"Is Doflamingo really dead?"
"It's true. I saw the Captain smash Doflamingo's head with my own eyes."
Drake's face was flushed with a strange excitement. As he spoke of Doflamingo's death, he couldn't help but feel a surge of emotion.
"He's... actually dead!"
Even now, Law found it hard to believe that his lifelong blood feud had been settled so easily.
"Don't let your guard down, Law. The Donquixote Family hasn't been completely wiped out yet," Drake said, though his tone lacked any real seriousness. With Doflamingo dead, the Donquixote Family was, for all intents and purposes, finished. In the coming years, they wouldn't even have to lift a finger; the other powers of the underworld would devour the losers completely. In the underworld, no one has sympathy for the defeated.
"You're right. The fight isn't over yet," Law said, looking at Drake with a hint of teasing. "Need some treatment? Your injuries look pretty bad."
"No need. Let's just end this battle quickly."
"This city is getting more and more chaotic."
After the toy soldier curse was broken, Dressrosa had descended into chaos. The outer district, in particular, was already full of pirates. With the turmoil, all sorts of looters and opportunists came crawling out of the woodwork.
"I'll go get the Tontatta Tribe. You take care of the rest of those guys."
"No problem."
Drake knew what his captain cared about most. Anyone in this city could meet with a mishap, but the Tontatta Tribe absolutely could not, at least not until the captain's objective was achieved.
After Bellamy had personally put an end to Doflamingo, Drake had completely pledged his life to him. For the rest of his days, he would fight for Bellamy's will. Wherever Bellamy's blade pointed, that would be the direction of his efforts.
The ruins of the shattered royal palace.
After clearing away a large pile of rubble, Bellamy finally found a secret passage leading underground. According to their earlier reconnaissance, Mansherry was being held in a secret room below. His Observation Haki could also sense a fragile spirit trembling at the end of the passage.
She must be terrified.
The battle just now had reduced the entire palace to rubble, and a single kick from Bellamy had split half the inner city in two. The secret passage had mostly collapsed, and debris would occasionally fall from the ceiling. Bellamy couldn't help but quicken his pace. If Mansherry died, where in this vast ocean would he find another Heal-Heal Fruit?
Fortunately, Doflamingo had also valued Mansherry greatly. The cell she was held in was made of the strongest materials. Even though the surrounding passages had largely caved in, the room itself was completely unscathed.
He kicked open the cell door. Amidst a scream, Bellamy finally saw the princess of the Tontatta Tribe.
"Let's go, little Princess Mansherry."
Holding the palm-sized princess in his hand, Bellamy had no intention of explaining anything to her. Because in his hands, the little princess's situation wouldn't be changing much. In fact, to realize his own wildly arrogant ambitions, Mansherry might even need to offer up her life.
"Let me go! Who are you?!"
"Waaah..."
After a futile struggle, the poor little princess burst into tears.
"Who am I? You'll find out soon enough."
Bellamy held Mansherry's body carefully, afraid he might accidentally crush her. The Tontatta were simply too frail. He had no idea how such a fragile race had managed to survive in this chaotic world.
"You big meanie, let me go!"
Seeing that he wouldn't answer her question, Mansherry cried for a little longer, then opened her tiny mouth and bit down on Bellamy's palm. The bite didn't hurt Bellamy at all, but it nearly broke her own teeth. If it had been anyone else making such a fuss in his hand, Bellamy would have knocked them out with a single slap long ago. But Mansherry was different. Her value gave Bellamy enough patience to tolerate her antics.
"Do you want to see your people?"
"If you do, then you need to be good."
At the mention of her people, the rowdy Mansherry immediately quieted down. She had been imprisoned in this underground cell for nearly ten years. After so many years without seeing her own kind, how could she not miss them?
"Are my people alright? Where are they now?"
"Have you seen Leo? Is he..."
At the thought of her tribe, the little princess couldn't stop asking questions. But the person she seemed most concerned about was a boy named Leo.
Leo, huh? A key figure.
Bellamy memorized the name. This person might play a crucial role in the upcoming transaction.
When he returned to the inner city with Mansherry, Drake had already gathered all the Tontatta in the city, awaiting his orders. These little people were, in name, still slaves of the Donquixote Family. The Family had lied to them, claiming that Princess Mansherry was gravely ill and that they needed to work to pay for her expensive medical treatments.
It was a ridiculous reason that anyone with a brain would see through. But the Tontatta believed it. Call them naive or simple-minded, but it was because of this lie that 500 of the tribe's able-bodied members had worked for the Donquixote Family for nearly a decade. If no one had come to rescue them, they might never have been free in their entire lives.
The moment she saw her people, Mansherry began to struggle desperately.
"Waaah, let me go, you big meanie!"
"Princess Mansherry!"
The Tontatta were also incredibly excited to see her. This time, Bellamy didn't stop her. He opened his hand, allowing Mansherry to reunite with her tribe.
Enjoy this rare, beautiful moment.
What came next would be a cruel parting, and perhaps a permanent one.
Mansherry flew into the arms of her people, and several hundred palm-sized people sat on the ground and began to cry together. They had suffered so much over the years. But now, it seemed their hardship was finally coming to an end.
"Thank you, Sir Bellamy! You are the great hero who saved the Tontatta Tribe!"
"Great hero! Great hero!"
The little people began to chant in unison, cheering for the grace Bellamy had shown them. Hearing her people's cheers, Mansherry was surprised for a moment, then felt a little embarrassed.
"Oh, I seem to have misunderstood you."
"You're a very good person."
The naive little princess jumped up and climbed onto Bellamy's shoulder.
"I can feel that your body is badly injured. You are the great hero who saved the Tontatta Tribe. I must heal you."