Within ten minutes, Vergo, who had been lying low in Dressrosa, didn't dare to delay and rushed to Akainu's position.
When Akainu saw him, a flicker of satisfaction crossed his stern face.
Akainu wasn't one for pleasantries, and Vergo wasn't clueless enough to expect them. He steeled himself and initiated the greeting.
"Admiral Akainu, Commodore Vergo of the G-5 Marine Base, reporting for duty," Vergo said respectfully, holding a military salute.
"Very good," Akainu stated calmly. "Now, you will assist me in completing the mission."
"Sir!"
And so, the time for Dressrosa's annihilation had come.
Brilliant fireworks erupted in the sky, exploding over the small island.
It was the signal of destruction. Everyone's attention was drawn to the meteors of magma falling from the heavens.
BOOM!
The meteors crashed to the earth, exploding on impact. The standing houses were inevitably engulfed in a coat of fire, and any person unfortunate enough to be caught in the display was instantly turned to ash.
CLANG!
Kyros drew his sword and slashed a falling meteor out of the air, shielding his sister-in-law.
A scene straight out of the apocalypse was unfolding. Viola was frozen, able to do nothing but watch as her people were slaughtered by the Marines.
"Your Highness, we have to get out of here! The Marines' attack has begun! It seems those pirates were right; the Marines are launching a Buster Call on us!" Kyros yelled, positioning himself in front of Viola.
"It's no use, brother-in-law. We can't stop them," Viola said, her voice filled with despair.
"Viola, don't worry. I will stand in front of you," Kyros said, dropping the formal titles and speaking to her like family. "Go back now. Take Scarlett and Rebecca and leave. His Majesty King Riku has already made the arrangements."
"I won't go! I am a princess of Dressrosa! I will live or die with my kingdom!" Viola declared. "Brother-in-law, you should be the one to leave with my sister and Rebecca. This is not your duty. It has nothing to do with you."
"How could it have nothing to do with me? I was born and raised in Dressrosa. How could I possibly leave now?" Kyros retorted. "Viola, you are the heir to Dressrosa. As long as you live, Dressrosa lives."
Kyros's words made sense, but they weren't enough to sway Viola.
"Stop arguing! The Marines are already here!" Kabu buzzed by Viola's ear, his voice urgent.
The color drained from both Kyros's and Viola's faces. If the Marines hadn't arrived, they might have been able to escape. Now, it was likely too late.
Viola and Kyros stood their ground, waiting grimly as Akainu led his forces toward them.
"Admiral Akainu!" Viola mustered all her courage and directed her question at the Marines' strongest warrior. "What crime has Dressrosa committed to warrant a Buster Call from the World Government?"
The rifle-wielding Marines looked at Viola with a hint of admiration. It took guts for a young woman to stand up to an Admiral like that.
"You know your own crimes. The World Government does not make false accusations. Today, in the name of justice, I am here to punish your evil," Akainu replied, his face an emotionless, icy mask.
"Justice? That's laughable," Viola shot back. "Aren't the Marines supposed to protect us? Why are you slaughtering us?"
"What right do you sinners have to our protection?" Akainu sneered mercilessly. "Colluding with pirates, murdering our Marines, rebelling against the World Government's rule to establish your own independence—these are your crimes. Only now that disaster has struck do you realize how powerless you are?"
If Dressrosa had truly committed those acts, Viola would never have spoken as she had. But the Marines and the World Government had condemned them without any regard for the truth, and the injustice of it all made her feel utterly helpless. In the end, her voice held no power here.
"Kill them," Akainu ordered, his voice devoid of all emotion.
The Marines didn't hesitate. In their eyes, Dressrosa was just as despicable as any pirate crew.
BANG! BANG! BANG!
A hail of bullets flew toward Viola. A single hit would be enough to end the life of this delicate flower.
"Damn you, Marines!"
Kyros stood like a mountain in front of Viola, his sword a blur as he deflected every bullet, ensuring not a single one touched her.
"Brother-in-law…"
Viola stared at the back of the man protecting her, a rare sense of security washing over her.
"Get the Princess out of here, now!" Kyros roared.
Before Viola could react, several soldiers grabbed her and began dragging her toward the palace.
"No!" Viola reached out, trying to grasp something, anything, but she was powerless.
"Simmons, it looks like this is it for us," Walker said, relieved to see Viola being taken to safety.
"Haha, then let me take a few more Marines with me before I die," Simmons laughed, a mixture of release and resignation in his voice.
"Marines, die!"
With that, the two men led the charge, rushing headlong into the Marine forces.
Akainu watched with cold indifference. If his men couldn't even handle a few small-fry, then they had no business serving under him. He wouldn't suffer such humiliation.
"Kill them!"
The two sides clashed, becoming a chaotic, violent melee.
The once-lively streets of Dressrosa were now littered with rubble and filled with the fire of battle. Citizens fled in terror, desperate to escape the hell on earth that their home had become.
Not far from the heart of the battle, Monroe and his men watched the panicked citizens flee. "The weak are truly pathetic," Monroe remarked. "How could a soft man like King Riku ever hope to protect Dressrosa? In the end, this land was always destined to belong to someone else."
"Indeed," Barossa agreed. "But it has nothing to do with us anymore. We've done our part."
"We should get out of here," Rib urged. "Who knows what that mad dog Akainu will do next. We're only safe because they haven't spotted us. If they do, we won't get away so easily."
"Rib's right. Let's not press our luck. We need to leave this place now," the other pirate captains agreed.
Just then, a sharp-eyed Marine spotted them. "Damn pirates! Where do you think you're going?!" he yelled.
"Damn it!"
Monroe and the others' faces turned green. The shout had drawn the attention of more Marines.
Akainu and Vergo naturally noticed as well. Without a word, Vergo immediately moved to block their escape route. Doflamingo wanted to eliminate all loose ends, and this was the perfect opportunity for him to clean up on his behalf.
"Split up! We'll meet on the open sea!" Monroe yelled at the top of his lungs.
"Meet up? You won't live that long. Super String Whip!" Vergo's attack was swift and merciless, a fatal blow aimed directly at the pirates.
"Damn you!" Monroe dodged the attack, but his men weren't so lucky. They were sent flying by the vicious whip.
"Aaargh!"
Their screams only served to bolster the Marines' morale, and they fought with even greater ferocity.
"What rotten luck! Why did we have to stick around to watch?" Barossa complained to Monroe.
"Shut up and run!" Monroe snapped, his anger flaring.
"Unruly Thread!"
Strings appeared out of thin air, pinning Monroe and Barossa to the spot. Caught off guard, they were gravely wounded.
"It hurts! Damn Marines!"
Though the attack was sudden, Monroe and Barossa were not weaklings. They managed to avoid a fatal blow. With no desire to get caught up in the chaos, they turned to flee without a second thought.
Vergo immediately gave chase.
Akainu watched Vergo's performance with satisfaction. What he demanded was absolute justice, and this Vergo was clearly a promising candidate.
The sounds of battle in Dressrosa were so intense that they could be heard all the way on Green Bit.
Carrying the hopes of his people, Leo led a team of Tontatta warriors toward Dressrosa. They only dared to venture into such danger because they had received Doflamingo's guarantee.
Meanwhile, aboard the Ark Maxim, the Donquixote Pirates were perfectly aware of the war raging below. However, Doflamingo had no intention of descending to the rescue just yet.
Their gratitude would be so much deeper if he waited until the moment of their deepest despair, wouldn't it?
"Law, it's time," Doflamingo, surrounded by his ready-to-deploy crew, opened his eyes and commanded the young man beside him.
"Right," Law nodded, immediately understanding his orders.
It was time for the final reckoning. The useless pieces had to be removed from the board.
As the crew watched, Law quietly uttered, "Room." Within the space he created, the pirates' hearts appeared, hovering in the air.
"Slaughterhouse: Pierce."
An invisible blade plunged into each heart. Miles away, their owners felt a sudden, excruciating pain. Their faces twisted in agony, and they collapsed, lifeless.
"I hate… Damn Don…"
Vergo, who had been chasing Monroe and Barossa, witnessed this and understood. Still, he had a role to play.
"Five-Color Strings!"
Sharp, vibrant threads sliced through the two pirates, dismembering them in an instant. They were beyond dead. And with their deaths, the blame placed on King Riku was now impossible to refute.
The sharp crack of gunfire, the clang of swords, the helpless cries of the innocent—all of it filled the air of Dressrosa, creating a true hell on earth.
The people, their hearts filled with despair, cried out for a hero, their screams tearing through the chaos. "Someone, please, save us!"
Their voices pierced the heavens, reaching the ears of the Donquixote Pirates, who listened from above.