"A deal?" Trebol took a curious step forward. "First you crash our auction, and now you say you want to make a deal with us? Isn't that a little out of line?"
If Luffy hadn't displayed that burst of Conqueror's Haki, Trebol wouldn't have wasted a single word on him. Anyone who dares interfere with the Young Master's business usually ends up with only one fate, death.
But this time, Doflamingo's goal was different. He had planned to use the Mera Mera no Mi, which he had obtained by chance, to cultivate a puppet power in the first half of the Grand Line. With that, he could conduct arms deals even more discreetly.
A billion or so Berries wasn't a small sum, but to Joker, the Emperor of the Underworld's arms trade, it was far from troublesome.
After all, money is only useful when spent. Hoarding it is just stacking up worthless paper.
If this investment could secure control over the underground forces of the first half of the Grand Line, then it would all be worth it.
Luffy could vaguely guess Trebol's thoughts.
If they had no interest in a deal, they would've started fighting already. He was ready to grab Robin and escape if needed.
But judging from Trebol's demeanor, they didn't seem ready for a fight. If anything, he sounded like he was just going through the motions.
Luffy didn't have the patience to play games. He got straight to the point.
"I'll work for you for five years. In exchange, I want the Mera Mera no Mi. That's my offer."
"What?!" Trebol was stunned by Luffy's bluntness.
"I won't repeat myself," Luffy said coolly. "You can report this to your boss now." Without waiting for a response, he turned and walked toward Robin.
Robin was still frozen in place. Even though she'd lived among the shadows her whole life, this was her first time meeting one of the real rulers of Port Camus, much less a top officer of the Shichibukai's Donquixote Family.
Luffy didn't care what she was thinking. He strolled right up to her and suddenly smiled. "Nico Robin, right?"
Robin flinched. Her eyes reflected pure fear, like a fugitive caught in a spotlight.
"Relax," Luffy said gently, still smiling.
He leaned down beside her and whispered in her ear, just loud enough for the two of them to hear: "Admiral Aokiji… used to serve under my grandfather. I know all about your past."
Luffy had learned to bluff smoothly by now, dropping names like it was second nature.
But Robin's mind went blank. It was as if she had suddenly plunged into an endless icy abyss.
The memories she had locked away, the ones she thought she'd buried long ago, surged back.
Her mother. Professor Clover. Saul…
All it took was Luffy's quiet words to rip those memories open.
Tears, tears she hadn't shed in years, slipped down her face without a sound. She was so used to betrayal that she didn't even try to stop them.
Luffy was stunned.
He had just been trying to find a good excuse to approach her, to show her he meant no harm. But who knew she'd start crying just like that? Women really were made of water, crying without warning or reason!
"Robin? Robin? Robin??" Luffy called her name over a dozen times before she slowly came back to herself.
When she opened her eyes, she saw him looking utterly confused.
Realizing she'd lost her composure, Robin quickly wiped away the tears with her sleeve and returned to her usual cold, aloof expression.
Beneath her thick lashes, her eyes were dark and distant. Her voice was low and wary:
"Who are you? What do you want from me?"
At that moment, Robin seemed almost resigned to her fate.
She figured Luffy must be some kind of secret government agent who had discovered her while on another mission.
Having felt his power firsthand, she knew she had no chance of escape.
If this was the end… maybe it was better to surrender and get it over with. She'd suffered enough already over the years.
Her eyes welled up again.
Now Luffy really panicked. Seeing her on the verge of tears again, he quickly blurted out,
"Don't get the wrong idea! I just think you're really beautiful. So… how about joining my pirate crew?"
Robin blinked, her tear-damp lashes fluttering in confusion. "Pirate crew?"
It was like she didn't even understand the words.
"Sir, the Young Master would like to speak with you directly."
Trebol's voice suddenly interrupted, breaking the moment between Luffy and Robin.
Luffy signaled Robin to wait and turned to Trebol, who was holding out a Den Den Mushi with a mischievous face, two fiery red triangular lenses over its eyes and a pink feather boa curled around its neck.
The Den Den Mushi, a snail-like creature used for communication, blinked awake. When connected, it mimicked the speaker's voice and expressions.
Luffy took the Den Den Mushi with one hand and spoke calmly into the receiver:
"I'm Luffy. I assume this old guy told you my offer?"
"Fufufufufufufu…"
A strange, twisted laugh came from the other end. "Kid, do you think causing chaos on my turf means you can just walk away?"
"In the New World, people with Conqueror's Haki are a dime a dozen. You think having it makes you special?"
Doflamingo's voice grew increasingly intense. Even through the Den Den Mushi, the pressure was palpable.
But Luffy interrupted without hesitation:
"Enough, Doffy. Just tell me your conditions. If you weren't interested, you wouldn't be wasting your time talking to me."
"Fufufufufufu… You're refreshingly direct," the voice laughed again.
"Here's the deal, come back to Dressrosa with Trebol and Pica. Work for me for ten years. After that, you're free to go… or stay."
"Doflamingo… are you serious?" Luffy's eyes narrowed dangerously.
Pica subtly shifted, moving to guard the Mera Mera no Mi. Trebol's sticky body twitched, ready for combat.
The room went completely still. Robin didn't even dare breathe.
After a long pause, Luffy spoke coldly.
"How about this, I'll give you something to hold over me."
"Oh?" the Den Den Mushi chuckled. "Let's hear it." Doflamingo sounded amused, unconcerned.
"I'm the one who killed Saint Jalmack."
Silence.
A heavy, absolute silence filled the room.
Even on the other end of the line, Doflamingo could be heard breathing a little harder.
To the people of this world, the Celestial Dragons were like ancient emperors. Merely thinking of defying them was unthinkable, let alone killing one.
A drop of sweat rolled down the Den Den Mushi's shell.
Finally, Luffy broke the silence.
"What's wrong, Donquixote Doflamingo?" He emphasized the family name.
"The Mera Mera no Mi… in exchange for five years of your service in the first half of the Grand Line," Doflamingo said crisply. He didn't doubt it. Someone with a king's presence wouldn't lie about something like that.
"Trebol!"
"Yes, Young Master!"
"Kill everyone who witnessed this."
"Understood!"
Doflamingo hung up with a grave expression, then turned to the castle window and looked out at the sky.
A moment later, he burst into laughter.
"Fufufufufu… FUHAHAHAHAHAHA!! This sea… just keeps getting more and more fun!!!
HAHAHAHAHAHA!!!"
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