"Boom!"
Several islands plummeted from the sky.
It was as if the heavens were collapsing.
The already stunned islanders could only gape in disbelief.
"The islands! The islands are falling!!!"
"Is Golden Lion Shiki dead?!"
"Hahaha! Does that mean our son might finally—"
Thud!
A stray rock struck the elderly man's head mid-sentence, shattering his skull into pieces.
The impact of the falling debris sent the rest of the villagers tumbling, sprawling helplessly in the chaos.
"Shiki!!! You damned monster!!!"
The village chief cursed bitterly, wiping the blood from his eyes. There was no time to dwell on disgust—he turned to the frozen crowd and shouted desperately:
"Take cover!!!"
Boom!!!
The first island smashed into the sea, sending tremors across the water. The approaching Sea Kings never stood a chance—shattered into bloody mist upon impact.
A monstrous tsunami rose, towering a hundred meters high.
But it wasn't over.
Before the tidal wave could even peak, another island crashed down, obliterating it instantly.
...
"Where's the IQ plant growing?"
"Over there!" Indigo pointed toward the largest of the fallen islands. "But IQ grass is fragile—it's unlikely much of it survived."
Enel's expression darkened. How was he supposed to safeguard the IQ plants while also handling two burdens? If all they had left were seeds, the Young Master would surely be displeased.
Seeing Enel's displeasure, Indigo hurried to explain:
"However, even with the islands falling, it won't affect future cultivation. Besides, we still have some stock on the island ship!"
"The ship's structure is incredibly sturdy. Even if it crashes, most of it will remain intact. I'm sure Lord Doflamingo will be satisfied!"
Enel's expression eased slightly, but arcs of lightning still flickered around him.
The towering Thunder Giant carried Weevil and Indigo, leaping off the island ship moments before impact.
"We… we're flying!!!" Weevil shrieked.
"What do you mean, flying?" Enel turned to look at the island Indigo had pointed out earlier.
Humans were spreading their arms, their forearm feathers rapidly expanding into wings as they glided down.
Indigo, despite being locked in a chokehold, burst into wild laughter.
"Gehaha! Humans are animals too! This… this is evolution!!!"
...
Meanwhile, elsewhere—
"You're lying! It took forever last time!"
Yamato refused to believe it. Last time, her father had taken ages to kill Hiyori's father.
Kuro's eyesight wasn't as sharp, but once he processed what had happened, his eyes widened in shock.
"Doflamingo-sama! Just how strong are you now?!"
That was the Golden Lion—one of the legendary pirates who stood shoulder to shoulder with the Pirate King, Roger.
A man who had once battled Marine heroes like Garp and Sengoku.
A monster capable of bending mountains and seas to his will.
And yet… Doflamingo-sama had just defeated him.
What's more, he looked completely unharmed.
"It's still going to take a while! It's boring here—let's go check it out!" Yamato grumbled, turning away.
At that moment, Doflamingo stepped onto the deck.
Yamato's face lit up. "Mingo! Can we go play now?!"
A second later, Doflamingo had already leaped past them and disappeared into the ship.
"Hey! Mingo!!!"
"Stay put!" he barked from inside.
Moments later, he emerged, dragging out a Seastone prison.
He didn't have time to play games with kids. The Golden Lion was as good as dead.
Originally, the plan was to prepare thoroughly, bring Baccarat along, and execute a flawless ambush.
But that old fox had an uncanny ability to slip away. Who knew when the next opportunity would come?
This would have to do.
Doflamingo filled the Seastone prison to the brim with every fruit they had gathered from the island.
Shing!
A single string sliced through the air.
Golden Lion Shiki's head tumbled free from his shoulders.
Another legend had fallen.
A certain goal in Doflamingo's grand design had now shifted.
Slipping on a fresh pair of sunglasses, he activated his Observation Haki, scanning the pile of fruit for any sign of change.
He wasn't worried—he had done all he could. And besides, the IQ yield alone had propelled his plans forward considerably.
If he gained the Float-Float Fruit, all the better.
If not… well, the next fool to inherit it would meet the same fate.
Near the edge of the cage, a green melon shimmered, turning golden with intricate cloud-like patterns on its surface.
"Fufufufufu! How delightful!"
Enel and the others arrived just in time to see Doflamingo holding up the golden-white melon, laughing maniacally.
"Young Master, we have a new discovery."
"Speak."
...
"Can it really fly?!" Yamato's eyes sparkled with excitement.
Kuro and Buffalo recalled the people they had seen sprouting feathers and desperately tried to comprehend how it worked.
Doflamingo's expression remained indifferent. "Did they escape?"
"No, they returned to their village."
...
The once chaotic waters gradually calmed.
Not only had the island grown significantly in size, but several new mountains had formed as well.
With no more debris raining down, the surviving villagers, battered and bruised, crawled out from their ruined homes.
As they took in the devastated landscape, the first wails of grief began to rise, spreading until the air was thick with sorrow.
"Our home… it's gone…!"
"That fall was so high—what about the wolves?!"
...
Even the ever-composed village chief said nothing. He simply stared out at the sea, silent.
His son had been taken by the Golden Lion.
His grandson, too.
A shadow loomed in the distant sky, growing larger by the second.
The chief's pupils contracted.
The green barrier must have been destroyed by the falling rocks.
The giant birds were coming to feed.
It was too late to run.
The chief turned his head.
"Father! Grandpa!"
"Mom!"
...
Had the man-eating birds evolved to mimic human voices?
Even knowing it was a trick, the chief couldn't help but turn back.
He was old. If he stayed behind, he might buy the others some time.
And maybe… just maybe… he could hear his family's voices one last time.
Swish!
One by one, the villagers landed lightly on the ground.
Before the chief could react, warm arms enveloped him.
Villagers embraced one another, calling out names in disbelief.
"Fufufufufu! What a heartwarming scene."
A chilling voice shattered the moment.
The villagers tensed in terror.
The massive ship loomed above them, having docked in eerie silence.
One by one, the villagers fell to their knees, pressing their foreheads to the ground.
"Thank you for saving us!!!"
"No need for gratitude."
Doflamingo scratched at an itchy wound on his chest, amusement glinting in his eyes.
"My help… comes at a price."
The villagers' faces paled. They had expected as much—this man was no saint.
Resisting was out of the question. He was stronger than the Golden Lion.
But what did they have left to offer?
The chief's son, Fitz, forced a smile and bowed deeply.
"Great lord, what do you require?"
"It's not about what I need…"
Doflamingo shifted his gaze from Yamato back to the villagers.
"It's about what you need."
A smirk curled across his lips.
"Allow me to introduce myself. I am Doflamingo, a Dream Maker."
"You may address me as… Doflamingo-sama!"
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