"You're going too far!!"
"This is... simply going too far—!!!"
The moment the Den Den Mushi was hung up, Doflamingo could no longer suppress his feelings, and his rage erupted like a volcano! He let out a roar, smashing the snail in his hand onto the ground! Immediately after, he frantically kicked over the expensive table beside his lounge chair, which was laden with fine wines and drinking utensils!
"Bang! Clang—!!!"
Crystal wine bottles, glass goblets, and various precious vessels shattered into a mess on the floor with crisp sounds! Crimson wine flowed freely across the tiles!
"Buzz—!!!!"
A terrifying wave of Conqueror's Haki, filled with tyranny and unwillingness, uncontrollably burst forth from his body! The maids in the room, who were carefully serving him, didn't even have time to scream. Their eyes rolled back, and they collapsed onto the ground one after another, like puppets with their strings cut!
Hearing the huge commotion from the pool area, three figures immediately rushed in from outside, their expressions greatly changed!
"Young Master!"
"Doffy!"
The newcomers were the Donquixote Family's top executives, Doflamingo's most trusted "family": the sticky Trebol, the flamboyant Diamante, and his taciturn younger brother, Corazon (Rosinante). When they saw the chaotic scene and Doflamingo radiating a terrifying aura, on the verge of berserking, they rushed forward without hesitation, even though they didn't know what had happened!
"Young Master! Calm down! Young Master!" Diamante hurriedly tried to dissuade him.
"That's right! Doffy!" Trebol also said in his sticky, disgusting voice. "If something's wrong, you can tell us! We... are 'family'! No matter what happens, we'll figure it out together! Ne ne!"
Under their persistent persuasion, Doflamingo's burning rage finally slowly subsided. His chest heaved violently as he gasped for breath.
Corazon, seeing this, immediately and silently gestured to the guards outside the door. Soon, people came in to carry away the fainted maids and quickly began to clean up the mess on the floor.
"Young Master..." Diamante then carefully asked, "What exactly happened? Who could make you... so distraught?"
Doflamingo took a deep breath. His face, which always wore a sinister smile, was now so gloomy it almost dripped water. "...It's that damned... Strange Tail Takero."
Gritting his teeth, he recounted the utterly humiliating "friendly negotiation" he had just endured during the phone call to Trebol and Diamante, exactly as it had happened.
Finally, he slammed his fist hard against the nearby wall, roaring in frustration, "...Isn't this just bullying an honest man?!"
'Pfft...'
Corazon, who was standing by, almost couldn't hold back his laughter after hearing the story. But he forcibly suppressed the urge, silently giving a huge thumbs-up in his heart to the North Sea Emperor he had never met. 'That Takero... well done! I hope he pushes harder! Maybe he can really 'straighten out' my incorrigible brother?'
Meanwhile, Trebol and Diamante immediately displayed the righteous indignation expected of "family"!
"That guy... is too shameless!" Trebol said angrily. "Our Donquixote Family has already given all the North Blue's interests to their Golden Group, haven't we?! Does that guy... want to wipe us out?!"
"That bastard!" Diamante even drew the long sword from his waist, shouting angrily, "Does he think that the sword in my Diamante's hand... isn't sharp enough?!"
However, as soon as he finished speaking, Trebol and Doflamingo simultaneously turned their gazes to him. Their eyes seemed to say... 'Oh? You're very brave, aren't you?'
Doflamingo even directly followed up on his words, saying coldly, "Since that's the case... Diamante."
"...You go and eliminate that Takero for me!"
"...Huh?!"
Diamante was stunned on the spot! He pointed at his own nose, his face full of disbelief! 'Ah... me?!'
He had just said that casually, wanting to show his "loyalty" in front of the Young Master and join in cursing that bastard Takero! Now... you really want him to go one-on-one with that monster whom even the Marines and the Buster Call couldn't deal with?! That... that would be even worse than just killing him with a sword!
However, Diamante was also a person who cared deeply about his reputation. Since such words had already been spoken, he couldn't possibly admit in public now that he was scared, could he? That would be too embarrassing!
Immediately, his eyes darted around, and he quickly cleared his throat, feigning seriousness as he said, "Ahem! Young Master! Listen to me! That Takero is not someone who can be dealt with so easily! We... still need to plan carefully!"
"That's right, that's right!" Trebol, who was beside him, also immediately came out to smooth things over. "Behehehe... Knowing yourself and your enemy is the only way to win a hundred battles!"
"Didn't we... already send that kid Law to infiltrate the Golden Group? Why don't... we ask him first, to see if he has any new information?"
"Law..."
Only then did Doflamingo remember that he had this hidden card, which had been laid out long ago! He had been so enraged just now that he almost forgot about this most important matter!
Originally, he had planned for Law to remain undercover there for a long time. Ideally, he would infiltrate the highest levels of the Golden Group to gather more core information for him. But now the situation was urgent, and he couldn't afford to worry about so much!
Corazon, on the other hand, listened from the side, feeling a little worried for Law in her heart. 'That kid... please, don't get exposed.'
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