The night was thick, the cold wind was sharp as a blade.
The Donquixote Family's stronghold seemed eerily silent at this moment.
"Trebol, has the Young Master confirmed that we'll be attacked tonight?"
Diamante quietly asked the perpetually sniffling Trebol beside him.
"Yes, Doffy and I have analyzed it. Tonight, those Marines will definitely launch their plan to overthrow our entire family. Remember, if you sense we can't hold out, you must take Doffy and leave immediately.
We'll stay behind to cover the retreat. Your abilities make escape easier. Remember—above all else, protect Doffy! As long as Doffy lives, our family will rise again one day."
Diamante's expression darkened at Trebol's words.
"Has it really come to this? I know that brat. When he killed Pica some time ago, I was ready to eliminate him. But he's either holed up in Marine Headquarters or surrounded by other high-ranking Marines.
If he'd been alone even once these past few days, I'd have erased him from this world!"
Trebol sighed and said.
"There's no use dwelling on that now. That brat has indeed grown stronger. We have to admit we underestimated him back then, and now he's become such a formidable enemy for our Donquixote Family.
Tonight, our top priority is protecting Doffy. Second, we must kill that brat Jake at any cost. Once he's dead, our future progress will be smoother. With Doffy rising over Jake's corpse, even if the Marines have complaints, they won't act.
A dead genius versus a rising Warlord who benefits them—I doubt Sengoku is foolish enough to choose sentiment over pragmatism!"
In truth, if Jake heard Trebol's plan, he'd probably commend the man's insight.
He wasn't wrong.
Though Jake's was important for the marines, if he died, Sengoku wouldn't let personal feelings override duty.
It wouldn't matter if it were Jake—even if it were his adopted son Rosinante, he wouldn't waver.
For a man like Sengoku, the Marines and justice came first.
Even his own life was secondary.
"Don't worry. Tonight, I'll be the one to take Jake's life!"
As the two conspired, Doflamingo's distinctive footsteps echoed from inside, growing clearer.
His trademark manic grin widened as he approached.
"Fufufufufu! It seems tonight we face the greatest crisis in our family's history. But I promise you—this won't be our downfall. It'll be our stepping stone to the top!"
"The future of the Marines?! The super rookie?! The terminator of the Great Pirate Era?! Fufufufufu! All just lies spread by those Marines who are already fading into the tides of time. Truly powerful individuals don't care so much about propaganda—only those who are insecure about their abilities would boast so shamelessly.
We will personally expose this grand lie the Marines have used to deceive an entire era, and we will trample over the corpse of their so-called "future" to rise atop the waves of this age!"
Doflamingo's speech instantly swept away the lingering tension and silence within the family.
Their hearts were now consumed by fervor, and as an overwhelming surge of Conqueror's Haki erupted from Doflamingo, their passion exploded like gasoline set ablaze!
"Young Master! Young Master! Young Master!"
The members of the Donquixote Family began chanting wildly, like the most devout fanatics.
Sugar stood behind Doflamingo, her small frame curled up, appearing somewhat forlorn.
At that moment, Doflamingo gently patted her head and said softly.
"Sugar, your sister abandoned you. She left you behind for that man named Jake. Between you and Jake, she chose him. I extended countless invitations to her, offering her a position as an executive in our family, promising that you two sisters could live together forever.
But… every single sincere offer I made was rejected by your sister. Even when I told her how desperately you wanted to see her, she remained unmoved. And when I threatened her with your life, she still refused without hesitation.
Do you know what I would do? If it were me, I would sacrifice everything for my family. But she wouldn't. Maybe in her eyes, you were important—but never the most important. When faced with that man named Jake, she chose to abandon you without a second thought."
Sugar listened to Doflamingo's words, her teeth clenched so tightly that her lips nearly bled.
She didn't speak a word, but the tears in her eyes fell uncontrollably.
At first, Sugar hadn't believed Doflamingo's claims.
But when he produced those letters—when she saw the familiar handwriting—she knew these were truly her sister's responses.
She could never mistake her sister's writing.
Her sister had really abandoned her.
Every time she thought about this reality, Sugar felt suffocated by grief.
Over and over, her mind replayed her sister's promise to take care of her forever, her sister's smile.
And each memory only made her heart shatter further.
In the end, she was just an 11-year-old girl.
Faced with Doflamingo's words and the undeniable proof before her, she had no way to think rationally.
"Sugar, trust me, I would never deceive you. Your mission today is simple—get close to Jake and use the fruit I gave you to erase him from everyone's memories. That way, your sister will belong to you forever.
The two of you sisters can live together eternally from now on.
You wouldn't want to see your sister stolen away by Jake, would you?"
-----------------------------
Read 40 chapters ahead and support me on patreon.
patreon (.)com/Newbietranslator