"Doflamingo-sama! What do we need?"
Fitz looked confused, wondering if he had misheard.
The same confusion spread among the others.
Was this man really a good person, offering help without expecting anything in return?
"Yes, think carefully about what you need."
Watching Yamato gently stroke a little girl's wings, Doflamingo smirked playfully.
"Here's a little hint for you—you all are quite rare! The world might soon take great interest in you."
Rare?
Fitz and the other captured laborers went pale.
Animals labeled as 'rare beasts' by pirates had a grim fate. Of ten taken into the labs, nine never returned to the jungle.
Was this what awaited them?
"Please help us, Doflamingo-sama!"
"You still don't understand. Think harder."
Doflamingo's smile faded. He despised slow learners. A suffocating pressure settled over the group.
Think harder.
Fitz and the others exchanged uneasy glances. Food? Shelter? Their lives?
But in the end, what stood out the most in their memories was over a year of suffering.
Hatred festered in their hearts.
They had once feared the dangers of the wild, but as long as Greenbit stood, their lives had been peaceful.
But then...
Their home was destroyed. Families were torn apart.
Negativity is a vicious cycle, one that cannot be easily suppressed.
Fitz's eyes turned bloodshot as a new thought took root in his mind.
All of this happened...
Because we were too weak.
Because we were weak, we had no choice but to rely on Greenbit to survive against wild beasts.
Because we were weak, we became prey for Golden Lion Shiki.
If only we had power...
If only we had power like Doflamingo-sama...
Then we would never have to suffer again!
Their emotions surged to a breaking point.
The native captives, eyes blazing red, spoke in unison.
"Doflamingo-sama, please grant us strength!"
"Fuffuffuffuffu... And what are you willing to offer in return?"
Doflamingo's smirk widened. Otohime's Observation Haki was proving quite useful.
"Loyalty!!!"
"Fuffuffuffuffu... Excellent."
Doflamingo grinned maliciously. Highly cooperative test subjects always yielded better results.
...
A deafening rumble shook the village.
From all directions, creatures charged forward—antlered tyrannosaurs, four-armed gorillas, and other bizarre beasts, kicking up clouds of dust.
Panic flickered in Fitz's eyes.
In the next instant, an overwhelming aura exploded from Doflamingo's body.
One by one, the creatures collapsed, unconscious, crashing to the ground.
...
Angel Island
Diamante and Trebol were blindfolded, each gripping a rope as they were led forward.
"Hey, hey, Jora, what's with the secrecy? What kind of surprise did Doffy prepare for us?"
Beside him, Diamante, who had only recently recovered, nodded in agreement.
"Yeah, what's so important?"
"Ohohohoho! The Young Master specifically told me not to spoil the surprise! You'll be absolutely shocked!"
Jora teased, keeping them in suspense.
After positioning the recording Den Den Mushi, Lao G gestured for her to proceed.
Jora led the two forward and flashed a grin eerily similar to Doflamingo's.
"Diamante, Trebol, you can take them off now."
The two yanked off their blindfolds—
Golden hair. A pale face.
Even in death, he radiated an aura of dominance.
"G-G-Golden Lion Shiki!!!!" *2
PTSD hit both of them like a truck. They recoiled, cowering in fear.
Click!
Jora snapped a picture. It was a direct order from the Young Master.
"Still as pathetic as ever. Take a closer look—he's dead."
Doflamingo's voice came through the Den Den Mushi, flat and unreadable.
"D-Dead…?"
Trebol and Diamante snapped out of their shock.
Trebol sniffled, then grinned.
"Hehehe, Doffy, even a legend from the past ended up as your stepping stone!"
Diamante quickly chimed in. "That's right, Doffy! Your path to kingship is unstoppable!"
...
Meanwhile—
Doflamingo casually chewed on freshly roasted electric beast meat, watching the two bootlickers shower him with praise.
Time passed.
Eventually, Diamante and Trebol grew embarrassed and lowered their heads.
Doflamingo finally shut off the Den Den Mushi.
Their loyalty was unquestionable.
But their mentality...
That was another issue entirely.
With a flick of his finger, thin strings stitched Shiki's tattered body back together.
"Weevil, dig a bigger hole and bury him."
Doflamingo gazed toward the Holy Land.
A persistent unease gnawed at him. The unknown power of the Uranus always left him with a bad feeling.
If I fail...
Will anyone be left to bury me?
Or...
Will there even be a body?
"Mmm!" Weevil swallowed a mouthful of roasted meat, then picked up his massive blade and started digging.
"Got it, Godfather!"
...
Valorous Island
With great reluctance, Morgans set down his newly captured photographs.
Grumbling, he dialed a number on the Den Den Mushi.
The moment the call connected, however, his expression flipped into a fawning smile.
"Doflamingo, my dear friend! Slaying a legendary pirate, the Supreme Commander of the Flying Pirates, the great Golden Lion Shiki—this is an earth-shattering event! The world must know your—"
"Enough! Spare me the long-winded titles."
Doflamingo cut him off impatiently.
"Erase any trace of the winged people. Report the rest however you like."
"Understood!" Morgans agreed readily. As long as he could publish the scoop, he was satisfied.
Then, his curiosity got the better of him.
"Say, my dear friend, that winged fellow would make a fine journalist!"
"Fuffuffuffuffu… My dear friend, I suggest you behave."
Doflamingo's voice turned icy.
"Taking photos of me without permission is one thing. But if another News Coo dares to follow me—"
"I took down the Golden Lion. You really think I can't kill a bird?"
"It was… just a coincidence! That News Coo was lost, I swear!" Morgans wiped his forehead, feeling cold sweat trickle down.
Doflamingo was terrifying.
Maybe it was time to relocate again.
But… what about the next big scoop?
No. I can die, but the news must go on!
Meanwhile, Doflamingo had already lost interest in Morgans' thoughts.
He once needed him as an ally.
Now that he was no longer useful, he was just an obstacle.
And a flightless bird could never escape his grasp.
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