Paper Paper Fruit In One Piece

"My lord," 

Off the coast of Dressrosa, on a military ship with the World Government's insignia. 

"Doflamingo has lost consciousness. Most of his subordinates have been killed or captured... The Doflamingo pirate crew no longer exists!" 

The man, wearing a white hat and white trench coat with one black and one white eye, fell into deep thought as he listened to the news coming from an undercover agent in the phone bug. 

"Just like that? Doflamingo's crew, which had been a thorn in the side of the Celestial Dragons for decades, and fought with CP0 for most of their lives... just like that, they're done? Is it really that easy to beat them? Are people really so different in terms of intelligence?" 

This CP0 agent touched his mask. Though they were raised to be loyal to the Celestial Dragons, after all these years, they knew what the average Celestial Dragon was like. To put it bluntly... 

Even pigs could be made Celestial Dragons, and though some were elite, this CP0 agent believed that those in charge might have good plans, but when it came down to real action, it was the battle-hardened CP0 agents who were truly capable. However, it seemed like Roman had solved in one day what they hadn't managed to after years of effort... Could it be that we are just too 'inept'?

While several CP0 agents were lost in thought, far away in Mary Geoise, the Five Elders were exchanging glances. 

"Ah, this..." 

"Roman really is... really is..." 

It hadn't even been half a day, and Doflamingo, who had been a major threat, was already lying defeated like a dead dog. The 'Dressrosa Kingdom,' which had been managed like a fortress, instantly changed, and this level of efficiency was just... 

"Ah, too bad. We all thought he was joking and didn't take it seriously." 

The Five Elders had previously thought that Roman's words were just "youthful recklessness," so they didn't tell him about many of the secret dealings between the Celestial Dragons and Doflamingo. As a result: 

"If those 'things' fall into the Marines' hands, it might be better, but if they fall into someone else's hands..." 

"Roman is too... if I had known, I should have let him handle the underground dealings too." 

Hearing the complaints from his two colleagues—one with a bald head, a mustache, and a flat cap, and the other with fluffy white hair and a bushy white beard—the Five Elder with long white hair touched the mustache on his chest. 

"Forget it, compared to those 'small matters,' it's more important that Doflamingo secretly observed that great person!" 

The Five Elder with golden hair and beard nodded in agreement. 

"That's right, the key now is how to make Doflamingo 'shut up' forever." 

Once they reached a unanimous decision, the top assassins from CP0 immediately set off for Dressrosa! With the methods of the CP0 agents nearby, they knew the Marines couldn't take down Doflamingo. 

———————— 

"The birdcage is gone!" 

"...Are we saved?" 

"This is no longer a land controlled by evil people..." 

"Hahahaha, finally! We've finally escaped that guy's control!!!" 

With the crisis over, everyone cheered. But then: "Roman, why aren't you happy?" 

This was probably the easiest battlefield for the Straw Hat crew, even easier than Fish-Man Island. 

After all, there wasn't a giant 'Noah' falling from the sky, and with the full crew plus the arena experts, they managed to take down Doflamingo's family, including 'Drought' Jack and the rest of the Beast Pirates. This should have been a reason to be happy, but: "It was too easy." 

?! 

Facing the puzzled expressions of the others, Roman sighed. 

"Without realizing it, our strength has already surpassed that of the Shichibukai, which made this event... cough, cough, too easy to resolve. Which means..." 

There was no birdcage shrinking crisis, no island-wide final battle, and not even a 'second round.' Doflamingo was taken down quickly and decisively by Luffy. 

In that case, will the people of Dressrosa still send the Straw Hat crew off like in the 'original story'? Many of them might not even know it was Luffy who took down Doflamingo for them, and the formation of the Grand Fleet might even be... 

"Hehehe, you're overthinking it!" 

Luffy tapped his straw hat, and although Roman hadn't said it out loud, Luffy knew exactly what he was thinking. 

"Roman, I've told you, I don't want to be a hero." 

Pointing at himself, Luffy grinned widely. 

"Rather than hearing people thank me, I'd rather hear everyone's cheers for their freedom and happiness!" 

"Being able to beat Doflamingo's family faster, to stop the people from crying and suffering, and to let my friends fight without getting hurt— you did well, Roman!" 

..."That's right," 

Roman narrowed his eyes and looked up. Although wearing a helmet, his voice still sounded light and bright. 

"I'm the strategist of the Straw Hat crew, so my priority should always be our victory and safety!" 

Who cares about being called a 'hero' or getting the 'crowd's admiration'? Luffy doesn't care, Nami doesn't care, Zoro doesn't care, Sanji doesn't care, Chopper doesn't care, Robin doesn't care, Franky doesn't care, Brook doesn't care... 

Maybe Usopp cares? But compared to his comrades, it's really nothing! 

"I guess I was overthinking," 

"We're just pirates, we do what we want. Saving a country isn't to be a hero, it's just something we do. Sorry..." 

"Hehehe, even though I don't know what you're talking about, Roman—" 

Luffy, after rare moment of thinking, immediately went back to his usual self. 

"Let's throw a party!!" 

"Sure." 

Roman nodded.

The banquet was over.

"Was it just a casual thing?"

As the Straw Hat crew laughed and left, Fujitora, sitting on the ground behind a half-collapsed wall, shook the dice in his hand.

"It was your 'casual act' that saved this country."

'I am Donquixote Doflamingo, the legitimate ruler of this country!'

The nightmare was over. 'One day, two days, a year... two years... how long has it been since you became toys? Dear, and little Andy... are you okay?'

The nightmare was over. 'Even as toys, there are things I want to protect! These iron eyes of mine, I can't even shed a single tear anymore...'

The nightmare was over. 'It's been 10 years! We've been fighting in the shadows for 10 years! But we still can't see any hope. This is our last chance...'

The nightmare was over... "This is truly a miracle."

The Marine Admiral stood up and, with his blind eyes, looked over the ruins of Dressrosa.

"This is the first time I've seen a country cheer and cry with joy on the ruins. Straw Hat crew..."

I have to thank you! You've shown me a different kind of 'color.' Bright, sincere, like the sun—shining on others, yet not seeking anything in return! 

On the other side, "Fire Fist!"

With one punch, Sabo knocked Burgess, who tried to sneak attack Luffy, flying. He turned around and took out a transponder snail.

"Got the stuff? Is the ship ready? Then we just need to wait for Hack..."

"Hack's already with us!"

On the other end of the transponder snail, Koala's angry voice came through, causing Sabo to hang up the phone immediately.

"Ha... ha... that naïve guy..."

Lying in the flames, Burgess gritted his teeth and stared at Sabo, who was turning to leave. Since Sabo didn't kill him, he would make sure to "thank" him properly.

Thud.

A pair of white shoes landed on the ruins, making Burgess' eyelids twitch! Whoosh.

Just as he was about to open his eyes and fight back, a white gauntlet rapidly expanded in his vision! "I'm different from the others,"

"I don't have the habit of 'holding back.'"

The hand covered Burgess' face, and darkness soon engulfed the first captain of the Blackbeard Pirates.

---

"Shasha~~"

"Everyone,"

As the birdcage was removed, the signal from the transponder snail broadcast everything about Dressrosa to the entire New World.

"I am Marine Vice Admiral 'Maynard.'"

Standing among the ruins, Maynard, the "Pursuer," gestured toward the broken walls behind him.

"Yes, as you can see. — This is Dressrosa!"

"Now, let me tell you what happened. Another transponder snail will connect to Admiral Fujitora..."

No matter what, the Marine's 'greatness,' 'brightness,' and 'justice' must not be defiled. At this point, Maynard was ready to first criticize Doflamingo's cruelty and cunning, then promote the Marine's idea of 'moving from one victory to another,' and finally finalize the case.

The Marines are always right! The ones at fault are the ambitious ones who snuck into the 'Shichibukai.'

But what Maynard didn't expect was:

"King Riku,"

Fujitora, leading a large group of Marine soldiers, came to stand before the former King of Dressrosa, Riku Doldo III, whose misunderstanding had just been cleared.

On one side stood the neatly organized Marine soldiers, and on the other, the wounded common people. On one side were the world's top forces, and on the other, gladiators from the arena. One side had serious faces, while the other was filled with fear and anger.

"The responsibility for Doflamingo's actions does not lie with you."

Facing the elderly King Riku, Fujitora stood in front of him and the people behind him. His heavy voice echoed through the phone bug, reaching across the entire New World.

"The brutal pirates, who have stolen nations under the name of the 'Seven Warlords of the Sea,' are undoubtedly the responsibility of the 'World Government!'"

!? "To all the citizens here, and to the Riku royal family..."

As the tall Marine Admiral put down his cane and knelt, the Marine soldiers behind him fell to their knees in unison.

*Thud—*

As Fujitora knelt, the Marines behind him all knelt as well.

"I, as an old man, represent the World Government and apologize to you all!!"

This kneel was for the darkness of this twisted world.

This kneel was for the ordinary people who are the foundation of this world but have to serve as the background of the Great Pirate Era.

This kneel: "…Please, raise your head, Fujitora."

"Is it really okay for the entire world to see this?" 

There were other ways to turn this into a Marine 'achievement', right? Whether it was exposing the darkness of the 'Seven Warlords' or 'saving' the nation, it could all be framed as the Marines' strength, just like when they faced Crocodile in Alabasta! Isn't politics all about compromise? "The World Government allowed the pirates to run rampant. What right do we have now to talk about 'justice'?"

"The ones who saved this nation from Doflamingo were the passionate 'pirates,' the brave warriors from every country, and the people of Dressrosa!"

But none of them were the Marines.

...

"Hurry, hurry, hurry!!"

"Marine Admiral apologizes on behalf of the 'World Government'—"

"This can't be true, how could the World Government's 800 years of authority be…"

"Does this mean the World Government is dissatisfied with the 'Seven Warlords'? Or is it a determination to wipe out pirates?"

"The false prosperity of Dressrosa and its true face under peace!"

"The world's top underground intermediary: Donquixote Doflamingo arrested!"

"Marine Admiral Fujitora kneels, and those two pirates who took Doflamingo down!"

In an instant, explosive news spread from Dressrosa, and at the same time:——————

Red Line,

Holy Land Mary Geoise.

"Heh, a false report?"

"Is the whole world being played like this for a single Doflamingo?"

"If this happens again, how can I still be the Fleet Admiral?!"

Facing Sakazuki's questions, the Five Elders were no pushovers either.

"Don't act like you're the Fleet Admiral here, Sakazuki."

"At the end of the day, the Marines are just the surface of the 'World Government,'"

"Your authority means nothing!"

After a few strong voices, the Five Elder with golden hair and beard issued an order.

"Anyway, leave this matter to CP."

"CP?"

Sakazuki was also annoyed and took a jab at them.

"Those who know say CP is your subordinate, but if you didn't know, you'd think you're the ones working for CP..."

"Watch your tone, Sakazuki!"

The Five Elder with a bald head, two mustaches in a '8' shape, and a Madara-like mark on his forehead quickly changed the subject.

"And what about Kuzan?"

"With such huge power, he's joined Blackbeard's crew. What face do the Marines have left?"

"That idiot already quit the Marines. Where he goes has nothing to do with me!"

While the Marines are technically subordinate to the World Government, in this Grand Line Era, the Marines had grown powerful enough to challenge the Five Elders! But...

It was still just a challenge. With that 'Lord' around, neither side could truly break apart.

"Five Elders, Fleet Admiral Sakazuki!"

A Marine officer burst into the room, breaking the tension. "Admiral Fujitora, on behalf of the World Government, kneels before King Riku..."

Although Fujitora was kneeling before the people of Dressrosa, no Marine officer would ever say such things in this 'hall of power.' After all, this place represents the center of the world, where 'bloodlines and power' are everything.

?!———————

(End of chapter)

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