"Nani—! King Riku and his family are still alive?!"
Leo's jaw dropped, and the fluffy tail behind him puffed up in shock. Excitement sparkled in his eyes as he clenched his fists tightly.
"My benefactor," Leo said, his voice trembling with emotion, "please take me to them. Princesses Scarlett and Violet are my friends. I haven't seen them in so long."
As soon as he finished speaking, several other dwarfs jumped to their feet, eager to accompany Luffy.
Seeing their enthusiasm, Luffy hesitated for a moment. He didn't have the heart to tell them about Scarlett's tragic death. Instead, he smiled and nodded.
"Alright, let's go," he said gently.
Carrying Mansherry, Luffy intended to return to the Marine camp the same way he had come. However, Leo quickly stopped him.
"My benefactor, please come with us," Leo said, his tone urgent. "Although the passage isn't fully repaired, it's usable."
Gathering dozens of his tribesmen who wanted to visit the camp, Leo led Luffy to the Tontatta Kingdom's airport.
The airport was abuzz with activity, and Luffy watched in fascination as the dwarfs prepared their unique insect planes—oversized beetles used for transport.
"That's quite convenient," Luffy remarked, rubbing his chin thoughtfully.
While Luffy observed, Leo climbed onto a rhinoceros beetle and called out, "Come out, Silver Fox Express!"
Moments later, a large, fluffy fox with shimmering blue and white fur trotted out from a nearby enclosure. The fox stopped obediently at Luffy's feet, its large tail swaying gently.
"My benefactor, this is our cargo transporter. Please try it out!" Leo said proudly.
"A fox, huh? That's a first," Luffy said with a chuckle. He climbed onto the Silver Fox Express, settling into its soft, plush fur. Leaning back, he was pleasantly surprised by how comfortable it was.
"Not bad," Luffy said, stroking the fox's head. The fox let out a soft purr and licked his hand in return, showing its affection.
Once Luffy was seated, Leo waved his hand, signaling the group to move out. The insect fighters and the Silver Fox Express entered the underground passage, heading toward Dressrosa.
Meanwhile, at the Marine camp, King Riku had joined a team working to clear the ruins. Kyros had intended to accompany him, but the team leader, Cook, rejected him due to his injured leg.
Left behind, Kyros focused on caring for Rebecca and helping nearby refugees where he could.
Violet, with no immediate responsibilities, wandered through the camp aimlessly. Despite having only been established hours ago, the camp was already home to nearly 10,000 refugees.
Most of the camp's inhabitants were elderly, women, and children—the young and able-bodied men had largely perished during the fight against the Donquixote Family.
Rather than burdening the camp's limited resources, some of the surviving men had chosen to remain outside, building temporary shelters and assisting with clearing the city.
Violet couldn't help but feel a mix of pride and sorrow. The unity among the people was heartwarming, but it was built on the sacrifices of so many lives.
If only I were stronger, she thought bitterly. If I had the strength of Mr. Luffy, I could've helped defeat Doflamingo four years ago. None of this would've happened.
Her somber reflection was interrupted by a commotion near the supply distribution point. Curious, Violet adjusted her cloak and approached the scene.
At the center of the commotion stood a burly man with a scarred face, arguing loudly with a female Marine soldier.
"We don't have enough supplies," the Marine said, her tone calm but firm. "Right now, we're prioritizing the elderly, children, and pregnant women. If you're capable, you can join the search teams clearing the ruins. Any supplies found there will be yours to keep."
The man's face twisted with anger. "What nonsense are you spouting, Marine?! I only had a bowl of porridge for lunch! How am I supposed to work on an empty stomach? Stop making excuses and bring out the supplies from your ship. I don't believe for a second that a Marine vessel has this little food!"
He turned to the gathered crowd, shouting, "What do you all think?! Shouldn't they share their supplies with us?!"
A few voices murmured their agreement.
"Yeah!"
"That's right!"
"Give us the supplies!"
But the majority of the refugees remained silent, their expressions cold. Some even looked visibly angry at the man's behavior.
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