"I understand!" Violet took a deep breath. "You asked from the very beginning whether I was the Glance-Glance Fruit user. The Charlotte Pirates came for this Devil Fruit, didn't they?"
"That's right. The Glance-Glance Fruit is indeed our primary target."
"Then what if I'm willing to join the Charlotte Pirates? Surely you wouldn't refuse a Devil Fruit user like me!"
"I believe my service should be enough to earn the Charlotte Pirates' protection for my family!"
"Of course, Miss Violet!" Minos nodded. Though he did not care much about the Charlotte Pirates, he would not stand by and ignore a chance to lend King Riku's family a hand.
More importantly, the Glance-Glance Fruit had many abilities similar to the Evil Eye on his forehead. He also wanted to exchange knowledge with Violet and learn from her.
Just as a Devil Fruit's abilities depended entirely on how its user developed them, the Evil Eye's uses could not possibly be limited to Thousand Mile Eye and the Hypnotic Eye.
By using the Evil Eye's summoning ability and his own fire-type Demonic Power, Hiei had developed a series of powerful moves such as the Black Dragon Wave. Minos had no fire-type Demonic Power—he did not even possess Demonic Power at all—nor could he summon the terrifying flames of the Demon Realm. He could only seek another path and work hard to develop the Evil Eye's other abilities.
Abilities such as Illusion Techniques and mind-reading were possible directions for development. After all, the Evil Eye itself possessed hypnotic abilities, while the Glance-Glance Fruit happened to grant mind-reading powers. It was not impossible for it to develop Illusion Techniques as well.
The rest was easy. They only needed to bring King Riku and the others over.
Others did not know where King Riku was hiding, but Minos and Violet, who possessed Thousand Mile Eye, could easily find them.
As for these Dressrosa guards, they ultimately decided to join the Charlotte Pirates alongside Violet—they did not have many choices left now.
After all, unless they surrendered to Doflamingo's Pirate Crew, they were certainly doomed. It was impossible for them to remain here, so they could only continue following King Riku.
Fortunately, there were not many of them—only twenty or thirty of the most elite guards. Even with the powers of the String-String Fruit, Doflamingo had not been able to control too many people back then.
Outside Dressrosa, in a field of sunflowers, Minos and his group soon arrived at their destination.
"So that was what happened?"
King Riku, muscular but still looking utterly dispirited, let out a sigh. "Violet, thank you for your hard work."
This had once been the place where King Riku's eldest daughter and Kyros had lived in seclusion. After toy Kyros rescued toy King Riku, they had been hiding from place to place. But once Sugar fell unconscious, the two returned to normal. Kyros then brought them here.
At that moment, King Riku's eldest daughter, Scarlet, had fully recovered her memories. While they were discussing what had happened to the Donquixote Family, Violet arrived with the guards.
The father, daughters, and sisters were naturally overjoyed to reunite, followed by a tearful embrace. However, once they learned that Doflamingo would not suffer any truly major losses and would still remain entrenched in this country, everyone's expressions turned ugly again.
King Riku now looked utterly despondent, without even the slightest will to resist.
"Your Majesty! Don't lose hope!"
"As long as we report Doflamingo's brutal acts to the World Government and the Marines, I believe the World Government will certainly revoke his title as a Shichibukai and dispatch a Marine Admiral to punish him!"
At that moment, one of the palace guards finally could not hold back any longer and shouted loudly.
Upon hearing that, the bitter smile on King Riku's face deepened. Even his two daughters said nothing.
"What is it? Did I say something wrong?"
Kyros sighed. Having become King Riku's son-in-law, he naturally knew quite a few secrets. "The Donquixote Family... used to be the rulers of Dressrosa."
"Later... when the World Government was established, the Donquixote Family, as one of the original Twenty Kings of the World Government, went to Marie Geoise on the Red Line... and became Celestial Dragons!"
"What?" The palace guards were all dumbfounded. "Captain, are you saying Doflamingo is actually a Celestial Dragon?"
"More accurately, he is a former Celestial Dragon who was driven out of Marie Geoise. But even so, he still possesses the legal right to inherit Dressrosa, and his status stands above our Riku Royal Family." King Riku spoke with a bitter smile.
That was no lie. If the Celestial Dragons learned of Dressrosa's current situation, they would absolutely support Doflamingo rather than King Riku. In the eyes of the Celestial Dragons, King Riku was merely a servant of the Donquixote Family. Even an abandoned Celestial Dragon expelled from the family was far nobler than a servant.
Hearing this, the palace guards looked at one another and finally fell completely silent.
What else could they do? Ask the Charlotte Pirates for help? Leaving aside the price they would have to pay, even if the Charlotte Pirates truly helped them reclaim their country, Dressrosa's situation would probably become even worse in the end.
King Riku did not particularly want to leave. The old king held something of the belief that a ruler should guard the gates of his nation and die for it. But after looking at his two daughters and granddaughter, he finally let out a sigh.
If he did not leave, his two daughters would certainly stay as well. But what could they possibly do against Doflamingo's Pirate Crew?
"Urgh!"
After nearly twelve hours of bitter fighting, Doflamingo finally collapsed completely after vomiting more than a dozen mouthfuls of blood and breaking seven or eight bones. Katakuri had thoroughly defeated him.
"Heavenly Yaksha, you've done your best!"
Though a hint of exhaustion showed on Katakuri's face, his body bore no injuries whatsoever. His Observation Haki, which could foresee the future, had prevented Doflamingo from truly injuring him from beginning to end. It had been a complete and utter one-sided crushing.
"Damn it..." Doflamingo groaned. Looking coldly at his captured subordinates, he gritted his teeth. "Katakuri? You win!"
"I'll prepare the Berries! But I truly don't have the Glance-Glance Fruit here! It has already been eaten."
Katakuri frowned slightly. Suddenly, a pirate subordinate behind him walked over and whispered several words into his ear.
Katakuri's expression changed. He turned to Doflamingo. "You're lucky! Whole Cake Island happens to have matters that need handling. As long as you prepare ten billion Berries, that will be enough. Send them to Whole Cake Island when the time comes, and someone will receive them."
"Release the Donquixote Family members. We're leaving!"
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