One Piece: Heaven-Defying Talent

Sugar blinked her wide eyes and looked at Chiba. "Are you asking me to betray Mr. Doffy?"

Chiba smiled gently. "Everyone has a choice, and sometimes that choice isn't betrayal. Doflamingo isn't right for you—that's just the truth, not disloyalty."

Sugar popped a piece of candy into her mouth, her gaze fixed on Chiba. "Then can I choose not to follow you?"

Chiba chuckled. "You're free to make your choice, just as I am free to make mine. Whether you choose me is your decision, but I think you'd be perfect for my crew."

"Tch," Sugar scoffed, rolling her eyes. "So you're just here to kidnap me, huh?"

She sighed. "Fine, I'll go with you."

As soon as she agreed, Monet, the Snow Maiden at her side, burst out, "Sugar, are you really going to betray the Young Master?"

Sugar tossed another piece of candy into her mouth, chewing lazily. "It's not like I want to betray him, but you know I'm no fighter. If you could beat him, I wouldn't be doing this."

Monet fell silent, glancing at Chiba and the formidable figures behind him. She knew she couldn't stand against any of them. Still, she wasn't about to back down. Monet summoned a fierce snowstorm, her fruit powers whipping the winds into a blizzard.

In a flash, Chiba appeared behind Monet. With a light tap to the back of her neck, Monet rolled her eyes and collapsed, unconscious.

"Take her to the ship," Chiba instructed. The Peacock, without hesitation, wrapped her whip around Monet's ankle and tossed her into the boat's cabin.

Chiba shook his head. "Peacock, try to be gentler."

Peacock raised an eyebrow, grinning. "Maybe you should be gentler with others too."

Sugar watched as Monet was thrown into the cabin, shaking her head. "What a foolish woman. Fighting or not, the result is the same."

With a small bow, Chiba gestured to the ship. "So, Miss Sugar, shall we board?"

Sugar stomped toward the ship. "Fine, I'll join your crew, but I want an endless supply of candy—good candy. I heard you're good at making things, so I expect you to keep me stocked, or don't expect me to work hard."

Chiba nodded with a smile. "Of course, no problem. You've worked hard under Doflamingo; you deserve a break. For now, that's your main task."

Sugar sighed. "Poor Doflamingo, to get himself in such a mess with you. What did he do to offend you?"

Chiba shrugged. "It's simple. Doflamingo wanted something that wasn't his to take. We had a deal—man-made Devil Fruits in exchange for a rare document on the Mythical Zoan, Yellow Dragon. But after keeping me waiting, he tried to deceive me with a fake document."

Sugar rubbed her temples, exasperated. "So, I was part of why Doflamingo got into this mess."

Chiba chuckled. "Not exactly. Doflamingo's actions were bound to catch up to him sooner or later. If it hadn't been me, someone else would have confronted him. But luckily for you, since it was me, you're here safe. Otherwise, you might not have been so fortunate."

Sugar looked at him, eyes wide. "Really? Who else would dare go after someone like Doflamingo? He's a Shichibukai, a Celestial Dragon, and an underground king. Only you, a Marine renegade, could pull something like this off."

Chiba smiled faintly and took her hand. "No need to dwell on it. Let's get moving, shall we?"

As they walked, Sugar eyed Chiba skeptically. "I've heard about your experiments. Are you planning to experiment on me?"

Chiba nodded. "I am curious about your abilities. But don't worry—it's not as frightening as you think. Just a quick check-up and a few blood samples. You won't feel much pain. Now, Miss Sugar, it's time for you to rest."

Chiba gently tapped a pressure point on Sugar's back, and she immediately felt drowsy, falling into a deep sleep.

The instant she lost consciousness, the effects of her Devil Fruit ability dissipated. All around Dressrosa, and even across the world, people who had been transformed into dolls began reverting to their original forms. Pirates, civilians, Marines, and even politicians reemerged from their doll-like states.

In one corner of Dressrosa, a young wife stared at the doll that had kept her company for so long, only to see it transform into her forgotten ex-boyfriend. Memories came flooding back, and a torrent of emotions overwhelmed everyone who had once been affected by Sugar's powers.

With memories of their true identities and past lives restored, many of the formerly transformed people were left in shock and grief. Dressrosa, once on the path to freedom, now found itself in turmoil as the people struggled to comprehend the trauma of their lost years.

Hatred for Doflamingo burned brightly across the island. The people who had once served, respected, or feared him now saw him as a true villain, cursing his name for the pain he had caused them.

[•———•——•———•]

𝙥𝗮𝙩𝙧𝙚𝙤𝙣(.)𝙘𝙤𝙢/𝙂𝙤𝙙𝙊𝙛𝙍𝙚𝙖𝙙𝙚𝙧

✨ • 𝗘𝘅𝗰𝗹𝘂𝘀𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝗔𝗰𝗰𝗲𝘀𝘀: 𝙂𝙚𝙩 𝟲𝟬+ 𝙖𝙙𝙫𝙖𝙣𝙘𝙚𝙙 𝙘𝙝𝙖𝙥𝙩𝙚𝙧𝙨 𝙖𝙝𝙚𝙖𝙙 𝙤𝙛 𝙚𝙫𝙚𝙧𝙮𝙤𝙣𝙚 𝙚𝙡𝙨𝙚.