In the dim woodshed, the two girls, still clinging tightly to each other, gradually regained consciousness.
"Big sister, are you okay? Boo-hoo..." Sugar struggled to break free from Monet's embrace to check her sister's injuries. But Monet held her too tightly; Sugar couldn't escape. All she could do was gently touch Monet's face from within the embrace, her movements feather-light, terrified that her sister might leave her.
"Sugar, I'm alright. I'm sorry for making you worry," Monet, sensing Sugar's small hand on her face, weakly comforted her.
"It's my fault, big sister! Sister, please don't leave me!" Sugar cried, clinging to Monet's neck, her voice filled with worry and sorrow.
"I won't. Big sister will never leave Sugar," Monet said, forcing herself to stay strong, laboriously raising an arm to pat Sugar's back.
In truth, Monet already had a grim premonition about their future. This world was so dark; there was no hope in sight. That man definitely wouldn't let them go. But no matter what, she had to ensure Sugar's safety. Even if it meant sacrificing her own life, she couldn't let Sugar be harmed. Let her bear it all! Monet steeled her resolve. She would kill Kenn and carve out a path to survival for her sister.
Under Monet's reassurance, Sugar's emotions gradually stabilized. The two of them clung to each other, their only support in this tiny, confined space.
"Big sister, does it still hurt?" Sugar gently tried to tend to Monet's wounds. Without medicine, what could she do? She could only use dirt and ash to try and stop the bleeding. Seeing the injuries on Monet, Sugar's heart ached, and tears streamed down her face despite herself.
Monet gently stroked Sugar's head. Even if the wounds throbbed with pain, a smile graced her lips as she said softly, "It's okay, Sugar. We have to try our best to live."
"Mhm! Big sister, we have to live," Sugar responded.
"That's good then!" Hearing Sugar say this brought a strange sense of comfort to Monet.
Growl~
Her uncooperative stomach rumbled loudly. Sugar's face flushed, but she didn't intend to tell her sister she was hungry. She didn't want to be a burden anymore.
"Are you hungry?" Her gentle sister always noticed her younger sibling's state and asked with concern.
Sugar merely nodded, saying nothing. She knew her sister was helpless too. As long as she could endure, it would be fine. She couldn't burden her sister further. If it weren't for her, her sister wouldn't have been beaten so badly. Sugar's heart seethed with hatred for the man who had hurt her sister, and for the indifferent onlookers. She fantasized that if she ever gained power, she would kill them all. Oh, no, torture them to death! That would be vengeance for her sister; only then could she atone for the harm they had inflicted upon them. If that day ever came, she would repay them tenfold! This was the rawest anger and hatred in Sugar's heart.
"Here!" Monet took out a delicate-looking biscuit from within her clothes and handed it to Sugar.
"Big sister, when did you…?" Sugar was surprised to see Monet produce a biscuit, and it clearly wasn't one scavenged from the trash. It seemed she had stolen it from a vendor, but Sugar had no idea when she could have managed it; no one had seen Monet make a move.
Monet shook her head slightly; stealing wasn't something to be proud of. She held the biscuit suspended in the air, waiting for Sugar to take it. Sugar looked at the biscuit in Monet's hand with a complicated expression and took it, somewhat dazed. No matter what, this was her sister's kind intention. A pang of guilt for her own helplessness shot through Sugar. She broke the biscuit in two and offered one half to Monet.
"Let's eat together, big sister," Sugar said, not immediately gobbling it down but offering it to her sister first.
"Alright," Monet replied gently. Looking at Sugar's determined gaze, she knew that if she refused, Sugar wouldn't eat either.
And so, the two sisters ate the food in their hands together. Though it wasn't particularly delicious, the moment was filled with warmth, and both their hearts felt a little lighter. After eating, Sugar couldn't hold on any longer and leaned against Monet, falling asleep. With her big sister by her side, she felt safest. Monet stroked Sugar's hair as she slept peacefully. A dangerous glint flickered in her golden eyes; who knew what Monet was plotting.
Meanwhile, Doflamingo was strolling down the street with Bepo. Bepo, for his part, was looking at everything on the street with great curiosity, frequently stopping in front of various stalls, examining the vendors' wares with intense interest. After all, this was the first time he could appear so openly before others, and he naturally wanted to unleash his inquisitive nature. With Doflamingo backing him up, he wasn't afraid. Doflamingo watched Bepo with a helpless sigh. The bear was like a woman on a shopping spree, unable to stop when he saw something new and interesting, his bear eyes filled with a thirst for exploration. Doflamingo let Bepo have his fun.
"Doffy, this is so yummy! So sweet!" Bepo exclaimed, his bear face a picture of bliss as he sipped sweet honey.
Doflamingo just smiled faintly without saying anything. Seeing Doflamingo so unresponsive, Bepo went back to enjoying his treat. After a short while, when Doflamingo wasn't looking, Bepo slipped over to another stall.
"Shopkeeper, is this tasty?" Bepo asked cautiously.
"Well, now! A talking bear! You must be the pet of some noble master, eh?" the shopkeeper jested, quite amused.
"I'm sorry," Bepo apologized.
"How interesting!" the shopkeeper said with a forced smile. In his mind, he had already labeled Bepo a pet. After all, not everyone could own such a talking creature. If not for his fear of the owner behind Bepo, he wouldn't be speaking so pleasantly to an animal!
"Very tasty! Here you go," the shopkeeper said, handing some grapes to Bepo, who quickly accepted them.
Doflamingo walked over to Bepo's side just then and paid the Berries for him. Seeing the "master" arrive, the shopkeeper's face was all smiles.
"Shopkeeper, did something happen? Why is there such a long bloodstain on the street?" Doflamingo had noticed the abnormality on the street and began to inquire.
"Ah! That…" The shopkeeper hadn't expected Doflamingo to ask him this. But the man before him was dressed lavishly and had an extraordinary air. Besides, the incident on the street was already common knowledge. If he gossiped a bit, Kenn couldn't possibly trouble him for it. Everyone was talking about it anyway!
"What, is it difficult to say?" Doflamingo asked, noticing the change in the shopkeeper's expression, and casually took out a few hundred Berries, offering them to him.
"Not at all! Nothing difficult to say about it. It's just a pair of refugee sisters who got beaten up for provoking the local big shot in town," the shopkeeper said, gleefully preparing to take the Berries from Doflamingo.
"Oh! Is that so?" Hearing "sisters," Doflamingo's interest was piqued.
Bepo, on the other hand, was busy eating by himself, paying no attention to the outside world, completely absorbed in his own.
"Yes, yes! They were beaten quite badly! See that? That bloodstain is from when Kenn dragged them off," the shopkeeper said perfunctorily, counting the Berries he had just received.
"What color hair did these sisters have?" Doflamingo was most concerned about whether they were the Monet and Sugar he was looking for.
"Hair color?" The shopkeeper paused in surprise, then said doubtfully, "Green, I think! Could it be that the customer has… ideas?"
The shopkeeper knew that some noble masters had peculiar tastes. He had already categorized Doflamingo as one of them and didn't dwell on it. Hearing the shopkeeper's words, Doflamingo's heart skipped a beat. It seemed he had found his targets. His long search hadn't been in vain. He had practically scoured the entire North Blue, and Bepo had nearly eaten his way through it. This time, Doflamingo had finally received good news. To find the two sisters, Doflamingo had even instructed the slave auction houses within his Family's network to keep a constant watch, terrified of missing them.
Doflamingo didn't object to the slave trade. He accepted any means that could bring him profit, as long as it allowed his Family to grow stronger and more prosperous. After all, one couldn't get much done without money. As for the suffering of those people, what did it have to do with him? Doflamingo only cared about those he cared about. He wasn't a saint. This was just how the world worked. If you were sold, who could you blame? You could only blame yourselves, blame yourselves for not having the power to control your own fate. Weakness was the original sin. But not everyone would recognize this; they would only blame heaven and curse others.
"Where is this Kenn?" Doflamingo asked.
At the mention of Kenn, the shopkeeper snapped back to reality and offered a well-intentioned warning. "Esteemed guest, Kenn is not someone to be trifled with."
Doflamingo couldn't be bothered with more talk and simply took out another wad of Berries, handing it to him. The shopkeeper beamed. Since good advice couldn't persuade a doomed fool, let them be. "He's on the east side of town. Anyone can tell you where his house is."
"Bepo, let's go," Doflamingo urged, having gotten the information he wanted.
"Young Master, wait for me!" Bepo watched Doflamingo stride ahead and sighed helplessly, quickly chasing after him.
Clang!
The door to the woodshed was kicked open by Kenn, a smile on his face as he looked at the two girls sleeping in each other's arms. The loud noise woke Monet and Sugar. They warily watched Kenn. Sugar, frightened, burrowed into Monet's embrace, her eyes filled with hatred.
"Get up! You two are my merchandise now. You're coming with me," Kenn said, not caring whether the sisters agreed or not. He planned to sell them as slaves and make a hefty profit.
Naturally, Sugar and Monet wouldn't just sit idly by. They knew a terrible fate awaited them, so they had already discussed a plan. When Kenn wasn't paying attention, they would try to escape. However, Sugar didn't know that Monet didn't intend to flee; instead, she planned to be the one to stop Kenn, allowing her sister to escape his clutches safely. Monet and Sugar complied obediently, much to Kenn's satisfaction. It seemed a good beating had indeed taught them their place. Master Kenn was very pleased with his "training."
People often find great strength in desperate situations. Even though Monet was severely injured, her body was now filled with energy. To protect her sister, her own sacrifice meant nothing. She absolutely could not let Kenn succeed. In Kenn's eyes, the badly injured Monet and the young Sugar posed no threat to him. So, he confidently turned his back, preparing to lead them away. But at that moment, Monet pulled out a rock from behind her and smashed it against Kenn's head.
Argh!
Kenn never expected to have his head split open. Blood gushed from the wound. He clutched his head tightly, howling in agony.
"Run, Sugar, quickly!" Monet shouted.
Seeing this, Sugar no longer hesitated. They had already planned this; this was an opportunity not to be missed.
"Damn it!" Kenn was furious and lunged towards them.
Swish! Monet grabbed a handful of dirt from the ground and threw it at Kenn, trying to obstruct his vision, while she herself ran forward with all her might. Kenn frantically shielded himself from the flying dirt. However, Monet, due to her severe injuries, couldn't run far. Kenn caught up and kicked her to the ground.
Sugar, who was ahead, looked back and saw her sister had been caught. She wanted to go back and save her. But just as Sugar was about to move, Monet screamed with all her strength, "Go! Don't worry about me! Live a good life!"
"Sob, sob..." Sugar cried, turning her head away and running forward, her heart filled with grief, unable to bear watching her sister being beaten.
"What touching sisterly affection!" Kenn sneered, clutching his head, his face growing more savage. However, his feet didn't stop, continuously kicking Monet's abdomen.
Sugar ran, crying and screaming, desperately begging passersby for help, only to be met with indifference. Everyone was cold-blooded, unwilling to get involved in troublesome matters.
"Please, save my sister!" Sugar, receiving no help from anyone, collapsed powerlessly to the ground, her eyes vacant, despair washing over her.
"Want some? Did you get separated from your family?" A large white bear crouched in front of Sugar, offering her the grapes in his hand.
Sugar lifted her tear-streaked, despair-filled face and looked at the large white bear before her, so choked with sobs she couldn't speak.
"Bepo," Doflamingo said exasperatedly. "You really have no tact at all, do you?"
Doflamingo, who was right beside Bepo, had naturally noticed that the girl was Sugar. Seeing her current miserable state, she had probably just escaped from the devil's clutches. Monet's condition likely wasn't much better.
"I'm sorry!" Bepo lowered his head and apologized.
However, Sugar was in no mood to coo over Bepo's cuteness right now. She quickly fixed her gaze on Doflamingo and said hoarsely, "Please, save my sister!" Sugar said it more out of desperation than hope, as she had already encountered too many indifferent onlookers.
Just as Sugar lowered her head, preparing to get up, she heard the most beautiful sound in the world.
"Alright. Don't worry, both of you will be safe," Doflamingo said, picking Sugar up from the ground without minding her smell or disheveled state.
"Thank you!" Sugar leaned against Doflamingo's chest, deeply moved.
"Let's go now!" Doflamingo soothed her, simultaneously extending his Observation Haki to its fullest. It didn't take long for him to locate them.
"God's Judgment!" Doflamingo, holding Sugar with his left arm, raised his right hand towards the sky, unleashing a bolt of lightning that shot towards Kenn's location.
Meanwhile, Monet was on the brink of death from the beating. Kenn, having vented his anger, was about to take a breather. However, the lightning from the sky showed him no mercy, striking him directly and electrocuting him into unconsciousness. Monet, lying on the ground, felt a sense of satisfaction seeing this. Evil meets its retribution; this was the best ending, wasn't it? As long as Sugar was alive! If only she could see Sugar one more time!
The sound of rustling footsteps approached. Doflamingo, holding Sugar, teleported directly to her side.
"Big sister!" Seeing Monet's condition, Sugar struggled to get out of Doflamingo's arms. Doflamingo gently set Sugar down, allowing her to return to Monet's side.
"Is it really you, Sugar?" Monet, barely conscious, looked at Sugar with excitement before succumbing to heavy sleep. She was too tired. Having seen Sugar now, she could finally rest assured.
"I brought someone to save you, big sister! Please don't die!" Sugar gently shook Monet's body, her eyes brimming with tears.
Before losing consciousness, Monet glanced at Doflamingo and gave him a faint smile.
"Big brother, please save my sister quickly!" Sugar now placed all her hope on Doflamingo. After witnessing his miraculous power, she naturally believed he could save her sister.
Sugar quickly ran to Doflamingo's side, tugging at his trouser leg, trying to pull him towards her sister. Doflamingo allowed Sugar to lead him to Monet. He saw that Monet's body was soaked in blood. Using his Observation Haki, he sensed her life force. Thankfully, it was just that her heart had stopped beating. Doflamingo hadn't expected his first use of "electric therapy" to be on Monet. Under Sugar's anxious gaze, Doflamingo carefully gathered lightning at his fingertips, lowered the voltage, placed his fingers on Monet's chest, and slowly stimulated her heart, trying to make it beat again. Monet's body jolted with each pulse. Doflamingo gradually increased the voltage, stimulating her heart. It was Doflamingo's first time using electrotherapy on someone else, and cold sweat beaded on his forehead.
"Hooo…" Doflamingo let out a turbid breath. Feeling Monet's heartbeat, he finally relaxed.
"She's alright now!" Doflamingo comforted the worried Sugar beside him.
"Big sister!" Sugar looked at Monet with concern, eagerly waiting for her to wake up and embrace her.
"Young Master! You didn't even wait for me!" Bepo, who had finally arrived, panted, complaining about Doflamingo.
"Bepo, you're too slow!" Doflamingo retorted.
"I'm sorry!" Bepo quickly apologized.
Sugar noticed this scene. Her sister was safe now, and she finally felt relieved. Seeing Bepo being so adorable, she couldn't help but smile. Doflamingo took this opportunity to pick Monet up from the ground, preparing to leave with the two girls.
"Bepo, that man is your responsibility. Tie him up. We'll deal with him when we have time," Doflamingo gestured to Bepo.
"Young Master, this…" Bepo whined, looking at the man who resembled a piece of charcoal.
"Bepo, hurry up and follow!" Doflamingo commanded directly, then left with Sugar and Monet.
Oh!