New World, Dressrosa.
This kingdom of passion and flowers, also hiding shadows and toys, known as the "Land of Love and Passion", seemed to shine especially brightly under today's sun.
At the King's Plateau, beside the Donquixote Family's royal pool, "Fufufufu… Fufufufufufu!!!"
A burst of highly recognizable laughter, filled with arrogance and wild delight, startled the seabirds perched along the railings.
Donquixote Doflamingo, the underworld broker known as "Joker," one of the Seven Warlords of the Sea, was sprawled lazily across a beach chair, wearing his signature pink feather coat like some vacationing tycoon.
In front of him, on an expensive white marble round table, there was no wine or women,
Only newspapers.
Piles of them.
Every front page featured the same man, the one he once feared, but now regarded as his "greatest backer": the Marine Admiral "Gray Sheep," Renzo.
"Too insane… this is absolutely insane! Fufufu!"
Doflamingo grabbed a copy of the World Economic News. Its headline screamed in bold red letters:
{A New Order in the Marines! "Slothful Justice" Reigns Over Marine Headquarters!}
{The Fall of the Golden Emperor and the Rise of G-5! The World's Greatest Entertainment City Changes Hands!}
Looking at these headlines, his eyes gleamed behind his sunglasses.
"So this… is power."
He sighed in admiration, fingers brushing over Renzo's half-asleep face printed on the page.
"He even dared touch the Celestial Dragons… and forced the Five Elders to swallow it, taking those pigs back for 'treatment'…"
"Fufufu, Renzo… what kind of monster are you?"
As a former Celestial Dragon, Doflamingo understood better than anyone what those "world nobles" represented.
They were untouchable. Absolute authority.
Even the Four Emperors would avoid provoking them without reason.
But Renzo?
Not only did he provoke them, he rubbed their faces into the dirt, then demanded compensation for mental distress and medical care.
And the most absurd part?
The World Government didn't even dare complain.
"Not just that…"
His gaze shifted to another newspaper, this one showing Kizaru in a Fleet Admiral's cloak, wearing a thoroughly unmotivated expression.
"He even manipulated the selection of Fleet Admiral… personally pushing that old monkey Kizaru to the top, while kicking that mad dog Akainu out…"
"This isn't just strength, this is strategy. The ultimate control over people."
Doflamingo filled in the blanks himself. The more he thought about it, the more unfathomable Renzo seemed.
To him, that laziness was clearly a disguise, a kind of wisdom that hid its edge.
A ruler's mentality: do nothing until you must, then shake the world.
"Good thing… good thing I knelt early."
He touched his neck, feeling both fear and relief.
"If I had clashed with him over Monet back then… Dressrosa would probably be his backyard by now, just like Gran Tesoro."
"Behehehe~ Doffy, what are you laughing about?"
A sticky voice interrupted him.
Trebol shuffled over like a giant slug, dragging his long trail of mucus.
"Something good happen?"
"Good? This is the best news possible!"
Doflamingo pointed at the newspapers.
"Trebol, do you understand the situation now?"
"The situation?" Trebol leaned closer.
"Oh! That terrifying Marine Admiral! I heard he looted the Golden Emperor recently, what a greedy guy."
"Greedy? No, that's dominance."
Doflamingo corrected him.
"And for us, it's perfect."
"We're under his protection now."
His grin stretched wide.
"That means as long as we don't provoke that lazy man, even a Yonko would have to think twice before touching us, because they'd have to deal with G-5's retaliation."
puru purupuru
Suddenly, the Den Den Mushi in his coat began ringing.
It was a private line only major figures knew.
Doflamingo glanced at it, his expression shifting briefly before returning to arrogance.
It was a call from the Beasts Pirates' All-Star, Jack the Drought.
Click.
He answered.
"Hey, Joker!"
Jack's rough voice roared through.
"Kaido wants to know, when are you delivering this quarter's SMILE fruits?! And I hear you've been getting close to that Marine Admiral. You planning to betray Kaido?!"
In the past, Doflamingo might have humored him.
But now, "Fufufu…"
He laughed disdainfully, holding the Den Den Mushi away slightly.
"Jack… aren't you mistaken about something?"
Leaning back lazily, almost mimicking Renzo's tone, he continued:
"The SMILE factory had a 'technical issue.' Production's down. As for delivery time… depends on my mood."
"What?!"
Jack exploded in anger.
"Joker! You dare talk to me like that?! Want to die?! Kaido will tear you apart!"
"Tear me apart?"
Doflamingo sneered.
"Let him try."
"But let me remind you, I'm currently preparing afternoon tea for Admiral Haiiroyo"
He paused, voice turning cold and mocking.
"If Kaido interrupts and ruins his mood…"
"…you might want to ask him whether he's ready to face a monster who can erase limbs at will, and control the highest power of Marine Headquarters."
He shamelessly used Renzo's name as a shield.
"Y-you…"
Jack was left speechless.
Kaido was crazy, but not stupid.
Provoking Renzo now? Even Kaido would think twice.
"If there's nothing else, I'm busy."
Click.
Doflamingo hung up immediately.
"Ha…"
That felt good.
Really good.
Ignoring a Yonko's threat like it was nothing, this felt better than being a king.
"Doffy… is this really okay?" Trebol asked nervously.
"Kaido's a madman…"
"What's there to fear?"
Doflamingo stood, arms wide, embracing the sunlight.
"As long as we invoke Renzo, even Kaido won't act lightly!"
"And…"
His eyes gleamed.
"According to the latest intel, Monet has become quite important by Renzo's side."
"Monet?"
"Yes."
He pulled out a blurry surveillance photo.
On the deck of the "Lullaby," Renzo lay sleeping, while Monet knelt beside him, gently massaging him, her expression more devoted than she'd ever shown him.
"Looks like… I made the right move."
Instead of jealousy, Doflamingo looked pleased.
"She's entered the core."
"She's his personal secretary, and someone he relies on in daily life."
"That connection is our strongest shield."
"But past ties aren't enough."
His expression sharpened as he paced.
"Renzo lacks nothing."
"Money? He just robbed the Golden Emperor."
"Women? Mermaids are attending to him."
"So what can I offer him?"
"What can I use… to strengthen our relationship?"
He stopped, staring out at the sea.
Then, he remembered.
Lazy.
Hates trouble.
Prefers doing nothing.
"Got it!"
He slapped his hand, eyes blazing.
"He hates trouble?"
"He doesn't want to act?"
"Then I'll give him something… that lets him be even lazier, something that solves everything for him!"
"Trebol!"
"I'm here!"
"Pass down my orders!"
His voice carried authority and decisiveness.
"Mobilize all our underworld connections! Contact every broker! Raise the bounty to the highest level!"
"I want Devil Fruits!"
"Not trash, I want the best! The rarest, strongest fruits in the world!"
"For example?" Trebol asked.
"For example…"
Doflamingo narrowed his eyes.
"Top-tier Logias, like the Dark-Dark Fruit!"
"And top-tier Paramecias, like the Tremor-Tremor Fruit. Even if its whereabouts are unknown after Whitebeard's death, find leads!"
"Or…"
A fanatic gleam appeared.
"Mythical Zoan types!"
"Even if it costs half my fortune…"
He gritted his teeth.
"As long as I can obtain one and present it as this year's 'tribute' to Renzo…"
"The Donquixote Family will truly stand secure in the New World!"
"Behehehe! Got it, Doffy!"
Trebol grew excited.
"I'll get to it right away! Even if we have to dig up the world, we'll find one!"
Watching him leave, Doflamingo leaned back again.
Raising his wine glass to the empty sky, he smirked.
"Renzo…"
"You want peace, I'll give you peace."
"You want laziness, I'll let you sink into it completely."
"Fufufufu… fufufufufufu!!!"
....
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