Under the leadership of Baby 5, Luo Chen's group entered the underground and successfully located Sugar. Guarding her was a scruffy, vagrant-like man with mucus constantly hanging from his nose. Baby 5 looked at the young-looking Sugar and the vagrant, introducing them with a vacant expression.
"The one eating grapes with her fingers is Sugar."
"The man next to her is Trebol, an executive of the family tasked with protecting her. He has the powers of the Mucus-Mucus Fruit..."
Before she could finish her sentence, Issho had already made his move. Intense gravity enveloped Trebol. In the next instant, the ground beneath him collapsed into a deep pit, and he plummeted into it, vanishing from sight.
The green-haired girl, Sugar, trembled with fear at the sight. She never imagined Baby 5 would betray them, nor that the blind old man would be so powerful. Trebol had been defeated without any chance to resist.
Luo Chen didn't waste time with words. A green sphere of light condensed in his palm and flew into Sugar's body. Soon, Sugar's eyes turned dull and her expression became blank, just like Baby 5.
Although Issho could not see, he could sense that something was wrong. Like Baby 5 before her, Sugar's autonomous emotions had vanished.
"I have heard that Luo Chen possesses a vast variety of abilities. It seems I have now witnessed them for myself," Issho mused internally.
He could not read newspapers or news; everything he knew was gathered from the words of others. In truth, Issho was very curious about Luo Chen's powers. Summoning meteors, manipulating trees, condensing the Martial God Giant, space teleportation... and now, controlling enemies. Issho felt these abilities were far beyond what a single Devil Fruit could grant. Luo Chen was too mysterious.
In the back, the expressions of Violet and Rebecca shifted. As Luo Chen compelled Sugar to release the fruit's power from all the toys, a memory of a certain person suddenly flooded back into their minds: Kyros.
This man had once been the captain of the royal guard and was Rebecca's father. Years ago, he had been turned into a toy by Sugar. Today, the two women finally remembered the existence of their relative.
In the underground factory, the toys producing Artificial Devil Fruits also reverted to their human forms. Some were residents and soldiers of Dressrosa, while others were pirates.
Outside, on the surface, the kingdom fell into chaos. As the toys reverted, memories resurfaced in the minds of their friends and family. A woman kissing her partner suddenly remembered her former boyfriend. Mothers recalled their sons, and daughters remembered their fathers.
The pirates shouted with excitement; some fled toward the coast, while others immediately began to pillage and kill. Luo Chen's gaze shifted as Conqueror's Haki surged from his body, blanketing the entire kingdom. The pirates who were about to commit atrocities instantly rolled their eyes and collapsed unconscious.
Luo Chen glanced at the underground factory. He had learned from Baby 5 that this was where Doflamingo produced Artificial Devil Fruits. Despite his own influence on the timeline, the Artificial Devil Fruits had still appeared and even yielded results. Doflamingo had gone to Wano Country to use these fruits as leverage, attempting to form an alliance with Kaido to protect himself from the Jinghai Army.
"Leave this factory for now. Artificial Devil Fruits are useful to me as well," Luo Chen decided. He did not destroy the facility. If the technology matured enough, the entire Jinghai Army could become ability users. Currently, it was not feasible, as the fruits often turned out defective. Those who ate the defects gained no powers and were cursed with eternal laughter—much like the civilians in Wano Country who could only laugh even in their grief.
"The dragon fruit Momonosuke ate was an Artificial Devil Fruit developed by Vegapunk. It was modeled after Kaido's Mythical Zoan: Azure Dragon form. Its power is almost identical to Kaido's original. It's just that Momonosuke is a waste and couldn't develop it. In terms of Artificial Devil Fruits, Vegapunk is still superior. Caesar is not on his level."
Caesar was a former colleague of Vegapunk, and both had developed technology for the World Government. Later, Caesar was arrested following a scientific explosion, escaped, and partnered with Doflamingo to research Artificial Devil Fruits. According to Sugar, Caesar had gone to Wano Country with Doflamingo to negotiate terms with Kaido.
"From this perspective, occupying Dressrosa won't stop Doflamingo and Kaido from cooperating. Since the researcher Caesar is still around, they can easily build a new production line in Wano Country."
Luo Chen glanced at Violet. Since the princess had agreed to Dressrosa's submission to the Jinghai Army, he would send troops to garrison the island. Doflamingo would never be allowed to return.
As Luo Chen's group left the underground factory, they were attacked by die-hard members of the Donquixote Family. Issho acted, driving these attackers into the earth just as he had with the previous executives. None were killed, but all were left severely injured and unconscious. Once the Jinghai Army took control, they could simply be rounded up.
Back on the surface, Mansherry peeked out from Baccarat's chest and looked at Luo Chen with reverence.
"Lord Luo Chen, should I return to the Tontatta Kingdom and tell my people to prepare to move?"
According to their previous agreement, Luo Chen would liberate the dwarves, and they would relocate their entire nation to Totto Land.
"No need. You will remain in Dressrosa," Luo Chen said, shaking his head. He had changed his mind. Moving the Tontatta Tribe to Totto Land was originally intended to keep Mansherry close for immediate medical treatment if he were injured. However, now that he had the Tenseigan, he could open long-distance space portals, connecting Totto Land and Dressrosa at any time. It didn't matter where the tribe stayed, and remaining in the home they had occupied for nearly nine hundred years was clearly what the dwarves preferred.
Mansherry was pleasantly surprised and thanked him gratefully. Staying put would save them a great deal of trouble.
Standing nearby, Violet promised, "The Riku Clan has always viewed the Tontatta Tribe as friends. In the future, we will never disturb your lives like the Donquixote Family did."
Mansherry nodded, trusting her. She hopped down from Baccarat's chest and bid everyone farewell, heading back to the Tontatta Kingdom to share the news.
Sandersonia asked, "Lord Luo Chen, do we need to contact Miss Robin to send the army?"
Since Dressrosa had submitted, a garrison of soldiers and powerful experts was necessary—both to prevent Doflamingo's return and to guard against the World Government. The Riku Clan alone was not enough to ensure the kingdom's safety.
"Tell Robin to prepare a trained army as soon as possible and select a General," Luo Chen ordered. "Once they are ready, have them stand by in Totto Land. I will open a space portal to bring them here."
The command stunned Sandersonia. Open a space portal? She didn't quite understand, but out of her deep respect for Luo Chen, she didn't question him and went to carry out the order.
Luo Chen turned to Issho. "We might have to wait in Dressrosa for a while." He couldn't leave yet; he had to wait for the Jinghai Army General to arrive and take over. Issho naturally had no objection.
"Hancock, Baccarat, coordinate with the Riku Clan and begin the takeover of Dressrosa," Luo Chen assigned the tasks to them. He intended to continue his secluded meditation to further improve his Taijutsu.
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