Inside the hollowed-out ruins, there wasn't much to do. Diarmuid leaned against a boulder, stroking his chin as he sank into thought.
What kind of mysterious power is hidden within the Domain of the Gods?
That bald elder was truly a piece of work. Even in death, he had to mess with people's heads.
"Originally, I planned to set up the Birdcage, but instead of trapping others, I'm the one stuck here like a caged bird... Fuffuffuffu." Doflamingo chuckled as he walked over, plopping down beside Diarmuid and mocking his own situation.
"Caged bird?" Diarmuid murmured. Suddenly, his eyes lit up. "Trapped here? Stalling for time?"
"What?" Doflamingo blinked, confused.
"Damn it, I was played by that bald bastard! He made it look like he was warning me about the danger of the Domain of the Gods, but in reality, he just wanted me to hesitate so I'd choose a safer, slower approach. That sudden attack wasn't meant to wipe us out, it was meant to stall us! Having a hundred kings with us makes them the ultimate baggage. If they launch an attack, we're forced by duty and logic to prioritize the safety of the royals. These kings... they are our 'Birdcage'," Diarmuid said grimly.
"So?" Doflamingo asked hesitantly.
"The Domain of the Gods definitely has some powerful hidden force, but using it likely requires time to prepare... At least, that's my guess!" Diarmuid explained.
It was indeed just a guess, but he had no way of knowing the truth. In this moment, he felt the frustration of being held back by "collateral damage." Even if he suspected a stall tactic, he had no choice but to wait. This wasn't a gamble he could take with the lives of a hundred world leaders.
It was the classic dilemma: a "gentleman" being manipulated by his own sense of duty.
"Your theory makes sense, but what can we..." Doflamingo knit his brows, looking troubled.
"We don't have many options," Diarmuid replied.
If this was the case, then Imu, who had authorized the Mini-Pluton strike, was a master of timing. The strike had been perfectly executed. Had it been delayed any longer, the chaos of Diarmuid's battle with the Gorosei would have ended, and the royals would have been evacuated under protection.
As Diarmuid was mulling this over, he suddenly froze, then slammed a fist against his leg and cursed. "Damn, I'm an idiot!"
"What now?" Doflamingo looked at him like he was losing it.
"Quick, contact Spandine! If I remember correctly, he brought CP9 with him this time, didn't he? Among the CP9 members, there's a Paramecia user with the Door-Door Fruit. He can open a door directly to us and warp these damn anchors out of here in no time!" Diarmuid said urgently.
He felt genuinely stupid for not thinking of it sooner. It was mostly because he rarely dealt with CP9. Since he had "recruited" Rob Lucci years ago, he hadn't paid them any mind. It had been over twenty years; how could he be expected to remember every detail?
It was only the pressure of wanting to bypass this stalemate that jogged his memory of Blueno and his "Air Door."
Without stopping to explain to the others, Diarmuid whipped out a Den Den Mushi and dialed Spandine.
A moment later, Spandine picked up, his voice oily and subservient. "Admiral? Admiral, how is it going on your end? Is there anything you need me to handle?"
"Spandine, do you have a Door-Door Fruit user under you?" Diarmuid got straight to the point.
"Yes, how did the Admiral know?" Spandine asked, surprised.
"Good, tell him to..." Diarmuid started, but before he could finish, a thunderous boom echoed from outside the ruins.
A bolt of lightning tore through Sakazuki's magma barrier. Diarmuid watched as the light punctured the shell, creating a massive breach in the "Silk Spider Cave." Through the clearing electrical discharge, Gion stepped out gallantly, her Meito Konpira hanging at her hip.
"Not too late, am I?" Gion asked with a smile.
Diarmuid's face twitched. Damn it. I just thought of a brilliant new plan, and you guys already finished the mission? Talk about awkward.
"Admiral? Admiral? What about him? Should I send him to support you?" Spandine's curious voice crackled over the Den Den Mushi.
Diarmuid rolled his eyes. "Forget it. Isn't his hobby being a bartender? Tell him to make me a cup of coffee. I'm going to drink it the moment I finish this battle!"
Spandine: "???"
How did you know he likes bartending? And what does bartending have to do with coffee? More importantly, the situation is so tense, and you called... just to say that?
Despite his inner confusion, Spandine played his part perfectly. "No need for him! When it comes to brewing coffee, I'm the real pro! I'm right here in the Headquarters building. I heard the Gorosei have some excellent beans in their office. I'll get it ready for you, Admiral. I guarantee a delicious cup will be waiting the second you return in triumph!"
Diarmuid didn't know how to respond to that, so he just played along. "Fine. I look forward to it."
He hung up, feeling thoroughly embarrassed.
Meanwhile, back at the Headquarters, Spandine took out a small notebook and seriously wrote: The Admiral's new hobby: loves drinking coffee.
When it comes to brown-nosing, I, Spandine, am the undisputed king!
Who's-Who happened to walk out at that moment, dragging a high-ranking official he had knocked unconscious to be executed. Seeing Spandine's bizarre behavior, he asked, "Chief, what are you doing?"
"You wouldn't understand. These are my 'Promotion Techniques,'" Spandine brushed him off.
Back in the ruins, Diarmuid stood up and asked Gion, "What's the status?"
Sengoku and the others gathered around.
Gion immediately reported, "We've broken through the initial blockades and pushed the Mariejois defense forces back toward the Domain of the Gods. The exterior is basically secure. We can evacuate the royals at any time."
"Then what are we waiting for? Get moving!" Sengoku said without hesitation.
Soon, with the Marines pushing from the outside and Diarmuid's group clearing a path from the inside, the rubble was moved. Under the protection of several Vice Admirals and a large contingent of Marine soldiers, the kings were quickly escorted out. The severely injured were taken away by the medical units.
The strange thing was that even though their movements were no longer hidden, the Domain of the Gods remained eerily quiet. There was no follow-up attack. From a distance, they could see massive numbers of the Mariejois Guard forces forming a second defensive line behind the walls of the Domain of the Gods.
This oddity only confirmed Diarmuid's suspicion. Imu was definitely stalling for time!
Without the royals holding them back, the Marines were finally ready to unleash their full power.
Advancing with the front-line soldiers, Diarmuid and the high-ranking Marine officials soon reached the front of the Domain of the Gods. Just as Sengoku was about to give the command to attack, he saw that Diarmuid had already "seized" command!
"Doflamingo, release the Birdcage immediately! Lock down the entirety of Mariejois!" Diarmuid ordered.
"Yes!" Doflamingo was momentarily stunned by Diarmuid's commanding presence. Perhaps influenced by the overwhelming Marine atmosphere, he instinctively replied with a crisp "Yes!" as if he were a Marine himself. He blinked, realizing his gaffe, and whispered, "All for Justice? Is that the line?"
For some reason, he almost felt like joining the Marines...
Doflamingo retreated a certain distance and began releasing the Birdcage, sealing off Mariejois. Diarmuid ignored him and continued in a deep voice:
"All original tactical plans for the Domain of the Gods are canceled. Defensive positions on the spot. Doberman! Momonga! Cancer!"
Diarmuid called out three names in succession.
Vice Admirals Doberman, Momonga, and Cancer stepped forward. "Here!"
"The three of you will lead three divisions. Continue the previous mission: suppress all of Mariejois outside the Domain of the Gods. Ensure all resistance is neutralized..." Diarmuid paused, adding with a knowing look, "And coordinate with the CP agents' activities."
What CP activities? The purge, of course!
Doberman was a confidant from Diarmuid's own faction. Momonga was Sakazuki's right-hand man and a representative of the Hawk faction. Cancer was a pillar of the Neutral faction. By choosing them, Diarmuid ensured that all factions would work together to execute his order.
"Yes! For Justice!" the three replied in unison.
"Hina! Is Hina here?" Diarmuid called out.
Hina stepped out from the crowd. "Hina is here!"
"Rear Admiral Hina, I order you to take charge of the defensive operations for this front line. Cease all forward movement. Your objective is to blockade the Domain of the Gods. No one is to escape!" Diarmuid commanded.
He planned to lead Sakazuki, Sengoku, and the others in a direct assault on the Domain. He needed a commander on this line who could command the respect of the other Vice Admirals. Hina, as his long-time secretary and the representative of his authority, was the natural choice.
"Yes! All for Justice!" Hina saluted.
Having made the arrangements, Diarmuid turned to Sakazuki and Sengoku. "If my guess is right, something is changing inside the Domain of the Gods. Imu is likely stalling. There's no need to play at a siege. We, the spearhead unit, will strike directly!"
As he said this, Diarmuid seemed to realize something. He looked tentatively at Sengoku. "What do you think, Fleet Admiral?"
Sengoku rolled his eyes. "You've already arranged everything. Did you only just remember I'm the Fleet Admiral?"
Then, Sengoku smiled. "All for Justice!"
Diarmuid understood. He smiled, his hand resting on the hilt of his Meito, Kokorowatari. He stepped past the crowd to the very front of the line.
Gazing at the massive, heavy walls of the Domain of the Gods, a murderous intent flickered in Diarmuid's eyes.
A cold glint flashed as he unsheathed his blade. He let out a low growl:
"Ferocious Tiger!"