"Look, the captain and the others are out!"
The crews waiting anxiously on the shore couldn't help but scream with excitement when they saw Bellamy's figure emerge. Near the Bellamy Pirates' ship were the Heart Pirates' submarine and a large number of warships belonging to the Flying Pirates. The moment they saw Bellamy, the members of the Flying Pirates raised their heads and looked around, searching for any sign of the Golden Lion.
Their hopes, however, were about to be dashed.
"Drake, kill them all."
With the Golden Lion dead, Bellamy saw no reason for his remnants to live. He gave the order to slaughter them without a shred of mercy.
The Flying Pirates, established sixty years ago and once rulers of the New World, had long since fallen from grace. The crew's core members had all perished at sea more than twenty years ago during their battle with Roger. The remaining members were either too old or disabled. To put it bluntly, aside from the Golden Lion himself, there wasn't a single formidable fighter left in the Flying Pirates. This was likely a major reason why Shiki had hidden in the sky for twenty years, refusing to re-emerge. With all his powerful comrades gone, it was only natural to lose heart. Gecko Moria had suffered a similar fate; he was once a man who could contend with Kaido, but after all his companions were slaughtered in a single battle, he degenerated into a lazy, obese shut-in.
Upon receiving the order, Drake immediately moved to attack the remnants of the Flying Pirates. Seeing this, the other members of the Bellamy Pirates also took up their weapons and charged toward the nearby warships.
Law watched the ensuing melee with considerable confusion. Bellamy had never mentioned killing the Golden Lion afterward. He had no idea that this had all been part of Bellamy's plan from the start.
"Bellamy, what is this?" Law asked, approaching with the rest of the Heart Pirates.
"The Golden Lion is dead. They no longer have any value."
"What?! The Golden Lion is dead?!"
A legendary pirate of a bygone era had died in a place like this. Law was so shocked that he didn't notice the familiar figure standing behind Bellamy. By the time he came to his senses, the ship's doctor, Muret, had already brought Mansherry over to begin treatment.
Mansherry activated her Devil Fruit ability, Heal Dandelion, and began to heal Bellamy. The power of the Heal-Heal Fruit quickly eased the intense pain racking his body.
Just then, Fujitora spoke up. "Your Excellency Bellamy, I have a request. I hope you will grant it."
"What is it? Speak freely." Fujitora now had a Sea-Prism Stone cuff on one wrist and had lost all ability to resist.
"The battle just now caused a severe earthquake on the island," Fujitora explained. "The residents here live almost exclusively in thatched huts. I would like to request that Your Excellency spare some people to go and help them."
Bellamy could have ignored any request from a prisoner, but out of respect for Fujitora himself, he nodded. "Fine. Law, have your people go to the island and assist the civilians."
"No problem, Bellamy." It was a request Law naturally agreed to in an instant. As a doctor, saving lives was his duty.
"Now then," Bellamy said, "it's time for my surgery." He stopped Mansherry from continuing her treatment. His internal injuries were quite severe and needed Law's attention first. Although Mansherry could restore him in an instant using her ultimate ability, the price for doing so was her own lifespan. The current situation didn't call for such a drastic measure.
"Understood." Law nodded and activated his Room, enveloping Bellamy's body. The moment he saw the extent of the injuries inside, Law's fingers trembled, and he almost lost control of his ability on the spot.
"Hiss!"
More than half of the bones in Bellamy's body were shattered, yet from his demeanor just moments ago, he had seemed perfectly fine. Law couldn't believe the kind of willpower it must have taken for Bellamy to endure such horrific pain. He looked deeper and was horrified to find that the damage to Bellamy's internal organs was even worse. His heart, in particular, was twisted into an unrecognizable shape. Yet some unknown power seemed to be rapidly treating the organs, allowing them to continue their grim work.
"Bellamy," Law said, his voice trembling slightly, "these injuries will require major surgery." If he hadn't seen it with his own eyes, he would never have believed a person could be so grievously wounded and still be alive.
"Will it take a long time?"
"Yes."
Bellamy slowly lit a cigar for himself. "I see. In that case, let's wait a bit longer." The battle wasn't over yet; he couldn't afford to lose consciousness now.
"Wait?!" As a doctor, Law couldn't hold back. "Bellamy, if you wait any longer..."
"It's fine. I know my limits," Bellamy interrupted. "Mansherry, go heal Fujitora."
"Hmph," Mansherry huffed before floating over to Fujitora to begin treating him. But after a moment, Fujitora also stopped her.
"Young lady of the Tontatta tribe, could you please wait a moment?" he asked. "I roughly understand your ability." Mansherry's healing power was simply monstrous; the moment she activated it, his injuries began to recover immediately. "Could I ask you to please help the island's residents first? My injuries are not urgent." With Fujitora's constitution, he could endure even severe wounds for a long time.
"No," Bellamy said, shaking his head. "Mansherry cannot act alone." He turned to his own doctor. "Muret, take the medicine from the ship and go help on the island."
"Yes, Captain. Be careful," Muret replied. With Law and Mansherry here, she wasn't too worried about the captain's safety.
"Is she a crucial part of your plan?" Fujitora asked. He had some knowledge of Bellamy's grand design and knew that several key figures were indispensable to it. People like himself, and... Blackbeard.
"Yes." Mansherry's value in the plan was irreplaceable. Bellamy would absolutely not allow himself to lose her.
"I see." Fujitora fell silent, saying no more. Bellamy had already shown him enough respect; he couldn't ask for anything more.
"What plan?" Mansherry didn't quite understand their conversation, but Law stood beside her, looking thoughtful.
"That's not for you to know," Bellamy said, ruffling her small head before lifting her onto his shoulder. "Rest for a while. You'll be busy later." Mansherry's healing ability consumed a great deal of stamina. She herself was no powerhouse, and the Tontatta tribe was not a particularly strong race. In her hands, the Heal-Heal Fruit couldn't actually be used to its full potential.