Dressrosa.
The highlands.
King Riku had already passed the throne to the princess.
He sat in the Sunflower Field, grieving deeply for those frightened subjects.
But what good did that do? He had tried as well, but with limited resources, he had ultimately failed to achieve a technological breakthrough.
From the old kings at the Reverie harboring ulterior motives, their hearts no longer honest, to the new kings each claiming supremacy in their arrogance.
The countdown to the destruction of civilization on the Blue Planet had begun.
"Child, don't worry that you haven't done enough. Kings and nobles don't have much time left. If humanity misses this opportunity, it will be the end forever."
King Riku looked out over Dressrosa. People's weapons were more advanced, and navigation and flight technology had progressed by leaps and bounds.
But beyond that?
The technological products Vegapunk had once created could have transformed people's lives enormously. Food alone could have been available in unlimited quantities decades ago.
Yet they had cast all of it aside out of selfishness.
With the Mother Flame available back then, along with the use of Mechanical Cyborgs, they could have replaced the vast majority of human labor. The remaining humans could have either enjoyed life or unleashed their creativity.
Once their worries-the so-called necessities of food, clothing, housing, and transportation-were resolved, humanity's mission should have been to break free of the Blue Planet. That had also been Shane's instruction.
But after Shane left.
King Riku had never forgotten the kings' worries and fears.
"If our subjects no longer go hungry, and everyone has food and clothing without worry, who do you think will still obey our royal families' commands?"
"Wait a little longer. Perhaps Vegapunk can solve every problem directly. He's already developed flying ships. Could a spaceship really