"Bingo, you got it right."
Doflamingo smiled.
Buckin's face twisted in despair and fear as she screamed, trying to threaten him.
"No! No! You can't kill me, brat! I'm Whitebeard's woman—Whitebeard! A legendary pirate on par with Golden Lion, Roger, and Redfield! Kaido isn't even in the same league! If you kill me, he won't—"
"Boring."
Not only did he know the truth, but he also knew she was lying.
With his current power and influence…
Whitebeard?
What threat could he possibly pose?
Doflamingo flicked his finger.
"Schlick!"
A thin string pierced through Miss Buckin's forehead. She collapsed, lifeless.
"Shame. If she'd kept up the act a little longer, it might've been more fun."
Doflamingo shook his head regretfully, then flicked his fingers again.
A set of Miss Buckin's clothes floated over.
"Let's make this interesting."
"As you wish, Doflamingo-sama."
...
Elsewhere…
Surrounded by a group of shady individuals, Weevil felt uneasy.
A surge of aggression welled up inside him.
"Mom!"
"I want my mom!"
"….."
"Don't worry, Weevil-sama, Miss Buckin is very happy right now."
"Yeah, yeah, you don't want to interrupt her fun like last time, do you?"
"It's fine, be a good boy."
The dancing girls comforted him with practiced ease.
Weevil throwing a fit and looking for his mother was a daily occurrence.
But this time was different.
He wasn't calming down.
Anxiety, fear, and tension made him even more restless.
"I want my mom!"
The nearly six-meter-tall Weevil suddenly sat up, sending the women tumbling off him.
He grabbed the massive blade resting beside him and stomped toward the door.
But before he could reach it, the door swung open first.
In stark contrast to his frantic emotions, a relaxed, playful voice echoed from outside.
"Fufufufu~ What a filial son. You care so much about your mother."
Too bad she's already dead.
Doflamingo didn't say the last part out loud.
Weevil tightened his grip on his blade, his instincts screaming at him.
Every fiber of his being told him that the man in front of him was extremely dangerous.
"Who are you? Get out of my way! I need to find my mom!"
"My son, show some respect to Doflamingo-sama."
A stern, yet strangely familiar voice rang out.
Weevil finally noticed the weak presence beside him—his 'male mom.'
"Clang!"
He dropped his weapon instantly.
Throwing himself forward, he hugged Kuro tightly, burying his oversized head into his chest, tears and snot streaming down his face.
"Waaah! Mom! I was so scared!"
"Weevil, Mom missed you too."
Kuro gently patted Weevil's head, soothing him.
Once he was sure Weevil was calm enough, he spoke softly.
"Let go of Mom. There's something important I need to tell you."
"Oh! Okay, Mom!"
Weevil obediently set him down, puzzled as to why his mother didn't smack him with a cane this time.
Standing behind Kuro, he looked like a giant puppy.
"Good boy. Now, let's talk as we walk."
The group headed toward the port.
"Son, you eat too much. Mom has always been troubled by it."
Weevil clutched his stomach in shame, lowering his head.
"That's why I kept searching for treasure—so I could provide for you."
Kuro patted Doflamingo's leg affectionately before turning back to Weevil.
"Doflamingo-sama saw how hard life was for a single mother and her child."
"He offered his support."
Doflamingo flashed a warm smile.
"So Mom is going to fulfill her dream—to travel the world."
Kuro stepped onto a prepared merchant ship.
Weevil instinctively followed.
"Bang!"
A cane struck his head, producing a hollow thunk.
"You can't come with me."
Weevil's face crumpled.
"Mom! What about me?!"
Kuro made a gesture as if holding a transponder snail to his ear.
"Mom will call you."
"From now on, Doflamingo-sama is your Godfather. Listen to him."
The sheer weight of the statement left Weevil momentarily stunned.
Like a lost puppy, he mumbled to himself.
"Godfather…?"
"Mom!"
For a long time, he stared at the ship disappearing on the horizon before finally screaming in desperation.
"Mom! How can I live without you?! MOM!!!"
Weevil bent his knees, the ground beneath him cracking as he prepared to launch himself forward—
"Fufufufufu~ Now, now, be a good boy. You wouldn't want to disobey your mother, would you?"
Countless strings burst forth like a massive web, ensnaring Weevil and pinning him to the ground.
He struggled wildly, roaring in defiance.
"I want my mom! I want to go with her!"
Weevil's monstrous strength flared.
The legendary Whitebeard genes made their presence known as strings began to snap under the sheer force of his thrashing.
But could he escape?
The answer was no.
The strings that broke were instantly reformed by Doflamingo's awakened abilities.
The very earth transformed into threads, wrapping tighter around Weevil's limbs.
Feeling the raw power emanating from him, Doflamingo raised an eyebrow.
"Looks like you do have some of Whitebeard's blood in you. I'm impressed. Fufufufu."
"But… clinging to your mommy won't help you grow up."
Suspended midair in a spread-eagle position, Weevil was completely immobilized.
"Today, your Godfather is giving you your first lesson."
Cracking his knuckles, Doflamingo took a step forward.
Brats like these lacked a proper father figure.
Today, Weevil would get one.
"That lesson is: Always fear me."
A devastating punch tore through the air and crashed into Weevil's face.
"BAM!"
His jaw, teeth, and half his face caved in instantly.
"Mmph!"
He couldn't even scream—he simply blacked out, his massive body going limp.
"Shhhhhhhfft."
The strings unraveled, and Weevil crashed onto the ground with a heavy thud.
...
Some time later…
Kuro, back to his original form, returned to shore on a backup boat.
"Doflamingo-sama, I'm back."
"Fufufufu~ Record some videos for your dear son."
Kuro: "..."
That's really not necessary.
...
In a dark prison cell…
"Grumble…"
A hollow stomach growled desperately.
"Mom… I'm so hungry…"
A malnourished Weevil slowly awakened in the dim light.
No one answered him.
Hunger, pain, and exhaustion overwhelmed him.
At the slightest movement, the Sea Stone chains binding his limbs clinked together.
Noticing the noise, a Den Den Mushi outside his cell clicked on.
"Weevil, listen to your Godfather. Only then will you get food."
"If you want to eat, beg your Godfather."
"Waaah! Mom!"
Weevil sobbed helplessly, his stomach gnawing at itself.
Not only did his Godfather refuse to feed him—
He beat him too!
"Godfather! I'm so hungry!!!"
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