Next Bonus, 100!!
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The moment the Navy began to move, Jin received the intelligence.
The death of Saint Sommers hadn't triggered a Buster Call because Jin had stripped him of his "Celestial Dragon" halo, tampered with memories, and Imu had personally executed him. It was a contained incident.
Saint Killingham was different.
He had been slapped in the face in front of an army. He had been cleaved in two in plain sight.
Such a flagrant act of rebellion was a capital sin.
In this world, if a Celestial Dragon was even touched, an Admiral would be dispatched.
But now, a member of the God's Knights—the highest caste of Celestial Dragons—had been grievously wounded and captured.
To maintain the "sacred and inviolable" status of the Celestial Dragons, the Five Elders and the World Government had to act.
And the Buster Call was their hammer.
Puru puru puru...
The Den Den Mushi Doflamingo had left behind in Dressrosa began to ring.
Law picked it up.
"Fuffuffuffu... Law. I didn't expect you to pick up."
Law frowned. "Doflamingo. What do you want?"
"I'm just calling to give you a notice. Hand over Saint Killingham and my subordinates. Otherwise..."
"The World Government will initiate a Buster Call on Dressrosa!"
What??
A BUSTER CALL??
Around Law, King Riku, Rhode, Kyros, and the others froze. The color drained from their faces as panic set in.
"You know the power and the horror of a Buster Call, don't you?" Doflamingo sneered.
"Dressrosa will be turned into a living hell."
"But... if you hand over the Celestial Dragon, my subordinates, and my money... we can still talk."
Law's brow furrowed.
"Don't talk to him. Talk to the Five Elders."
Jin's voice echoed in Law's mind.
Law immediately shifted his tone. "Doflamingo, you're just a pawn. You don't call the shots. I will only negotiate with the Five Elders."
On the other end of the line, veins bulged on Doflamingo's forehead.
That little brat!
Law's words cut deep. He was completely dismissing Doflamingo, treating him like an errand boy.
But...
Law was right. Doflamingo didn't have the authority to stop this.
"I am Saint Marcus Mars, one of the Five Elders," a deep, arrogant voice came over the line. "Return Saint Killingham, and we may consider leniency."
Law let out a dry chuckle. "That doesn't sound like someone asking for a favor."
"I believe we are the ones holding the cards here."
"If there are to be negotiations, we will set the terms."
"Do you dare threaten the World Government?" Mars asked, his voice dripping with menace. "Do you threaten the Five Elders?"
"Why not?" Law retorted.
Mars fell silent, seething.
"Listen closely," Law said. "If you want Saint Killingham back, there are three conditions."
"One: Call off the Buster Call immediately."
"Two: Recognize King Riku as the legitimate ruler of Dressrosa."
"If you agree, I expect to see the news regarding the second condition in tomorrow's morning paper."
"After that, we will release Saint Killingham. If you refuse... well, you can come collect his corpse."
"Immortality doesn't mean you can't be broken."
Law hung up.
In the Hall of Power at Mary Geoise, silence reigned.
To the Elders, Law's attitude wasn't just arrogant.
It was blasphemous.
He not only threatened them but dared to dictate terms!
To offend the divine majesty of the Celestial Dragons so boldly...
The faces of the Five Elders were grim.
Doflamingo was shaking with rage, his face a mask of iron. "This Law... he's gone too far. He has a death wish."
"Jin must be behind him," Doflamingo insisted. "My investigations showed a deep connection between them."
The Elders glanced at him.
Saint Shepherd Ju Peter spoke up. "Without evidence, do not conflate them. We have no desire to open a second front."
For now, the World Government had no plans to go to war with Jin. Not because they didn't want to, but because they weren't ready.
If Jin escaped their encirclement, he would become an endless nightmare for the World Government and the Celestial Dragons.
They needed to wait until the "Mother Flame" was fully charged for the Ancient Weapon, Uranus. They needed a guaranteed kill shot.
Furthermore, the Elders weren't stupid. They could see Doflamingo's petty game; he wanted to use Law to drag Jin into the mud.
But Jin hadn't shown his face in Dressrosa.
Did Doflamingo think the current situation wasn't bad enough?
"Should we agree to his demands?" Shamrock asked.
"Of course not..." Saint Ethanbaron V. Nusjuro said, polishing his sword. "Such threats are a challenge to our authority."
"But... Killingham," Shamrock hesitated.
"Contact King Riku privately," Saint Topman Warcury ordered. "He and these pirates are not necessarily of one mind."
"Tell him this: If he releases Killingham, we will allow the Riku family to restore their kingdom. Otherwise..."
"The World Government will declare the Riku family guilty of the same crimes as the pirates. Dressrosa will be expelled from the World Government."
"And destroyed by the Buster Call!"
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On the King's Plateau, King Riku looked out over his country. Ruins everywhere. The scars of war were fresh and bleeding.
"We defeated the Donquixote Family. We took back the throne. Yet... I feel no joy," he sighed.
"War brings only tragedy."
Kyros stood behind him, listening quietly. He frowned. "Are you really going to compromise with the World Government?"
"For the sake of the people... for the sake of this land," King Riku said heavily. "The World Government is too strong. How can we resist?"
Kyros sighed. "You must think this through carefully."
Loki, Law, Rhode, Deez, and the others were sitting nearby, enjoying a victory banquet. They looked up as the King approached and knelt before them.
Shiki was there too, wearing a demonic mask.
"You want us to release Saint Killingham?"
King Riku nodded and relayed the Five Elders' conditions.
"It is the only way," he implored. "Only by releasing that Celestial Dragon can my country and my people know peace."
Loki grinned, a savage, mocking expression. He looked at King Riku and was reminded of his own father—another pathetic worm who had been deceived.
He grabbed a barrel of sake and downed it in one gulp.
"Do you really believe them?" Law asked, his voice dripping with cynicism. "Do you think doing what they say will keep Dressrosa safe?"
"How did Doflamingo take this country? How did he turn your people into toys and enslave this island?"
"Deception."
King Riku took a deep breath. "I believe... the Five Elders are not Donquixote Doflamingo..."
Behind him, the people he had brought with him began to shout.
"He's right! It's a Buster Call!"
"You're pirates! If you can't win, you can just sail away! What about us?"
"We people of Dressrosa will have to bear the World Government's wrath for you! Just hand him over!"
They had reclaimed their country. They didn't want to fight anymore.
Rhode glared at them. "For us? Hah! We were the ones who helped you kick Doflamingo out!"
"What? Turning on your benefactors already?"
"Before, we were heroes," Deez scoffed. "Now we're just pirates again?"
"I'm sorry," Riku said, bowing his head lower. "Your kindness will never be forgotten. But... we want to live on this land."
"Please forgive us!"
"I know you are good people."
"So please... hand over Saint Killingham!"
Looking at the faces of the Dressrosa citizens, Rhode and Deez were furious. They looked ready to strike.
"Enough!"
Law raised a hand, stopping them. "Fine. I will hand Saint Killingham over to you."
"And we're taking the prisoners with us. We leave now."
The alliance that had fought side-by-side during the day dissolved in an instant.
Loki, Law, and the others took their prisoners and a stockpile of supplies and left Dressrosa, leaving the Celestial Dragon behind.
King Riku went to the cell where Saint Killingham was being held.
He knelt and begged for forgiveness.
Smack! Smack!
Saint Killingham slapped him across the face repeatedly, then kicked and punched him, venting his fury.
King Riku took it. To him, as long as Dressrosa was spared the Buster Call, as long as his people had peace... it was worth it.
Just like when he had tried to raise 10 billion Berries for Doflamingo years ago. Men of King Riku's class were born with compromise in their bones.
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Upon learning that King Riku had actually released Saint Killingham, Shamrock was overjoyed.
He teleported directly to the location to retrieve his comrade.
"We hope the Five Elders will keep their promise," King Riku said, hope in his eyes.
"Are you an idiot?"
Shamrock looked at him as if he were a particularly slow child.
"Did you think the blood of a Celestial Dragon could be spilled in vain? You... all of you... are sinners. What right do you have to negotiate?"
"The Buster Call fleet finished assembling this afternoon. They've already crossed from Mary Geoise into the New World."
"The moment Killingham is secure, the attack on Dressrosa begins."
King Riku felt as if he had been plunged into ice water. "You can't do this!" he screamed. "The citizens are innocent!"
Seeing his despair, Shamrock smiled cruelly. "Innocent? You are the one who betrayed them. You led them into the fire."
"If you hadn't compromised... maybe you could have lived a few more days."
Shamrock ignored him.
He grabbed Saint Killingham and teleported away.
King Riku collapsed to the ground, coughing up blood in sheer anguish.
"Your Majesty... w-what do we do now?"
Panic erupted.
None of them had expected the Five Elders and the Celestial Dragons to go back on their word so blatantly. To have no honor.
Deceived again...
Why couldn't they learn?
Kyros, helpless, shouted orders. "Organize an immediate evacuation! And... try to contact Law and the others!"
"Right! Yes!"
"Before they get too far!"
"Hurry!"
They scrambled for the Den Den Mushi, clutching at straws, hoping for a savior they had just driven away.
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