Ace's pupils contracted, and his breath involuntarily caught in his throat.
"What is this?!"
In another part of the New World, on a deserted island…
Plop!
The bonfire exploded with a loud bang, and then the sparks dissipated into the air. Shanks, one of the Yonko, stared at the bonfire with an expressionless look in his eyes while holding a newspaper in his hand.
The other members of the Red Hair Pirates were busy reveling, drinking, and playing drinking games, unaffected by his demeanor.
"What are you thinking, Shanks…" On a horizontally placed log opposite Shanks, the world's greatest swordsman, "Hawk Eyes" Mihawk, propped up his legs and cradled his knees with his hands as he looked at him.
The two had developed a friendship through their battles.
For Mihawk, Shanks was the only one in the world whose swordsmanship could rival his own.
But since Shanks lost his arm in the East Blue, Mihawk hadn't sparred with him again. However, their friendship remained, and they would occasionally gather to drink together.
"Ah? It's nothing…"
Shanks seemed to be jolted awake, lifting his head to reveal a smiling face. However, the seriousness and concern in his gaze were clear to Mihawk. After glancing at the newspaper, he said,
"This Marine named Rowen, what makes him different? From his actions, I feel like I'm seeing another Dragon."
Mihawk naturally knew Garp's son, Dragon. He used to hear news about him frequently a few years ago, but then he disappeared. Later, he heard rumors that Dragon had betrayed the Marines and established the Revolutionary Army with the goal of overthrowing the World Government.
Mihawk believed that Rowen could be the next Dragon, which was a terrifying speculation!
However…
"No, he's different from Dragon."
Shanks knew he couldn't hide it from Mihawk, and his expression turned serious as he slowly raised his head to meet his gaze.
"Do you know what I saw in his eyes when I met him while rescuing Ace? What did I see?"
"What?"
Mihawk calmly took over the conversation.
"A lofty indifference, and a reckless madness!"
Shanks uttered these two descriptions with great seriousness, then looked at his own hands. "I can't describe what I saw at that moment… In his eyes, whether it was Ace or me, it seemed like we were just insignificant beings to him… But at the same time, he showed a tremendous interest in our existence, it was as if he had been anticipating that meeting for a long time."
"That kind of unsettling contradiction…"
"Do you know that feeling?"
"Well…"
Mihawk fell silent for a moment, then lifted the skewered meat on a wooden stick. "Is it similar to how we treat this meat?"
"You won't even remember how much meat you've eaten, but the taste is still important to you."
"That… sense of being both dispensable and indispensable."
Shanks: "…"
What a peculiar way of metaphorizing!!
Shanks forced out a bitter smile and didn't say anything further because he realized that Mihawk's description was spot-on…
For Rowen, perhaps they were just a piece of barbecue meat.
…
After Crocodile, another Shichibukai has fallen.
However, after the uproar among the various pirate forces and factions, there was no sign of the previous madness.
The World Government merely stripped Doflamingo of his Shichibukai position without giving him a final judgment. Locking him up in Impel Down was more like necessary protection and surveillance while he recovered from his severe injuries.
With no knowledge of how he would ultimately be dealt with, no one dared to disturb the order in the New World.
Doflamingo's influence was far greater than Crocodile's. The latter could at best be considered an older Shichibukai with some qualifications to his name and a little bit of power in the First Half of Grand Line.
Even in Alabasta, where he was considered a hero and was the only place where Crocodile had a solid foundation, became a pariah after Aokiji led the Buster Call and exposed his true nature, with everyone now calling for his death.
But Doflamingo was different.
Being a Shichibukai was just a convenient facade for him. He held the title of "Crownless King" in the Underground World and was the King of Dressrosa, an Allied Kingdom member of the World Government, in the public eye!
With these three identities combined, once Doflamingo fell, all the factions and forces associated with him would be affected!
At that time, the Grand Line, which had finally calmed down a little, would be thrown into complete chaos! Currently, the Marine Headquarters is divided into two factions due to the issue of dealing with Doflamingo.
One faction believes that since he dared to attack the Marines, there's no need to bother with his status as a King. They advocate for suppressing him in Impel Down, ensuring he never sees the light of day again.
The other faction believes that maintaining peace in the sea requires Doflamingo. They agree that stripping him of his Shichibukai position is acceptable, but Dressrosa and the Underground World should not be thrown into chaos! They argue that once Doflamingo is released, various factions will take care of him. When his influence reaches its lowest point, then the Marines can deal with him and reap the benefits…
The group of war faction officers led by Akainu can't fathom such a poisonous scheme. The other faction was initiated by the Great Staff Officer Tsuru, with Admiral Aokiji expressing his support to her.
In terms of prestige, Aokiji's standing among the soldiers is higher than Akainu's, and his stance is more practical. Therefore, this faction currently holds the upper hand.
However, regardless of which faction, they never mention the possibility of killing Doflamingo…
It has nothing to do with concerns about the String-String Fruit falling into the sea and into someone else's hands; the main reason why no one initiated the thoughts of killing him is that he is a Celestial Dragon, and no one except the Celestial Dragons themselves can kill him.
"Even the Celestial Dragons cannot attack Marine branches without reason! Moreover, he is no longer a member of the Celestial Dragons!"
In the Marine Headquarters' Fortress, in a spacious conference room, Akainu stood up and spoke with magma flowing down his shoulder and face, filling the air with a burning sulfuric smell.
"But his blood still carries the lineage of the Celestial Dragons! That's something you can't deny, Sakazuki!" Vice Admiral Tsuru sat in the position just below Sengoku, her hands crossed under her chin. "The Celestial Dragons don't care about Doflamingo's life or death; they only care about our actions and whether we can threaten their status!"
…
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