Inside the meeting hall on Sphinx Island, Marco studied Law, who had arrived under Whitey Bay's escort.
Seated beside Law was the Heart Pirates' crew, their expressions tense and cautious. Surrounded by commanders of a Yonko crew, it was only natural for them to feel uneasy.
Marco didn't dislike Law—quite the opposite. Calm, calculating, sharp-minded, and a skilled ship's doctor… Marco found him surprisingly capable.
Taking his seat opposite Law, Marco spoke first.
"Nice to meet you, Trafalgar Law."
Law glanced at Marco, then at the commanders standing behind him, and gave a faint chuckle.
"This is quite the reception."
His gaze drifted briefly toward the windows.
"When I arrived on the island, I saw a lot of pirates missing arms and legs."
Marco smiled lightly.
To restore Ace, Jozu, and the many comrades who had lost limbs in the Marineford War, a large number of injured pirates had gathered on Sphinx.
"There's nothing we can do about it," Marco said calmly.
"We suffered heavy losses at Marineford. That's why we're asking for your help, Doctor."
A playful glint flashed in Law's eyes as his lips curled upward.
"If you want my help, there will be conditions."
Marco nodded without hesitation.
"Whitey Bay already explained everything. Tell me what you want." He added evenly, "Even if you want us to move against a Yonko, it's not impossible. But it would require time and careful planning. We just came out of a major war."
Law straightened slightly, his tone turning serious.
"Don't worry. I understand very well what a Yonko crew represents."
He paused.
"The person I want dead isn't a Yonko—but he has deep ties to one. He's also one of the Seven Warlords of the Sea."
A ripple of tension spread through the room.
If the target was a Shichibukai, this was no small matter. The warlords were monsters in their own right—especially someone like the world's strongest swordsman, whose strength and connections were both terrifying.
Could this man be targeting Hawkeye Mihawk?
Marco, however, already knew the answer.
A faint smile tugged at his lips.
"You're talking about Doflamingo, aren't you?"
This time, it was Law who looked genuinely surprised.
"…How did you know?"
Marco chuckled softly.
"I guessed."
"There aren't many Shichibukai left—Mihawk, Kuma, Boa Hancock, and the 'Heavenly Yaksha,' Doflamingo. A certain red-nosed fellow joined recently, but I doubt he's your target."
He continued casually,
"You and Doflamingo are both from the North Blue. He has business ties with the Beasts Pirates and Big Mom's crew. Putting it all together—it wasn't hard to figure out."
Law broke into a grin.
After all, every Yonko crew had its own intelligence network. Even Law knew about Doflamingo's dealings with Kaido—there was no way the Phoenix Pirates wouldn't.
The atmosphere subtly shifted.
This wasn't just a request for medical aid anymore.
It was the beginning of a far more dangerous alliance.
"That's right. The one I want dead is Doflamingo."
Jozu clicked his tongue in irritation.
"Tch. That bastard? He killed quite a few of our comrades during the Marineford War."
"As long as it's not another Yonko, he's easy enough to deal with."
"Still," another commander added cautiously, "don't underestimate him. Among the Shichibukai, Doflamingo is an anomaly."
"No matter what," someone else scoffed, "he's still just a Shichibukai."
The other commanders clearly didn't think much of Doflamingo. Even if they individually weren't superior to him, they had absolute confidence in Marco. In their eyes, taking down Doflamingo was never going to be a serious problem for the Phoenix Pirates.
Marco didn't hesitate.
"Alright. Do you want us to kill him outright, or capture him first and let you finish the job?"
Hearing Marco agree so casually—as if killing Doflamingo were no different from swatting a fly—Law couldn't hide his surprise.
"As expected of the leader of a Yonko crew," he said. "So decisive. You didn't think too much about killing a Shichibukai."
Marco smiled faintly, his confidence unmistakable.
"You're overestimating them. If it were Hawkeye, it might be troublesome. But Doflamingo? He's no issue." He added calmly, "As for offending the Beasts Pirates—it doesn't matter. We were always going to clash sooner or later."
With that, Law said nothing more. He stood up and asked directly,
"How many of your people have lost limbs?"
Marco's smile deepened slightly.
"Our main crew and affiliated pirate crews combined—over 1,200 people."
"Over 1,200?"
Law raised an eyebrow, genuinely surprised. "That's a lot. Seems the upcoming operations will be… interesting."
Marco then personally led Law to a nearby medical bay.
This vessel had been constructed at enormous cost back when it was used to care for Whitebeard himself. It was outfitted with the most advanced medical equipment available.
Marco gestured around the room.
"Is this sufficient? If you need anything else, just say the word."
Law examined the instruments carefully, then nodded.
"It's more than enough. Better equipped than my own ship, in fact."
Marco turned to Jozu and Ace.
"Who wants to go first?"
"I will," Jozu said immediately, stepping forward without hesitation.
Law nodded, then added matter-of-factly,
"For an arm transplant, I'll need suitable replacement limbs. A large number of animal arms should be prepared."
"Animal arms?" Jozu frowned.
"Can't human arms be used?"
"They can," Law replied calmly.
"That's good," Jozu said with a grin. Then, turning serious, he added,
"Then I'll leave it to you, Doctor Law, to choose a suitable arm for me."
Law paused, briefly confused—then his gaze shifted outside.
There, several captured pirates sat bound in prisoner carts.
Understanding dawned.
Marco explained evenly, "Those are pirates who recently challenged us and were captured. Law… we're counting on you."
The message was clear.
The Phoenix Pirates had already chosen how mercy—and punishment—would be distributed.
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