"Follow you? If Captain El says so, I'm in, no question."
"You lot… are you truly brave enough to follow me?"
"Think carefully before you answer. I've got a very short temper, you know."
Doflamingo spoke sharply, his tone laced with open threat.
Anyone faint-hearted who tried to follow him would only end up in trouble, sooner or later. So before joining, you'd better make sure you've got nerves of steel.
Hearing they wouldn't be sailing directly under El's flag, the members of the Franky Family all looked crestfallen.
But this was their way of repaying a debt. They exchanged glances, came to a silent agreement, and knew they were ready.
"We just want to help Mr. El however we can! Whatever you assign us to do, we'll do it!"
"That's right! Any task Mr. El gives us, we'll carry out perfectly!"
"Captain Doflamingo, we're tough as nails, and we're all skilled craftsmen—you can count on us!"
"No problem at all! Any work on the ship, leave it all to us!"
They spoke over one another, brimming with confidence and determination.
Doflamingo looked them over, then glanced at El. Whether he'd take them or not was ultimately El's call.
"I see no problem," El said plainly. "What do you think, Doflamingo? If you're fine with it, take them on. Having skilled hands aboard will make sailing much easier. More help never hurts."
Doflamingo nodded, his expression cold and stern.
"Since Captain El has spoken, you stay. But from now on, do your work properly. And remember who you serve. Don't ever embarrass Captain El. Understood?"
His way of leading was nothing like El's.
He was one of the newest Warlords making a name for himself across the seas; even if he wasn't as powerful as El, a veteran from the days of the Rocks Pirates, he carried himself with undeniable authority.
"Understood! We won't let you down!"
"Absolutely! We're tough and capable! Thank you, Captain Doflamingo!"
"We'll work hard and prove ourselves!"
They kept speaking up, eager to show their loyalty.
Iceburg watched the scene, smiling warmly, his mood lifting.
"Be careful in everything you do. Never upset Captain El. It was rude of you to burst in like this—go pack your things and be ready to sail with him whenever he needs."
Iceburg stepped forward to smooth things over. Their intentions were good, but their behavior had been improper.
The stronger the people you dealt with, the more careful you had to be to avoid trouble—and he said this for their own good.
What he didn't know was that El wasn't so rigid. Having lived through the era of the Rocks Pirates and everything since, he'd seen every kind of person imaginable.
Even if someone had come at him with ill will at first, as long as they were willing to work wholeheartedly with him, he'd give them a chance.
Doflamingo and Crocodile were exactly in that position—they'd earned their place at his side.
"No need to be so formal," El said, waving them over. "Come sit and eat. You haven't eaten yet, have you? There's far too much food here for just us. From now on, we're all family."
He was always patient with his own people, and treated every one of them with care.
If his crew felt uncomfortable or unwelcome, rifts would form—and the best way to avoid that was to be open and sincere, so everyone knew exactly where they stood.
"Us? We… we can sit and eat with you?"
"Oh, we couldn't! This feast is for you, Mr. El—we'd be intruding!"
"We've already disturbed you enough. We don't want to overstay our welcome and annoy you."
"That's right! We'd be very rude!"
They hesitated, but didn't back down entirely.
"Mr. El… is it really all right for them to join?" Iceburg asked, unsure.
El laughed loudly.
"Afraid I'd get angry? When I fight the Navy, I give them every bit of my rage. But here? There are no enemies here—only friends. No need to be so stiff."
Reassured, the Franky Family didn't wait any longer. They sat down and ate heartily.
As shipwrights, they were used to plain, simple meals—this was a feast, and they intended to enjoy it.
They realized right away: following the right captain meant good food, plenty of it, and no need to hold back.
The rumors about El being terrifying didn't match the man sitting right in front of them. He was kind and easy to get along with.
"Mr. El, what are your plans now?" Iceburg asked earnestly.
"Will you and your two first mates stay in Water 7 long? You've only just finished your negotiations—there must be a lot to take care of. Let me know if there's anything I can arrange or help with."
For now, the best he could offer was help with logistics and daily matters. Water 7 had few places to sightsee, but plenty of shipyards. He needed to hear El's plans first before he could know how best to assist.
"We won't stay more than two days," El said. "Iceburg, have your men reinforce the hull of our ship. We're heading next to Amazon Lily, in the Calm Belt—we don't know what we might run into there."
He made no secret of his plans. Even if word got out, the Navy wouldn't dare move against him.
They were too busy strengthening their own forces just to hold onto their position; anything else would only stretch them thin, and they'd already fallen behind the growing power of the pirates.
"The Calm Belt?" Iceburg asked, surprised. "Mr. El… are you sure you can navigate it? That knowledge belongs only to the Navy. No ordinary pirate ship can cross it."
He wouldn't have believed anyone else saying that—but from El, it meant something different.
El laughed again.
"Don't worry. I can cross it if I need to. But this time, I won't even have to. Amazon Lily is under my protection now. The news hasn't been printed yet—you'll read it in tomorrow's paper. We don't need to sail through the Calm Belt to get there. Hancock will meet us at the edge and guide us in."
The full results of his talks with the Navy hadn't been made public yet, so it was only natural Iceburg didn't know. Soon enough, everyone would.
"I never imagined Amazon Lily would be yours too!" Iceburg said, full of admiration.
"In the first half of the Grand Line, you are truly the greatest pirate there is, Mr. El!"
Hearing they needed hull work, the Franky Family stood up straight at once.
"Leave the reinforcement to us, Mr. El!"
"We'll get it done perfectly—strong enough to stand up to Sea Kings, no problem!"
"Even if we skip meals, we'll finish it within two days!"
Their eyes shone bright, and they were dead serious. They might not be useful in other ways, but when it came to ships and repairs, that was their specialty.
"Mr. El, they can reinforce the hull and even add extra defensive or offensive features—they're fully capable," Iceburg said.
"They're not famous yet, but they're among the best shipwrights anywhere. I can vouch for every one of them."
He was glad to see them seize their chance to prove their worth.
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