The Fairy Kingdom of Love and Passion / The Attack

King Riku snapped. He was very pleased with Kyros as his son-in-law and did not want him dwelling on something like this.

"You're the man who won four thousand consecutive matches in the arena! Don't talk like you've given up..."

"Yes, Your Majesty!"

Kyros answered loudly, the respect in his eyes for King Riku deepening.

"By the way, Left Minister, have we received any specific news from the Navy? Baron Tamago of the Big Mom Pirates sent word that one of their officers would arrive in a few days!"

King Riku gave Kyros a slight nod, then turned to question the Left Minister beside him.

"Vice Admiral Tsuru said over the Den Den Mushi that they departed several days ago. They should be arriving in Dressrosa any moment now, but she did not disclose their personnel. She only said a rear admiral and a commodore were leading the force."

"What? A rear admiral?! Are the Navy's forces stretched that thin?"

King Riku paled in alarm. How could a rear admiral stand up to an officer of the Big Mom Pirates? He dismissed the accompanying commodore outright. Even another rear admiral might not be enough.

"Your Majesty, I don't think you need to worry. Vice Admiral Tsuru is the chief strategist at Marine Headquarters. She must have her reasons," the Left Minister said, carefully weighing his words.

"That's true..."

King Riku wearily rubbed his furrowed brow. As an affiliated nation of the World Government, they surely would not be brushed off by the Navy.

But under the circumstances, could a rear admiral and a commodore really keep things under control...?

"Never mind. We'll place our hopes in the Navy for now. You may all leave. And Kyros, go home and spend more time with Scarlet. She's pregnant now, so make sure she's careful. She mustn't rush around recklessly like she used to..."

King Riku fussed over Kyros. At that moment, he seemed more like a father worried about his daughter than the king of Dressrosa.

"Yes!"

At the mention of the princess who had chosen to marry him, a tender smile crept onto Kyros's lips, and his voice rang with renewed strength.

"Rear Admiral Gion, how much longer until we reach Dressrosa?"

Fresh out of the training room, Atlas walked over to Gion, who was staring blankly out to sea, and asked with her muscular upper body bare.

"Hmm? At our current speed, we should arrive without trouble tomorrow morning."

Gion's eyes shifted toward her as she answered languidly.

"That's good. According to Vice Admiral Tsuru's intelligence, the Big Mom Pirates' officer shouldn't arrive that soon."

Fairyland of Love and Passion

The morning sea was always hazy and mysterious. Rays of sunlight filtered through the mist, like flecks of gold scattered through the air, dazzling to behold.

Dressrosa was a tropical island with a resort atmosphere, home to a kingdom in the New World known as the "Fairyland of Love and Passion."

The nearby coast was lined with mushroom-shaped rocks, making it difficult for ordinary ships to dock. Dedicated harbors had been built to accommodate vessels, with members of the Kingdom Guard stationed on patrol to prevent pirates from landing and report any threats as quickly as possible.

A standard Navy warship lay quietly in the harbor. After arranging for its supplies, Gion followed Atlas off the ship. Atlas herself was very interested in this so-called "Fairyland of Love and Passion."

"Hey, hey! Rear Admiral Gion, as the commanding officer of this operation, shouldn't you be discussing arrangements with the king?"

Seeing that Gion seemed intent on coming along, Atlas hurried to stop her.

Are you kidding? I finally get a chance to stroll around and relax. Why would I bring along a troublesome creature like a woman?

"You really don't know how to appreciate the mood, young Kanos!"

Gion rolled her eyes. She had wanted to enjoy the island's resort atmosphere first. Of course, she knew she needed to reassure King Riku before anything else, or there was no telling how anxious he might become. After all, a pirate crew that ruled over the New World had set its sights on Dressrosa.

"Then thanks for making the trip, Rear Admiral Gion! Hahaha!"

Atlas had no desire to exchange empty pleasantries with a king. Gion, on the other hand, excelled at dealing with people. Her shrewdness and finesse were far beyond anything Atlas could match.

Watching Gion head toward King's Plateau, Atlas happily began taking in this distinctive tourist destination. Dressrosa's clothing and culture reminded her somewhat of Spain in her previous life. Everywhere she looked, women in sultry dance costumes swayed gracefully.

Atlas admired the many beautiful women while sampling the distinctive local cuisine. Before she knew it, a building strongly reminiscent of an ancient Roman colosseum entered her field of view. Royal guards strictly monitored every entrance and exit, and signs reading "No children allowed" were posted on the walls. Even the thick walls could not contain the nearly sky-shattering cheers.

"An arena? Interesting!"

Atlas opened her mouth wide and quickly finished the roast meat in her hand. She tossed the remains into a roadside trash can, then strode toward the arena's entrance.

The guards at the entrance did not stop her. Although Atlas still wore a white suit and a justice coat, the Corrida Colosseum was not yet the cesspool of crime it would become under Doflamingo's rule. The guards had no reason to deny her entry.

Admission was inexpensive, but as one of Dressrosa's famous tourist attractions, it received an enormous number of visitors every day and was an important source of national revenue. Many swordsmen also came here to test their skills. Some criminals whose offenses did not warrant death were sent here as well, the most famous being Kyros, the husband of Dressrosa's princess.

The moment Atlas stepped through the arena's gates, a deafening roar of voices filled her ears. The arena's layout was spacious and simple, with crowded spectator stands surrounding a circular fighting platform. A pool encircled the platform, inhabited by schools of ferocious fighting fish. Any contestant who accidentally fell into the water during a match would not only be eliminated but also have to face the pursuing fish.

Atlas casually found a seat near the back. With her hearing and eyesight, she could follow the action on the platform perfectly well.

The current bout was between two swordsmen wielding greatswords. Neither was anything special. Their swordsmanship favored broad, sweeping attacks and overpowering their opponents with strength, something their muscular builds made readily apparent.

The crowd around her was thrilled. Although a duel between swordsmen lacked the visceral blows and brutal visual spectacle of hand-to-hand combat, it still added a little spice to their dull lives.

After watching for a while, Atlas grew bored. Naturally, she had no intention of entering the ring herself; the gap in ability was far too great. Though this was one of Dressrosa's landmarks, it did not offer tempting prizes to draw powerful fighters from across the seas as Doflamingo later would, so the standard was not particularly high.

Inside the throne room of Dressrosa's Royal Palace on King's Plateau.

King Riku sat majestically on his throne, with the newly arrived Rear Admiral Gion seated below him. The satisfied expressions that occasionally crossed his face made it clear that their conversation was proceeding amicably.

"Oh, right. Wasn't a commodore accompanying you? Why haven't I seen her?"

A trace of curiosity crossed King Riku's face as he asked the probing question.

"Commodore Atlas has gone to experience the Dressrosa Kingdom's 'love and passion.'" At the mention of Atlas, Gion looked a little helpless. That woman simply left everything to others and took responsibility for nothing.

"It is thanks to Your Majesty's capable rule that Dressrosa is so prosperous. Even as far away as Marineford, we have long heard of its fame."

"Hahahaha! You flatter me!"

King Riku laughed heartily, looking rather pleased. Everyone enjoyed a little flattery, after all. Even the wisest monarch was not immune to praise.

In truth, however, Dressrosa was not particularly well governed. Despite its apparent prosperity, its people were not especially well-off. Ironically, Dressrosa had been considerably wealthier under Doflamingo's rule.

"Then may I ask how you intend to respond to the Big Mom Pirates' incursion, Rear Admiral Gion?"

After some further conversation, King Riku finally could not resist voicing the question weighing on his mind.

"Please rest assured, Your Majesty. Our commodore is a monster of a Navy rookie. Even Crocodile of the Shichibukai was defeated by her."

Gion smiled softly and explained without any haste.

"Is she the one called the Navy Supernova?" King Riku searched his memory. He seemed to have a faint impression of Atlas, and only then did he relax a little.

She's just a little unreliable, Gion silently grumbled.

"Achoo!"

Atlas, who was walking along Lovers' Avenue and enduring the endless public displays of affection around her, suddenly felt her nose itch.

"Seriously, who's thinking about me this time...?"

The Attack

"Hey! Oven, don't act rashly! The Navy has been making frequent moves, and the situation in the New World is growing increasingly tense!"

A steady voice came from a Den Den Mushi whose lower face was wrapped in a huge scarf.

"Katakuri, there's no need to worry. It's only Dressrosa. Since they refuse to process sweets for Mama, I don't need to be polite."

Holding the Den Den Mushi, Oven remained unconcerned. With his strength, he had nothing to fear from Dressrosa. Against overwhelming power, an army was practically useless.

"Dressrosa is an affiliated nation of the World Government. They will certainly request assistance from the Navy!" Katakuri was worried. The New World was like a powder keg right now; a single spark could set it off. He did not want the Big Mom Pirates to become everyone's target.

Otherwise, heavy casualties among his younger brothers and sisters would be all but inevitable.

"All right, Katakuri, that's enough. I'll present Mama with a perfect gift!"

Click!

With that, Oven hung up without caring what Katakuri thought.

"Damn it! That idiot!"

Realizing the call had been cut off, Katakuri flared with anger. His expression gradually darkened as a bad feeling rose in his heart.

"Someone! Prepare a ship! Our destination is the Dressrosa Kingdom!"

Dressrosa, at a coastal harbor.

A medium-sized, three-masted sailing ship slowly docked along the coast. A pirate flag fluttered from its sturdy mast. Against a predominantly black background was a waving skull wearing a top hat and pink curls. Comically, bright lipstick had been painted around the skull's teeth.

Of course, any pirate from the New World who saw it would be unable to laugh, because that flag represented one of the New World's dominant powers: the Big Mom Pirates!

"Quick! Go to King's Plateau and ask His Majesty King Riku to send troops at once!"

The guards stationed at the harbor spotted the approaching pirate ship immediately and hurried to request aid from the Royal Palace.

"Dressrosa actually dared to notify the Navy. Looks like we need to teach them a lesson! Open fire!"

Charlotte Oven glowered at the standard Navy warship also moored in the harbor.

"Hahahaha... yes, Lord Oven!"

"They actually dared to defy us, the Big Mom Pirates!"

The pirates aboard the ship clamored one after another.

Boom! Boom! Boom!

Huge cannonballs hurtled from the pirate ship toward the warship. But the Marines left aboard were no pushovers. They hurriedly trained their cannons on the pirate vessel.

In an instant, cannon fire filled the air. The pirates aboard Oven's ship charged ashore and clashed with the guards and Marines. Shouts mingled with the thunder of artillery, and the smell of gunpowder spread everywhere.

Oven stood coldly at the bow without joining the fight. Although he wanted to teach Dressrosa a lesson, he could not allow Mama's gift to suffer too much damage.

"Hmm?"

Atlas, who was busy stuffing herself on the streets of Dressrosa, suddenly paused. Ever since she had landed, her Observation Haki had covered the entire Dressrosa Kingdom. Naturally, Charlotte Oven's arrival had not escaped her notice.

"Interesting. So they sent this guy."

Atlas swallowed the food in her mouth in one gulp and immediately used Shave to rush toward the warship's berth. Her tremendous speed whipped up a gale, drawing startled cries from several women in short skirts.

"Terrible news, Your Majesty! The Big Mom Pirates are here!"

Inside the palace on King's Plateau, a panicked guard ran in shouting, panting heavily between words.

"What?!" King Riku was both shocked and furious. He had not expected the Big Mom Pirates to move so quickly. He immediately turned his gaze to Gion.

"Hehe, don't worry, Your Majesty. The Navy will handle them for you."

Gion understood what King Riku wanted. She reassured him at once, then took her leave, cutting a dashing figure as she strode away...

"Well, what a mess. Let me clean this up!"

When Atlas reached the harbor, devastation greeted her everywhere. The Marines and Kingdom Guard were fighting in separate groups to hold off the pirates, while Charlotte Oven, clad in orange and yellow, stood motionless at the bow.

Conqueror's Haki! Activate!

In an instant, the entire space seemed to become a black-and-white painting. The pirates' expressions froze, as though time had stopped around them. The Marines and Kingdom Guard stood dumbfounded, watching the pirates who had been snarling so fiercely a moment earlier collapse one after another.

Several months had passed since Atlas awakened her Conqueror's Haki. With her talent, she could naturally control it precisely and target her enemies. There was no chance of her accidentally catching her own people in it.

"It's Commodore Atlas!"

"Commodore Atlas's Conqueror's Haki..."

"That's terrifying! No wonder they say only one in a million has Conqueror's Haki!"

While the royal guards were still stunned, the Marines had already recognized the effects of Atlas's Conqueror's Haki. Their spirits soared, and they excitedly swung their weapons, cutting down the unconscious pirates sprawled on the ground.

"Conqueror's Haki?!"

Oven, standing at the bow, had naturally felt that formidable Conqueror's Haki too. Though he had not collapsed unconscious like the other pirates, the overwhelming will struck his mind like a heavy blow, leaving him momentarily dazed.

"Charlotte Oven?"