Chapter 453: A Professional Troublemaker
"Well, Garp-san." Rosinante said.
Hearing Garp mention Doflamingo, Rosinante's expression grew heavy.
Though his brother had approached earlier and was rebuffed by Garp, Rosinante remained uneasy.
After all, Doflamingo was now a member of the Magic Pattern Association.
With such a position, the man's influence was undeniable.
Seeing Rosinante's troubled look, Garp laughed heartily and said reassuringly, "Do not worry. If he dares come again, I will break his legs."
Garp cared little for Doflamingo's status in the Magic Pattern Association.
Compared to the Hunter Association, the Magic Pattern Association's strength was far inferior.
The reason was simple.
Aside from its highest authority, the Magic Pattern Association's official forces consisted of magic pattern users.
These users had only emerged in the past two years.
Their top combatants were merely at the level of diamond-tier hunters.
Thus, Garp saw no reason to fear Doflamingo.
Comparisons only brought disappointment.
Hearing Garp's nonchalant words, Rosinante felt a sense of calm.
He recalled Sengoku's words: "I am your backing, do not worry."
The memory remained vivid.
Yet, he could not always rely on others or hide in their shadows.
He wanted to restrain Doflamingo through his own efforts.
Though the gap between him and his brother seemed vast, perhaps even overambitious, it was his resolve.
As Rosinante silently reinforced his determination, Doflamingo, on his ship, was far from pleased.
Garp's presence blocked him from pressuring Rosinante as he wished.
'My foolish brother! Do not think others can shield you forever.'
A reckless smile spread across Doflamingo's face.
Whoosh!
He stretched out his hand, feeling the wild, rushing sea breeze.
There was no hurry; time was on his side.
His current goal was the Phantom Beast Conference.
He coveted the power displayed by the Yamata Church.
Could he claim such strength?
With this thought, Doflamingo's fingers twitched slightly, and a deep red thread flashed.
A pirate ship ahead split into two.
The incident shocked nearby vessels.
Some, unaware, assumed it was an invisible wind blade from the headwind layer.
Others noticed the red flash and fixed their gazes on Doflamingo's ship.
"Doffy has made his move!" Torebol exclaimed.
"If those guys saw it, they would be so scared they would abandon ship and flee! Hehehe!" he added with a grotesque, snotty smile, slurping his nose while laughing.
Though the crew was accustomed to it, they instinctively edged away.
Torebol remained oblivious.
"Speed up the ship!" Doflamingo ordered.
Ignoring Torebol's flattery, he grew eager as the chaotic conflict at sea began.
Beyond the rewards on Phantom Beast Island, he needed to make a striking performance.
The Dark Curtain was watching.
Doflamingo's rise owed much to the covert support of the Sage Council, the Dark Curtain's highest authority.
Thus, he had to display his strength and worth.
A useless person was less than a dog.
Boom!
In the headwind layer, cannon fire echoed frequently.
The first shot triggered a chain reaction across the sea.
Pirate crews, highly sensitive, saw others firing.
Some reckless ones followed, blasting cannons indiscriminately.
For a moment, the sea roared with artillery.
Of course, these crews were rational enough not to target renowned major forces.
That would be suicidal.
"Hahaha, this is how it should be! Playing house is so dull!"
"Only war is thrilling."
On the Demon Clan's Mist Boat, a demon clad in steel armor laughed loudly.
This was the War King, a demon with the power to control war, ranking first among the Nine Demon Kings of the Fear Demon Clan.
The demon clan once bore the title of the Nine Demons.
Over time, as other demon kings emerged, this evolved into the Nine Demon Kings.
The nine most powerful demon kings served as champions of the entire demon clan.
Notably, this title applied to all demons.
Any pure demon who defeated one of the Nine Demon Kings, regardless of being a Fear Demon, would earn the title, and be recognized by the Apostles.
In reality, the Fear Demon Clan still held all nine positions.
Other pure demon species, still developing, lacked the strength to challenge them.
Only the Gluttonous Demons, with their devouring growth abilities, produced five demon kings.
But these were either captured or preoccupied with seeking food, unable to vie for the title.
"War King, curb your provocations! Many strong humans are here." Kiiro said lazily.
He watched the War King's arrogant stance and cautioned him.
Kiiro sensed a powerful presence locking onto their ship.
He and Zhurong were the only Apostles attending the Phantom Beast Conference.
They needed to tread lightly around the human camp's powerhouses.
"Yes, the world is harsh." the War King replied.
"I have stopped." he added in a cold, metallic tone, lacking respect.
Kiiro paid no mind to the War King's attitude.
The War King was the most capable demon today.
His magic power rivaled that of apostles from two years ago.
His ability was formidable, allowing him to absorb the aura of war to temporarily boost his strength.
In intense conflicts, his power could surge to Apostle-level.
For such a capable War King, the apostles were lenient.
"What a pity. It would be great to slaughter freely!" a demon carrying a massive bloody scythe beside the War King said regretfully.
The War King ignored his lament.
"Do not worry, Yonglu. Once war begins, the tide of death cannot be easily stopped."
"They will fall into the blood-red abyss."
The seeds of conflict were sown; all that remained was to wait.
The War King was certain of this.
As a troublemaker, this demon was a professional.
(End of Chapter)