still around, how could Roa dare to act so recklessly?
That was a genuine power capable of destroying the world!
"In any case, we still need to confirm Roa and their location,"
Nusjuro said. "Otherwise, if we're ready but can't find the enemy's location, wouldn't that be a laughing stock?"
"That's correct."
While they conversed, on the top deck of this floating city.
In a training ground, Zephyr was sparring with a agile young man.
"Luffy Iron Fist!!"
Fists wrapped in powerful Haki struck continuously, an invisible ripple spreading from the blows.
Even Zephyr's expression was slightly serious at this moment. When blocking, he showed a measure of focus, as this was, after all, advanced Haki.
"What a remarkable young man,"
Next to the training ground, the blind man, wearing a purple kimono and a cloak of justice, was slurping a bowl of udon noodles and laughing in praise. "I didn't even know what Haki was at that age."
"That boy inherited Garp-san's talent."
Beside him, Kuzan picked his nose with his right little finger. "Coupled with Sensei Zephyr's full cultivation, it would be strange if he didn't reach this level."
"However, Kuzan-san,"
The blind man, the newly appointed Marine Headquarters Admiral, Issho Fujitora, put down his noodle bowl, raised his hand, and scratched his head, looking troubled. "After joining the Marines, we first hid in a temporary base on the Red Line, and since boarding this sky-city, we've remained in the sky."
"Are we just going to completely ignore the sea?"
"We can't help it,"
Kuzan sighed dejectedly. "The situation is that if we recklessly appear on the sea, we could face an attack from the Pirate Alliance at any moment."
"Right now, both sides are hunters hiding in the dark, waiting for the other to show a weakness first."
"Sigh."
Fujitora shook his head helplessly.
Life after joining the Marines was vastly different from what he had originally imagined.
But for now, he could only wait.
Inside this floating city, in a certain laboratory.
The massive head was gone, replaced by an antenna, shaped like the top of an apple, embedded in his forehead. Vegapunk was furiously typing on a keyboard in front of a computer.
Surrounding him were the various clones he had created of himself.
At this moment, it was essentially several Vegapunks working simultaneously.
While typing, Vegapunk felt a moment of distraction.
The Government truly wanted the energy to fully revive the weapon beneath their feet.
And if that weapon were truly revived, this world would indeed be in danger.
But if the weapon wasn't revived, how would they deal with Roa?
Vegapunk was fully aware of the state of the world on the other side of the Red Line.
The World Government was indeed deeply sinful, but compared to Roa, they were truly too kind.
Vegapunk dared not imagine what this world would look like if Roa truly ruled it one day.
So—
Vegapunk bit his dry lips.
He had to create the energy!
But, he also had to leave behind a means of counter-control!
However, it was still too early to talk about that. Even if he wanted to complete the manufacturing, it would still take some time.
At the same moment.
On the side of the Disaster City, which was moving toward the Red Line.
"Boss!"
Morgans called. "I've got a lead on the whereabouts of the Whitebeard Pirates that you asked me to find!"
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