Ace and Sabo swiftly defeated their opponents, the Donquixote Family cadres, with everything they had. But when they turned around, eager to show off their victories to Luo Ye, they were met with a surprise: Luo Ye had already left the battlefield with Momousagi.
The sight made both of them feel somewhat deflated. Ace scratched his head, his face filled with confusion. "Sa… Sabo, is the strength gap between us and Luo Ye getting bigger and bigger?"
Sabo nodded in agreement, his face mirroring Ace's frustration. "I feel the same. But I guess if we keep fighting pirates, we'll keep getting stronger… faster."
After a brief silence, the two exchanged a glance, then spoke in unison.
"We'll always follow Luo Ye from now on!"
The realization hit both of them at the same time. If they wanted to grow stronger, the only path forward was to face more powerful foes—pirates. And who better to fight alongside than Luo Ye? The Admiral had just convinced Marshal Sengoku to defy the Five Elders' orders and go after Doflamingo, one of the Seven Warlords of the Sea. With someone like him by their side, Ace and Sabo saw no better way to advance.
They were also well aware of Luo Ye's personality. The man had a tendency to be a hothead, but his strength and influence were undeniable. It wouldn't be long before they were out on missions together, hunting down pirates. The brothers were eager to follow him, knowing that their time would come soon enough.
As Sugar fell unconscious, her powers ceased, and the residents of Dressrosa, who had been turned into toys, suddenly returned to their human forms. Those who had been erased from the memories of their loved ones reappeared, just as if nothing had happened.
The entire island erupted in joyous tears.
"It's Doflamingo, that madman!"
"He's the one who made us fight each other every day!"
"He turned my father into a toy! If Marines hadn't stopped him, I never would've seen him again."
"Yeah, the Marines saved us."
But it wasn't just the ordinary citizens who were affected. Many of the pirates who had been defeated by Doflamingo—turned into toys and kept in the island's twisted collection—also returned to their original forms. However, not all of them were content with their restoration. Ambitious glints sparkled in the eyes of many of these pirates. The island's wealth was bound to be vast, and Doflamingo's treasures were a tempting prize.
Seeing this, the Marines, including those with Momousagi's G-3 branch who had just arrived, began rounding up the pirates who sought to loot the island. The citizens, filled with gratitude, didn't just watch; they joined in, helping the Marines apprehend the troublemakers.
Luo Ye, however, wasn't interested in dealing with these minor pirates. He entrusted the task of securing the island to Momousagi's forces and took his men aboard the ship for the return journey.
"This guy… he never changes, does he? After all these years, he's still impossible to deal with," Momousagi muttered under her breath, her teeth grinding as she watched Luo Ye's ship sail away. But, with his departure, there was no choice but for her to stay behind and help bring order to the chaos that lingered in Dressrosa.
"You wait for me!" she growled, her hands clenched.
On the ship heading back to Marineford, the marines' perception of Ace and Sabo had changed dramatically. They had always thought of them as just a couple of colonels. But after seeing their skills in action—taking down powerful opponents with ease—they now recognized the potential for promotion, perhaps even to the rank of Admiral.
"Silver Eagle Admiral, we want to follow you from now on," Sabo declared, stepping forward, his voice filled with determination.
Ace nodded quickly, his agreement obvious. In front of Luo Ye, the two of them didn't need to hide their feelings or their ambitions. They had been brothers for more than a decade; no need for pretense.
Luo Ye raised an eyebrow, surprised. "Why? Didn't you two say you wanted to catch the biggest pirates by yourselves? What changed?"
"Heh," Ace and Sabo both laughed awkwardly.
Previously, they had declared their intentions to take down some of the notorious New World pirates on their own. But after witnessing Luo Ye's sheer power, they realized just how far they still had to go. With their current strength, they were still far from being able to challenge the real powerhouses of the seas.
That's when they came to the conclusion that it made more sense to follow Luo Ye. He had never lost a battle, and his title as Silver Eagle Admiral wasn't just a formality—it was the result of countless victories.
"Alright, alright," Luo Ye said with a grin, "I'll take you with me next time we head out to catch pirates. There'll be more fights ahead. You'll get your chance."
Luo Ye's words rang true. The next battle would come soon enough, and with it, more opportunities to rise.