The news of the Straw Hats watching a duel between Admirals left Marco, Vista, and Ace stunned. It was unheard of for pirates to actively seek out Marine Admirals. Usually, even the Four Emperors avoided such high-level Marine presence to maintain the global balance of power. Yet, the Straw Hats had watched the entire battle involving Sengoku, Tsuru, Kizaru, Akainu, and Aokiji—a force capable of destroying an entire Emperor's crew.
"I have to admire you, Ace's little brother," Marco said with a serious expression. "Your crew is incredibly brave. I think even Pops would have praised such a bold move". Vista joined in, laughing as he noted that the Straw Hats, as one of the newly titled Five Emperors, already seemed much stronger and more daring than Blackbeard's crew.
Ace sighed, feeling a mix of pride and worry for his reckless younger brother. Luffy, ignoring the praise, began looking around the crowded port. He asked Ace if he had seen Sabo yet. Ace was surprised to hear Sabo was nearby but quickly realized that the Revolutionary Army would definitely want the Moa Moa no Mi to bolster their forces. He smiled, excited at the thought of all three brothers reuniting for a fight and a drink afterward.
As the group began walking toward the city, the Straw Hat crew followed close behind. They left the sea monster Mohmoo to guard the Thousand Sunny. No one in Dressrosa, not even Doflamingo's men, dared to touch the ship of a crew known for such abnormal power.
Vista approached the man he thought was Carl, eager to challenge him to a duel. However, "Carl" remained silent and merely offered his hand. When Vista shook it, he felt the strange, cold texture and noticed Galdino winking at him. He realized immediately that this was a wax clone. The disguise was nearly perfect; thanks to Marianne's colors and Galdino's craftsmanship, the wax figures of Carl and Robin looked exactly like the real people as they walked through the streets.
Zoro, always stoic and serious, took the opportunity to step forward. "Vista, if you want to fight Carl, you'll have to go through me first," he said bluntly. Vista grinned, accepting the challenge. He told Zoro that while he had lost their drinking contest in Water 7, he wouldn't be so easy to beat in a sword fight. Zoro didn't back down, stating that his Haki and skills had reached a completely different level since the Summit War.
As they entered the city, Luffy's cheerful mood suddenly shifted. He looked at the living toys wandering the streets and his face darkened with anger. Ace was confused, remembering that Luffy usually loved weird things and "living toys" were considered the specialty of Dressrosa.
Luffy shook his head, his voice low and serious. "Ace, these aren't toys," he explained. "They're living people and animals who were transformed and forgotten by everyone they love".
The Whitebeard Pirates were horrified by this revelation. They trusted Luffy's word because his anger was clearly genuine. Usopp stepped in and whispered about the Hobi Hobi no Mi, warning them to stay away from a girl named Sugar. Marco became solemn, realizing the terrifying truth. He worried that some of his own comrades might have been turned into toys and forgotten by the crew and even Whitebeard himself.
"Doflamingo is a devil," Ace said, his flames flickering with rage. He offered to help Luffy take him down. But Luffy was determined. "No," Luffy stated firmly. "I'm going to be the one to send him flying. No one else is allowed to take him from me".
Despite the heavy atmosphere, news of the martial arts tournament at the Colosseum soon reached them, and Luffy's excitement returned instantly. He loved a good fight, and Carl had mentioned that strong warriors from across the New World would be participating.
Ace looked at his brother and asked if he had forgotten about defeating Doflamingo. Luffy just grinned and said he would take care of Doflamingo after he won the tournament. He was so confident in his power that he treated a Warlord like an afterthought.
Marco and the others decided to join the tournament as well. They didn't want the Blackbeard Pirates, who were already on the island, to get their hands on the Moa Moa no Mi. With the Straw Hats and the Whitebeard Pirates all heading toward the registration booth, the tournament was guaranteed to be an explosive event.
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