Doflamingo suddenly turned around, the crystal chandelier casting fragmented light and shadow across his face.
"The factories in Dressrosa…" He paused, his Adam's apple bobbing with difficulty. "Once the money's collected, abandon them all."
Panicked footsteps echoed through the corridor. Sugar peeked out timidly, clutching a doll.
Doflamingo crouched down and stroked her head, but his fingers trembled uncontrollably.
"The Tontattas. Especially Princess Mansherry..." His voice suddenly spiked. "Lock them up in specialized cages immediately!"
As long as they had the Tontatta princess, the tribe would obey. This labor force was indispensable.
"Yes! We'll go now!"
"Are we really retreating? But we…"
"Sigh…"
"Our kingdom, the one we've run for ten years…"
The Donquixote Family executives stood at the port, the sea breeze laced with gunpowder wafting over them. Every face was filled with reluctance and inner struggle.
"Should we rob the rich ones?"
"The moment we try, we'll be trending on TikTok in under a minute!"
Diamante gripped his long sword, knuckles white from the pressure. He stared at the streets of Dressrosa—scenes they once controlled, now burdens they had to leave behind.
"Damn it… The kingdom we built for years, and we're just running away like this…"
Trebol's mucus dripped nonstop, his expression twisted, voice hoarse.
"I'm telling you… I'm telling you, now's not the time to be stubborn! The Navy Admirals aren't just some riffraff! Even Crocodile got wiped! You wanna wait around for Kizaru to kick us into Impel Down?!"
A flicker of fear crossed his eyes. He knew that when facing an Admiral, their odds were practically nonexistent.
Veins bulged on Gladius's forehead. He slammed his fist onto the ship's railing. Splinters flew.
"Hateful! If we only had a little more time…"
Pica remained silent. More than anyone, he understood the consequences of challenging an Admiral-level force head-on.
It would mean complete annihilation.
"Mingo's decision is correct. Retreating now is the only way to preserve the family's future."
Sugar hugged her teddy bear tightly, her wide eyes filled with unease.
She had never seen the family in such a pitiful state. Even Doflamingo's back looked unnaturally tense.
She whispered, "Young Master, do we really have to leave?"
Doflamingo stood at the bow, the sea breeze rustling his pink feather coat. That signature cold smile was still on his lips, but his eyes were darker than ever.
"Fufufufufu… Don't make faces like abandoned mutts. We haven't lost yet."
He slowly raised his hand, pointing toward the horizon.
Punk Hazard, the island shrouded in mist, was their final fallback.
"Our most important factory is still there. SMILE production cannot stop."
Doflamingo's voice was low and dangerous. "If we lose that, Kaido's fury will be far more terrifying than the Navy's pursuit."
The family executives exchanged glances. After a brief silence, they clenched their teeth and nodded.
They had no choice but to follow the Young Master's call.
That night, under the quiet blanket of darkness, the ship silently sailed from the port.
The lights of Dressrosa gradually faded into the night.
For Doflamingo and his family, everything ahead was now unknown.
…
Three Days Later
The afterglow of the setting sun bathed the island port in warm light. The sea breeze carried a salty, damp scent that brushed across everyone's tense faces.
Though the heat of the Warlord incident had subsided, countless desperate plea videos continued to flood TikTok.
The comment sections were filled with @'s tagging nearby Marine bases.
On a certain island
At the training grounds, Zephyr slowly removed the sunglasses he had worn for years. His knuckles turned slightly white from the grip.
He stood in the center of the training grounds, a hint of fatigue in his eyes—but also an unshakable resolve.
Behind him stood dozens of Marine soldiers, each one wearing an expression of disbelief.
"I'm leaving the Navy."
His voice was hoarse but resolute, startling a flock of seagulls perched atop the cannon platform.
"Teacher Zephyr!" Ain suddenly stepped forward, her blue hair whipping violently in the wind. Her fingertips dug unconsciously into her palms.
"Is it because of… Admiral Ron?"
The entire training ground fell silent. All eyes focused on Zephyr's tense profile.
Zephyr shook his head slightly. It wasn't easy to say these words. A complex emotion flashed in his gaze, but he finally steadied himself.
"No, Ain." His voice carried a hint of weariness, but it was firm. "This isn't because of Ron. This is my own decision."
He took a deep breath and continued, "I've been thinking. What is true justice? Is the Navy's version of justice really what I seek?"
The soldiers looked at one another in shock.
They had never imagined Teacher Zephyr would say such a thing.
He had always been their symbol of strength.
His decision hit them like thunder out of nowhere.
"Teacher Zephyr, have you… really made up your mind?"
A young soldier couldn't help but ask, his voice tinged with emotion.
Zephyr nodded, his eyes filled with conviction. "Yes."
Just then—
A steady rhythm of footsteps broke the frozen silence.
Ron walked over, followed by several soldiers carrying wooden crates.
Inside were brand-new smartphones neatly arranged.
"No need to be nervous, everyone."
Ron smiled gently, fine lines at the corners of his eyes easing.
He personally handed out the phones, one by one. The metal casings glowed softly in the setting sun.
"These are gifts for you."
Binz cautiously swiped at the screen, the flickering icons reflected in his wide pupils.
"What… is this?"
Before he could finish, Ron leaned over and tapped on the screen.
"This is a smartphone. A hot piece of tech and entertainment across the sea these days," Ron explained patiently.
Everyone looked puzzled. They clearly had no clue what this metal block was supposed to do.
Play… building blocks with it?
Seeing their confusion, Ron chuckled and elaborated:
"See that little music note icon? That's the TikTok app. It's our main entertainment platform."
"Of course, there'll be more entertainment software launching soon."
He opened the app, and a login screen popped up.
"Start by registering your account with real-name verification, then come up with a catchy username."
Next, Ron showed off TikTok's basic functions.
"Look here. You can record videos like this. With TikTok… your voice can be heard around the world."
"And that's not all," Ron continued, his finger gliding smoothly across the screen to reveal more features.
(To be continued.)