The arcs of electricity that had gathered between his five fingers slowly dissipated.
Kojin stared straight ahead. Seeing the figure lying face-down in the snow, completely motionless, he paused briefly, then shook his head.
"Looks like I overestimated you."
Donquixote Doflamingo did possess some strength at this point in time, but not much. He had only just begun to grasp Haoshoku Haki, had some knowledge of Busoshoku Haki (Armament Haki), and his Kenbunshoku Haki (Observation Haki) had already awakened.
However, his development of the Ito Ito no Mi (String-String Fruit) was still in its infancy.
In an actual fight, he couldn't even withstand a single punch powered purely by Kojin's physical strength.
The battle ended almost as soon as it had begun.
"But still… a seed with some potential." Murmuring to himself, Kojin stepped forward and stopped in front of him.
In this world, few could master all three forms of Haki and develop their Devil Fruit to the level of Awakening. Anyone capable of that had the potential to become a top-tier powerhouse.
Doflamingo would go on to become a well-known force in the New World. The gap between him and the Yonko-level fighters was small; he was only limited by his mastery of Conqueror's Haki infusion and the advanced application of Armament Haki, known as Ryuo.
In terms of spirit or raw strength, he wasn't lacking by much.
This cold and somewhat cruel man had his own reasons for success, along with a powerful personal charisma, and had transformed from weakness to strength.
"If I had to describe him as a blade, he'd be a fine one."
Kojin narrowed his eyes.
He hesitated.
Should he simply eliminate him here and now, or recruit him into the Pantheon?
Kojin knew Doflamingo's nature well.
There was no doubt that he was an extremely ambitious man who would never willingly live under another's command. At the same time, however, he was adept at reading situations and knew his place.
Put simply, he knew when to yield.
Whether it was his future cooperation with Kaido or his behavior when facing Aokiji, he demonstrated his ability to bend without breaking. He had some bottom lines, but not many. In certain situations, even those could be pushed further back for the sake of survival.
Unlike the other members of the organization, Doflamingo was a dangerous element, one who could cause backlash. But soon, Kojin smiled again. Looking at the fallen figure, his expression turned wild and domineering.
"If I can't even control someone like him... Then how can I talk about ruling the world?"
He then turned his gaze towards the remaining members of the Donquixote Family and its officers, who were standing frozen with fear not far away. With just a flick of his finger, blue arcs of electricity burst forth and pierced the void ahead.
"Boom!"
A deafening thunderclap echoed across the sky. The figures were blackened as they collapsed limply to the ground. Faced with Kojin, they lacked the courage or strength to resist, or even to turn and flee.
"Donquixote Rosinante," Kojin called out calmly, turning towards the man leaning against a wooden crate. Tears streamed down the man's face, and his expression was filled with emotion and gratitude.
Compared to how Kojin remembered him, Rosinante now stood at over four meters tall, far taller than before.
"Vice Admiral... Kojin!" Rosinante called out nervously.
Seeing his once-familiar superior again after more than ten years was an indescribable shock.
More importantly, the man had just saved his life.
"I'm sorry," Kojin said after a brief pause. "I have some bad news for you."
"Bad news?" Ignoring the pain from his injuries, Rosinante listened carefully.
"From today onward, your undercover mission is over. At the same time, your affiliation with Marine Headquarters and Sengoku will change." Kojin spoke with a faint smile.
"What?!" The expression on Rosinante's face changed drastically.
"I believe you can guess the reason," Kojin said, watching his reaction with interest.
"My mission failed and I made a grave mistake… I gave the Operation-Operation Fruit to Law." Rosinante sighed.
"Therefore, from this moment on, your undercover identity is terminated."
"Instead…"
Kojin paused, then grinned.
His gaze shifted towards a group of Marines running towards them from a distance, the leaders being Eveya, Smoker, and Buggy.
"Vice Admiral Kojin!"
"Big Brother Rosinante!"
Smoker and Buggy's voices rang out from the distance.
Rosinante looked up at his former comrades, feeling emotional and uneasy. He had left without saying goodbye. Now, having failed his mission, his future seemed uncertain, and he didn't know how to face them.
At that moment, Kojin spoke up.
"You've been reassigned to the West Blue Headquarters... under my command."
"What?!" Rosinante looked up suddenly, shock quickly turning into overwhelming joy.
"That means... from now on, you're back under my command again!"
"Are you disappointed? In pain?" Kojin's teasing voice carried a smile.
But Rosinante was already crying uncontrollably, his expression torn between joy and sorrow. Dragging his battered body forward, he slowly knelt down and pressed his forehead to the ground.
"Rosinante..."
"Thank you for taking me in!"
He took a deep breath and shouted with all his strength, his voice tearing through the quiet sky above Minion Island.
"To be able to serve under you again... That's truly wonderful!"
Kojin smiled faintly as he looked at the tall man kneeling before him. After a long moment, he finally spoke.
"Get up. I don't have useless soldiers who kneel to others so easily under me!"
Donquixote Rosinante looked up, tears of gratitude streaming down his face.
"Yes, Vice Admiral!" Despite his injuries, he stood up shakily and leaned against a wooden crate.
"The one inside the box behind you... let him out. With me here, it's safe now."
Hearing this, Rosinante nodded firmly. If there was anyone in this world he could trust without reservation, it was undoubtedly the Vice Admiral standing before him.
At that moment, Smoker and Buggy ran over, shouting excitedly:
"Big Brother Rosinante!"
"Smoker! Buggy! Long time no see!" Rosinante smiled.
"We'll catch up later."
He then turned around with effort and slowly opened the crate's lid.
When he saw the little boy inside, his face filled with fear, confusion, and worry, Rosinante's expression softened into a warm smile and his eyes narrowed.
"I have some good news for you, Law!"
The boy finally heard his voice and saw him clearly. Joy and excitement quickly filled his eyes.
"You're okay! That's great... you're still alive!"
Rosinante nodded.
"Yes, I'm alive! The Marine I once told you about, the strongest in the world, is standing right here before us! He's also the superior I respect the most, and he's the one who saved us!"
The boy looked up in confusion, his eyes widening.
Soon, a tall, powerfully built man in a Marine uniform appeared, accompanied by several rather unusual-looking Marines.
"That… is Kojin?!" Law said seriously.
For some reason, the moment he saw him, his heart trembled violently. When he looked again at the defeated Donquixote Doflamingo and the incapacitated Donquixote Family members, his entire expression changed drastically.
"The Doflamingo I saw as invincible… actually…!!!"
He then watched as the tall Marine casually lifted Doflamingo with one hand and waved the other dismissively.
"Smoker, Buggy... Bind them all!"
He then pointed at Rosinante.
"Eveya, treat this kid's injuries."
After giving his orders, Kojin grinned at the boy.
"You're Law, right?"
"The one Rosinante was willing to throw his life away to save. I hope that, in the future, you'll give me a pleasant surprise."
Law stood there blankly, unable to say a word. Those few sentences marked the beginning of his relationship with Kojin... a moment that would be etched into his memory forever.
"We might be staying in this town for a while. Buggy, have your men clear out all obstacles. In one hour, I don't want to see a single living pirate here."
Kojin walked forward with an air of indifference, dragging Doflamingo along with him.
"Leave it to me!"
Buggy grinned as he tied up the Donquixote family members. With a wave of his hand, a squad of soldiers rushed into the town and disappeared in an instant. Law stood there blankly until Rosinante, now wrapped in white bandages, patted his shoulder and smiled at him.
"Witness the charisma of Kojin, Law! He's a man worth following and trusting for a lifetime!"
...
Minion Island – Inside an Abandoned Warehouse
The Donquixote family members were tightly bound with ropes and tossed carelessly into a corner.
"Wake him up."
A low voice echoed.
Smoker splashed a bucket of icy water onto the unconscious Doflamingo ruthlessly. The freezing shock made him shudder as he slowly opened his eyes. Seeing the circle of Marines surrounding him with cold gazes, he narrowed his eyes.
"Kojin." He uttered the name, his expression dark and serious.
The memories of what had happened before he lost consciousness quickly returned. He had been defeated effortlessly. Had he not collapsed so quickly, that thunder attack alone would have killed him.
However, he reacted quickly, realizing one thing immediately.
He was still alive.
Which meant that Kojin wanted something.
"You're a smart man and I know some interesting things about your identity. But understand this: Celestial Dragons mean nothing to me." Kojin sat on a chair with one leg crossed over the other and spoke calmly.
Doflamingo's eyes flickered. He glanced at Corazon (Rosinante), who stood nearby in silence.
"I'll give you a choice: an opportunity to save your worthless life."
The next sentence followed soon after:
"First, from this moment on, you will live as a trainee Marine under Rosinante."
Just hearing this made Doflamingo's pupils shrink. But he remained composed, not revealing his dissatisfaction.
"Second, if you refuse the first option, I'll cut off your head and send you out of this world."
The casual, indifferent words echoed through the warehouse.
Doflamingo clenched his fists tightly and stared straight at Kojin.
What kind of ridiculous choice is this?!
(End of Chapter)
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