"Rosinante-kun! Your Navy fleet has already entered Wano's inner sea!"
A samurai rushed into the temporary command post of the SWORD Secret Special Force and delivered the message to them.
"Thank you for your hard work."
After the samurai left, Rosinante immediately stood up.
And the surrounding members of the SWORD Secret Special Force also stood up, half-dead and listless.
"This is seriously ridiculous! Why are we the ones stuck doing the cleanup!?"
"No choice—Michael is still with the Revolutionary Army right now."
"That's enough. This was the Navy's responsibility to begin with." Rosinante raised his hand and made a silencing gesture, then continued,
"Besides, this time it's also for your own good… After all, some people still haven't been promoted to Vice Admiral yet!"
After saying that, led by Rosinante, everyone walked out of the temporary command post and headed toward the inner sea coastline.
Before they arrived, they could already hear Garp's overly hearty laughter from afar.
"Ahahahaha! The Mink Tribe's sense of smell really is incredible! You can even dig up Dyna Stones buried this deep underground!"
"Hey, are you interested in becoming Marines!? The Navy is seriously lacking warriors like you!"
"Huh!? What? Someone recommended you to become Marines? A friend with lots of wings?"
Rosinante and the others quickened their pace, and what came into view was Garp laughing loudly…
As well as Inuarashi and Nekomamushi, whose shoulders were hooked by Garp, their faces screaming "I want to escape" but utterly unable to do so.
The day and night kings of the Mokomo Dukedom were just like that—held by the shoulders by Garp, obedient like domesticated cats and dogs.
…Of course, it was also possible that the Mink Tribe's astonishing sense of smell and intuition had already perceived Garp's danger.
"Vice Admiral Garp, please conduct yourself with some dignity." Rosinante stepped forward and reached out to rescue Inuarashi and Nekomamushi from Garp's grasp.
"Although the Mokomo Dukedom of Zou isn't a World Government–affiliated nation, it's existed for several hundred years no matter what. Could you at least give them some respect?"
"You brat! Aren't I just chatting with these two!?" Garp said irritably. "Besides, they just said they're willing to let some of their mature Mink warriors become Marines!"
Rosinante froze and looked toward Inuarashi and Nekomamushi.
The cat and dog nodded together, and there was no sign of being forced against their will between their brows.
"What's going on? Aren't you retainers of Wano?"
"We are retainers of Wano, that's true—but only the two of us are retainers of Wano." Inuarashi said with a smile. "That doesn't mean the rest of the Mink Tribe are also retainers of Wano… In matters like this, everyone is free!"
"And most importantly, the winged friend already promised that this search for Dyna Stones would serve as the Mink Tribe's pledge of allegiance… That way, Mink warriors can directly build a Navy branch near Zou!" Nekomamushi patted his belly and said with satisfaction. "Speaking of which, I really misunderstood that winged friend as Kaido before—his body carried Kaido's scent far too strongly."
Rosinante's mouth twitched.
The winged friend…
Kaido's scent? After bathing in blood fighting each other, it would be stranger not to have Kaido's scent!
But when Rosinante turned his head, he met Garp's scrutinizing gaze.
"So, where's Michael?"
"Ahahaha, what are you talking about, Vice Admiral Garp…"
"Fine. Tough mouth." Garp nodded, then looked at all the members of the SWORD Secret Special Force.
"From the battle reports, it seems you suffered quite a loss at the hands of Douglas Bullet and Byrnndi World… The top brass unanimously decided that once you return to Marine HQ, you'll begin special training."
"S-special training?" Rosinante asked in a low voice. "Old man Garp! What are we even training for anymore? Besides, among the Navy, who's even qualified to train us?"
"Rosinante, I couldn't tell—you're pretty arrogant now, huh!" Garp revealed a mischievous grin and replied,
"But this time, Sengoku's really going all out. Led by Fleet Admiral Sengoku, the previous generation of Admirals and the current Admirals will jointly put you through a two-month special training… And of course, I'll be participating too."
"Your good days are still ahead of you! Hahahahaha!"
Rosinante opened his mouth, but no words came out.
And Hawk Eyes, standing closest to him, seemed to hear the sound of reason snapping.
"Ah… I really want to defect from the Navy."
"Rosinante… saying that at a time like this, isn't it a bit too late?"
...
Outside, the search and inspection work for Dyna Stones was proceeding in full swing, while inside Wano's dungeon, members of the Beasts Pirates and their accomplices were packed behind bars.
And within the deep, silent dungeon, footsteps echoed, heading straight for the deepest point.
"Tap, tap, tap…"
At last, they stopped in front of a cell.
That flamboyant flamingo was now shackled by Seastone restraints, lying spread-eagle on the cold, damp ground.
"This time, you're really in a sorry state, Doflamingo."
"Fufufufufu… You really did come, Tsuru."
Doflamingo didn't need to lift his head to know who had arrived… of course, he couldn't lift his head anyway.
Tsuru didn't answer immediately. Instead, she opened the cell door and walked in.
Standing to the side, she looked at Doflamingo, now a prisoner of the Navy.
"Tell me—wouldn't it have been fine to spend your whole life as a benevolent king in Dressrosa?"
"Fufufufufu! Even at a time like this, Tsuru, you still love telling jokes." Doflamingo's laughter echoed through the dungeon.
"A benevolent king? Don't make me laugh. How could I possibly spend my life wearing that hypocritical mask? I am Donquixote Doflamingo! I am pure, unadulterated evil!"
"Is that really so, Dof?" Tsuru lowered her head, and on that aged yet increasingly wise face appeared an expression of deep compassion.
"Do you truly believe… that you are pure evil?"
"Then what am I?" Doflamingo said coldly. "I killed my own father…"
"You may be evil, but not pure… Why didn't you treat the Donquixote Family members as expendable tools? Why did you set up those impact-prevention measures around the Dyna Stones?" Tsuru continued gently.
"Admit it, Doflamingo. Perhaps you were only… longing for the existence of family."
"It's just that… you chose the wrong path." As Tsuru spoke, she looked toward the opposite cells.
"And ended up killing your true family."
There lay the fallen officers of the Donquixote Family.
"So, Donquixote Doflamingo…"
"Accept your fate, and thoroughly wash away the evil."
"In that way… perhaps the sorrow in your heart can be a little less."
"Wash-Wash Fruit."
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Fanfic is finished. 583 chapters in total on p@treon/tambeerg