Crow leaned back in his chair, his hoarse voice sounding, "The Marine is in a difficult position now. If they shield the Shichibukai, they will lose public support; if they abolish the system, it will be like slapping themselves in the face." A hint of worry flickered in his eyes as he weighed the consequences of each choice.
Belo Betty slammed her hand on the table, her eyes burning with anger under the red hat brim: "So we should just wait? Watch those common people suffer?"
Her voice echoed in the conference room, tinged with a hint of accusation.
Dragon raised a hand to signal for silence, speaking calmly: "We need a perfect timing."
He brought up the Marine fleet's deployment map, his finger gently sliding across the screen, "The Marine will definitely make a move regarding this Shichibukai incident. When that happens, we'll act according to the situation..."
Lindeberg pushed up his goggles, a hint of confusion in his eyes: "You mean... act when the Marine's attention is diverted?"
"Exactly." Sabo's lips curved into a confident smile, "If the Marine chooses to abolish the Shichibukai system, we will assist them in cleaning up the remnants."
"If they insist on shielding..." His gaze suddenly turned sharp, "Then let the whole world see what the Revolutionary Army fights for!"
A silence fell over the conference room. The cadres exchanged glances, a flicker of agreement in their eyes.
...
In the "Bubble Mangrove" bar on Sabaody Archipelago, the turbid smell of alcohol mingled with the boisterous laughter.
A group of Pirates were raising their glasses, boasting about their adventures, and the gambling at the bar was in full swing.
A large screen on the wall played various programs, occasionally switching to popular TikTok videos, eliciting cheers or jeers.
Suddenly, the large screen above the bar automatically switched its display, and Rebecca's tear-streaked face appeared before everyone.
The clamor ceased as if cut by a knife.
A drunken Pirate's wine glass clattered to the floor, the amber liquid slowly spreading across the tiles.
Everyone's gaze was drawn to the figures turned into toys in the video. Only Rebecca's choked accusations echoed in the bar: "Please, everyone... save Dressrosa... save our country..."
"This... this is..." Someone's eyes widened, their playing cards scattered across the floor.
In the corner, an old Pirate with a scarred face slowly rose. A fiery rage burned in his single eye, and his veined arm slammed an oak mug against the wall.
With a loud bang, glass shards scattered.
"Damn Shichibukai!" The old Pirate's roar made the chandeliers sway, "When I was a Pirate back then, I plundered and killed, but I never did such despicable things! Turning living people into toys? Enslaving the Tontattas?"
He trembled with rage, his old scars turning red.
These words were like lighting a powder keg. The entire bar instantly erupted:
"My cousin disappeared in Dressrosa last year! Could he also have been..."
"Those toys! I went to Dressrosa last week, and those toys could talk and move. I was planning to buy one, damn it, they're actually living people!"
"The Marine actually gives these people the right to legally plunder?!"
"Ridiculous, in that case, what's the difference between the Marine and Pirates?"
"Hahahaha, they're legal, you're not legal, that's the difference!"
"..."
The wave of anger almost tore off the roof.
The bartender frantically turned up the volume, and Rebecca's cries spread more clearly to every corner.
A female merchant covered her face and sobbed. She had just returned from that "Island of Love and Passion" last month.
In a corner, a hooded figure quietly pulled out a phone and filmed the commotion in the bar.
The video was quickly uploaded to TikTok, with the title: #ShamblesCitizensDenounceShichibukaiAtrocities#.
In just a few minutes, this video garnered millions of views.
The bar owner climbed onto the bar, raising his arms: "All drinks are free today! A toast to the suffering of Dressrosa!" This unexpected announcement brought the wave of anger to its peak.
People raised their glasses, their eyes glinting with anger and sympathy.
The commotion in the bar quickly spread throughout the entire Sabaody Archipelago.
In the streets and alleys, people gathered, discussing the tragedy of Dressrosa.
The video views on TikTok continued to skyrocket, and the comment section was filled with anger and condemnation:
"Too cruel! The people of Dressrosa are too pitiful!"
"Doflamingo, that beast!"
"The Shichibukai are indeed all bad news. Crocodile too, Doflamingo too!"
...
Marineford, Marineford,
In the Marshal's office, Sengoku heavily put down his phone, veins throbbing on his forehead.
On the desk in front of him, messages in the TikTok group kept ringing, and the hurried footsteps of staff officers could be heard from the corridor outside the window.
The entire office was filled with a tense and oppressive atmosphere.
"It's only been a few minutes..." Sengoku rubbed his temples, his fingers unconsciously tapping the phone on the desk.
On the screen, the #DressrosaAtrocities# topic's readership was skyrocketing at tens of thousands per second, and the comment section was filled with insults directed at the Marine.
A hint of anxiety showed in his eyes: "In the past, such news would have taken at least a month to spread..."
The office door was suddenly pushed open, and Akainu strode in with a gloomy face, lava dripping onto the floor with a sizzling sound: "Fleet Admiral Sengoku! Let me go to Dressrosa immediately! That Doflamingo..."
"Calm down, Sakazuki." Sengoku raised a hand to interrupt him, his gaze sweeping over Kizaru who followed him in.
The latter was leisurely scrolling on his phone, the crying Rebecca in the video reflected in his glasses: "Oh, how scary, it's already got three hundred million views~~"
Sengoku took a deep breath, his hands clasped under his chin: "Kuzan is already handling Crocodile's matter in Alabasta. Now we need to send someone to Dressrosa to investigate." His gaze shifted between the two Admirals, "Doflamingo's identity is special, and behind him are those from Mary Geoise..."
"Let me go!" Akainu punched the wall, the lava burning a large hole in the marble wall, "Such scum should be executed on the spot!"
Sengoku's eye twitched: "That's precisely what I'm worried about." He turned to Kizaru, "Borsalino, this time it's your..."
"Understood~" Kizaru slowly put away his phone, a meaningful smile on his lips, "Is it to 'investigate seriously,' or to 'warn appropriately'~"
"First, confirm the facts." Sengoku rubbed his brow, a headache forming.
-------------------------------
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