Karasu leaned back in his chair, his hoarse voice cutting through the silence. "The Marines are in a tough spot. If they shield the Shichibukai, they'll lose public support. But if they abolish the system, it'll be like slapping themselves in the face." A flicker of worry flashed in his eyes as he weighed both outcomes.
Belo Betty slammed her hand on the table, fury burning beneath the brim of her red hat. "So we just sit here and wait? Watch innocent people suffer?"
Her voice echoed sharply through the conference room, carrying a note of accusation.
Dragon raised a hand to quiet her, speaking in a calm tone. "We need to wait for the perfect timing."
He brought up the Marine fleet deployment map, his finger gliding across the screen. "The Marines are definitely going to respond to the Shichibukai fallout. When they move, we act based on the situation..."
Lindbergh pushed up his goggles, a hint of confusion in his eyes. "You mean... move when their attention's diverted?"
"Exactly." Sabo's lips curved into a confident smile. "If the Marines decide to abolish the Shichibukai system, we'll help wipe out the leftovers."
"And if they insist on shielding them..." His gaze suddenly sharpened. "Then let the world see what the Revolutionary Army really stands for."
The room fell silent. The commanders exchanged glances, a shared resolve flickering in their eyes.
...
In the "Bubbly Coral" bar on the Sabaody Archipelago, the stale scent of alcohol mingled with loud laughter.
A group of pirates were raising their mugs, boasting about their exploits. Gambling was in full swing at the tables.
A large wall screen played various shows, occasionally switching to trending TikTok videos, drawing cheers or jeers from the crowd.
Suddenly, the screen above the bar auto-switched—and Rebecca's tear-streaked face appeared before them.
The bar fell silent like a knife had sliced through the noise.
A drunken pirate dropped his wine glass. The amber liquid pooled across the floor tiles.
All eyes locked onto the video, the scene of people turned into toys, and Rebecca's choking plea echoing through the room: "Please, everyone... save Dressrosa... save our country…"
"This... this is..." Someone's eyes widened. Their cards slipped from their fingers onto the floor.
In the corner, an old pirate with a scarred face slowly stood. A fire lit in his one eye, and with trembling rage, he hurled his oak mug at the wall.
Glass shards scattered with a crash.
"Damn Shichibukai!" The old pirate's roar made the chandeliers shake. "Back in my day, yeah, I pillaged and killed. But this? Turning living people into toys? Enslaving the Tontattas? That's filth!"
His fury made the old scars on his body flush red.
That single outburst lit the fuse.
The entire bar exploded.
"My cousin disappeared in Dressrosa last year! Could he have been one of them...?"
"I was just there last week. I saw those toys walking and talking. I was even thinking of buying one. Dammit, they're people?!"
"The Marines actually let these guys legally loot and enslave?!"
"What's the difference between the Marines and pirates, then?"
"Hahaha, the difference is they're 'legal,' and you're not!"
"..."
The rising anger nearly blew the roof off.
The bartender cranked the volume to max. Rebecca's cries rang clearly through every corner of the bar.
A female merchant covered her face and sobbed. She had just returned from the "Island of Love and Passion" last month.
In a dark corner, a hooded figure silently took out a phone and filmed the chaos.
The video went live on TikTok almost instantly under the hashtag: #ShamblesCitizensDenounceShichibukaiAtrocities.
In just minutes, it racked up millions of views.
The bar owner climbed onto the counter and raised both hands. "All drinks are free today! A toast to Dressrosa's pain!" His words sent the emotional crowd over the edge.
Everyone raised their glasses, eyes brimming with fury and sympathy.
The uproar spread like wildfire through the entire Sabaody Archipelago.
In every street and alley, people gathered, murmuring about Dressrosa's tragedy.
TikTok views surged uncontrollably, and the comment section boiled over:
>"Too cruel! The people of Dressrosa don't deserve this!"
>"Doflamingo, you beast!"
>"Crocodile was bad. Doflamingo's worse. All the Shichibukai are corrupt!"
...
Marineford.
Inside the Fleet Admiral's office, Sengoku slammed his phone onto the desk, veins bulging on his forehead.
On the screen in front of him, the TikTok group chat kept buzzing nonstop, while anxious footsteps echoed through the hallway outside.
The room was filled with an oppressive silence.
"It's only been a few minutes..." Sengoku rubbed his temples, fingers tapping unconsciously on his phone.
Onscreen, the #DressrosaAtrocities topic was climbing at tens of thousands of views per second, the comment section overflowing with Marine-bashing.
A trace of unease crossed his eyes. "Back in the day, news like this would've taken a month to spread..."
The office door burst open.
Akainu marched in with a face like thunder, lava dripping to the floor with sizzling pops. "Fleet Admiral Sengoku! Let me go to Dressrosa right now! That bastard Doflamingo..."
"Calm down, Sakazuki." Sengoku raised a hand to cut him off, then looked at Kizaru, who had followed in.
Kizaru was still lazily scrolling through his phone. Rebecca's crying face reflected in his glasses. "Oh my, how terrifying~ It's already hit 300 million views~"
Sengoku exhaled deeply, folding his hands beneath his chin. "Kuzan's still handling the Crocodile mess in Alabasta. We need someone else to go to Dressrosa to investigate." He looked between the two Admirals. "Doflamingo's position is... complicated. Behind him stands the Celestial Dragons of Mary Geoise…"
"Let me go!" Akainu roared, punching the wall. Lava scorched a massive hole in the marble. "Scum like that deserves execution on the spot!"
Sengoku's eye twitched. "That's exactly what I'm worried about." He turned to Kizaru. "Borsalino, this time, it's your turn—"
"Understood~" Kizaru slowly tucked away his phone, a faint, mysterious smile playing on his lips. "So... are we doing a 'serious investigation,' or a 'gentle warning'~?"
"First, verify the facts," Sengoku said, massaging his temples as a headache kicked in.
(To be continued.)
***
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