Chapter 259: New News
"I'll release him without you having to say it."
Doflamingo clapped his hands.
Trebol soon stepped out from behind him, bringing along a listless Sugar.
This proved that they had never truly left. Doflamingo's earlier words had only been a cover.
"Pirates, especially you, really can't be trusted," Axel remarked.
"On that point, whether it's pirates or even the Marines, isn't it the same?"
Doflamingo smiled.
"Never easily believe what others say."
Then he added, "However, what I said just now was not a lie. Since a Marine Admiral has intervened, I have no intention of provoking someone like Whitebeard."
Doflamingo was not lying about that.
If not for Axel's involvement, he would not have provoked Whitebeard so soon.
There were only disadvantages and no benefits to doing so.
Perhaps they would face each other in the future.
But at least not now.
Under Doflamingo's command, Sugar released Jozu from his toy state.
After returning to his original form, Jozu patted his body and stretched slightly.
Regaining the sensation of his own body made him want to move around for a moment.
Only after that did he stop and say to Marco, "Sorry. I was careless."
Marco accepted Jozu's apology and replied, "It's fine as long as you're okay."
After saying that, he turned his gaze toward Doflamingo.
He did not make any grand declarations.
Nor did he prepare to continue fighting.
He simply stared at him in silence.
Although he was extremely unwilling to accept it, there was no doubt that this operation had failed.
Failure itself was not frightening.
What was frightening was refusing to admit failure.
A large part of the responsibility for this operation's failure lay with him.
If Marco had focused on Doflamingo from the start instead of getting that child involved, the outcome might have been different.
If he had investigated the Donquixote Family's information more carefully from the beginning, Jozu would not have been successfully ambushed.
Therefore, Marco believed that the main reason for this failure was his own arrogance.
He admitted that mistake.
He accepted it.
But he would not make the same mistake next time.
Doflamingo ignored Marco's gaze.
If looks could kill, he would have died long ago.
Since a glare could do nothing, why care about it?
Right now, what concerned him more was the news from Trebol.
Following that brat Axel, Tesoro had also taken action, aiming to sabotage his underground trade.
This move was clearly kicking him while he was down.
It also proved that Tesoro had planted moles inside his organization.
After this incident, Doflamingo was in no mood to stay here any longer.
Rather than mourning what had already been destroyed, it was better to protect what had not yet been lost.
"Then, may I ask you all to leave my Dressrosa?"
Doflamingo deliberately emphasized the word my.
It was a reminder to everyone that he was the king here.
A king of a nation recognized by the World Government.
He had the right to control everything here, including expelling unwanted guests.
In other words, from a certain perspective, the Marines were obligated to help him expel those he wanted gone.
No one refuted Doflamingo.
Or rather, it would be more accurate to say that no one paid him any mind.
Aokiji directly left with Axel.
Marco and Jozu also departed with their subordinates.
The battle dispersed like a farce.
Aokiji did not stop the Whitebeard Pirates from leaving.
On the surface, it seemed he had chosen not to stop them to avoid trouble.
But in truth, it was for the peace of this nation.
Knowing Whitebeard's temperament, Aokiji understood that if members of the Whitebeard Pirates were lost here, or if the Marines arrested them, that old man who had already coiled his body would surely bare his fangs at the Marines again.
And the seas would be thrown into turmoil once more.
Out of consideration for that, Aokiji only stopped the battle and took Axel away.
Although everyone had left, Dressrosa did not return to its former peace of love and passion.
Instead, it sank into unknown fear.
According to those who had gone out to gather information, the Whitebeard Pirates had attacked.
The residents fell into hesitation and unease.
The pirates who symbolized the strongest force of this era had actually come to cause trouble for their country.
Although the Whitebeard Pirates were not known for bloodthirstiness, pirates were still pirates.
And the unknown was terrifying.
Aboard the Marine warship.
The sky was azure.
The sunlight was gentle.
Aokiji lay leisurely on a sun lounger, a dark sleep mask covering his eyes as he enjoyed the warmth of the sun.
Axel stood beside him and asked, "Why did you come here?"
Aokiji slowly removed his sleep mask, glanced up at Axel, then scratched his head as though even answering was a hassle.
He put the mask back on, seemingly unwilling to reply.
But after a moment, he moved it aside again and said lazily, "Passing through..."
Axel's cheek twitched slightly.
"You don't seem like the type of person who goes out of his way to find work when he's free."
He looked around at the warship.
"And with your style, would you really set out on a warship?"
Aokiji yawned.
The gentle sunlight made him a little drowsy.
In a sleepy tone, he said, "You seem to know me very well."
Axel stiffened slightly.
"Uh... I just heard things."
Aokiji scratched his messy hair.
"Ah... forget it."
He shifted lazily on the chair.
"Vice Admiral Doberman asked me to come by."
Then, as if he had almost forgotten, he added, "Oh, and Teacher Zephyr also seems to have something to discuss with you."
"So I came by while I was on a mission."
"You really were just passing through."
Axel looked at him speechlessly.
"But couldn't you have said all that at once just now?"
"Explaining... is a hassle."
Axel was speechless.
This level of laziness was quite impressive.
He was not surprised that Doberman had made the request.
The arrival of the Whitebeard Pirates in this sea area would definitely have been reported to Doberman.
That decision was not unexpected.
What surprised Axel was that even Zephyr had reached out to Aokiji.
Although Zephyr was Aokiji's teacher and their relationship was good, Zephyr was the kind of stubborn old man who acted a little awkward in front of his students and always liked to tough things out.
If it were a small matter, he would not have contacted Aokiji.
Could it be...
"What does Teacher Zephyr want with me?"
"..."
Aokiji was silent for a moment before saying, "That... Teacher Zephyr didn't specify."
Axel did not know whether Aokiji was telling the truth.
But he did not press further.
He could see that Aokiji had already decided not to talk about it.
Things were truly heading in a worse and worse direction.
This sense of curiosity made him uncomfortable.
So Axel decided to ask indirectly.
"Um... what mission are you here to carry out?"
"Hunting someone down."
Aokiji's answer was simple.
He put his sleep mask back on.
Someone who could make the Marines deploy an Admiral and make Aokiji board a warship was definitely not simple.
Axel asked curiously, "Who?"
Aokiji glanced at him.
"The criminal who attacked the Celestial Dragons."
"Issho."
.....
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