The Pluton Battleship changed course, heading toward the fiery, passionate nation of Dressrosa. According to the intelligence obtained on Punk Hazard, Doflamingo, the Underworld king known as "Joker," was not only secretly trading Artificial Devil Fruits here, but also secretly researching a String-String Fruit ability that could influence emotions.
"Doflamingo..." Sabo's expression was grave. "A former Celestial Dragon, a Shichibukai, and an Underworld broker. According to Revolutionary Army intelligence, his methods of controlling Dressrosa are extremely cruel."
Flames ignited around Ace's fist. "I heard he turned everyone who resisted him into toys?"
Luffy stretched his rubber arms in boredom. "Doesn't sound fun..."
Allen extended his Time Perception. Dressrosa's flow of time took on a peculiar "woven" pattern. "Some power is manipulating the entire country's flow of time... like a string puppet."
As they approached Dressrosa, cheerful music and the cheers of crowds reached them, but Allen's Time Perception could "hear" the fear and despair beneath the laughter.
"Prosperous on the surface, rotten within." Sabo analyzed the intelligence. "Doflamingo uses his ability to turn those who resist into toys, erase ordinary people's memories of them, and force them into slavery."
Pluton docked at the harbor, and the four stepped into this nation full of contradictions. Enthusiastic dancing girls offered them garlands, and cheerful music rang through the streets, but Allen could "feel" the invisible threads filling the air-Doflamingo's String-String Fruit ability had already permeated every corner of the country.
"Split up and investigate," Allen said quietly. "Be careful around those toys. They might be people who were turned into toys."
Drawn by the food, Luffy ran toward the snack street; Ace investigated the underground trading market; Sabo contacted the Revolutionary Army's underground intelligence network; Allen headed straight toward the palace.
In the palace square, Allen witnessed a heartbreaking scene-a Toy Soldier was desperately trying to tell the passersby something, but no one could see or hear him. Through Time Perception, Allen saw his past: a warrior who had resisted Doflamingo, been turned into a toy, and had even his family forget his existence.
"The String-String Fruit can alter memories too?" Allen was shocked. He stirred his Power of Time slightly, attempting to reverse the flow of time on the toy, but a stronger force blocked him.
"It's no use~" A flippant voice came from behind him. Doflamingo sat on threads high in the air, his trademark wicked grin on his face. "Being turned into a toy by the String-String Fruit's ability isn't so easy to reverse~"
Allen's gaze sharpened. "Doflamingo."
"Fufufu~ The Master of Time honors us with his presence. What a privilege~" Doflamingo descended to the ground. "Well? My kingdom is wonderful, isn't it? Everyone is happy and joyful~"
Allen's Time Perception saw through the lie. "False happiness manufactured through fear and manipulation."
Doflamingo's smile remained unchanged, but his eyes grew cold. "Looks like you came looking for trouble. Perfect. I'm very interested in the Time-Time Fruit~"
The threads suddenly struck! Countless nearly invisible threads wound toward Allen at unimaginable speed!
"Time Slowdown!" Allen expanded his domain. The threads slowed slightly, but continued closing in!
"Fufufu~ It's useless!" Doflamingo laughed. "My threads can cut through even time!"
The threads broke through the time domain, heading straight for Allen's vitals! Allen unleashed the Power of Zhulong. Dragon scales emerged as he took the cutting threads head-on!
Riiip! The dragon scales split, and blood seeped out!
"Such sharp threads!" Allen was shocked. This was the first time his Torch Dragon Model's defenses had been broken!
Doflamingo intensified his assault. "Birdcage!"
Countless threads descended from the sky, forming an enormous cage that trapped Allen! The threads kept contracting, leaving less and less space!
"Time Acceleration: Corrosion!" Allen tried accelerating the threads' flow of time to age them, but the String-String Fruit's ability resisted the effects of time!
"Useless, useless!" Doflamingo laughed wildly. "My threads are awakened! They can cut through even concepts!"
At this critical moment, inspiration struck Allen, and he combined the power of emotion with the Power of Time. "Emotion-Time Weaving: Despair Rewind!"
He stopped trying to destroy the threads. Instead, he sent emotional energy back along them, making Doflamingo feel the despair of those who had been turned into toys!
Doflamingo suddenly froze, a moment of uncertainty flashing in his eyes. "What... is this..."
In that instant, a gap appeared in the Birdcage! Allen accelerated time and broke through, his dragon claws heading straight for Doflamingo!
But Doflamingo quickly recovered and defended with his threads. "Fufufu~ An interesting ability! But it's still not enough!"
More threads wound toward him, this time carrying powerful emotional interference. "Heartstring: Manipulation!"
Allen felt his emotions being forcibly influenced. Negative emotions such as anger, fear, and despair were amplified!
"Emotion Absorption!" Allen activated Lilith's core, absorbing those negative emotions instead and converting them into power!
Doflamingo was shocked. "You can absorb emotions?!"
Seizing the opportunity, Allen used Time Perception to lock onto the core of Doflamingo's ability-the "main thread" connecting all the toys!
"Time Severance: Cause and Effect Separation!" His Power of Time became an invisible blade that slashed toward the main thread!
"No!" Doflamingo tried to stop him in terror, but it was too late!
The instant the main thread was severed, a tremendous change swept across Dressrosa! All the toys began glowing, gradually turning back into humans! Their altered memories returned, and people finally remembered their loved ones who had been turned into toys!
"What happened?!" "Dad! I remember you!" "That toy was... my wife?!"
The entire country plunged into chaos, but it was the chaos of liberation!
Doflamingo flew into a rage. "You destroyed my life's work! String-String Fruit Awakening: El Thor!"
He transformed into an enormous thread giant, his terrifying presence crushing the surrounding buildings! Countless threads shot toward Allen like a torrential downpour!
Allen drove his Power of Time to its limit, but the awakened threads' ability was terrifying enough to cut through even time!
At that moment of crisis, the other three arrived!
"Fire Fist!" Ace's enormous flaming fist slammed toward the thread giant! "Gum-Gum Giant Elephant Gun!" Luffy attacked in Gear Fourth! "Dragon Claw!" Sabo went straight for Doflamingo's true body!
With their combined strength, the brothers finally managed to suppress Doflamingo temporarily!
"You insects!" Doflamingo went completely mad. "I'll turn every last one of you into toys!"
But just then, the newly restored humans began to fight back! They took up weapons and charged toward the palace! Years of oppression became a raging torrent of anger!
"Protect the king!" Doflamingo's subordinates tried to suppress them, but the disparity in numbers was overwhelming!
Seeing that all was lost, Doflamingo tried to escape, but the four surrounded him.
"It's over, Doflamingo." Allen sealed off the surroundings with his Power of Time. "Pay for your crimes."
The final battle erupted! The four joined forces against Doflamingo and his awakened String-String Fruit! Flames, rubber, a steel pipe, and the powers of time and emotion intertwined!
Though Doflamingo was strong, faced with the four's seamless teamwork and Allen's strange time-and-emotion abilities, he gradually fell behind.
"Time Loop: Localized!" Allen trapped Doflamingo in a time loop, making the same second repeat endlessly! "Emotion Impact: Guilt!" He fed the suffering Doflamingo had caused back into him! "Wrath of the Torch Dragon!" Dragon claws tore through the thread defenses! "Fire Fist Final Form!" Ace delivered the final blow!
Doflamingo collapsed to the ground, gravely wounded, and was restrained with Seastone Handcuffs.
Dressrosa was liberated! People cheered, wept, and celebrated their regained freedom.
While clearing out the palace, they discovered Doflamingo's secret laboratory. Inside were not only extensive materials on Artificial Devil Fruits, but also research records on "emotional thread control."
Most shocking of all was an encrypted file: communication records between "Joker" and "Imu." They showed that Doflamingo had been collecting "pure emotion samples" for Imu all along, and that Dressrosa's toy experiment was only part of a larger plan.
"Imu is attempting emotional manipulation..." Sabo's expression was grave. "If he succeeds..."
Suddenly, the entire island shook! The sky split open once more! Imu's mechanical eye appeared!
"Doflamingo... has failed." The mechanical eye spoke coldly. "Then, retrieve the experimental data."
A beam shot toward the laboratory, attempting to destroy all the materials!
"Time Barrier!" Allen blocked it with all his strength, but the beam carried a strange power, and the Time Barrier rapidly disintegrated!
"This is... anti-time energy!" Allen was shocked. "Imu has already developed a weapon to counter the Power of Time!"
At the last possible moment, the newly rescued people of Dressrosa suddenly joined hands. Their emotional energy spontaneously gathered, forming an enormous emotional barrier that blocked Imu's beam!
"Don't... hurt our country again!" the people shouted in unison. Their pure emotional energy made even the mechanical eye stall for an instant.
"Emotion... another anomalous variable..." The mechanical eye seemed to be calculating. "Reassessing threat level..."
Then it vanished.
With the crisis over, everyone collapsed in exhaustion. The one who had initiated the emotional barrier-a little girl who had just been restored-shyly ran up to Allen and offered him a flower. "Thank you, big brother."
Allen accepted the flower, feeling the pure emotional energy within it as warmth welled up in his heart.
Perhaps this was the power of "love" Lilith had spoken of.
Amid the gratitude of Dressrosa's people, the four became national heroes. The newly appointed King Riku declared that he would fully support their struggle against the World Government.
When they left, all the people of Dressrosa saw them off. Their emotional energy was so strong that it even strengthened Allen's emotional core.
Standing at Pluton's bow, Allen looked back at Dressrosa as it gradually receded into the distance and tightened his grip on the little flower.
Emotion truly was one of the greatest powers.
And this power would be the key to fighting Imu.
Pluton sailed toward the next destination, carrying new allies and strength.
And the path of the Master of Emotion grew ever clearer.