Morning dawned with a luminous hue, the golden light of the sun casting across the serene, endless sea. Dark and silent, the Solar Wraith approached the shape of an island blooming on the horizon. Its rocky coast was veiled with mist, its colorful houses stacked like blocks upon children's hands along the hills. Birds flew lazily over the harbor, music gently echoing over the waves.
But the Solar Wraith's crew didn't feel at ease.
They were sailing towards Dressrosa—a place of beauty, myths, and secretly nightmares.
Solian Flare was at the bow of the vessel, standing there with crossed arms. The wind rustled against his coat, stroking his now broader figure. His hawk-like eyes scanned the ground before him, but it wasn't curiosity nor awe that filled his chest.
It was concentration.
"This island… is no longer a stopping point," Solian complained. "It's where we stake our flag."
Bigger Horizons
Rock Lee appeared beside him, stretching with a smug smile. "This land has strong currents. I sense it in my bones."
Solian agreed. "It's ruled by someone who commands everything with puppet strings. Doflamingo doesn't only rule over people—he rules over fact."
Kael dropped in beside them, arms crossed into his cloak. "And you want to steal it away from him?"
Solian glanced back at the city again. "No. I want to steal his kingdom."
The words hung in the air.
Jorin leaned against the mast, smiling half-unconvincingly. "So this is it, huh? We're going from pirates to revolutionaries?"
"Not revolutionaries," Solian said. "Founders."
A Kingdom to Protect Freedom
Down below deck, Vance trained with Milo and the Twin Tempest, running drills even before landfall.
"I still can't believe this guy's planning to take over an entire country," Vance muttered between punches.
"Doesn't sound like a bad idea," Milo said. "Means no more hiding. We'd finally have a place to call ours."
"Sounds absurd," Twin Tempest's Jiya chimed in, wiping sweat from her forehead. "But then again. we followed Solian up until now."
"Yup," her sister Namiya answered. "And we've never been stronger."
Solian paced back and forth on the upper deck, each footstep on the wood echoing his thoughts.
He wasn't thinking about fighting anymore.
He was thinking about ruling.
How to save the people. How to fight the World Government. How to survive in a world where the strongest among them did fall.
Dressrosa: The Smile Behind the Mask
By noon, the Solar Wraith arrived offshore. Instead of charging in with banners waving, Solian ordered a sneaky approach. The crew advanced in pairs, dressed in plain clothes, so they would not attract suspicion.
The capital city of Dressrosa was full of life. Laughter from children filled the streets, couples danced to guitar music, and fruit and toy peddlers sold with genuine smiles.
Walking, the Solar Rift Pirates noticed the cracks, though.
A man flinched when a Marine walked by.
A woman's smile dropped when she turned away from a toy soldier.
People bowed when no one was watching.
It was not peace.
It was control.
These people are scared," Kael panted. "They've learned to smile. but fear still lurks behind their eyes."
"This place is artificial," Solian breathed.
Elsewhere: The Vice Admiral Forges Ahead
Far out beyond the harbor, a sleek Marine vessel sliced through the ocean. On its deck stood Vice Admiral Hozaki, unmoving as the wind whipped at his billowing cloak. His face was carved of stone—cold, disciplined, unbreakable.
He had once defeated whole pirate fleets.
And now, he was off to Dressrosa.
"Solar Rift Pirates." he said in a flat tone. "We underestimated them once. Not again."
His instructions were plain: watch, wait. and then kill.
Top of the Palace: Doflamingo Laughs
From the topmost tower, Donquixote Doflamingo surveyed the island with idle humor. Legs sprawled negligently over his velvet throne, wine in one hand.
Trebol snickered beside him. "Mingossss. They've come. the piratesss and the Marine ship as well…"
The growl of Pica came from an overheard transponder snail. "They're all over the city. Merging in. Do we act?"
Doflamingo laughed, ice cold and sharp.
"No. not yet. Let them have their spectacle."
"The Marines need a show? I'll provide one."
He stood to his feet, strings glinting from his fingers like web of a spider.
"And let's see what this Solian Flare can really do."
A Brewing Storm
As the sun dipped lower, the Solar Rift Pirates met again in a small inn at the edge of the city. A map of Dressrosa lay across the table, pins marking patrols, factories, and palace paths.
Solian loomed over it, calculating eyes.
They weren't quite ready to attack yet.
But with every breath, every second, every step that they took, they were moving closer to war.
And for the very first time, Solian understood it clearly:
This was not another war. This was the start of an empire.