On the eastern horizon, a golden hue began to spread. Across the land of Dressrosa, the reds were a vibrant crimson, the greens a brilliant emerald, the whites a pure snow... all of nature revealed its true colors. High in the sky, the morning glow shimmered, growing more magnificent with each passing second.
The dawn was beautiful, bringing with it a new hope.
For the survivors of Dressrosa, this was exactly how they felt—filled with hope for the future.
And yet, to the east of Dressrosa, a few lonely graves stood in stark contrast to this hopeful atmosphere.
It had been five days. For five whole days, Kyros had knelt before his family's graves without food or drink, lost in regret and self-blame.
It is no easy task to reclaim a lost soul.
Tap, tap, tap.
The sound of unhurried footsteps approached, but Kyros, still kneeling, paid them no mind, completely unaware of the visitor.
Doflamingo held a bottle of wine in one hand and a piece of paper in the other, its contents unclear.
He sat down on the ground as if it were his own home and poured three cups of wine. One he placed as an offering for the fallen Riku royalty, another he set before Kyros, and the last he kept for himself.
Kyros's eyes were lifeless, but in his peripheral vision, he saw Doflamingo's actions. A flicker of emotion crossed his otherwise blank face.
"Kyros, I have heard of your great name. A pity you are such a coward," Doflamingo said casually, taking a slow sip from his cup.
Kyros showed no expression. Just as Doflamingo had said, in his heart, he felt he was a coward. Why else would he be here, wasting away in misery?
Doflamingo paid little mind to Kyros's expression. He knew the man's heart was dead. It would take something of significant weight to move him now.
"King Riku was a good man. Even though he was no match for Akainu, he was willing to sacrifice his life for his daughter, to charge forward and face that fist. But what about you, Kyros?" Doflamingo drained his cup in one go, his question hanging in the air.
Still, Kyros did not react. Doflamingo grew irritated. He frowned and applied more pressure.
"I hear you have a daughter. Have you abandoned her, Kyros?"
"Daughter… Rebecca…"
A glimmer of light finally appeared in Kyros's lifeless eyes. His nearly catatonic body stirred.
His hollow gaze shifted, locking onto Doflamingo.
"Rebecca… Where is my daughter?" Kyros's hoarse voice reached Doflamingo's ears. A small smile played on Doflamingo's lips; the dead had finally returned to life.
"The Marines probably took her," Doflamingo said lightly, standing up and turning his back to Kyros to gaze into the distance.
"The Marines…" Kyros whispered the word. With each repetition, the light in his eyes grew brighter, until his entire face was contorted with hatred and rage. His voice rose an octave.
"The Marines! THE MARINES!!!"
Doflamingo listened to Kyros's roars, letting him vent his fury.
"Are you finished? Or do you plan to continue being a useless wreck here?"
Once Kyros's outburst subsided, he fell silent. Doflamingo seized the opportunity.
"I have to save my daughter. She's the only family I have left," Kyros rasped, staggering to his feet as if to set out for the sea that very moment.
"Fuffuffu. And how will you do that? You're a waste of space. The Marines… do you have any idea of their power?" Doflamingo said mercilessly.
"Even if I die, I will bring her back," Kyros said, unmoved, his course set.
What a stubborn fool. But that's what makes him so useful. In the future, Kyros would surely be a great enemy to the Marines.
"Never mind that you can't save your daughter—acting like this will only bring her harm. She has been accepted by the Marines and has become a 'glorious' Marine. See for yourself."
With that, Doflamingo tossed the newspaper in his hand in front of Kyros.
Kyros's eyes went wide, staring intently at the paper.
It reported that because Elizabello II had obstructed the Marines in the execution of their duties, his daughter, Elizabello Rebecca, had been made to atone for her father's sins by becoming a glorious Marine.
Kyros looked at the picture of the daughter he longed for, a flicker of joy appearing on his face, quickly followed by a tidal wave of fury.
"The Marines… So this is the Marines… Hahahaha!" Kyros threw his head back and laughed, silent tears streaming down his face.
Doflamingo picked up the cup of wine from beside Kyros and offered it to him. "Feeling better?" he asked.
Kyros glanced at Doflamingo, then at the cup, and finally managed a quiet, "Thank you."
"It seems you've found your path," Doflamingo said flatly.
Kyros didn't reply. Instead, he grabbed the bottle of wine Doflamingo had set down, uncorked it, and drank straight from the bottle.
Doflamingo watched his pathetic state without another word, gently swirling the wine in his own cup before downing it as well.
Kyros hadn't eaten in five days and nights. The sudden influx of alcohol made him choke.
"There's plenty of food. It would be a shame to die here," Doflamingo advised kindly. "Don't forget, your daughter is still waiting for you to protect her. It is precisely because of your past weakness that you must fight with all your might now, isn't it? As long as the enemy is still alive, we must live on as well. Only then is there hope."
Kyros's eyes widened. He set the bottle down and looked at Doflamingo, who was already walking away.
Then, as if having made a monumental decision, he bowed his head deeply to his family's graves several times before turning to follow Doflamingo's retreating figure. Having not eaten for days, his steps were unsteady.
Three lonely graves, three cups of wine, one bottle, and two avengers, now walking the same path.
Kyros stumbled along behind Doflamingo. The citizens, now hard at work, saw Doflamingo and bowed respectfully. When they saw Kyros behind him, they did not insult him. King Riku was the one who had wronged them, and he was already dead. Dressrosa had been reborn. There was no need to resent a man who had once fought and bled for them.
When they arrived at the palace, Doflamingo said a word to the servants, and they led Kyros away.
Kyros followed without a word, but his silence spoke volumes.
Doflamingo understood. They both knew that, for the sake of their common goal, they would now be intertwined.
Monet drifted to Doflamingo's side. She had seen everything, but since Doflamingo had already made his intentions clear, she said nothing more.
"Young Master, can he be trusted?" Monet asked, holding his arm.
"Hate gives us strength. Don't underestimate him. He will surprise us," Doflamingo said flatly, feeling the softness of Monet's arm.
"But, Young Master, he is not one of us," Monet questioned.
"A man who has lost everything has only one goal: revenge. To achieve that goal, he will do anything," Doflamingo said, unfazed. "He will be our sharpest blade." As long as he himself remained powerful, Kyros would never be a threat.
Monet looked at Doflamingo with adoration in her eyes and thought no more of it. Whatever the Young Master said was right. She just had to execute his will.
Doflamingo put his arm around her and led her away. Their work here was done.
"Looks like we have a new member. Welcome to hell."
Law, having finished his morning training, had seen them arrive. Curious, he had listened in on their conversation and now muttered to himself.
A gust of wind blew past, drying the sweat from his body and cooling him down.
He paid the newcomer no more mind and returned to his tasks.