"I'm mad, Zoffy!"
Ace puffed up his cheeks, glaring angrily at Zoffy, who had just tugged his hair again. He looked adorably frustrated.
They had just finished eating, and this guy was already sneaking in cheap shots again! How annoying!!
"Hehehehehe~"
Zoffy grinned from ear to ear, clearly not the least bit sorry. The next second, his chubby, lotus-root-like arms balled into fists and he threw a punch at Ace.
"Father says superhumans like us need constant training. I'm helping you, you foolish!"
"Foolish?! You think you're older or something?! Father said we were born at the same time, for all you know!"
Ace fought back with gusto.
The two of them wrestled on the cloud-soft bed, rolling around in a tangle of limbs.
"Furufurufurufuru... What energetic little monsters~"
Doflamingo adjusted his glasses, watching the scuffle with amused interest.
Kids roughhousing really was something entertaining to behold.
Nearby, Rouge let out a weary sigh and rubbed her temples.
She was completely numb to this routine. In five minutes, tops, Ace would be the one getting pinned down again.
Across the room, Smoothie watched the two with a grim expression and absently touched her stomach. She'd really put in work that night—nearly passed out, even—and still, no results.
Watching the two boys show off their stamina and strength, Doflamingo rubbed his chin thoughtfully.
"Maybe... it's time for Zoffy and Ace to join the combat program early."
Zoffy had inherited part of his enhanced physique and was being pampered with good food and care.
Unlike him and Rosinante, who'd grown up eating trash, Zoffy's body was already in top shape.
As for Ace...
Doflamingo had once asked Rouge how she delayed his birth.
Expressionless, Rouge gave him the answer.
"Medication to inhibit fetal development. The cost was damage to both the fetus and my own body. The longer it lasted, the higher my risk of death."
Ace hadn't gone through what Zoffy had, and he grew up on Skypiea.
But finally, he was starting to show some of Roger's blood in him—still a step behind Zoffy, the natural-born prodigy, but catching up.
Hearing Doflamingo's murmuring, Rouge spoke up quickly.
"Isn't it too early? Ace and Zoffy aren't even four yet. The family training... it's too extreme!"
"Furufurufurufuru~"
Doflamingo raised his hand and gently stroked Rouge's cheek like she was a delicate doll.
Only after she trembled slightly did he continue speaking.
"For normal people, yes—our training is brutal. But for them? It's just a game."
"Let's ask the little brats what they think."
"Zoffy, Ace, pause the game for a second."
At their father's voice, Zoffy immediately stopped, tilting his head curiously.
"Father?"
A second later, Ace shoved the dazed Zoffy with a loud bang, flipping up into a standing position with a kip-up. Hands on his hips, he declared smugly,
"Hmph! This time, I won. Right, Father?"
"Ha!"
Zoffy, like a cartoon cat, stuck his butt out and pounced.
"You think a sneak attack counts as a win?! You foolish!"
Whoosh!
Two thin strings suddenly zipped through the air, binding the two brats like caterpillars and suspending them in front of Doflamingo.
Seeing his annoyed expression, Zoffy and Ace glanced at each other and instantly sobered up.
The next moment, they both squirmed back into the coils, trying to avoid their father's gaze.
"Your win or loss is up to you. Now, answer my question!"
"Yes, Father!" they chorused.
"Too quiet. Again!"
"YES, FATHER!!!"
"Good. Now—do you want to go to school?"
"Yes!" they said in unison.
Ace's eyes lit up, his voice climbing an octave with excitement.
"Father! Does that mean we can go outside and play?!"
Zoffy's red eyes sparkled too. No more Rouge or Grandma Jora nagging him to death!
Hehehehehe~
Doflamingo flicked his fingers, and the boys dropped lightly to the floor.
"Then go. You start tomorrow."
"Yay!" they shouted together, leaping into a high-five that ended with them bonking heads.
A beat later, they both looked at each other in disgust.
Just as they were about to start another brawl, the door creaked open.
"Boss, we need your authorization on something!"
"Come in, Tesoro."
Doflamingo looked at Rouge and instructed,
"Take Zoffy and Ace downstairs."
...
A moment later.
Doflamingo took a sip of tea and asked,
"What is it? Something with the relocation plan?"
"No, Boss. It's about Weevil. The fake recordings Kuro left behind are all used up," Tesoro replied, looking troubled.
"Your original plan relied on using Miss Bakkin's real body and dubbing over it. But since Miss Bakkin was never part of the experimental test subjects, she wasn't sent to the lab. Her current physical condition's... not great. We're risking exposure."
As he spoke, Tesoro handed over several freshly developed photos.
They showed Miss Bakkin's already withered frame, now practically skin and bones.
"Not a problem. Let Judge's team handle it. Next time, you don't even need to ask me—just take care of it."
Doflamingo clapped Tesoro on the shoulder and stood up to leave.
This?
He thought it was something serious, but it was just Miss Bakkin. A worthless failure.
Raise Weevil for two more years, then cut him loose.
...
Donquixote Laboratory.
Standing in front of an ornate gold-trimmed door, Franky thought he'd arrived at a royal palace, not a lab.
What kind of lab needs to be this extra?
Beep! "Welcome, Chief Researcher Judge!" a mechanical voice announced as the doors swung open.
Judge pointed inside.
"Come in, kid. This is your new workplace."
"I have a name! FRANKY!!!"
Franky was already annoyed. These weirdos treated him like a brat.
"Oh? Until you've contributed something useful, no one here's going to remember your name."
Judge didn't care one bit and tilted his head dismissively before striding in.
Franky fumed and stormed after him.
But the moment he stepped through the door—
BOOM!
A deafening explosion went off nearby.
Out of the corner of his eye, Franky saw a blur streak past.
THWACK!
A massive tree trunk of a man was sent flying, slamming deep into a wall.
"Gah!"
Spitting out blood, Indigo pried himself off the wall. His eyes turned dangerous, and green fireballs of chemical gas ignited in his palms.
"You really want to do this, Caesar? You sure about attacking me?"
"Shurororororo~ Not just attack—you're going to die, Indigo!"
Caesar floated in lazily, holding a glowing blue-flame blade.
Leaning against the doorframe, Franky eyed Indigo's scientist coat and suddenly felt his throat go dry.
Wait... is this job really that dangerous?
If I mess up... do I just get executed?!
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Fanfic is finished 527 chapters in total on p@treon/tambeerg