"Then... let's give it a try."
Oboro landed gracefully on the Bellamy Pirates' vessel, his elegant black suit unmarred by the violence that had transpired. The deck around him told its own story, bodies scattered in grotesque arrangements, blood pooling between the reinforced wooden planks, and the lingering scent of death that marked every battlefield he'd ever visited.
He approached Bellamy's unconscious form with deliberate purpose, slowly crouching beside the defeated pirate captain. His enhanced perception confirmed that life still flickered within the broken body, though barely. The spring-powered fool had survived Yurivich's casual demonstration of power, though whether that represented mercy or oversight remained unclear.
Including the Celestial Dragons, this would be the third plot character to die by his hand.
Unlike the previous two victims, however, this one possessed Devil Fruit abilities, a factor that introduced variables Oboro found genuinely intriguing. His system's capacity to transform supernatural powers into transferable skill cards had proven invaluable during their previous operations, but Devil Fruits represented a fundamentally different category of enhancement than ordinary martial techniques or bloodline abilities.
The pirate world's governing will had already demonstrated its hostility toward his presence through various restrictions and complications. Now he would discover just how far those limitations extended when dealing with the sea's most precious strategic resources.
Oboro wanted to determine whether his system could convert Devil Fruit powers into skill cards, and if so, what restrictions or weaknesses might be attached to such conversions. If the process proved successful without crippling limitations, hunting down the ocean's most powerful ability users would become significantly more appealing.
Experience cards posed no challenges, the system had consistently harvested such resources from defeated opponents regardless of their supernatural capabilities. As the familiar notification echoed through his consciousness, a glowing card materialized in his palm, though its relatively modest energy signature reflected Bellamy's current strength rather than his eventual potential.
The spring-powered pirate had barely begun exploring his Devil Fruit's capabilities, making him considerably weaker than the version who would someday venture into the Grand Line's more dangerous waters. Still, any increase in their crew's baseline capabilities proved welcome.
Bloodline cards required special racial characteristics that ordinary humans simply didn't possess. The system's analysis confirmed what Oboro had expected, no "bloodline source" could be extracted from someone whose genetic heritage held no supernatural distinctions.
But the skill card representing Bellamy's Devil Fruit abilities...
Ding.
Success. Another card appeared in Oboro's waiting hand, its surface shimmering with the distinctive patterns that marked supernatural powers rather than learned techniques.
Yet instead of satisfaction, Oboro's expression darkened as he absorbed the skill card's detailed specifications through his mental interface.
The pirate world's governing will had indeed prepared countermeasures against his presence, restrictions specifically designed to prevent him from casually plundering every valuable resource the ocean had to offer. While the system could successfully convert Devil Fruit powers into transferable cards, what he received represented only a pale shadow of the original ability.
The converted skill contained perhaps thirty percent of Bellamy's spring-based powers, with artificial limitations that would prevent any recipient from developing the ability beyond its current truncated state. Moreover, the fundamental weakness that made all Devil Fruit users vulnerable to seawater remained completely intact.
"From the skill description, the ability will remain frozen at whatever development level the original user had achieved at the time of death," Oboro murmured, studying the card's specifications with analytical detachment. "Even if transferred to another person, it can never grow stronger or achieve awakening. The world's will ensures that death severs the connection between soul and power permanently."
The implications were both fascinating and frustrating. This represented another layer of the anti-virus program that the pirate world's governing consciousness had deployed against his presence, a systematic effort to minimize the advantages he could gain through his unique capabilities.
High-level worlds possessed defenses that low-level realities simply couldn't match. Where the Hunter x Hunter and Demon Slayer dimensions had allowed him to operate with relative freedom, this reality actively resisted his efforts to accumulate power through conventional means.
"So hunting low-level ability users provides minimal strategic value," Oboro continued his analysis, rising from his crouch with fluid grace. "The reduction in Devil Fruit powers is severe enough to make such pursuits questionable investments. Physical techniques and Haki transfer without significant degradation, but fruit abilities..."
He paused, studying the weakened skill card with predatory calculation.
"Still, it's not entirely useless. Reduced power is better than no power for strengthening lower-tier crew members. And what interests me more is whether hijacking these abilities prevents the corresponding fruits from reappearing elsewhere in the world. Permanent elimination of Devil Fruits from circulation could prove strategically valuable."
A cold smile played across Oboro's scarred features as he removed his gentleman's hat and tilted his face toward the overcast sky. The wind caught his dark hair, creating a dramatic silhouette against the grey afternoon light.
His eyes held the unsettling gleam of someone who had just identified an exploitable weakness in what others considered an unbeatable system.
From their positions nearby, Dom and Yurivich could observe their captain's contemplative study of Bellamy's body, though the glowing cards and system notifications remained invisible to their enhanced senses. Whatever analysis Oboro was conducting clearly involved capabilities that transcended normal understanding.
Dom had already used his spatial manipulation abilities to board the enemy vessel, systematically searching the various cabins and storage areas for anything of value. The Bellamy Pirates had accumulated modest wealth during their criminal careers, along with navigational charts and intelligence reports that might prove useful for future operations.
"King," Dom called out, emerging from one of the lower deck compartments, "should we keep this ship? The construction quality is significantly better than our current vessel."
Their present flagship, while functional, represented a stopgap solution acquired during their early North Blue operations. The Bellamy Pirates' heavily armed cruiser boasted reinforced armor plating, superior artillery, and the kind of military-grade construction that could withstand sustained combat.
"If you like it... I'll give it to you," Oboro replied with casual indifference, already turning away from the scene of carnage.
"Then forget it," Dom responded immediately, recognizing the subtle dismissal in his captain's tone.
Oboro had previously discussed his vision for the Hell Pirates' eventual flagship, a vessel worthy of their growing reputation and expanding ambitions. Such a ship would require the advanced materials and construction techniques available in the Grand Line's more sophisticated shipyards, making any Four Blues vessel inherently temporary.
Their current transportation needs were purely functional, designed to carry them through the North Blue's remaining challenges until they were ready to enter the more dangerous waters where their real work would begin.
An hour later, the Hell Pirates departed the scene of their latest victory, leaving behind only the Bellamy Pirates' abandoned vessel as evidence of the encounter. Dom continued complaining about the damage Yurivich's explosive departure had inflicted on their own ship's bow section, while their newest crew member remained characteristically indifferent to such concerns.
The contrast in their personalities had become increasingly apparent since Yurivich's transformation. Where Dom prioritized practical considerations like structural integrity and resource management, the enhanced warrior focused entirely on immediate tactical objectives regardless of collateral consequences.
Soon after their departure, another pirate crew discovered the drifting vessel and its grisly cargo. The Bellamy Pirates' reputation as rising stars in the North Blue made identification immediate and horrifying, here was proof that even established crews with Devil Fruit users could be eliminated without apparent effort.
The ship's condition told its own story. Minimal structural damage suggested the confrontation had been brief and one-sided, with the defenders overwhelmed too quickly to mount meaningful resistance. Such efficiency spoke to capabilities that transcended normal power scaling in the supposedly peaceful Four Blues.
Word spread through the criminal underground with viral intensity. The Hell Pirates had eliminated another established crew, this time one with genuine regional recognition and Donquixote Family connections. The systematic nature of their victories was creating a reputation that began approaching mythical proportions.
Every ambitious pirate in the North Blue now faced an uncomfortable choice: challenge the Hell Pirates and risk total annihilation, or acknowledge their supremacy and hope for peaceful coexistence. The latter option seemed increasingly unlikely as reports suggested Oboro's crew actively sought confrontation rather than avoiding it.
The message was becoming unmistakably clear, the Hell Pirates operated according to rules that didn't apply to ordinary criminal organizations. They possessed both the capability and willingness to eliminate any opposition, regardless of reputation, connections, or Devil Fruit powers.
Meanwhile, aboard the distinctive pink vessel that served as Doflamingo's personal flagship, the Flamingo cut through distant waters with predatory grace. The ship's flamboyant design reflected its owner's theatrical personality, though the serious armament hidden beneath the colorful exterior reminded observers that this was a weapon of war rather than a pleasure craft.
"Dover~" Trebol's nasal voice carried across the deck as the slimy executive approached his captain's position beneath a decorative parasol.
Doflamingo lounged in apparent relaxation, his signature sunglasses reflecting the afternoon sun while his trademark grin suggested amusement at some private joke. Despite his casual posture, the tension radiating from his form indicated that his famous temper simmered just beneath the surface.
"That kid is dead..." Trebol continued with obvious satisfaction, consulting the intelligence report he'd just received through encrypted Den Den Mushi channels.
The news carried no grief or anger in its delivery, merely the detached amusement of someone who had witnessed a particularly entertaining example of natural selection in action. Bellamy's fate had been predictable from the moment he'd volunteered for the mission.
"Fufufufufu..."
Doflamingo's laughter erupted with characteristic malevolence, though his emotional state remained perfectly controlled. Bellamy had never qualified as true "family" within the Donquixote organization, merely a useful tool whose disposal represented acceptable collateral damage rather than personal loss.
"That kind of trash should feel honored to have operated under our banner for so long," the Heavenly Demon observed with predatory satisfaction. "Even dying in our service is more glory than someone like him deserved."
"He told me the same thing!" Trebol added with disgusting enthusiasm, mucus glistening as he recalled previous conversations with the delusional pirate.
Bellamy's hero worship had been both pathetic and useful, providing the Donquixote Family with a expendable asset whose loyalty was never in question. His willingness to sacrifice everything for even the possibility of recognition had made him perfect for exactly this kind of suicide mission.
"How long until we reach the target area?" Doflamingo's tone shifted abruptly, casual amusement replaced by cold professionalism.
"A few more days at current speed," Trebol replied, consulting navigational charts that marked their progress toward the North Blue's frigid northern waters.
"Good."
The Heavenly Demon settled back into his lounging position, though his relaxed posture couldn't disguise the predatory anticipation building within his enhanced senses. This expedition represented more than simple retaliation for territorial violations, it was a statement about the consequences of challenging established authority.
Around them, the full combat strength of the Donquixote Family prepared for war.
Every elite officer who could be spared from essential duties had joined this expedition. Diamante sharpened his blade while reviewing tactical reports, Trebol continued coordinating intelligence gathering operations, and Vergo maintained his usual stoic vigilance despite his deep-cover assignment. Only Pica and Sugar remained in Dressrosa to maintain control over their primary base, while Gladius held their interests in the Sabaody Archipelago.
This wasn't routine enforcement action or territorial expansion, this was the complete mobilization of one of the Seven Warlords of the Sea against a crew that had dared to challenge his absolute authority.
The Hell Pirates had announced their presence in the North Blue through systematic destruction of established order. Now they would discover exactly what such declarations cost when the true masters of these waters finally chose to respond.
Doflamingo's grin widened as he contemplated the coming confrontation. After years of relative peace in his domain, the opportunity to unleash his family's full capabilities promised to be genuinely entertaining.
The hunt was about to begin in earnest, and only one organization would survive to see its conclusion.