Once the Birdcage fully closes, every building and person within Dressrosa will be sliced to ribbons. Even those defending with Armament Haki will not be spared.
Currently, the entirety of Dressrosa is trapped beneath the shimmering dome of the Birdcage; there is no way out.
However, someone has discovered a path!
On a certain street, Law and Zoro were sprinting at full speed, searching for the nearest Scrap Heap, the secret entrance leading to the Underground Trade Port.
Law looked up at the shrinking Birdcage and said in a heavy voice, "The Birdcage has begun to contract. Once it finishes, we're all dead."
"Can it be broken?" Zoro asked.
"I'm afraid not." Law shook his head and pointed toward the sky. "We saw those meteors crashing down earlier; that was likely Admiral Fujitora attempting to break the cage. Clearly, he failed."
"Damn it! Are we really stuck waiting for Luffy to defeat Doflamingo?" Zoro gritted his teeth, his brow furrowed in frustration.
Zoro had personally experienced the strength of Admiral Fujitora (Issho). If even a man of his caliber couldn't break the Birdcage, then it was truly nigh-impenetrable.
"I'm afraid we don't have that kind of time. We must find an exit now!" Law turned to Zoro, his expression grim. "I learned from Doflamingo's own mouth that 'Golden Ring' Aeridar is on his way!"
"Golden Ring Aeridar!"
That name felt like a curse. Zoro's breath hitched, and his pupils constricted to pinpricks as he instantly recalled that man's terrifying power. If that man reached Dressrosa, Zoro's path as a swordsman might very well end right here.
"You and I both know exactly what he's capable of. We have to evacuate Dressrosa before he arrives!" Law said solemnly.
Zoro took several deep breaths to steady his shock. "But the Birdcage covers everything. How do we leave?"
"If I've guessed correctly, the Underground Trade Port is our way out," Law analyzed calmly.
He explained his logic: while the Birdcage covers the entire kingdom, the razor-sharp strings cannot extend too deep into the earth. If they did, the island itself would be sliced apart and sink the moment the cage closed. The Underground Trade Port is located hundreds of meters beneath Dressrosa, well beyond the reach of the strings. Therefore, the port's tunnels are the only viable path to the outside world.
Hearing Law's analysis, Zoro's face lit up with relief. "Not bad, Tra-guy!"
"However, I need to go down and confirm it first. Straw Hat-ya needs to stall for a bit more time." Law gripped Kikoku tightly. "I also need to recover my stamina. The Den Den Mushi are useless inside the cage, so I'll have to rely on my abilities to bring the others back."
In truth, Law felt a deep sense of unwilling bitterness. He wanted to kill Doflamingo more than anyone, but he lacked the strength. He had missed his chance, and if they delayed any longer, everyone would die.
…
The Underground Trade Port.
Boom! Boom! Boom!
Constant explosions echoed through the cavernous space. The sounds of fierce slaughter grew louder, and broken corpses littered the ground.
This was one of the largest hubs of the Underworld. Many of the crates piled high on the docks contained firearms, ammunition, and even heavy cannons. Utilizing these weapons, the people who had been turned back from toys into humans quickly armed themselves, engaging the Donquixote Family soldiers in a bloody struggle.
"I'll kill you all, you bastards!"
Pica loomed like a subterranean god. Though his high-pitched voice, so mismatched with his massive frame, diminished his aura, no one dared to laugh. His monstrous strength and ability allowed him to hold off more than half of the elite fighters present single-handedly.
The giant mercenary Hajrudin clashed fists with Pica, only to have his arm snapped instantly!
Kelly Funk, fused with his brother Bobby Funk, tried to vent his rage on Pica using his brother's resilient body, but Pica smashed him into the ground with a single blow. With over a dozen broken bones, Kelly had yet to crawl back up.
Then there was "Two-Faced" Diad Kane. He had mocked Pica's voice, only for the enraged Executive to flatten him into a meat pie. This supernova pirate, who had only recently gained fame, met his end right here in Dressrosa.
"Charlestone!!!"
Pica looked down from his height. Seeing his side's numbers dwindling, he merged his massive stone feet with the floor.
Rumble! Rumble!
In the next instant, massive, jagged stone pillars erupted from the ground, launching countless people into the air and turning the battlefield into a forest of stone spikes. Whether common citizens or powerful pirates, they were all swept away as the tide of battle shifted in an instant.
"Great Bird: Onslaught!"
Suddenly, Kohl Goff charged forward, wielding a steel spear as thick as a bowl's rim. With a roar, he leaped into the air and thrust the spear into Pica's chest.
CRASH—
A gaping hole was blown clean through Pica's chest, sending stone fragments flying and kicking up a massive cloud of dust.
"Kohl Goff! You bastard!" Pica shrieked in rage, forced to halt his "Charlestone" attack.
Suddenly, a chain of bead-like, tea-colored mucus streaked through the air. The thick, slippery liquid was incredibly adhesive, snaring Kohl Goff mid-air.
"Beta Beta Chain!"
"Meteora!"
Below, Trebol roared, swinging the mucus chain with violent centrifugal force. He slammed Kohl Goff like a falling star into a swan-headed pirate ship docked at the port.
A massive roar followed as the eighty-meter ship was snapped in half. The impact sent a shockwave of dust and shattered wood into the air.
"Dammit! Those two top officers of the Donquixote Family are way too strong!" Usopp hissed, peeking from a corner of the ruined Officer's Tower.
Thanks to Chopper and Kin'emon accidentally luring Trebol away earlier, Usopp and the Tontatta warriors had successfully knocked out Sugar. Though Sugar had been unexpectedly tough and many dwarves were injured, they had achieved their goal. They hadn't expected the ensuing battle to be this grueling.
Nearby, Nami said anxiously, "Usopp, we have to leave now!"
"Eh? We aren't staying to help take down Doflamingo?" Brook looked at Nami in surprise. After learning the truth about the dwarves and Dressrosa, he had cried tears of sympathy and was desperate to help.
In reality, Nami and Brook hadn't expected the fighting in the port to be so intense. Even with the help of a Vivre Card, they had to navigate the chaos with extreme caution to find Usopp. Chopper and Kin'emon were still somewhere up ahead in the thick of the fray.
"ROOM!"
Suddenly, a massive, spherical transparent dome expanded, enveloping half of the trading port.
In the blink of an eye, Law and Zoro swapped places with two bricks, appearing directly in front of Usopp, Nami, and Brook.
"Law!"
Seeing the signature surgical sphere, Pica and Trebol knew exactly who had arrived.
"Come out and face me, you brat!" Pica roared, searching for Law's shadow, eager to crush him.
Inside the ruins of the tower, Law and Zoro's appearance initially sparked joy in Nami's group. However, that joy lasted only seconds as the duo delivered two terrifying updates:
One, the Birdcage is unbreakable, even for an Admiral. There is no escape above ground; the Underground Port is the only way out.
And two, "Golden Ring" Aeridar is arriving. Once he joins forces with Doflamingo, no one will be able to resist them.