The sky was shrouded in blood and dust. The entire island of Dressrosa was thick with the stench of war and despair.
King Riku's defeat was inevitable. Compared to the might of the Marines, his forces were simply too weak.
The fleeing citizens had witnessed everything. They wanted to escape, but where could they possibly run? Despair flooded their hearts and minds to the point that they began to think that perishing with Dressrosa might not be such an unacceptable fate. At least then, they would be buried in their homeland.
Akainu stared coldly at the defeated king lying on the ground. "Rest assured," he said, "once you are dead, your sins will be washed away."
"What is justice, and what is evil… I think I finally understand now," King Riku said calmly. He had reached the point where he no longer held out any hope, no longer even thirsted for the truth he had once so desperately sought.
"Kill him," Akainu ordered the men holding the king down.
The Marine who received the order decisively raised his blade, preparing to execute the king.
King Riku closed his eyes, peacefully awaiting his end. His last lingering attachments were for his two daughters. As for Dressrosa, his conscience was clear.
Just then, a great clap of thunder echoed. A blinding bolt of lightning tore through the thick haze and struck the blade in the Marine's hand.
The soldier was instantly paralyzed by the electric shock, collapsing to the ground, his body twitching violently.
The sudden, bizarre turn of events caught Akainu's attention. He immediately knew who had arrived.
"Doflamingo! Get the hell out here!" Akainu roared.
Hearing Doflamingo's name, the hidden dwarves' faces lit up with joy as they eagerly searched for his figure.
In the distance, Viola and the others, who were being escorted by Lepanto onto King Elizabello II's ship, also heard Akainu's roar. In that instant, Viola felt a surge of hope. She no longer wanted to leave.
"Fuffuffu… Admiral Akainu, why so hot-headed?"
Doflamingo's voice carried across the battlefield, reaching the ears of every living person, pulling them back from the brink of despair and giving them a reason to hope.
King Riku, who had been waiting for death with his eyes closed, opened them and began to search for Doflamingo's whereabouts.
Akainu was furious. He had lost immense face when Doflamingo escaped from him last time. This time, he was determined to get it back.
The thick smoke dispersed with the wind, revealing the figures of the Donquixote Pirates.
There, in the distance, stood Doflamingo, clad in his signature pink feather coat and casual attire. By his side stood Robin and Ibes. Enel and Diamante each led a contingent of the family's elite officers, fanning out from Robin and Ibes's positions, forming a formidable entourage around their king—Donquixote Doflamingo.
A crew of handsome men and beautiful women, the Donquixote Pirates' entrance was remarkably simple. But in the eyes of the desperate, they were the brightest star in the sky, the vessel carrying all their hopes.
"The Donquixote Pirates. Good. So you were hiding here. None of you will escape today."
The animosity was palpable. Akainu immediately made his declaration, sentencing the Donquixote Pirates to death.
"What bold words. A Marine Admiral… oh, I'm so scared," Enel said with a dismissive sneer, digging a finger in his ear.
Akainu's only response was a Great Eruption.
Just as Enel was mentally cursing Akainu for having no honor and launching a sneak attack, Monet's voice sounded in his ear.
"Lord Enel, leave this to me. Blizzard!"
Monet's slender figure shot past Enel, directly confronting Akainu's attack.
"The Snow-Snow Fruit? I don't even take the Ice-Ice Fruit seriously. Get out of my way!" Akainu scoffed, his magma fist hurtling toward Monet.
"If you want to bother our king, it won't be that easy! Defeat me first! Snowy World!"
Monet unleashed her ultimate technique. She knew she was no match for Akainu; this was merely a test to see how she measured up, how far she still had to go, and when she would finally be strong enough to truly be of use to the Young Master.
Snowflakes began to drift down, fluttering through the air, blanketing the world. The beautiful snow was so enchanting that people instinctively wanted to reach out and touch it.
"Tricks! You're a far cry from Aokiji. Now get lost! Hound Blaze!"
Akainu paid the dancing snowflakes no mind, his attack aimed directly at Monet.
In front of Monet, the swirling snow quickly coalesced into the shape of a snowman, which, under her command, rushed forward to meet Akainu's fist.
Doflamingo and the others watched the clash. The snowman, which should have held for a moment, was instantly annihilated by Akainu's magma.
Seeing this, Doflamingo knew it was time for him to step in. After all, besides himself, no one in the Donquixote Family was a match for Akainu.
Doflamingo instantly teleported to Monet's side. He wrapped one arm around her slender waist and clenched the other into a fist, crackling with rolling thunder, and met Akainu's ferocious attack head-on.
BOOM!
A heavy, muffled impact echoed, striking a chord in the hearts of everyone present.
The two men stood in a stalemate, their fists locked, seemingly evenly matched.
Monet looked up at the awe-inspiring Doflamingo, feeling an overwhelming sense of security. However, not wanting to be a burden, she quickly wriggled free from his embrace.
Akainu let her go. He was already having a hard enough time dealing with Doflamingo alone; to split his focus on Monet would be to gravely underestimate his opponent.
"Akainu, look at what your Marines have done," Doflamingo said with a wide grin. "Don't you call yourselves partners of justice? How did a fine country like Dressrosa end up in this state at your hands?"
"Doflamingo, you bastard, shut your mouth! The justice of the Marines is not for a pirate like you to judge!" Akainu roared, a rare flash of anger on his face as the magma in his fist grew even hotter.
"Such an imposing display of authority, Admiral Akainu."
Doflamingo pulled his fist back and instantly teleported away, creating distance between them as he continued to mock his opponent.
"Meteor Volcano!"
Akainu responded not with words, but with an even more furious attack. Wasting breath on Doflamingo was pointless; it was better to put that energy into fighting. Besides, with the entire Donquixote Family here, Doflamingo wouldn't be leaving so easily. He saw his chance to finally capture him.
Magma churned as meteors rained down from the sky, a volley of exploding fists aimed at the Donquixote Pirates.
"Room."
Law opened his surgical space and swiftly teleported the searing magma away, shielding Baby 5 and Bepo from the attack.
"Not bad, Law!" Baby 5 praised.
Bepo blinked his big, adorable eyes at Law, full of gratitude. Otherwise, his beautiful fur would have surely been ruined by the magma.
Law said nothing, his eyes simply fixed on the distant Akainu, brimming with fighting spirit.
Rebuffed, Baby 5 turned her gaze helplessly toward the Marines in the distance.
The others demonstrated their own unique powers.
Enel waved his hand, and a mass of clouds gathered, easily blocking the magma's assault. Diamante drew his sword, and a sword slash tens of meters long swept across the battlefield. Robin crossed her arms and whispered, "Mil Fleur," and countless flower-like hands formed a canopy, deflecting the falling magma and protecting herself and Ibes.
Pica remained silent, but his actions were swift. He raised a hand, and the very earth of Dressrosa began to tremble. With a pull, the ground rose up, forming a thick shield above the Donquixote Pirates.
To the citizens of Dressrosa, the feats of the Donquixote officers were like the work of gods. In their eyes, every member of the crew was calm and composed, showing no concern for their own safety as they effortlessly neutralized Akainu's devastating attack.
In that moment, the hope in their hearts grew even deeper. If they could live, who would ever choose to die?
"God's Punishment!"
It was only polite to return the favor. Doflamingo unleashed a bolt of lightning, sending it hurtling toward the Marine soldiers.
Akainu couldn't be bothered with their lives; his eyes were fixed solely on Doflamingo.
Just as the Marines were bracing for their demise, Vergo stepped forward, blocking the attack for them.
"White Line: Round Shield!"
The brilliant lightning struck the shield formed from the String-String Fruit's threads, and Vergo struggled but managed to hold it back.
"Great Eruption! Doflamingo, your opponent is me!" Akainu bellowed, his own attack following immediately.
"100 Million Volt: Thunder Bird Strike!"
The thunder bird and the magma fist collided in mid-air, scattering in all directions and creating a uniquely beautiful spectacle.
It was beautiful, yes, but the aftershocks of their attacks were more than any ordinary person could withstand. Searing magma rained down, and any unlucky soul it touched died in agony. The thunder bird crashed to the earth, and a stunning amount of electricity radiated outwards, giving everyone in Dressrosa a rather stimulating session of electrotherapy.
This was the majesty of the strong. The weak had no choice but to retreat.