261 One Piece: My Name is Jack

"The Marines! You...!"

As the Marines turned to leave, King Riku and his people's expressions changed dramatically. Yet, at Garp's command, despite their evident fury, all Marines swiftly withdrew.

"Doflamingo!"

Several figures charged at Doflamingo in rage, but Dellinger and the others rushed forward to intercept them. The battle erupted instantly.

"Thunder Bagua!"

Boom!

"Rebecca!"

Yamato's eyes burned with fury as she glared at Jack, who simply lifted his head and sneered.

"What a waste… I was even thinking of finding you a stepmother."

"Birdcage!"

Once more, countless threads engulfed Dressrosa, and screams of despair filled the air.

...

A few days later, Dressrosa had returned to its usual rhythm. Smoke still lingered in some parts, and the tears of many had yet to dry. But the cries of rebellion and sorrow had faded completely. The toys—those who could talk, run, and jump—were back on the streets, and many women had resumed dancing in the plazas.

With Enel's arrival, the port now bore the flag of the Beasts Pirates.

On Onigashima, the head of the construction crew, his once-muscular form now round from years away from battle, barked orders at his subordinates. Ever since he transitioned from a combatant to logistics, his physique had grown bulkier by the year. After berating a few workers, he boarded a pirate ship and left—Dressrosa's reconstruction wasn't worth his personal supervision.

Jack was set to return to Onigashima soon, so reinforcing the brothels and the pleasure district was a priority.

Placing Enel in charge of Dressrosa was a decision made jointly by Jack and Kaidou. The Beasts Pirates had already taken full control of Wano, and Kaidou had declared himself its new shogun. Both the army and the civilians showed overwhelming support. The remnants of the Kozuki loyalists had been nearly wiped out over the years—if any still survived, they were of no concern.

Wano had always been a closed-off nation, its treacherous geography making entry difficult. But Dressrosa was different. The Beasts Pirates refused to abandon it, not only because of the artificial Devil Fruit factory but also because it remained a crucial hub for the underworld's trade.

Without the Seven Warlords system, the Marines and the World Government could infiltrate Dressrosa at any time. To counter this, Enel—whose Devil Fruit powers, combined with Observation Haki, allowed him to monitor the entire island—was the perfect choice for its defense.

And should a real crisis arise, Enel could simply take a crew and escape using his flying cloudshells.

Kaidou had been surprisingly generous to the Donquixote Family. The crew's insignia remained, and few of his own subordinates had been stationed in Dressrosa. This was partly because Doflamingo, as an intermediary in the underworld, was indispensable for certain dealings. But more importantly, after extensive "guidance" from Jack, Doflamingo had proven to be a valuable asset.

Over the years, Doflamingo had remained obedient. Aside from charging the Beasts Pirates a small fee for transactions, he provided them with intelligence and rare materials whenever they were needed.

As a result, Kaidou not only allowed Doflamingo to retain his title as Dressrosa's king but also refrained from removing his key executives.

However, in return, Doflamingo had to disclose every secret he knew to Kaidou.

...

Upon escorting Doflamingo to Onigashima, he and his crew followed Jack in silence toward Kaidou's palace. The remaining Donquixote executives, along with Caesar, had also come along. Now that they were part of the Beasts Pirates, they had to undergo the necessary rituals of submission.

Kaidou's palace had changed again. When Jack and Doflamingo arrived at the central courtyard, they found it had been transformed into a steaming hot spring.

Jack waved a hand, signaling for the others to halt. He then led Doflamingo inside after they both donned bath towels, curiosity flickering across his face.

In the middle of the spring, Kaidou reclined with his eyes closed, surrounded by his personal attendants, clearly enjoying himself.

Jack shifted his gaze to Doflamingo, who was already drenched in sweat. He let out a grunt and shouted toward Kaidou:

"Enough! If we wait any longer, he's going to be steamed alive!"

"Hmm?"

"Hmph!"

Doflamingo removed the towel from his head, lifted his face, and looked toward Kaidou.

Sitting at the edge of the pool, Kaidou took a glance at the sweat-drenched Doflamingo and spoke in a low voice:

"Joker... No, I should call you Mingo now."

He smirked. "You need to toughen up. Can't handle a little heat?"

Doflamingo's gaze shifted to the "fat chicken" Kaidou was referring to—it had definitely been raw a moment ago.

And this temperature… His eyes flicked toward Jack, who had practically turned into a walking furnace.

...

"Alright, you're here. You know why. So speak."

Wiping the sweat from his face, Doflamingo fell silent for a moment before finally saying in a low voice:

"I know two secrets."

Kaidou raised a brow.

"First, the Empty Throne... has a master."

Kaidou's expression changed. Doflamingo adjusted his sunglasses and spoke each word with weight:

"That's right. The Empty Throne, the one that no one is allowed to sit on—the very symbol of equality among the world's rulers, a pledge against dictatorship—now has a master."

"And the Five Elders, the supposed highest authority in the World Government? They kneel at his feet."

"If this got out, the entire world would be shaken."

"And the second secret?" Kaidou's voice carried an edge of impatience.

"The Ancient Weapon Uranus is hidden in Mary Geoise."

Doflamingo paused before adding with a smirk:

"And it belongs to the master of the Empty Throne."

"What?!"

Even with all his experience, Kaidou was stunned by the revelation.

The Empty Throne was more than just a symbol.

It represented the vow made by the twenty kings who founded the World Government 800 years ago. By leaving it unoccupied, they proclaimed that there would never be a sole ruler of the world. The Five Elders, the highest governing authority, shared power equally among themselves.

But if someone now sat upon it, it meant that a dictator had risen—one that not only threatened every nation but could also face opposition from within the Celestial Dragons themselves.

And on top of that, this figure possessed an Ancient Weapon?

The real question was, how long had this person existed? And why had the Celestial Dragons failed to notice him?

Unless… he had been ruling from the shadows for centuries?

A ruler who had governed the world for so long, amassing unimaginable resources… Just how powerful had he become?

"Hah..."

Kaidou glanced at Jack, who was still radiating heat, and suddenly felt reassured.

No matter how strong that guy was, he couldn't possibly be stronger than Jack... right?