The Red Line, intersecting the Grand Line, effectively sliced the planet, forming four roughly equal sections: the East, South, West, and North Blues.
To sail from the North Blue to the South Blue, there were only two paths: either traverse Reverse Mountain or pass through Mariejois, the administrative center of the World Government.
The North Blue island Doflamingo was currently on was very close to Mariejois. If they were to travel to the South Blue via Mariejois, the distance wouldn't be far, taking less than ten days or half a month.
But was it possible? Wouldn't going to Mariejois be walking straight into a trap?
The Gorosei and Celestial Dragons were waiting to capture him, to completely prevent the colossal secret he knew from leaking out. Undoubtedly, dead men keep their mouths shut tight and keep secrets forever, no matter what kind of secret.
So, Doflamingo had to take the long way around, migrating to the South Blue via Reverse Mountain, which instantly multiplied the journey's length several times over.
The increased journey meant boring, lengthy drifting.
Doflamingo, however, endured the solitude well. He trained his body daily with Vergo and Pica, building a solid foundation. He wasn't in a hurry to develop his String-String Fruit abilities, as Devil Fruits are primarily powered by physical stamina, and he understood priorities.
Of course, he wasn't merely training his body; he was also focusing on another form of training: Haki, specifically Observation Haki.
"Nyeh, nyehh, Doffy? Again, like the past few days?!" When Doflamingo finished his full day of physical training and called Trebol over again, Trebol finally couldn't take it anymore and asked, "Nyeh, nyehh, what are you doing, Doffy? You're going to strain..."
Doflamingo didn't explain, simply telling Trebol to shut up: "Less chatter."
His eyes were covered by a blindfold. This blindfold had been tied on since they departed for the South Blue. Eating, drinking, sleeping, including physical training, everything was done without sight. The cost was countless scars and bruises on his hands, legs, and even his face.
These scars and bruises were caused partly by him falling and bumping into things, but mostly by Trebol and Diamante's attacks.
He had actively requested to be attacked by Trebol and Diamante and then dodge, using the stimulation of pain and the primal desire to avoid being hit to guide the release of his inherent latent power.
"Behehehe~"
"I won't hold back, will I? I won't hold back, will I?"
Whoosh!
Thwack!
Trebol didn't hesitate, poking his cane towards Doflamingo's ribs.
Hiss~ Doflamingo gasped, wincing in pain, then pursed his lips and composed himself. "Again! Harder!"
Whoosh!
Thwack!
Hiss~
"..."
Round and round it went.
Doflamingo quickly became covered in wounds and began to sway precariously.
"Hey... isn't that enough?" Vergo couldn't help but worry.
Trebol tilted his head, attacking Doflamingo while saying, "Behehehe~ Nyeh, nyehh, Vergo, this is the King's command, you know! Unless he yells stop, I can't stop! I'm just faithfully carrying out the King's orders, you know!"
Vergo's young eyebrows furrowed tightly, somewhat agitated, but his stern and rigid personality prevented him from refuting Trebol. He could only silently continue training with Pica.
A short while later.
Tap, tap~
Trebol's cane suddenly hit nothing, causing him to stumble unexpectedly, his steps faltering as he nearly fell. He barely managed to support himself with his cane.
Vergo and Pica, who were training, and Diamante, who was steering, were all drawn by this unusual sight.
"Fufufufu~" Doflamingo chuckled lowly, beckoning Trebol with his finger. "Again!"
Trebol hesitated slightly, then jabbed with his cane.
Doflamingo, despite his vision being obstructed, sidestepped Trebol's cane and took the opportunity to close in, leaping up with an uppercut.
Thwack!
"Ow, ow, ow!!!"
A muffled thud. Trebol dramatically clutched his chin, yelling.
"Observation... Haki?" Diamante was utterly astonished. He didn't believe Doflamingo was lucky and coincidentally dodged Trebol's cane, and then so precisely aimed for Trebol's chin. While his past status as a pirate Supernova might have been exaggerated, the knowledge he accumulated from traversing half of the Grand Line was certainly real.
"Eh?!"
"He just..."
Vergo and Pica were equally stunned. They also knew about Haki because they had heard Trebol and Diamante discuss it when they joined their crew in search of someone with Conqueror's Haki.
Diamante remained in a daze for a while, a mix of envy, dejection, and awe on his face. He mumbled, "Monster."
Vergo and Pica exchanged glances.
They understood the reason for Diamante's complex emotions.
It was simply that Diamante had always hoped to master Observation Haki to complement his swordsmanship, yet after almost a year, he still hadn't grasped it. This was deeply frustrating for him, who had always prided himself on being a genius for having gone to the New World at the age of twelve or thirteen.
Now, what frustrated him even more was the fact that Doflamingo had mastered Observation Haki in barely a week.
"Don't be discouraged, Diamante. It's just a difference in talent. You'll get used to the blows Doffy deals you," Pica said, showing a gentle side as someone with a sensitive and fragile heart. He understood Diamante's current low and disheartened state, offering sincere comfort and encouragement.
Diamante: "..."
"This way of mastering Observation Haki... Doffy?" After a moment, Diamante, filled with excitement, noticed something.
Doflamingo lay panting on the deck, speaking softly. "If you're not afraid of pain, you might as well try it, fufufufu~ if your spirit is strong enough."
If Conqueror's Haki is determined by spirit, and Armament Haki by the body, then Observation Haki is determined by the spirit. In this regard, Doflamingo was uniquely gifted, being a fusion of two souls. Therefore, he used a clever method to relatively easily activate his Observation Haki.
"Behehehe~ As expected of the King, huh?" Trebol, who had been feigning death on the ground, saw that no one was paying him any attention, his prank unsuccessful. He got up disheartened, praised Doflamingo, then turned his head, excited once more: "Doffy, Doffy! There's a merchant ship!"