Chapter 192:A Bitter Departure

After much deliberation, Shin finally decided to let Zephyr and his team go.

However, he wasn't about to let them leave untouched. All their warships, weapons, and valuables were confiscated by Shin and then promptly sold to Doflamingo. With his far-reaching influence, Doflamingo could easily handle the transaction and move the goods. If the Marines questioned it, Doflamingo could claim he had no choice—Shin's power was such that even Doflamingo had been forced into submission. Who could argue otherwise?

As for Zephyr's own prized warship, Shin also seized it. Although it didn't boast any legendary high-grade wood, it was crafted with expert precision and remained a formidable vessel. After all, even as part of the so-called Neo Marines, Zephyr still sailed the ship from his days as an admiral. Shin appreciated its strength; he knew it matched even the flagship of the Four Emperors.

But Shin didn't personally oversee Zephyr's release. Instead, he delegated that to Doflamingo's crew.

Shin was now prepared to leave Dressrosa. Initially, he'd planned to linger a while, but he had recently learned of a birthday celebration being held by Big Mom's pirate crew. This was an event Shin couldn't miss. As one of the most influential figures in the world, Big Mom was famed for her indomitable strength—she had a natural, steel-like defense and hadn't even needed to rely on any legendary powers to attain it. Shin couldn't help but be intrigued by her Soul-Soul fruit ability, which he viewed as uniquely advantageous.

Shin felt a bit uncomfortable about "drooling over her body" as he considered her physique—it seemed too reminiscent of an unhealthy obsession. He quickly dismissed the thought, focusing instead on what he could potentially gain.

One of his primary questions revolved around the nature of the Soul-Soul Fruit itself. If he extracted her devil fruit, would the creatures born from it—the Homies—survive? Usually, when a devil fruit user dies, so do their creations. But since he intended only to remove the fruit, the outcome was unknown.

For Shin, ideally, the Homies would hopefully remain active, allowing him to use the Soul-Soul Fruit without any loss in effectiveness. Moreover, Big Mom's party would bring many influential figures from the underground world. Shin also remembered his vendetta with a particular news bird, who would likely be there too.

Three days later, Shin set sail from Dressrosa on Zephyr's former warship, accompanied by Violet, Kyros, and the siblings Ulti and Page One. Together, they celebrated with hot pot and songs as they made their way forward.

Meanwhile, Zephyr—after being released by the very pirates he despised—returned to the port only to find all his warships heavily modified and repurposed under Doflamingo's colors. His fury was instant.

"Doflamingo, explain why my warships are now flying pirate flags!"

Doflamingo gave a sly grin. "Surely, Admiral Zephyr, you know I do some business on the side. These warships? A certain notorious pirate from the Whitebeard crew sold them to me."

Zephyr's face contorted in rage. "These are naval warships, and you dared to accept them!" he roared.

Doflamingo shrugged nonchalantly. "Tell that to Shin! You think I'd dare refuse him?" he sneered. "These ships cost me over 8 billion berries altogether. If you want them back, feel free, but don't expect me to take a loss on them."

Fuming, Zephyr clenched his fists. Seeing his teacher treated this way by Doflamingo—a pirate—sent Ain over the edge. She pulled out her dagger and charged forward, shouting in anger.

But Doflamingo calmly flexed his fingers, sending out his invisible threads. Ain shrieked as her arms jerked painfully, her two swords twisting in her grip and aiming toward her own shoulders. Fortunately, her instincts as a swordsman kicked in, and she halted just before the blades could do serious harm.

"Enough!" Zephyr barked, his fist cloaked in Haki. He struck out with a fierce punch, but Doflamingo was quick, weaving a web of strings to absorb the impact. Even so, the force of Zephyr's blow pushed him back several steps.

Zephyr's eyes widened with a glimmer of respect. The power of Doflamingo, a member of the Shichibukai, nearly rivaled his own. "Impressive strength, Doflamingo," he muttered. 'This pirate is far more capable than I'd assumed,' he thought.

Doflamingo, sensing Zephyr's regard, laughed darkly. "Fufufufu! Admiral Zephyr, your strength is indeed formidable. But don't think you can rob a Shichibukai and get away with it!"

Zephyr hesitated. If he'd still held his position within the Marines, Doflamingo's threats would be meaningless. But his Neo Marines had no official standing, and he could no longer wield the influence he once had in the Marines.

With ties to the World Government, Doflamingo had access to powerful connections that could make Zephyr's life difficult. One call could cut off the supplies his Neo Marines relied on, a potentially crippling setback.

In the end, Zephyr ground his teeth. "Pray your crimes remain hidden, Doflamingo," he muttered coldly.

With that, Zephyr's group could only wait in dismay. Without ships, they had no choice but to rely on others for help.

Fortunately, help soon arrived. The G-5 base and some reinforcements from the Marine headquarters sent ships to retrieve Zephyr's forces. Doflamingo dared not lay a finger on these new vessels.

Thus, the Neo Marines finally had transport. But while they'd arrived in grand style with dozens of powerful ships, they left on just four or five modest warships, the remaining forces now cramped and uncomfortable. Zephyr watched his once-proud fleet reduced to mere scraps, bitterness welling in his heart.

Looking at his two surviving students, drained and demoralized after losing their devil fruits, Zephyr gritted his teeth, hatred for Shin and Doflamingo burning in his heart.

"Just you wait. One day, I'll drag both of you to Impel Down myself!"

*******************************

BONUS CHAPTER: 25 Powerstones achieved

For each power stones milestone—25, 50, 100, 150, and beyond—I will release a bonus chapter.

If you would like to gain early access, you can join me at www.patre on.com/bookbattalion