The term steel fortress left everyone present wearing strange expressions.
Doflamingo pondered silently. Beside him, Trebol asked on his behalf, "Could it have been the Marines?"
"No. We didn't see any Marine insignia, and we only saw one person behind that power," Buffalo replied.
That statement shocked the entire Donquixote Family once again.
Only one person?
Controlling a massive steel fortress?
Was that a joke?
Seeing the disbelief on everyone's faces, Buffalo glanced toward Baby 5. "If you don't believe me, Baby 5 can testify!"
But at the moment, Baby 5 was crying while clinging onto Pica's massive stone body.
Buffalo fell silent with exasperation. Still, everyone was used to Baby 5's personality by now.
"No affiliation… yet has a massive steel fortress…"
"Technology at that level isn't common in this world."
Doflamingo stroked his chin thoughtfully.
As one of the emperors of the underworld, he knew almost every force above and below the surface.
VinsMork Family?
No, impossible.
The VinsMorks had advanced technology and understood lineage factor science, but they wouldn't recklessly set foot in the New World. They still feared the Four Emperors…
After thinking for a long time, Doflamingo still found no answer.
At that moment, he noticed Baby 5 was still crying, and he frowned.
"Baby 5, what traumatized you this time? Did you fall in love with someone again?"
Buffalo shook his head. "Young Master, that's actually what I need to report next. That steel fortress… has a giant cannon."
"That cannon… could destroy an entire kingdom!"
"What!?" Trebol and the others gasped.
Even though Doflamingo didn't shout—and his sunglasses hid his eyes—his expression still twitched noticeably.
"A weapon of that level actually exists in this world…"
As controllers of this world, the World Government strictly regulated devastating weapons. Explosive Rock and other large-scale destructive items were tightly controlled.
"So doesn't that mean that cannon could wipe Dressrosa off the map!?" Pica squeaked in his sharp voice.
"That's right. And Baby 5 and I almost didn't make it back… I think the other side held back on purpose."
Recalling the event, Buffalo shuddered visibly, his face turning pale.
This piqued Doflamingo's interest even more. His sunglasses glinted, and a wicked grin spread across his face.
"How interesting."
"I want to see exactly who this person is."
"Fufufufu!"
Doflamingo laughed darkly, then stood up.
"Baby 5, stop crying. You two—take me to this place."
"Young Master, let me avenge you!" Trebol said.
Just as Doflamingo left with Baby 5 and Buffalo to head toward Mork's island—
Meanwhile, on the sea from the second half of the New World—
A pirate ship was speeding forward at maximum pace. The crew looked terrified as they worked frantically to push the ship as fast as possible.
At the bow stood two figures—Blackbeard and his first "underling," Burgess.
"Captain, are we really leaving the New World?" Burgess asked.
Blackbeard gave his signature laugh. "That's right! But this is only temporary. Right now it's just the two of us. I need more power!"
"When I return to the New World… I will take Whitebeard's throne!"
"Zehahahahaha!!"
His laughter overflowed with madness.
Burgess grew excited. "Captain, what you told me—was it true? Can you really take someone else's Devil Fruit power?"
Blackbeard's smile faded, replaced by cold ferocity. "Of course."
"Darkness devours everything."
He demonstrated his Darkness-Darkness Fruit powers before Burgess—endless Black SMork wrapped around his arm.
"See?"
Blackbeard's eyes burned with obsession. "This is darkness that can swallow everything! The most vicious Logia Devil Fruit in the world!"
"With this darkness, I will claim every Devil Fruit in the world…"
Seeing Blackbeard's wild ambition, Burgess was filled with worship.
"I knew choosing you as captain was the right choice."
Just as they were immersed in their grand vision—
Shouts burst from the deck.
"Hey! Look over there!"
"What is that!?"
"A building on the sea?"
"Looks like… a fortress!"
"So grand—what force could have built that!?"
"It's like a mountain rising from the ocean…"
Their exclamations interrupted Blackbeard and Burgess.
Blackbeard and Burgess turned—
And froze.
"!!"
Burgess' eyes went wide.
Blackbeard's jaw clenched, shock flooding his face.
"What… is that?"
"A fortress…?"
But what truly shocked Blackbeard wasn't the structure itself—
It was the fact that something this technologically advanced existed in the New World.
Blackbeard had followed Whitebeard for years, traveled the world, seen countless incredible things—
But this level of technology?
Never.
At the same time, high in the sky—
Doflamingo rode on Buffalo and saw the steel fortress as well.
Baby 5 pointed downward. "Young Master, that's what we were talking about."
"..."
Doflamingo's veins twitched violently along his forehead—his mind roaring with shock.
Moments ago, countless thoughts and possibilities raced through his mind.
But nothing—nothing—matched what he was seeing now.
A structure of this size…
This level of construction…
This kind of presence…
Only one thing came to mind—
One of the Ancient Weapons: "Pluton" — the Underworld King.