"Thank you, Godfather!!!"
Weevil suddenly felt the restraints on his limbs disappear. He tumbled straight into a pile of food, stuffing everything within reach into his mouth.
Like...
"Like the little mountain god of Kuri." Yamato observed the giant curiously, tilting his head to avoid the flying food scraps.
Enel frowned and asked, "Young Master, is he dumb or just stupid?"
"Most likely, it has something to do with his background." Doflamingo's gaze fell on the scars on Weevil's left hand and neck.
There was no doubt the kid carried Whitebeard's blood to some extent. But considering how frail Miss Buckin was, his origins were definitely dubious. Perhaps Whitebeard had taken one look at the bastard child's birth and struck him down immediately.
"Weevil, eat your fill and clean yourself up. We're heading out."
...
The Next Day.
Loguetown Port.
As the Donquixote cargo ship left the dock, it carried the winner of the East Blue Gambling King Tournament.
On a nearby small sailboat, Enel turned his head. "Are we heading back to the North Blue, Young Master?"
"No, Frevance won't be resolved anytime soon. Let Caesar and Judge have their fun."
Doflamingo smiled as he gazed toward the South Blue.
"I have a guest waiting for me in Sabaody."
"Then why bring this guy along?" Now fully recovered, Enel scowled at Kuro, finding him an eyesore ever since the Young Master had scolded him.
Kuro kept his head down, eyes focused on his feet. It didn't matter if Enel disliked him—what mattered was that Doflamingo-sama found him useful.
After all, there was only one true boss.
"He has his own role to play."
Doflamingo glanced at Enel, his crimson eyes gleaming behind his sunglasses.
"Are you slacking off? Weren't you supposed to be training harder? A few days of effort and you're already giving up?"
"..." Enel's face darkened. Sparks of electricity flickered around him as he silently walked to a corner and resumed training.
He should've kept his mouth shut.
"Guhaha!"
At the bow, Buffalo's face turned red as he spun the ship's anchor, yelling toward the sea.
"Miss Yamato, please stop interfering with my work!!!"
Yamato clung to the anchor, trying to delay their departure. Instead of answering Buffalo, she shouted toward the upper deck.
"Can I stay here? I can find my own way back to Skypiea, Doffy!!!"
"Whoosh—"
In a blink, her vision blurred.
Someone had grabbed the back of her neck.
Her big, watery eyes met Doflamingo's.
"Of course~"
He pinched her youthful, collagen-filled cheeks before leaning in to whisper in her ear.
"No way."
With a flick of his wrist, he hurled her backward.
Yamato crashed into Weevil's belly, bouncing off like she'd hit a springboard and soaring into the sky.
"Damn you, Doffy!!!"
"Fuffuffuffuffu~"
Doflamingo grinned, revealing his teeth.
Bullying kids was just another part of the daily routine. Not bad at all.
The sailboat sped forward.
...
Dressrosa.
After three consecutive days of heavy rain, the storm finally ceased.
Inside a tavern, a group of Chestnut-Head Pirates had gathered.
"Cricket! The legend of the Tontatta Tribe is real!!!"
"Smack!"
"Ouch! Damn it, why'd you hit me, Shoujou?"
Masira, who had been passionately rambling a moment ago, now clutched his mouth and glared at his crewmate.
Shoujou didn't say a word—he just pointed around them.
Masira followed his gaze and noticed several beams of light subtly watching them.
The adventurers quickly finished their drinks and returned to their ship.
Back on their deck, Masira shook the dazed Cricket.
"Captain, those so-called 'fairies' the locals talk about must be the Tontatta Tribe!"
"Yeah, Cricket, take us to see these mythical creatures!"
"The place they hide must be the same location your ancestors spoke of!"
"Just thinking about it is exciting! I've seen giants before, but I bet most people haven't even heard of the Tontatta Tribe."
"..."
As his crew buzzed with excitement like a swarm of mosquitoes, Cricket leaned against the railing, hands on his chin, looking troubled.
Shoujou was the first to notice.
"What's wrong, Cricket?"
"Remember what happened on Skypiea?"
Cricket glanced toward the tax office's flag onshore and the stone-faced man standing beneath it.
"That man saved our lives."
"You mean the guy with sunglasses?"
"The monster who split an island?"
"Why? What's the problem?"
"..."
Seeing that no one had caught on yet, Cricket gave them a hint.
"This place is also his territory now."
"Green Bit is most likely where the Tontatta Tribe lives, but it's considered a restricted area by the kingdom."
"What do you think will happen if we trespass?"
A heavy silence fell over the crew.
Last time, at least they had the chance to work and buy their freedom.
If they got caught this time... what then?
After a moment, Masira broke the silence with a loud shout.
"We're adventurers! How could we come this far and not see for ourselves?"
"Yeah! Worst case, we just work for him again! I have to meet the Tontatta Tribe!"
"..."
Cricket felt their enthusiasm rubbing off on him.
He also wanted to see if his ancestors' stories were true.
"Alright, we'll sneak in tonight under the cover of darkness."
...
That Night.
A group of figures silently approached the unmanned iron bridge.
"Cricket, look over there!"
Masira pointed toward the shore.
Several fierce Fighting Fish circled around some rocks, ramming into them repeatedly.
Amidst the jagged stones, broken pieces of a ship's deck were wedged in place.
A tall woman lay atop them, her face pale.
It was clear she had been in the water for a long time.
"Crack!"
The deck groaned under the strain.
The Fighting Fish grew more excited, crashing into the rocks relentlessly.
The unknown woman's fingers twitched slightly.
"Hurry! She's alive! Get her out of there!"
...
The Calm Belt, between the East Blue and the New World.
"Dinner time!!!"
Wrapped in bandages, Weevil's eyes gleamed as he leaped off the deck like a cannonball, plunging into the sea.
"Boom!"
A fountain of seawater erupted from the impact.
The vibrations rippled through the ocean currents, traveling deep below.
In an instant, several massive Sea Kings, each over five kilometers long, swarmed toward the disturbance.
"Weevil, Observation Haki is also a survival instinct."
"Your task today is simple—evade five attacks from the Sea Kings. No counterattacks allowed."
"If you fail, you don't eat."
"Glug!"
Spitting out seawater, Weevil floated on the surface and shouted loudly.
"Five times, Godfather! I got it!"
"Poor Weevil."
Yamato sighed before leaping onto Buffalo's back.
She definitely wasn't helping him.
"Buffalo, let's go!"
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