Chapter 62: Freeing Dressrosa
~~~~o~~~O~~~o~~~~
Chaos ruled over Dressrosa. Pica, in his gigantic form, was tearing through the city, destroying everything in his path. The screams of trapped residents mixed with the sound of explosions and the tremors caused by the massive stone man. To make things worse, the Marines were on the scene, with vice admirals and an admiral, while the revolutionaries darted through the ruins, dodging collapsing debris.
"We need to figure out how to get the civilians out of here!" Emi shouted, ducking to avoid a falling rock.
The tremors from Pica and the relentless attacks from pirates trying to capture Sabo made it nearly impossible to move forward. Every path seemed to lead them closer to danger.
This wasn't how it was supposed to go. The mission had been clear: infiltrate Dressrosa, dismantle Doflamingo's weapons network, and leave before things spiraled out of control. But everything had gone wrong. Sabos' focus had shifted— determined to protect his brother, while the Straw Hats' chaotic intervention had drawn the full wrath of Doflamingo's forces. Now, the city itself was a battleground, with civilians caught in the middle.
Suddenly, an explosion echoed in the distance, cutting through her thoughts. Before Emi could process it, Sabo, gripping his metal pipe, turned abruptly and dashed in another direction.
"Luffy needs me!" he yelled over his shoulder, vanishing into the chaos before she could react.
Emi opened her mouth to protest, but he was already gone. She clenched her fists, torn and overwhelmed by the sheer scale of the disaster. Everyone had their own priorities in this disaster. Even her, couldn't shake her own fears for Law, no matter how hard she tried to focus on the mission.
She clenched her fists, drawing a sharp breath. "This isn't what we came here for," she muttered, glancing at the civilians still trapped in the wreckage. But there was no time to dwell on what was lost. The mission, the chaos, and everyone's tangled fates left no room for hesitation.
She glanced toward where Sabo had disappeared. Flames erupted from buildings nearby, and she could almost feel their heat. Then, a strange sensation made her look up at the sky. Was that... a meteorite?
It was heading straight for them. Frozen in place, Emi couldn't move. But before the meteorite hit, it was sliced apart by the bars of Doflamingo's Birdcage, its fragments scattering across the island. Emi couldn't believe her eyes. Was she in another dimension? No, this was real—damn real. A full-scale war. She needed to stop getting lost in her head.
Weaving her way skillfully through the ruins, Emi searched for higher ground. She climbed onto the remnants of a collapsed tower, crouching to survey the area. Her gaze briefly lingered on the palace towering over the city before she refocused on the task at hand.
As she scanned the horizon, a sudden movement caught her eye. Her brows lifted slightly as she recognized a familiar figure: Monkey D. Luffy, riding what looked like a massive cow, with Law lying on its back. They were heading straight for the palace. Behind them, pirates and former arena fighters—once enemies—were now banding together to lend their support.
Emi felt her chest tighten, caught in a mix of hope and anxiety. Both Luffy and Law were determined to take down Doflamingo, but this mission had become bigger than just them. Like every resident of Dressrosa, she had pinned her hopes on their success. They had to win. They were the only ones who could topple this tyrant and shatter the deadly cage surrounding the island.
Closing her eyes for a moment, Emi took a deep breath to steady her nerves. She had to act too. Carefully descending the tower, she made her way toward the heart of the chaos, determined to help evacuate as many people as she could.
As she navigated through the wreckage, she spotted a group of civilians trapped in a half-collapsed building. A woman was desperately trying to calm her children, while an elderly man, injured and leaning against a stone wall, looked like he could barely stand.
"Don't move! I'll get you out of there!" she called out.
Climbing over the debris, Emi used all her strength to dislodge a beam blocking the exit. She grabbed the trembling hands of the woman, helping her and her children through the gap, then turned to the old man.
"I'll have to carry you. Hold on tight!"
The man nodded, and Emi hoisted him onto her back, ignoring the strain in her muscles. Once everyone was safely outside, she pointed them toward a safer path through the ruins.
"Head east! There's a quieter area near the cliffs, far from the fighting!"
They nodded gratefully, stumbling away as they muttered hurried thanks.
.~~~~
As time passed, the Birdcage continued to close in relentlessly, threatening the sick and weak trapped within. The desperate cries of the citizens echoed across Dressrosa, but a glimmer of hope persisted, fueled by King Riku's stirring speech. His voice, filled with courage, rose above the chaos:
"The Donquixote Pirates are nearly defeated! Keep fighting, help those who can no longer move forward. Dressrosa will endure this trial!"
These words reignited the spirits of the people. Exhausted but determined, the citizens rushed to the cage, pushing against the razor-sharp threads to slow its advance, buying precious time for those fighting for their freedom.
Emi, too, felt a surge of strength course through her. She joined the townspeople struggling to hold back the cage, pressing with all her might against the deadly wires. Channeling her Haki into her hands, she gripped the cage and poured every ounce of energy she had into slowing its progress, ignoring the sharp pain in her arms and back.
Suddenly, a massive explosion echoed, drawing her attention. She turned just in time to see Doflamingo slammed violently into the ground by one of Luffy's monumental attacks. The impact sent up a cloud of dust, briefly obscuring the scene. Through the swirling haze, she could make out Luffy, his body glowing with the power of Gear Fourth. Each strike he landed on Doflamingo seemed capable of shattering mountains. Yet, despite his injuries, the Shichibukai retaliated with his razor-sharp threads, his sadistic smile unyielding.
Emi stood frozen, captivated by the titanic duel. Each of Luffy's blows seemed to bring the nightmare closer to an end, yet Doflamingo refused to fall. Around her, the townspeople, inspired by this glimmer of hope, redoubled their efforts.
"Come on, Straw Hat," she murmured, her eyes locked on the battle. "For Dressrosa… for all of us."
With one final, devastating effort, Luffy hurled Doflamingo against the wall of the Palace Plateau, shattering his threads. The Shichibukai's body collapsed, leading everyone to believe, for a fleeting moment, that he was defeated. But the illusion didn't last.
To Emi's horror, she realized the Birdcage was still closing.
She squinted to get a better look and felt her heart stop. Luffy, exhausted, had lost his Gear Fourth form. He lay on the ground, vulnerable. Doflamingo, though battered and bloodied, was slowly rising, his cruel smile illuminated by the blood staining his face.
A cold shiver ran down Emi's spine. What could she do? Facing Doflamingo head-on would be suicide. But as she saw two courageous women stand to protect Luffy and other townsfolk attempting to drag him to safety, a surge of resolve coursed through her. After all, they were all doomed within this cage. It dawned on her: this pirate was their last hope.
She climbed the ruins of a crumbling building to get a better vantage point, desperately scanning the area. Her eyes finally landed on Coco, her loyal seagull, circling the skies nervously.
With a sharp whistle, she caught its attention. Coco dove down and landed beside her. Emi quickly rummaged through her satchel, pulling out a small pouch containing her special pills.
"Take this, Coco," she whispered as she opened the pouch.
The seagull, accustomed to such orders, swallowed one without hesitation. Within seconds, its body began to grow, reaching an impressive size. Emi climbed onto its back without a moment's hesitation.
"Head for Luffy! We're getting him out of there!" she shouted, her gaze blazing with determination.
Coco let out a powerful screech before taking off, soaring toward the battlefield. For Emi, there was no room left for fear. The only thing that mattered now was saving Luffy and giving Dressrosa a fighting chance at freedom.
As Emi and Coco dove toward Luffy to grab him, a familiar blue light flashed in front of them. Trafalgar Law suddenly appeared, teleporting into the scene using his Ope Ope no Mi powers.
"Law?!" Emi exclaimed, startled.
Without hesitation, Coco reacted instinctively. Using her enlarged talons, she grabbed both Luffy and Law firmly before climbing back into the air. Taken by surprise, Law shouted:
"What the hell are you doing?! Put us down right now, it's too dangerous!"
But Emi, clinging to Coco's back, shook her head fiercely. "No way! You're both too vulnerable. If we stay here, Doflamingo will finish you off. I'm getting you to safety."
Law gritted his teeth, visibly annoyed. "Your bird can't handle all three of us! And I can still use my power to—"
"No, you can't," she interrupted sharply. "You're already at your limit, Law. If you keep using your power, you'll have nothing left when we need you the most. Save your energy."
Law's muscles tensed, but he stayed silent.
Coco was already showing signs of exhaustion. Her wingbeats slowed, and her flight became shaky. Emi placed a reassuring hand on her feathers.
"Hang in there, Coco. Just a little farther," she murmured.
But despite her best efforts, the enormous seagull eventually lost altitude. With her remaining strength, Coco landed heavily on the roof of a crumbling building, collapsing in a cloud of dust. Law, though injured, forced himself to stand.
"You're completely reckless!" he snapped, his eyes dark.
Out of breath but unwavering, Emi shot him a cold glare. "And you think teleporting in your condition is a good idea? Listen, Law, at this point, either Luffy wins, or we're all done for. So if you want to yell at me, do it later. Right now, I'm doing everything I can to keep you both alive." She stepped closer to him, her expression filled with a determination she hadn't thought herself capable of showing before. "And I'm ready to die for that. Like everyone else here. Luffy is our only shot."
Law stayed silent, his expression unreadable. But he couldn't deny she was right.
Emi knelt beside Coco, gently stroking the exhausted bird's feathers. "Thank you, girl. Rest for a bit."
She then turned back to Law, her gaze serious. "How long until Luffy's Haki recovers?"
Law frowned, hesitating briefly. "A minute. Maybe a little more."
Emi nodded, her fists clenched. She sat down next to him without a word, her eyes fixed on the horizon where the cage continued to close in, faster and more menacing than ever.
They just had to hold on for one minute. One minute for Luffy to get back up and end this nightmare.
.~~~~
Time seemed to stretch on endlessly as they waited, every second dragging like an eternity.
Finally, Luffy slowly got to his feet, his body trembling under the weight of the colossal effort. His Haki had just returned, and though his breaths were short and labored, his eyes gleamed with unshakable determination.
Emi held her breath, her hands gripping the edge of the building where she stood with Law. This was the moment.
"Room," Law murmured hoarsely, extending his bloodied hand. A translucent sphere appeared around them, faintly pulsing. He teleported Luffy straight into the heart of the action, swapping his position with Viola's.
"I've got you!" Emi shouted, lunging forward to intercept.
She stretched out her arms, catching the woman mid-fall and softening the impact. Though dazed, Viola looked up at her with gratitude.
"Thank you," she whispered, her voice trembling.
But Law wasn't done yet. Gritting his teeth, he activated his power one more time.
"Shambles."
Rebecca, who had been about to rush in to help Luffy, suddenly vanished, replaced by a lifeless stone. Emi reacted instantly, leaping to catch the young girl before she hit the ground. She carefully laid her down beside Viola, breathless but relieved.
Straightening up, Emi hurried back to Law, who had collapsed against a wall, his breathing ragged. His hand still trembled, but his gaze remained fixed on Luffy, now face-to-face with Doflamingo for their final showdown.
They watched in silence, captivated by the titanic duel unfolding before them. The blows echoed through the air, each impact making the ground tremble. Despite their exhaustion, Viola and Rebecca couldn't hold back a few sniffles, their tears a mix of fatigue and hope.
Emi remained silent, her eyes occasionally drifting to Law. He looked beyond exhausted, but his gaze never wavered from Luffy.
"I never thought I'd see you do this," she murmured, breaking the silence.
Law turned his head slightly toward her, intrigued.
"Putting your life in someone else's hands," she continued, her tone almost incredulous.
Law was quiet for a moment before replying. "It's not about betting everything. It's about believing in someone who's already proven they can achieve the impossible."
Emi stared at him silently, his words sinking deep into her mind. Her gaze returned to Luffy, his blows echoing through the air. The battle between him and Doflamingo was reaching its peak, each exchange shaking Dressrosa to its core.
Then she glanced at Law again, still intently focused on the fight. In that moment, Emi realized that, for him, this was more than just a battle. It was the culmination of years of struggle, sacrifices, and pain.
Falling silent, Emi understood that this moment didn't belong to her—it was Law's, Luffy's, and their fight for the future.
They continued to watch, their hopes entirely resting on the pirate who now carried the fate of Dressrosa on his shoulders. The sounds of the fight filled the air, but for them, everything boiled down to one truth: Luffy had to win.
And deep down, they knew he would.
.~~~~
Luffy, in his Gear Fourth form, looked almost unreal—his body inflated with Haki, delivering raw, thunderous blows that distorted the air around him. Each strike echoed like a storm, sending shockwaves across the ruined battlefield.
Opposite him, Doflamingo fought back with calculated cruelty and precision. His strings, sharp as blades, danced around him, forming a deadly web. Utilizing the awakened power of his Devil Fruit, he manipulated the very environment with terrifying mastery, treating it like a mere toy.
The clash between Luffy and Doflamingo reached its climax. Exhausted but resolute, Luffy launched his final attack: the "King Kong Gun," infused with Haki, slamming into Doflamingo with unimaginable force. The impact shook the entire island, cracking the ground and sending debris flying into the sky.
A heavy silence followed as the dust began to settle. Doflamingo—the symbol of terror and manipulation—collapsed, his body broken.
Emi held her breath.
Was it truly over?
In the distance, the people of Dressrosa, hiding amidst the ruins, began to cautiously emerge. Their faces, etched with fear and suffering, turned upward. The birdcage—that prison of razor-sharp threads—began to collapse. The strings disintegrated with a sound that was almost poetic, freeing the island from its oppressive grip.
Emi felt an immense weight lift from her chest. Her trembling hand pressed against her heart, her eyes brimming with tears.
"It's over…" she whispered, barely able to believe what she was seeing.
Without fully understanding why, her instincts as a journalist took over. Emi grabbed her personal Den Den Mushi and dialed a familiar number. After a few seconds, a gruff, familiar voice answered.
"Emi! It's been―"
"Morgans, Doflamingo is down!" Emi interrupted, her voice shaking with emotion. "The Straw Hats… Luffy defeated Doflamingo!"
A stunned silence filled the line before Morgans exclaimed, his voice electric with excitement.
"WHAT?! BIG NEWS! Say that again! BIG NEWS!"
Despite the tears streaming down her face, Emi couldn't help but smile. "It's over. Dressrosa is free."
Morgans burst out laughing, already barking orders to his reporters. "BIG NEWS, I tell you! BIG NEWS!"
Exhausted but relieved, Emi ended the call. She closed her eyes for a moment, letting out a shaky sigh.
Law, though exhausted, raised a hand and activated his power one last time. Luffy appeared on the roof, unconscious but alive. Rebecca, tears streaming down her face, ran toward him, calling his name. Or was it Lucy? Emi wasn't sure she had heard correctly, but it didn't matter. The gladiator's joy filled the air, though Emi could barely register it over the thunderous rhythm of her own heartbeat.
A breeze picked up, carrying away the last remnants of the birdcage as it crumbled. Emi gazed up at the clear sky, as though the island itself was breathing freely for the first time in a decade. Yet, she couldn't shake a strange melancholy that lingered in her chest.
Her eyes drifted to Law, who seemed to be fighting to stay conscious, his gaze fixed on Luffy with a mixture of satisfaction and relief in his weary eyes. Emi knew that Doflamingo's downfall wouldn't erase the scars left behind—not those of Dressrosa, nor those of Law. But perhaps, just perhaps, it marked the beginning of something new. A chance for him to look forward instead of being chained to his past.
"You did it," Emi murmured, breaking the silence.
Law turned his head toward her, his features drawn with exhaustion, but his gaze sharp as ever.
"No," he replied softly. "He did."
Silence settled between them—not heavy, but calm and unspoken. Emi moved closer, sitting down beside him. She watched his profile as the shadows of the ruined city flickered across his face. It had been so long since she'd had the chance to see him up close like this. She found herself studying him, noticing the faint traces of peace in his expression. Just knowing that brought a small, genuine smile to her lips.
Law turned to look at her in return. Emi offered him her brightest smile, a quiet, sincere gesture that needed no words. For a moment, Law held his breath, caught off guard as he stared at her, his mind whirling.
Why did she always seem to show up where he least expected her? Why, whenever he thought he had everything under control, did she appear, unpredictable and full of an energy that both unsettled and comforted him?
He hadn't asked for her to be part of his life. He hadn't asked for her to disrupt his delicate balance. And yet, every time she was near, it felt as though fate itself was playing games with him, nudging him toward a path he had never considered.
He was always surprised by how she managed to reach him in a way no one else ever had. She wasn't like the others. She wasn't there to give him orders or lecture him. She was just… there. Present, steady, not expecting anything in return, yet always ready to offer something he hadn't even realized he needed.
His heartbeat quickened with each thought, though he couldn't understand why. Maybe it was the way she looked at him, that pure smile she gave him. Or maybe it was how, without even trying, she made him feel just a little more human.
And in that suspended moment, he realized—without fully understanding—that perhaps their destinies were intertwined in a way he'd never thought possible.
Even in his darkest moments, she was there. Even when everything seemed lost, when the situation felt hopeless and any trace of hope had vanished, she still stayed. Why? It was crazy when he thought about it. Why, after everything they'd been through, after all he had done, did she continue to stand by him, to believe in him?
Law caught himself asking that question, one that would usually irritate him and make him retreat. But this time, there was no annoyance, no unease. It was as if something had shifted—like Emi was now a part of his reality, and for once, he didn't feel the need to fight it.
Maybe, he thought, he should just accept it. That she would always be there. That was just how it was, right? He didn't need to look deeper, didn't need to understand why. Perhaps it was something he simply had to embrace. And for the first time in his life, he didn't want to push that thought away. He wanted to see where it would lead, without overthinking or worrying about the future.
Burururu. Burururu.
The sound of the Den Den Mushi broke the silence, pulling Law from his thoughts. Emi, clearly used to such interruptions, pulled the device from her pocket and answered without hesitation.
"Hello?"
Koala's voice, energetic but slightly tense, came through.
"Emi, are you okay?! Where are you?"
Emi straightened slightly, quickly glancing around before replying.
"Yeah, I'm fine. What about you?"
A relieved sigh echoed through the snail.
"We need help at the port. The weapons shipments are bigger than we expected, and we don't have enough hands to move everything quickly. Can you come?"
Emi nodded, even though Koala couldn't see her. "Alright, I'm on my way. Give me ten minutes."
She hung up and slipped the Den Den Mushi back into her pocket.
Turning to Law, who was still silently watching her with an unreadable expression, she hesitated for a moment before speaking.
"I have to go."
She paused, her gaze lingering on him. Then, with a small, meaningful smile, she added:
"See you next time, Law."
It wasn't a farewell, and he knew it. Those words carried an unspoken promise, a certainty that their paths would cross again. And strangely, he didn't mind the thought.
He watched her leave, her footsteps echoing against the ground. When she disappeared from sight, he sighed softly and murmured to himself:
"See you next time, Emi-ya."
~~~~o~~~O~~~o~~~~
Thanks for reading this chapter! I didn't want Emi to be too involved in the battle, as I wanted to keep the main plot of One Piece intact. I hope you still enjoyed it!
See you next time~
Lilly : Of course, Lilly! Happy New Year! I hope your holidays were amazing and filled with joy . Thank you so much for continuing to read and support the story—it means a lot! I'm really excited to share what's coming next, so stay tuned!