Donquixote Doflamingo felt uneasy having his thoughts read so effortlessly. After a short pause, the threads he had already extended slowly retracted into his body.
"Stop standing around like a fool. You're a king, aren't you? You must have some hidden stash of fine wine. Hurry and bring it out, don't be stingy." Thorne Ashveil's voice cut through the silence as he casually called out to the tense Doflamingo.
Compared to whatever scheme Doflamingo was plotting, Ashveil seemed far more interested in food and drink.
As someone who awakened Conqueror's Haki at the age of eight, praised even by Kaido himself, Doflamingo was not used to feeling helpless. Yet against Ashveil, he found himself exactly in that position.
Call for help?
Impossible. His top executives had already been knocked unconscious by Ashveil's overwhelming Conqueror's Haki. Bringing in more men would only lead to the same result.
Fight him directly?
The thought alone made his veins bulge in frustration. He knew all too well that Blackbeard wasn't weak, and if even that monster regarded Ashveil with caution, then this boy wasn't someone he could simply overpower.
"What… what exactly is your purpose for coming here?" Doflamingo asked at last, swallowing his pride.
"I came to discuss a business deal," Ashveil replied, waving a hand dismissively, still urging him to bring out the wine.
The words brought a flicker of relief to Doflamingo. If this man had come to crush the Donquixote Family, he was confident Ashveil had the strength to do it. But business meant survival—at least for now.
Doflamingo snapped his fingers, and soon after, a sultry maid bearing a striking resemblance to Baby 5 appeared.
"Bring me my finest wines. All of them," he ordered through gritted teeth.
The maid glanced briefly at the unconscious executives scattered across the floor. Though clearly shocked, she dared not question. In the Donquixote Family, hesitation or meddling was punished with death.
"Yes, Young Master." She returned shortly with a box filled with bottles of rich, red grape wine.
Ashveil casually uncorked one, pairing it with his prepared foie gras. Taking a sip, he couldn't help but smirk. "Exquisite. Joker, you really do live better than most of this world."
Doflamingo's jaw tightened at the sight of Ashveil enjoying himself so freely in his own home. Still, he endured, veins twitching along his temples.
"Enough games. What kind of business are you here for? You knocked out all my men without a word. Speak." His tone was sharp, though it lacked his usual arrogance.
Ashveil paused, as though realizing he may have gone a little far. "A slip-up. Don't worry, they'll wake soon enough," he said with a wave before finally turning serious.
"I believe with your intelligence network, you've already sensed it. Ever since Fire Fist Ace was captured, the seas have been unsettled. The Marines and Whitebeard Pirates are heading toward a full-scale war."
At this, Doflamingo leaned back with a twisted grin, regaining some of his swagger.
"Fufufufufu… of course I know. That Marine warship in Dressrosa wasn't paying me a social call—they wanted me at Marineford for the battle against Whitebeard."
Ashveil smirked. Sharp as always. Doflamingo had guessed half of it without him needing to say a word.
"That's right. My purpose is simple: don't side with the Marines. Instead, join with us and attack Marineford."
Doflamingo blinked, taken aback. He had expected Ashveil to ask him to remain neutral, not to outright join Whitebeard's side. If he truly did this, the Marines would never forgive him after the war.
"You must be joking. The Marines are the rulers of this sea. Why would I put myself directly against them?" Doflamingo's refusal was absolute. Resisting Ashveil might still leave a sliver of hope, but resisting the full might of the Marines meant certain destruction.
Ashveil wasn't surprised. He had expected this response.
"What if I told you the ultimate victors will be the Whitebeard Pirates?" he said confidently.
"Fufufufu… Ashveil, you're powerful, I'll admit that. But the Marines are stronger than even you. It's impossible for your crew and me alone to defeat them."
Ashveil leaned back with a confident smirk. "I'll prove it. All I need from you is to speed up our victory and help reduce casualties."
Doflamingo chuckled darkly, licking his lips. "Good. If Whitebeard truly proves stronger, then I'd be glad to help. After all, the victorious side alone has the right to decide what justice means. Wouldn't you agree?"
His meaning was clear: he would only help the winners.
Ashveil smiled knowingly. The man was cunning, but predictable.
"Still," Doflamingo added, eyes narrowing, "I can't help but wonder. How exactly do you plan to prove your Whitebeard Pirates can topple the Marines? You're not relying solely on your own strength, are you?"
Ashveil swirled his wine, savoring it for a moment before locking eyes with him. His expression turned sharp.
"First… I'll kill a Marine Admiral. That will be the beginning of my proof."
Doflamingo's grin faltered, his head buzzing at the audacity of the words.
"What?!"
He could hardly believe his ears. A Marine Admiral? At Marineford, surrounded by the entire might of Headquarters? The Admirals were the pillars of Marine power, each one a monster in their own right.
And yet Ashveil spoke of it as if it were no more difficult than finishing his wine.
The sheer confidence in his tone made Doflamingo hesitate. Could it be possible? Could this young man truly have power comparable to Kaido himself? Emperor-level strength… born from Conqueror's Haki alone?
The thought sent a chill down his spine.
And Ashveil wasn't finished.
"Killing an Admiral is only the first step," he said, his smirk returning. "The rest… you'll see when the war begins."