At the long conference table aboard the Moby Dick, Marco sat in the seat that once belonged to Whitebeard. His gaze swept across the sixteen division commanders—including Zack—as well as Law, before he finally spoke.
"Law," Marco said calmly, "I owe you an apology. I promised you long ago that I'd help you take down Doflamingo. But with everything that's happened, it's been delayed far too long."
He paused briefly, then continued, "Now that the external threats have been more or less resolved, I can finally help you settle that matter."
Law's heart stirred at those words, though his expression remained composed.
"Thank you," he said politely. "Marco-san."
Marco nodded and asked, "When do you plan to move?"
A flicker of killing intent flashed through Law's eyes. His voice turned cold.
"Anytime. I've wanted to cut off Doflamingo's head for a long time now. If possible, I want to be the one who kills him with my own hands."
"That won't be a problem," Marco replied without hesitation.
Then his tone shifted.
"However," he said seriously, "there's something you need to understand."
Law frowned slightly.
"What is it?"
"Doflamingo has extensive dealings with Kaido," Marco explained, his eyes steady. "In a sense, he's a subordinate under Kaido's protection."
"If we take down Doflamingo, Kaido will inevitably be angered."
Marco continued calmly, "I'm not afraid of Kaido. The Phoenix Pirates already have a blood debt with the Beasts Pirates. Even if Kaido doesn't come looking for trouble, I'll eventually go to Wano and settle the matter of Nanku Island with him myself."
Then Marco looked directly at Law, his expression grave.
"But Kaido isn't a fool. No matter how violent he is, he understands priorities. He won't start an all-out war with another Yonko crew just for Doflamingo."
His voice lowered slightly.
"That means there's a high chance he'll vent his anger on you instead."
Law's eyes narrowed.
"So," Marco continued, "I want to ask you something. After Doflamingo is dealt with… are you willing to join the Phoenix Pirates?"
"If you agree, I can make you the Commander of the Seventeenth Division."
Law raised his eyebrows in surprise.
A direct offer of a division commander position was far beyond what he had expected.
Marco went on, "Of course, if you value your freedom, you could also operate as an independent crew under the Phoenix Pirates' flag."
"As long as you're one of us, if Kaido targets you, we won't stand by and watch."
After a brief pause, Marco added, "This is only a suggestion. I won't force you."
In truth, Marco had always held Law in high regard. From his personality to his potential, Law was someone worth investing in. In the future, he would even stand alongside Kid to bring down Big Mom—protagonist halo or not, his strength and Devil Fruit were undeniably terrifying.
Law fell silent, deep in thought.
He had already considered this problem long ago. Killing Doflamingo would inevitably draw the fury of a Yonko. Until now, his planned escape route had been clear—becoming one of the Seven Warlords of the Sea. With that title, he would gain the protection of the World Government and the Marines.
Moreover, the Phoenix Pirates' debt to him—stemming from his surgeries and limb transplants—would be fully repaid once Doflamingo fell.
"I need some time to think about it," Law said at last, choosing not to rush his answer. This was not a decision he could make lightly—he needed to weigh the consequences carefully and discuss it with his crew.
Marco didn't seem disappointed in the least. He smiled calmly and replied,
"That's fine. Take your time. If you decide to join us, the Phoenix Pirates' door will always be open."
After that, Marco turned his attention to Zack.
"Zack," he said, "you've been acting as the First Division's commander for some time now. From this moment on, you are officially the Commander of the First Division."
"Yes, Captain Marco!" Zack responded, barely able to contain his excitement.
Marco nodded, then added casually,
"However, before that… I need to find you a Devil Fruit."
"A Devil Fruit?" Zack froze for a moment, then his eyes lit up. He wasn't opposed to Devil Fruits at all.
"What kind of Devil Fruit?"
Marco's lips curled into a faint, mysterious smile.
"You'll find out when the time comes."
With the battle for Fleet Admiral between Aokiji and Akainu already concluded, Marco knew it was time to head to Punk Hazard and retrieve that artificial Zoan-type Devil Fruit.
A power like that shouldn't be wasted on a certain perverted brat named Momonosuke.
Zack, now in his early thirties—seven or eight years younger than Marco—had already reached solid captain-level strength. If he were to consume the artificial Azure Dragon Devil Fruit, his combat power would undoubtedly skyrocket.
In the original timeline, even Momonosuke had grown absurdly strong after obtaining that fruit—strong enough to bite Kaido himself. The potential was undeniable.
Just then, Ace stepped forward eagerly.
"Marco, let me handle Doflamingo. I can feel my strength improving lately—this is the perfect chance to test myself."
Marco considered it briefly, then nodded.
"Alright. But I'll be going with you."
There was a hint of emotion in his eyes.
When Marco had recently reassessed Ace's combat power, he discovered that Ace had already broken through another bottleneck. He had reached the Strong Yonko Commander level.
It was terrifying growth.
Only three months ago, during the Marineford War, Ace had been at the level of a weak yonko commander. In just three months, he had climbed an entire tier.
His talent was truly monstrous.
Marco then addressed everyone at the table.
"Ace, Zack, and I will take the First and Second Divisions and deal with Doflamingo."
"The rest of you will hold the home front."
"If anything comes up, discuss it among yourselves. And if something truly gets out of hand—call me."
The response was immediate and confident.
"Leave it to us!"
"Now that you're a Yonko too, Marco, who would dare provoke the Phoenix Pirates?"
"Go without worries!"
As Marco finalized his decision, the familiar system notification echoed in his mind.
"New mission issued…"
"Repayment: Trafalgar Law once saved over two thousand members of the Phoenix Pirates using the Ope Ope no Mi. Assist Trafalgar Law in eliminating his enemy, Donquixote Doflamingo. Reward: 1,000 attribute points."
'Another mission', Marco thought as he glanced over the details.
The reward wasn't particularly impressive—but once a mission appeared, there was no reason not to complete it.
After entrusting matters on Beehive Island to Vista and the others, Marco departed alongside Ace, Zack, and their companions aboard the Heart Pirates' octopus submarine.
—
Several days later, the group arrived at Punk Hazard.
From the air, the island's appearance was nothing short of absurd.
One half of the land was locked in eternal frost, jagged glaciers stretching endlessly. The other half burned beneath rivers of magma and scorched earth—two extremes violently stitched together.
Even Marco, flying overhead, couldn't help but pause for a moment.
'This is… too much', he thought.
After landing, Zack stared at the island in disbelief.
"So this is Punk Hazard… after the battle between Admirals Aokiji and Akainu?"
Marco nodded.
"I saw it clearly from above. One side frozen solid, the other boiling hot. To be honest, the destructive power of Marine Admirals is beyond imagination."
He frowned slightly.
"I don't even know if both of their Devil Fruits have awakened. Otherwise, it's hard to explain how they altered the terrain—and even the climate—on such a scale."
Everyone nodded silently, their expressions heavy.
Ace then spoke up, curiosity piqued.
"Marco, you mentioned before that there's a powerful Devil Fruit on this island. Where is it?"
At this point, Marco no longer bothered to hide the truth.
"Punk Hazard was once the main research facility of the world's greatest scientist—Vegapunk," he explained.
"But three years ago, a mad scientist named Caesar Clown caused a catastrophic poison gas leak. Every living thing on the island was wiped out, and Caesar was imprisoned because of it."
He continued calmly,
"Later on, Caesar was unexpectedly rescued by one of the Seven Warlords—Donquixote Doflamingo. The two formed a partnership, and Caesar was sent back here to produce raw materials for something called SMILE."
Law listened in silence, shock flickering across his face.
He had spent years investigating Doflamingo and Caesar's connection, yet even he had only pieced together fragments. Hearing Marco lay it all out so clearly made him sigh inwardly.
'So this is the intelligence of a Yonko crew…'
Ace, however, looked confused.
"SMILE?" he asked. "What's that supposed to be?"
The air around them felt heavier.
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