Just then, A group of officers in lavish attire rushed out of the palace, led by Doflamingo's trusted aide, Trebol.
Formerly a user of the Sticky-Sticky Fruit ability, he had become an Ice-Ice Fruit user after the events on Skypiea.
His face was frosty, and before he could even see clearly, he began shouting.
"I say, I say, who dares to cause trouble in Dressrosa?! This is the territory of the Donquixote Family!"
However, When he looked up and recognized the people on the ship, his angry expression froze instantly, replaced by a mix of shock, wariness, and even a hint of delight!
His voice trembled slightly.
"Ace and Jozu of the Whitebeard Pirates? And... Shiki?! What are you all doing here?"
The officers behind Trebol also wore expressions of astonishment, clearly not expecting to encounter these figures here.
...
Meanwhile.
Inside the palace, Doflamingo sat at a large desk, a document in hand, his brow furrowed deeply.
Piles of reports lay before him, all concerning the production of artificial Devil Fruits and the supply of raw materials.
Recently, Kaido had suddenly increased his orders severalfold, and the chaos on the seas had made transporting raw materials exceptionally difficult.
Frequent incidents of robbery and attacks had left him overwhelmed and stressed.
"Damn it, these pirates are getting more and more reckless!" Doflamingo muttered under his breath, his fingers tapping unconsciously on the desk, clearly agitated.
Just then, Diamante rushed in, his face tense with anxiety.
"Doffy, there's trouble! Ace and Jozu from the Whitebeard Pirates, along with Shiki, are here! They say they have a great opportunity for you!"
"An opportunity? What kind of nonsense is that?"
Doflamingo's frown deepened upon hearing this.
He set down the documents in his hand and slowly rose to his feet, a trace of confusion and wariness on his face.
"The Whitebeard Pirates? What are they doing here? And Shiki... isn't that guy Ron's bodyguard?"
Though his mind was filled with questions, Doflamingo still decided to go out and meet these individuals.
Straightening his pink feathered coat, he once again wore his signature sinister smirk and strode out of his office.
When he arrived at the plaza outside the palace, he looked up and saw the massive pirate ship hovering in the air.
Its hull was enormous and sturdy, gleaming with a cold metallic sheen under the sunlight, like a floating fortress of steel.
Standing at the ship's bow were Ace, Jozu, and Shiki, their figures appearing particularly imposing against the sunlight.
Doflamingo's gaze swept over them, a flicker of undetectable caution in his eyes.
"Fufufufufufufu, if it isn't the members of the Whitebeard Pirates? And Shiki, what a rare guest."
He then revealed a meaningful, cunning smile.
"To what do I owe the pleasure of your visit?"
Jozu crossed his arms, puffing out his chest. "Doflamingo, we're here on Ron's orders to bring you an opportunity!"
"As for the specifics, you'll know once you come aboard!"
Hearing this, Doflamingo raised an eyebrow slightly.
"Oh? That Ron... he really is hard to figure out."
"But since it's an 'opportunity,' I suppose I should take a closer look."
With that, he leaped lightly, his body floating up to the pirate ship as if he was weightless.
Ace, Jozu, and Shiki on the ship exchanged knowing smiles.
Once Doflamingo boarded, the atmosphere between them instantly grew subtle.
A tense aura filled the air.
Shiki stood at the bow with his arms crossed, his gaze cold and stern as he looked at Doflamingo.
"Doflamingo, we're here to trade some Seastone."
His tone carried a hint of arrogance.
"You'd better behave and not try any tricks."
As he spoke, Shiki deliberately released a trace of Conqueror's Haki, which spread out like an invisible wave.
The air immediately grew heavy with pressure, becoming thick and making it hard to breathe, as if they were trapped in a massive force field.
Feeling this Haki, Doflamingo was inwardly startled.
His pupils contracted slightly, his brow furrowed, and the muscles on his face tightened unconsciously.
He hadn't expected Shiki's strength to recover so quickly.
However, Doflamingo showed no fear.
Instead, the corners of his lips curled into a sinister smile.
"Shiki, our grudges were settled long ago. I always conduct my business fairly. But this Conqueror's Haki of yours... it's quite impressive."
His voice carried a hint of mockery, as if responding to Shiki's threat.
Shiki snorted coldly and said nothing more, only using his eyes to warn Doflamingo not to try anything.
Doflamingo calculated silently. A
lthough Shiki's strength had recovered significantly, if it came to a fight, the outcome was still uncertain.
But for now, the most important thing was this transaction.
Kaido understood the value of the Seastone vein better than anyone—it was a precious resource across the entire ocean, and he absolutely couldn't miss this opportunity.
Jozu noticed the tension in the air, with invisible sparks ready to ignite at any moment.
He quickly stepped forward to play the mediator, his face showing a hint of urgency and his tone full of sincerity.
"Doflamingo, stop beating around the bush. We have plenty of Seastone—roughly an entire vein. Name your price, and make it quick! We're in a hurry. We've been out for days now—it was fun at first, but now we're bored to death with nothing to do!"
Upon hearing this, Doflamingo was even more shocked.
His eyes widened, pupils slightly contracting as a glint of greed flashed within them.
He never expected these guys to actually possess an entire Seastone vein!
What was Seastone?
It was the rare ore capable of completely suppressing Devil Fruit users!
A strategic resource of immense importance in the world of Pirates—essential for building warships, powerful weapons, and even high-security prisons.
Its existence was like the Sword of Damocles hanging over the heads of ability users, evoking both awe and desire!
However, mining Seastone was extremely difficult, requiring not only advanced technology but also formidable processing capabilities.
Currently, only the craftsmen of the Land of Wano had mastered this technique—even the Marine's technology couldn't match theirs!
Due to the Land of Wano's isolationist policy and lack of external communication, some Seastone products still made it out through Kaido's controlled shipments.
As a result, Seastone was exceedingly scarce on the market, its price astronomically high, making it a coveted treasure sought by numerous factions.