South District – Rooftops Crumbling Under Rain
Zoro sheathed his swords slowly, his chest rising and falling with heavy breaths. Behind him, the storm thundered.
Across the street, Admiral Fujitora stood silently.
Then, to Zoro's surprise, the Admiral lowered his blade.
"…This island's justice doesn't lie with me," Fujitora said quietly. "Not yet."
With that, he vanished in a ripple of gravity.
Zoro frowned. "Coward, or wise man?"
Before he could contemplate further, Law limped into view, coat torn, blood on his chin.
Zoro raised an eyebrow. "Still breathing?"
Law gave a crooked smile. "Barely."
They both began to move, fast.
Underground – Factory Chaos
Trebol slammed into a beam, unconscious, goo splattered everywhere.
The Tontatta rebels erupted in cheers.
But the victory was short-lived.
From behind the collapsed conveyor belts, Sugar emerged—smiling sweetly, eyes gleaming with venom.
In her hands: a piping hot tray of "Hot Berry" treats.
"Time to put this long nose to sleep," she whispered.
Nearby, Robin bent to help a weakened Usopp, who was slumped against the wall. His face was battered, his slingshot broken beside him.
"Robin," he rasped. "Behind you…"
But it was too late.
Sugar grinned, touched Robin's back—
POOF.
Robin vanished.
In her place: a small toy soldier doll with black hair and no voice.
Usopp's heart stopped.
She couldn't speak. Couldn't scream. Could only look up at him with lifeless eyes.
Sugar laughed.
"Now for dessert…"
She walked to Usopp, placed the Hot Berry in his mouth, and forced it down.
"You'll go out crying," she said.
She waited.
Nothing happened.
Then Usopp's face turned purple.
His cheeks ballooned. His eyes bugged out.
Veins pulsed. He let out a low, strangled noise—
"GWAAAGHHHHHHHHHHH!"
His face contorted into something demonic—veins, drool, blood, and pain all wrapped in one horrific scream of agony.
Sugar blinked.
Then blinked again.
Then screamed.
"NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!"
And passed out cold.
Minutes Later – Factory Floor
Usopp's body slumped, still twitching from the unbearable heat of the Hot Berry Sugar had forced on him. His eyes rolled up. He looked utterly broken.
But in truth, something inside him had snapped the other way.
He let out a twisted, garbled screech—eyes bulging, face purple, drool and blood mixing in a nightmarish mask of agony.
Sugar's eyes widened.
"…Wh-What kind of monster is that?!"
She screamed.
And passed out cold, collapsing like a puppet with its strings cut.
FLASH.
The entire factory pulsed.
A golden wave of light erupted from Sugar's body, spreading like a shockwave across Dressrosa.
One by one, toys across the island began to glow… then revert to human form. Soldiers. Pirates. Waiters. Even fathers and daughters.
Everywhere in Dressrosa
In the city square, a little girl stopped in her tracks. She stared at a man now kneeling beside her—his armor gone, his toy body human again.
"…Papa?"
He wept. "You remember me…?"
She nodded, crying.
On the battlefield, King Riku's old commanders looked around in awe as soldiers they hadn't seen in ten years suddenly stood among them again.
All over the kingdom, people clutched their heads as suppressed memories flooded back.
"Wait… my brother—he disappeared years ago… no—he was turned into—!"
"The toys… they were people all along!"
Back in the Factory
Robin gasped as her form reconstituted—light surrounding her as her body reverted from the toy form.
She stumbled slightly, blinking in confusion.
Then she saw Usopp, unconscious and twitching.
And Sugar, curled in a fetal position, fainted from pure terror.
Robin knelt beside Usopp and smiled faintly.
"…You've done more than enough."
The Tontatta, realizing what had happened, erupted in tears.
"Everyone remembers!"
"He broke the curse!"
"He saved all of Dressrosa!"
The factory quaked as the entire city remembered their loved ones, their allies, and the truth that had been stolen.
Thousand Sunny – Den Den Mushi Call
The snail crackled.
Law's voice came through:
"Straw Hats. Listen carefully—change of plan."
Sanji tensed. "Where are you?"
"I'm not coming back to the ship."
Everyone froze.
Brook leaned forward. "Law-san?"
Law's voice darkened.
"Set sail for Zou. Immediately. This fight with Doflamingo… it's personal. I'm ending it myself."
Chopper gasped. "But—"
"You'll be hunted the longer you stay," Law continued. "Zou is our next destination. I'll meet you there. If I survive."
Nami's knuckles went white on the rail.
Sanji nodded slowly. "Understood. We'll see you there."
The line cut.
Palace Inner Chambers – Luffy, Rebecca, Violet
The three moved through lavish halls turned cold with silence.
Paintings of Donquixote ancestors lined the gold walls. Floor tiles clicked underfoot.
Luffy was uncharacteristically quiet.
Violet glanced at him. "Are you thinking about Ace?"
Luffy shook his head. "No. Sabo."
Rebecca held her sword tighter. "He's strong. Like you."
Luffy stopped walking.
"No. He's stronger. Right now, Sabo's protecting the flame. I'm here to break the strings."
Ancient Forge Below – Kael
Kael placed both hands on the glyph-covered control panel.
"Key accepted. Flame conduit open."
The ground trembled.
The core chamber bathed in orange light. Old gears churned awake for the first time in centuries.
A second glyph flared alive.
Kin'emon flinched. "What in blazes is this place?!"
Kael didn't blink.
"I think I just woke up a weapon."
Behind him, the forge roared to life.
Dressrosa – Rebel Camp
Zoro and Law reached the outer bridge as thunder cracked behind them.
They climbed aboard a rebel transport cart.
Zoro lit a cigar.
"So, you staying to fight him alone?"
Law nodded. "He ruined everything I ever built."
Zoro exhaled smoke. "Then don't die."