One Piece: Deriving All Things

"Alright, stop now."

Seeing that Mansherry was starting to struggle, Sanders waved his hand to let her rest.

Overusing the powers of the Heal-Heal Fruit would leave the user incapacitated.

After thanking Mansherry, Sanders stood up and stretched his limbs. His injuries were mostly healed, and a few days of rest would take care of the rest.

"Sanders, what should we do next?" Nami asked once Sanders finished his treatment.

"What do you mean?"

Nami pointed at Doflamingo and his subordinates lying on the ground, then at the growing crowd gathering outside the palace.

"Hand Doflamingo over to the Marines as planned," Sanders said casually. "As for the others..."

He paused for a moment before continuing, "Lock them up for now."

Handing Doflamingo over to the Marines was part of the deal they had already made. Most of the Donquixote Pirates were Devil Fruit users, and some of their fruits were quite valuable. Sanders wasn't about to let them rot in Impel Down without extracting their fruits first.

As for the people of Dressrosa... Sanders looked at Viola.

"Call your father, King Riku, to come over," he said to Viola.

At this moment, King Riku and his former subordinates were waiting anxiously outside the palace. The toys inside the palace had reverted to humans and spread the news that Doflamingo had been defeated by the Thunder God Pirates.

King Riku knew the palace was now under the control of the Thunder God Pirates. However, unsure of their intentions and wary of their strength, he hadn't dared to rush in.

"Alright," Viola nodded. She knew the conversation between her father and the captain of the Thunder God Pirates would determine the fate of Dressrosa.

After Viola left, Nami turned to Sanders.

"Captain, are we going to rule this place?"

"Of course. Why not?"

"The sky is our base, but we also need territory down here," Sanders replied matter-of-factly.

"The New World is divided among the Four Emperors, and this place suits us perfectly."

He needed some power under his command to match his growing reputation. Dressrosa was an ideal choice—plenty of land, a good population, and a tropical island perfect for living.

"Captain, are you going to be the king of this country?" Robin asked.

"King? Nah."

"Just have them pay us a protection fee every year."

Sanders had no interest in managing a country. Even the Sky Island was left to the Shandian Chief and Gan Fall to oversee.

"You can decide how much they pay, Issho. I won't interfere," Sanders said to Issho.

Issho nodded silently.

Outside the palace, Viola approached King Riku.

"Father."

"Viola, what does the Thunder God Pirates want to do next?" King Riku asked anxiously as soon as he saw her.

"Father, I don't know either," Viola replied, shaking her head.

"Captain Sanders has invited you to the palace."

"What kind of person is this Sanders?"

As they walked towards the palace, King Riku whispered to his daughter. Pirates varied greatly in personality—some were cruel and violent, while others were relatively mild-mannered. He was afraid that Dressrosa had encountered another tyrant like Doflamingo.

Viola hesitated for a moment before answering, "The Thunder God Pirates seem to be quite kind, and Captain Sanders speaks very politely."

"Did you... use your ability to check?"

King Riku was aware of his daughter's ability to see into people's hearts.If she could discern the other party's thoughts in advance, it would be helpful for the upcoming conversation.

"Did you use your power?"

Viola shook her head. "No, I didn't dare."

Having witnessed Sanders fight against Kaido of the Beasts with her own eyes, she knew how terrifying he was. If Sanders noticed her using her ability, it might anger him. After all, no one would want their inner thoughts to be spied upon.

"Father, as long as their demands aren't unreasonable, just agree to them," Viola advised. "The Thunder God Pirates are far stronger than Doflamingo, an existence comparable to the current Four Emperors."

Viola's reminder was clear: they had no ability to resist the Thunder God Pirates.

"I understand. I'll tread carefully," King Riku sighed. Escaping the tiger's den only to meet the wolves—he couldn't help but wonder what the future held for Dressrosa.

With a worried expression, King Riku approached Sanders.

"Hello, King Riku."

Sanders took the initiative to greet him.

"The Thunder God Pirates have defeated the Donquixote Family. From now on, this will be the territory of the Thunder God Pirates," Sanders said straightforwardly.

"You will remain the king of Dressrosa. Managing this place will still be the responsibility of your family, and I won't interfere. For the rest, you can discuss it with Issho, the vice-captain and ship doctor of the Thunder God Pirates."

"In any case, you can rest assured that the Thunder God Pirates' conditions won't be harsh."

Sanders' words gave King Riku a sense of relief.

The idea of Dressrosa becoming the Thunder God Pirates' territory didn't come as a surprise to King Riku. It was common practice in the New World. Many islands in this sea depended on the Four Emperors to survive.

For instance, Fish-Man Island was Whitebeard's territory, and the World Government often turned a blind eye to such arrangements. As long as nations paid the Heavenly Tribute on time, even if a pirate crew controlled them, it wasn't a problem.

King Riku felt confident that, alongside the Heavenly Tribute, Dressrosa could afford to pay a portion as protection money to the Thunder God Pirates. Dressrosa had always been wealthy; before Doflamingo's rule, they even had enough surplus to assist neighboring nations.

Now, they would just be giving that money to the Thunder God Pirates instead.

With the Thunder God Pirates' protection, the citizens could finally live peacefully, free from the fear of pirate raids. After all, the Thunder God Pirates' captain was a powerful figure capable of standing against the Four Emperors. Few would dare cause trouble on such a formidable pirate's territory.

"Now, you can announce this news to the people of Dressrosa," Sanders said.

"Thank you for defeating Doflamingo," King Riku expressed his gratitude.

Doflamingo's rule had been too brutal, and the Thunder God Pirates' arrival was like a ray of light for Dressrosa.

"No need to thank us. We had our own grudges with him," Sanders waved dismissively.

"Talk with Issho about what comes next. I have other matters to attend to."

With that, Sanders picked up Doflamingo and floated into the sky. He needed to hand Doflamingo over to the Marines. The rest of Doflamingo's crew had already been tied up by Wyper.

After Sanders left, King Riku began discussing matters with Issho.

Not long after, King Riku exited the palace with a pleased expression and addressed his subordinates.

"Your Majesty, what did the Thunder God Pirates say?" asked Tank Lepanto, a former captain of Dressrosa's royal army.

During Doflamingo's rule, Lepanto had secretly worked to protect King Riku and his family, waiting for the day they could reclaim the throne. When Issho fought Doflamingo, Lepanto had rallied his men to overthrow the tyrant's rule.

"I will once again serve as the King of Dressrosa," King Riku announced.

"Dressrosa will become the territory of the Thunder God Pirates and enjoy their protection."

"And the Thunder God Pirates won't interfere with our governance!"

King Riku spoke with a radiant smile.

After his conversation with Issho, he realized the Thunder God Pirates' terms were not merely lenient—they were incredibly generous. It was worlds better than during Doflamingo's rule!

"Really? That's amazing!" exclaimed Tank Lepanto, his face beaming with joy.

If King Riku said the terms weren't harsh, then he trusted they truly weren't. He knew King Riku's character very well.

Dressrosa had finally been freed from Doflamingo's tyranny!

"That's wonderful! Doflamingo has finally been defeated!"

"Long live King Riku!"

"Long live the Thunder God Pirates!"

King Riku's subordinates raised their weapons high, shouting in unison.

After Sugar's defeat, many had come to learn of Doflamingo's schemes. This revelation significantly improved King Riku's reputation, and many citizens began hoping for Dressrosa to return to the rule of the Riku royal family.

Seizing the opportunity, King Riku announced Doflamingo's plots to the entire populace. With many former toys coming forward as witnesses, his words quickly gained credibility.

Thus, King Riku was reinstated as the King of Dressrosa.

Meanwhile, Sanders carried Doflamingo to a Marine warship stationed just outside Dressrosa.

The warship was led by an old acquaintance: Vice Admiral Momonga of Marine Headquarters.

When Sanders arrived, Momonga watched him approach with wary eyes, as if facing a formidable foe.

"No need to be so tense, Vice Admiral Momonga," Sanders said with a smile as he landed on the deck.

He tossed Doflamingo in front of Momonga.

"This is my gift to you," Sanders said.

"Doflamingo?!"

Momonga's pupils contracted as he recognized the man lying on the deck.

Doflamingo's signature sunglasses were long gone, but his distinctive outfit made him instantly recognizable as one of the Seven Warlords of the Sea.

"I thought about killing him myself," Sanders said nonchalantly.

"But after some consideration, I felt it would be more fitting to lock him up in Impel Down for the rest of his life."

"Oh, and one more thing—Dressrosa is now my territory. The Marines should avoid coming here in the future."

With that, Sanders rose into the sky and disappeared from view, leaving a stunned Momonga behind.

Momonga looked down at the defeated Doflamingo, his expression conflicted. After a moment, he ordered his men to restrain Doflamingo with seastone handcuffs and used a transponder snail to contact Marine Headquarters.

"You're saying what?"

"Sanders handed over Doflamingo to you?" came Fleet Admiral Sengoku's puzzled voice from the other end of the line.

"Yes, Fleet Admiral Sengoku. Doflamingo is currently restrained and aboard the warship," Momonga confirmed.

"Alright, return with the warship immediately. Escort Doflamingo to Impel Down," Sengoku instructed.

Though he wasn't sure why Sanders had done this, capturing Doflamingo was undoubtedly a significant achievement.

"What's the situation in Dressrosa now?" Sengoku asked.

"I'm not sure," Momonga replied. "Sanders declared Dressrosa as his territory. We didn't dare set foot on the island, so we don't know what's happening inside."

Sengoku fell silent for a moment before asking, "Is Sanders badly injured?"

"He doesn't appear to be," Momonga answered honestly, understanding the implication behind Sengoku's question.

"On the contrary, he seems completely fine, still radiating an aura of immense power."

"I see. Return for now," Sengoku said, ending the call.

Momonga glanced in the direction of Dressrosa one last time before ordering the fleet to set sail.

At the same time, in waters not far from Dressrosa, Admiral Akainu of the Marines, leading a fleet towards Dressrosa, received orders from Fleet Admiral Sengoku.

After a long pause, Akainu's face darkened as he ordered the warships to return.

"Sanders, one day I'll capture you again!" Akainu growled, a cigar clenched in his teeth, as he stood on the deck.

Upon learning of the battle between Kaido of the Beasts and Sanders in Dressrosa, Akainu had mobilized his fleet, hoping to take advantage of the fight and arrest at least one of them. Sengoku had initially approved the plan, but upon hearing that the battle had ended and Sanders was relatively unscathed, he ordered Akainu to retreat.

For the Marines, capturing Doflamingo was already a significant achievement. Sengoku had no intention of escalating the conflict.

Letting the pirates of the New World wear each other down was the best strategy.

News of Sanders' battle with Kaido quickly spread. Newspapers scrambled to report on the event:

[Thunder God vs. Beasts! A Clash of Equals!]

[The New World's Fifth Emperor: Thunder God Sanders!]

The news that Sanders had fought one of the Four Emperors wasn't entirely surprising—everyone knew that the Thunder God Pirates' entry into the New World would inevitably lead to clashes with the Four Emperors. What did surprise people was how quickly the confrontation occurred.

Voices across the seas grew louder, hailing Sanders as the Fifth Emperor. However, some remained skeptical, arguing that the Thunder God Pirates, aside from Sanders and Issho, lacked other notable fighters to solidify such a title.

One thing was clear to all, though: Sanders was destined to become an Emperor of the Sea in the future.

As the youngest of the Four Emperors, Red-Haired Shanks, was still over a decade older than Sanders. Youth was Sanders' greatest advantage.

Aboard the Moby Dick, Marco read the news to Whitebeard:

"Father, Sanders clashed with Kaido, and the battle ended in a stalemate. No clear victor emerged."

"Gu-la-la-la! Is that so? That Thunder brat sure has some fight in him if even Kaido couldn't take him down!" Whitebeard laughed heartily.

"I never imagined he could hold his own against Kaido at such a young age!"

"And after this clash with Kaido, the title of the Fifth Emperor is becoming more and more widespread," Marco added, looking at the newspaper with admiration.

Despite being older than Red-Haired Shanks, Marco admitted to himself that he wasn't a match for Kaido. Yet a man nearly two decades younger than him had managed to fight Kaido to a draw.

"The Fifth Emperor of the Sea? Gu-la-la-la! That might still be a bit premature," Whitebeard chuckled.

"Still, the new generation of strong pirates is emerging faster than ever. Looking at him makes me feel old."

"Father, you're far from old! You'll be sailing these seas for decades to come," Marco said with a smile.

In Totto Land, Big Mom tossed the newspaper aside.

"Kaido's such a fool! He couldn't even deal with a brat!" she scoffed.

"Fifth Emperor? Ma-ma-ma! He's still far from deserving that title!"

Back on Onigashima, Kaido had returned to his base.

King, the Wildfire, looked at the heavily scarred Kaido with concern.

"Kaido-sama, are you alright?"

Kaido, his body covered in wounds, sat cross-legged on the ground, guzzling sake in large swigs.

"Ooh-ra-ra-ra! Don't worry, King. It's nothing serious," Kaido laughed.

"That Sanders brat packs a punch, though. I acknowledge him!"

Despite the frightening appearance of his injuries, Kaido's formidable resilience would see him recover quickly.

"When I've healed, I'll find him for another fight! Next time, I'll defeat him!"

Over the years, Kaido had grown bored of battling the other Four Emperors. Now, with a new challenger who could stand toe-to-toe with him, Kaido was more excited than ever.

In another corner of the New World, aboard a ship sailing through the sea breeze, Red-Haired Shanks stood on the deck, a newspaper in hand.

"Shanks, it seems we'll inevitably clash with the Thunder God Pirates someday," said Ben Beckman, a cigarette between his lips, speaking calmly.

"Ha-ha-ha! If it happens, it happens," Shanks laughed.

"I'd actually like to see what this former Marine prodigy is capable of, especially if he could go toe-to-toe with Kaido."

Shanks' laughter echoed across the waves.

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T/N:

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