Chapter 78: Heavenly Yaksha

In this age of pirates, the Grand Line is flooded with countless would-be conquerors.

Every year, a new generation of pirates emerges, battered by the raging waves of the Grand Line yet struggling to survive its cutthroat race.

While more than half are crushed and vanish into the depths, the past few years have seen fresh faces stirring up storms across these waters.

The most prominent among them? "Red-Haired" Shanks.

Since entering the Grand Line years ago, he’s made waves in the New World—clashing with the likes of "Hawk-Eyes" Mihawk in duels that stunned the world. His name spread like wildfire.

But lately, the Red Hair Pirates haven’t graced the front page.

Rumor has it they’ve left the Grand Line entirely, sailing instead for the East Blue—the weakest of all seas.

Many scoff at the idea. Why would a man who shook the New World retreat to such waters? But Shanks has always been an enigma, a pirate who dances to his own tune. Maybe he has a purpose… or maybe he just felt like sightseeing.

Yet his absence doesn’t bring peace. Pirates are as countless as the stars, and in these ruthless seas, power is everything.

It doesn’t matter if you’re the free-spirited Red-Hair or the honor-bound Whitebeard. Without strength, you won’t survive.

So when pirates hit a wall—or better yet, before they do—they scheme. The wise plan ahead.

Some charge in, overestimating themselves, and pay the price—losing comrades, bearing scars, learning through brutal tuition.

Others study the wall’s height, biding their time for years, even a decade. They chip away at it slowly or forge alliances with like-minded crews.

Methods vary, but the goal is the same: gain power.

What they do with that power differs, but those with conviction grow stronger.

And inevitably, those rising stars all come to this island.

"Wooow! Bubbles are the best!!"

"Eeeek!"

"I’ll never get tired of seein’ bubbles comin’ outta the whole island, y’know?!"

"Hey! Cut it out, Buffalo! You blew my bubble away!"

"Who cares? There’s a million more, y’know!"

---

The Grand Line—Sabaody Archipelago.

A gateway between Paradise and the New World, where ships are coated for the voyage to Fish-Man Island. Here, children played with the bubbles drifting from the trees.

A black-haired girl with a cannon strapped to her back and a ribbon in her hair—Baby 5.

A hulking boy spinning his propeller-like hair to hover in the air—Buffalo.

The two were officers of a pirate crew visiting the island.

Watching them play, others sat on crates or chairs nearby, playing cards. They, too, were officers of the same crew.

"They’re such children."

"Says the child, y’know?"

A girl in a bear-shaped hood—Sugar—mumbled while munching grapes, eyeing the two playing.

A garishly made-up middle-aged woman—Jora—glanced at the younger kids (one being Dellinger) and shot back bluntly.

Meanwhile, another group of men chimed in.

"Prime location, this."

"But the security’s baaaaad~!"

"No choice. Still, the deal’s takin’ too damn long."

"The Navy’s eyes are everywhere here! Marine G—!"

A man in a bizarre getup—pacifier, bib, yet oozing hard-boiled cool—Senor Pink.

A shades-wearing, hairy, increasingly pudgy man who dragged out his words—Machvise.

A gas-masked man with spiky hair, checking his watch—Gladius.

A muscular old man in a bunny-eared cap, flashing a "G" hand sign after every line—Lao G.

Then, a green-haired beauty—Monet, Sugar’s sister—noticed movement and called out.

"Speak of the devil… They’re back."

All eyes turned to the figures approaching from the building.

The three top executives… and their captain.

"Ufufufufu! Smooth sailing! This’ll line our pockets good!"

"The black market and auctions never disappoint…"

"Behehehe! Yeah-yeah, this archipelago’s always easy pickin’s!"

A lanky, smirking giant.

A round-shouldered man with a shrill voice.

A slimy, nasal-toned schemer.

And leading them—the absolute king.

Golden hair, sunglasses, a gaudy pink-feathered coat over his suit. Smirking, he addressed his family with a voice dripping with arrogance.

"Fuffuffu… Kept you waiting."

Donquixote Pirates – Family Captain
"Heavenly Yaksha" Donquixote Doflamingo
Bounty: 340,000,000 Berries

Top Executives:
Diamante – 99,000,000 Berries
Pica – 99,000,000 Berries
Trebol – 99,000,000 Berries

At the apex of this crew—of men, women, young and old—stood Doflamingo, the charismatic king of evil.

"Young master…!"

"Fuffuffu… Took longer than expected, but everything’s set. From now on, we’ll operate from Sabaody and a few other islands."

Doflamingo had just secured the groundwork to establish their "business" in the first half of the Grand Line.

His crew nodded. To the Family, he was king—a ruler with the power to make their dreams reality.

"Huh?! We’re not goin’ to the New World yet?!"

"Oi! We went over this!"

"Fuffuffu… Let it slide, Gladius. Fine—Baby 5, listen up. I’ll lay out our plans again."

"Haah!!"

But Doflamingo didn’t scold Baby 5 for her outburst. He stopped Gladius with a raised hand and calmly resumed his explanation.

To Doflamingo, his executives were family—comrades who’d shared hardship, cursed their wretched pasts, and been picked up by the Family.

Each bore scars. That was why they’d joined the Donquixote Pirates in the first place. Doflamingo chose those with shitty pasts, knowing such people grew stronger. He knew because he had clawed his way up from hell.

And because his own family had betrayed him, he treasured this one. As long as they didn’t cross him, he’d forgive almost anything.

"We’ll expand our influence here through trades and auctions before entering the New World. Not yet…! Too many complications there." He smirked. "Not that I doubt your strength—you’d crush most pirates even in the New World."

"Nonsense… Doffy. It’s your power and charisma that hold us together."

"Your swordsmanship is first-rate."

"Oi, oi…! Cut it out, Doffy. You’re making me sound like some legendary big shot—"

"You are a swordsman who could thrive in the New World."

"Knock it off… Quit buttering me up…"

Doflamingo casually praised his crew. Most were wanted Devil Fruit users—his confidence in their strength was justified.

Diamante played humble. Doflamingo doubled down, but the swordsman kept refusing. So Doflamingo shrugged.

"—Fine, I’ll stop."

"No! If you insist… I’ll admit it!!! I AM a New World-caliber swordsman!!!"

Diamante abruptly conceded. This routine was so familiar no one batted an eye, and the meeting rolled on.

"In the New World, we’d need to pay respects to the Emperors. Most pirates submit to their rule for protection…!"

"Ehhh?! So we’d be their underlings?!" Baby 5 wailed.

"Idiot, don’t jump to conclusions," Sugar chided.

"Fuffuffu!! Right—we won’t bow. But we can’t ignore them either. We’ll go only after securing our position!"

"Behehehe! With enough clout, even Emperors’ll listen! Doffy plans to weave his own strings in the New World!!" Trebol cackled.

Doflamingo’s grin widened—but his mind was ice-cold.

They were strong enough to enter the New World. But that sea wasn’t so naive.

The Emperors ruled there. Without their flag, pirates could claim at best a few islands—sandcastles easily crushed. Most crews either submitted or were erased.

Doflamingo knew better than to underestimate them.

"We’ll expand until our plan’s ready. Monet will scout ahead briefly."

"Understood, Young Master."

Monet would infiltrate a certain kingdom—their true target—though none spoke its name aloud. The crew already knew.

"So, Doffy—which Emperor do we approach after gaining leverage?"

"Wha’s an Emp’ror?" Dellinger piped up.

"Ooh, I know! Like Whitebeard!" Baby 5 cheered.

"Or Big Mom, y’know?!" Buffalo added.

As the crew listed names, Doflamingo’s smirk turned razor-sharp.

"Fuffuffu… Whitebeard hates underhanded deals—no slaves or drugs. Useless to us."

"Then Big Mom? G!" Lao G posed.

"She’s more business-savvy… but her allies must marry her kids."

"No way in hell I’m wedding one of that hag’s brats!!" Machvise shuddered.

"Then it’s between the remaining two," Jora mused.

Doflamingo’s laugh dripped with menace.

"Fuffuffu!! It’s decided. Our ‘partner’—the Emperor who’ll trade influence for our goods—is… Kaido of the Beasts!!!"

"!!"

Tension rippled through the crew.

Kaido. Even among Emperors, his name evoked dread. A mad warmonger, the "Strongest Creature."

"…Kaido’s the most unhinged of them all. Can we even negotiate?" Senor Pink muttered.

"Fuffuffu… Every beast has desires. We just need the right bait."

"Uahaha! Senor! You scared?!" Diamante jeered.

"It’s called caution when dealing with Emperors…"

"Fuffuffu! True. But mark my words—follow me, and I’ll claim us a throne worth having!!!"

"Of course, Young Master!!"

"Fufufufu!!"

At Doflamingo’s words, the Donquixote Family executives were utterly convinced of their coming triumph. From the start, they believed Doflamingo alone had the makings of the Pirate King.

Even if the enemy was one of the Four Emperors, they would seize that throne without fail. There were countless ways to eliminate an opponent who outmatched them in raw power—and subterfuge, schemes, and shadowy maneuvering were Doflamingo’s specialties.

Everything was within expectations. No matter what happened, he would always be one step ahead—that was the kind of man Doflamingo was.

"—GYAAAAAAHHH!!?"

"Huh… What was that?"

"Mmm~? Was that one of our underlings~?"

And precisely because of that, even when a scream echoed from a short distance away, they didn’t flinch. Low-ranking Family members were expendable pawns, easily replaced. As long as none of the executives were lost, nothing else mattered.

"Y-Young Master!! We’ve got a report!!"

"What is it? Bounty hunters? Pirates? …Or maybe Marines?"

"W-Well, it’s someone we’ve never seen before… an unbelievably beautiful woman, but… ♡ A-Ahh, no, I mean—she’s not a Marine, and she doesn’t seem to be a known bounty hunter or pirate, but she just suddenly attacked us!!"

"…? I see. Good work."

Even after hearing the report, Doflamingo only furrowed his brow slightly before quickly regaining his smirk. If it wasn’t the Marines and an unfamiliar face, then the enemy likely wasn’t much of a threat.

"Heyyy, so we’ve got intruders?"

"Seems that way… How reckless of them."

"Annoying pests… I’ll blast ’em to bits."

"Doffy… leave it to me. I’ll bury every last one of ’em alive."

"Fufufufufu!! Alright, Pica, Gladius, Monet. Crush them and bring ’em back here. Since our merchandise went out of its way to come to us, we’ll just sell ’em off in this shop…!!"

"Behehe!! Saves us the trouble of procurement~~!!"

They were no match for the Donquixote Family’s executives—sending out the bloodthirsty Pica and Gladius, along with Monet, who had only recently eaten her Devil Fruit and lacked combat experience.

All three were Devil Fruit users. And Monet was even a Logia-type. In the first half of the Grand Line, where few could wield Haki, no pirate or bounty hunter could so much as scratch her.

It might have been overkill, but when it came to procurement, it was best to be thorough. Those who dared target them would pay the price with their own bodies.

Doflamingo and the others laughed among themselves, already imagining the looks of humiliation on their enemies’ faces as they drank—

"—Y-Young Master!! We need reinforcements, now!!"

"Hah? —The hell are you talking about? Pica and the others just—"

"Pica and the others are struggling!! Monet’s already down, covered in wounds…!!!"

"! —What did you say!!?"

With this new report, Doflamingo realized his miscalculation.

An opponent who could push Pica and the others to their limits? And one who took down Monet—meaning they wielded Haki.

"Ahhh? Pica’s a damn embarrassment… Wanna leave the rest to me, Doffy?"

"…No. We’re all going. How dare they look down on us… Fufufufu…!! This won’t end with just selling them off…!!!"

"If the Young Master’s going too, it’s already over, y’know~!"

"Yeah!! Time for torture, baby!!"

Diamante slung his sword over his shoulder, volunteering to go next, but Doflamingo—vein faintly pulsing on his forehead—grinned fearlessly and declared they’d all move out. He couldn’t stay idle when his family was harmed. In times like these, Doflamingo had a habit of personally crushing his enemies.

Considering the possibility that the attackers might belong to another large organization, he mobilized the entire Family. As he gave orders, Doflamingo shot a question at the underling.

"How many enemies are there?"

"—Three!!"

"Three… Fufufufu… They’ve got some nerve."

"Y-Yes… They’re insanely strong… Ah! There!!"

"!"

Doflamingo followed the underling’s pointing finger. Near the towering trees of the first Green Bit, countless subordinates lay defeated.

But as he looked at the fallen—and the still-standing—underlings, his expression twisted in confusion.

"…Hey!! What the hell is this!!?"

"Bweh~~!!? They’ve all turned to stone!!?"

"A Devil Fruit power!?"

"Stone… Could it be Pica’s—"

"No. His ability lets him merge with stone, not turn others into it…"

That’s right—the underlings had all been turned to stone.

The fallen ones had been shattered into pieces, while those still standing had been petrified mid-motion, left as statues.

Stone—anyone would think of Pica’s Ishi Ishi no Mi first, but its power allowed him to merge with and manipulate rock. It couldn’t turn living beings to stone.

Which meant this was the enemy’s ability. And as that realization hit, Doflamingo finally spotted the defeated Monet, the wounded Gladius, and Pica, still fighting.

And their opponent was… a woman.

"Whoa!!?"

"What the hell is with her beauty…!?"

"She’s too gorgeous, y’know~~~♡"

—A peerless, breathtaking beauty.

"Who dares... to stand in my path...?"

The moment their eyes locked, the woman spoke—then, with terrifying speed and power, she launched a devastating kick straight at Pica.

"—Was it YOU who littered my way with these wretched stones!!!"

"!!! G-Guh...!!"

"! —PICA!!"

Pica’s massive frame was sent flying by the beauty’s strike. As Doflamingo watched his top executive cough up blood, his face twisted in agony, he roared his name. Impossible. Pica losing? The Donquixote Family’s elite combat strength was no joke. There was no way they could fall to some nameless foe—

"You bitch...!!! Who the hell are you!? You think pissing me off comes with no consequences!?"

"...Oh? Finally, someone with backbone appears. But…" She flicked her hair dismissively. "I couldn’t care less."

"THE HELL!?"

Doflamingo’s fury radiated like a storm, yet the woman didn’t flinch. Instead, she stood alongside her two companions—a broad-faced woman who’d been fighting Gladius, and a heavyset one who’d plowed through the snow after defeating Monet—and declared:

"Indeed... Nothing matters to my lady. No matter what she does."

"No matter what she does, the world will forgive her...!!"

"Do you know why?" The beauty pressed a hand to her chest, her voice dripping with arrogance. "Because I... am beautiful!!!"

"...!!!"

"Whoooa~~♡"

Even Doflamingo’s own men were mesmerized by her radiance. But more than that—her sheer audacity confirmed she was no ordinary enemy. Yet Doflamingo didn’t back down. A vein throbbed violently on his forehead as he snarled:

"Fuh... Fuhahahaha!!! Forgiven for being beautiful? Then I’ll—butcher you until you’re ugly!!!"**

"Tch... Can a weakling from these outer seas even try? You might have some skill, but—you’re no match for my beauty and strength!!!"

Doflamingo lunged. The woman leapt to meet him.

Both unleashed their Haki, concentrating it into their legs—

"—Athlete Thread!"

"—Perfume Femur!"

A clash of Haki-infused abilities, each strike carrying enough force to annihilate the other.

"...!!"

"...!!"

But their powers collided in perfect equilibrium—triggering a phenomenon that shook the battlefield. In that instant, they felt it: each other’s strength, their caliber. The air crackled with black lightning, the shockwave revealing their true nature to all.

"No WAY~~!!? That’s a Conqueror’s Haki clash~~!!?"

"That woman has it too!?"

"Impossible...!! That’s the same Conqueror’s Haki as our lady and those people...!!"

"To think someone like this exists in these seas...!!?"

"…………!!!"

Even Trebol and Diamante—the top executives—stared in shock. The beauty’s two attendants likewise reeled at the display. The sheer pressure forced the onlookers to grimace, barely enduring the collision of two kings.

"Tch...—Pistol Kiss!"

"Hah...—Bullet Thread!"

The woman blew a kiss from her fingertip, firing a heart-shaped bullet. Doflamingo retaliated, shooting threads like bullets.

Their Observation Haki predicted each move. Their Armament Haki shielded them. Yet neither could break the deadlock—their expressions warping in frustration.

(This woman...!! She’s strong as hell!! Damn it, who the hell is she!? I’ve never seen her before...!!)

(This man...!! He’s resisting my petrification with Haki!! I thought this would be an easy test, but to face such a nuisance here...!!)

Both were Conquerors. Both hated that their equal stood before them.

And none were more stunned than the spectators. Doflamingo’s men couldn’t believe someone rivaling their master existed here. The beauty’s allies were equally aghast—how could a Conqueror of this caliber lurk in these seas?

"...! Doffy...!!!"

"My lady...!!!"

"!!!"

The battle raged on, neither side willing to yield.

But then—the beauty called to her comrades.

"Sonia!! Marie!! What’s the time...!?"

"Yes, Sister!! …We’re out of time!!"

"Less than a minute left!!!"

"What the hell are they babbling about… ‘time’?"

Señor frowned at the exchange, but it clearly meant something urgent to their enemies—the beauty’s attacks grew even fiercer as she snarled at Doflamingo.

"Utterly infuriating…!! You feathered fool, how dare you stand in my way…!!!"

"Fufufufu…!! I was about to say the same, serpent…!!! You’re the one interfering with me…!!!"

Doflamingo shot back, sharp eyes catching the distinct flair of her attire. His insult struck true.

Both fighters, as if by fate, prepared their ultimate techniques—channeling every ounce of Haki to deliver a decisive blow.

"Perish…!!!"

And in that instant—

No one noticed the figure descending from the sky.

"—Welp, time’s up~~~♡"

"!!? Guh…!!!"

"!!? Gah…!!!"

"Sister!!?"

"Young Master!!?"

The moment their attacks collided—a shadow dropped from above, effortlessly deflecting both strikes and slamming them into the ground.

Groans of pain. Shouts of concern from their crews.

But it was Doflamingo’s side that stood frozen, baffled. They scrambled into defensive stances, eyes locked on the mysterious newcomer. The beauty, though shaken, was unharmed. The battle wasn’t over—

Or so they thought.

"Kh… Hah… Hah… Out of time…!!"

"S-Sorry…!!"

"Tch… So close…!!"

"…? Why the hell are they cowering? But this is our chance—"

"—WAIT, DIAMANTE!!!"

The women seemed to recoil from the shadow, frustration etched on their faces. Diamante lunged to strike—

Doflamingo’s warning came too late.

"—Didn’t you hear Nue-san speaking just now?"

"Huh…? —!!!"

"DIAMANTE!!!"

A second giantess plummeted from the sky, crushing Diamante in a single blow.

Towering over even the 5-meter-tall Diamante, she exhaled smoke from her pipe and addressed the Donquixote Family with a smile.

"Fufufu… Interrupt Nue-san’s adorable voice again, and I’ll kill you all♡ So stay very still."

"The hell!? You think we’ll obey some—"

"—SHUT UP, ALL OF YOU…!!!"

"Young Master!? Why would we listen to—"

"JUST. DO. IT…!!!"

Doflamingo’s teeth ground together as he restrained his crew. Rage simmered—but dread drowned it.

Why were they here?

The kimono-clad giantess. The enigmatic beauty. Either alone would’ve been a threat worth fighting. But the giantess’s affiliation… the name she’d uttered… and the shadow now taking the form of a girl—

This wasn’t a battle. This was survival.

The newcomers were none other than—

A pillar of the Four Emperors.

Her right hand.

A calamity of the seas.

"Forgive us, Nue-sama…!!"

"We failed…!!"

"Tch… Just a little more time, and I’d have turned them all to stone—"

"Ahhh, it’s fiiine! No apologies needed! This wasn’t an order, just a test!! —Besides, your weakness isn’t my problem. Reflect on it yourselves, ‘kay~? Ahaha♪"

"Kh…"

The floating girl—grinning as she dismissed the trio (one of whom had matched Doflamingo) as "weak"—sent a chill through the Family.

And then—

"Oh, and—"

"!!"

"Ah…!!?"

"Tch…!!? That’s…!!"

The girl’s gaze locked onto them.

As her face became clear, a horde of brutish pirates—some horned, all armed—descended. A ship settled onto the waves, its jolly roger unmistakable. The girl’s vivid blue-and-red wings.

Doflamingo’s crew knew.

They had to.

"—Ahahaha!!! Hilarious, hilarious!!! Even I didn’t expect to bump into the infamous Flamingo Family out here!!! Crazy, right~? What kinda coincidence is this…!!! Ahahaha!!! Hey, Jack!! Black Maria!! Isn’t this that ‘Doflamingo’ guy we heard about!!?"

"—Indeed. I believe that’s correct."

"The Donquixote Pirates, hailing from North Blue. Captain: Donquixote Doflamingo. Bounty: 340 million berries. Right, Nue-sama~♡ Sounds about accurate."

"Ahahahaha!!! Yeah, you’re right!!! Crazy!!! So funny!!! Ahahahaha!!!"

——The Beasts Pirates…!!! "The Phantom Beast, Nue"…!!!

Twisting midair, clutching her stomach, and pointing at Doflamingo while laughing—the beautiful girl, Fūjū Nue.

She was the Vice Captain of the Four Emperors' Beasts Pirates, a monster of the New World with a bounty easily exceeding 3 billion berries.

Her appearance sent shivers through the Donquixote Family. Upon closer inspection, the suddenly appearing beauty, Black Maria, and Jack, who arrived late with his subordinates, were also two of the Beasts Pirates' top officers—the Tobi Roppo.

The girl laughed at Doflamingo and his crew, as if something about them was hilarious. Doflamingo and his men could say nothing in the face of Nue’s eerie aura.

A monster like her, said to be immortal just like Kaido, was beyond their ability to handle—and even if they could, they’d only paint a target on their backs from a Four Emperor afterward. So, they desperately wanted to avoid outright hostility.

"Aah, so funny!!! Well, from the looks of it, you’re just decently strong small fries with terrible luck!!! I thought the current Hancock and the others could easily wipe out all the pirates on this island, y’know~?"

"Tch… Pathetic. To think you lost to a bunch of clowns like this."

"Shut up, Jack!!! I didn’t lose!!! And regardless of Nue, I don’t wanna hear that from you!!"

"Still, you failed the graduation exam. What now, Nue-san?"

"Hmm~… Well, y’know~…"

——The beauty called Hancock snapped at Jack, while Black Maria casually asked Nue what she planned to do. Doflamingo and his crew still couldn’t move.

But Doflamingo alone wore a slightly strained smirk as a thought crossed his mind—This is a chance.

Making contact this early was unexpected, but if he could negotiate here, it’d make future moves much easier.

"—But y’know what, I’ll pass you!!! All three of you have improved so much compared to two years ago!!"

"!"

"……!! Thank you very much…!!"

"Nue-sama acknowledged us…!! We did it, Big Sis!!"

"…Well, I suppose. Still, the fact remains that we didn’t perform flawlessly…"

"Ahaha, what’s this, tsundere? There there, Hancock’s so cute~♡ —Just second to me, though♡"

"Grr, stop patting my head…!! If I passed the exam, then I’m no longer a child!!"

Watching the exchange unfold before him, Doflamingo bided his time, waiting for the right moment. Sooner or later, they’d address him—or he’d find an opening to speak.

When that happened, he’d make it clear he wasn’t looking for a fight and propose a deal—or at least lay the groundwork for future negotiations.

And then, the moment came abruptly.

"—Fuffuffu…!! Mind if I have a word?"

"—Ah!! Donquixote Doflamingo!! How old are you now!?"

"…………28."

"28, huh!! Then I’ll look forward to 13 years from now!!"

"…Fuffuffu… No clue what you mean… but let’s talk."

Though baffled by Nue suddenly asking his age and mentioning "looking forward to 13 years later," Doflamingo pressed on. "Guess the crazy siblings’ underling is just as crazy," he mused.

But judging from the earlier exchange, she seemed reasonable enough. If he could steer the conversation his way, things would go smoothly.

"Sure, go ahead!! What is it?"

"Fuffuffu!! Much obliged… What I want to discuss is simple. I—"

"—Ah, but before that, since I’m letting you off, gimme something!! Money, people… let’s say… 500 million berries and I’ll forgive you!! Or, y’know, bring me 1,000 humans!!"

"…………What…?"

The moment Doflamingo processed those words, spoken with a smile—he froze. He couldn’t believe his ears. The demand was outright tyrannical.

He stood there, speechless. Yet Nue kept smiling, tilting her head as if to say, "Well?"

Thinking it might be a joke, Doflamingo forced another smirk.

"F… Fuffuffu…!! Can’t say I’m keen on that. If you wanna shop, my stores—"

"—Just hand it over already, ‘kay?♡ 500 million berries or 1,000 people. Or… would you rather die here?"

"…………!!!"

The pressure behind Nue’s words intensified. Her smile didn’t waver. But—her Haki pierced through Doflamingo and his crew, draining the color from their faces.

It was like being stared down by a beast far beyond their strength—no, something even greater than a Sea King. An indescribable terror gripped them.

The younger members—Baby 5, Buffalo, Sugar, and Dellinger—had tears in their eyes, collapsing to their knees, trembling. If Nue unleashed Conqueror’s Haki, knocking them out would’ve been trivial—yet she held back.

And Doflamingo realized—She’s dead serious.

This wasn’t a joke. Her eyes weren’t laughing. If he refused, she’d erase them like insects.

"C’mon, hurry up~. If you wanna talk, this comes first! After I let you off, then I’ll actually listen, ‘kay?♪ Otherwise, I could just kill you all right now, hand your heads to the Marines, or break your spirits and make you my subordinates! Oh, if you join me, you don’t have to pay~♡ —So, what’ll it be?"

"If you don’t obey Nue-san’s orders, we’ll just kill you. Hurry up."

"Fufu, getting to offer tribute to a beauty like Nue-san makes you lucky♡ Besides, the fact that you’re not being slaughtered on the spot means you’ve got potential."

"…………!!!"

"Yo… Young Master…"

The Donquixote Family stood frozen. No one could laugh.

Before them stood a monster of the New World—the second-in-command of a Four Emperor, an overwhelmingly powerful force. Their options were practically nonexistent.

Doflamingo would not become a subordinate. Never. He would destroy the world, rule it. He would never bow to another.

But… he wasn’t arrogant enough to believe he could win here. To resist now would be the act of a fool.

"…You lot, go to the town and round up a thousand people. Now."

"Doffy…"

"Young Master… that’s…"

"Just hurry. I don’t care if it gets messy. —You don’t mind a little delay, do you?"

"Hmm… well, fine~♡ But don’t take too long, or I’ll start a yakitori stand with you~♡"

"Fuffuffuffu… I’ll do my best to avoid that…!! —Move it, you idiots!"

"…!! Let’s go!!"

"Y-Yes, sir!!"

Without even turning to look, Doflamingo barked his orders, and the Family’s officers sprang into action. Leading the remaining grunts, they immediately headed for the town.

Left behind were the wounded—Monet, Gladius, Pica, and Diamante—receiving treatment. The only ones unharmed were Trebol and the younger children.

But no one dared speak. Who knew what would happen if they did?

"La la la~♪ How much longer~? What an unexpected windfall~♪ Oh, Hancock, what about you guys? I was gonna send you off, but…"

"…No need. We’ve imposed enough."

"Really? Well, say hi to Shakky for me~♡ Oh, and when you’re famous, I’ll come pick you up again!! And don’t forget—Golden Kagura Festival, every year! Got it?"

"You already asked before we left. Sigh… Sandersonia, Marigold. Let’s go."

"Um… see you later, Nue-sama."

"Th-Thank you for everything…!!"

"Mhm, bye-bye~♪ See ya~♡"

Waving cheerfully as Hancock and her sisters departed, Nue’s eyes sparkled at the food brought over by the Beasts Pirates’ crew. Black Maria took the dishes and laid them out before her.

"—Nue-sama, the yakitori you requested."

"Yay!! Dig in~! Munch munch… Mmm~♪ So good~♡ The glaze is perfect!! Oh, wanna try some? Chicken’s delicious!!"

"Fuffuffu… I’ll pass."

"? Not hungry? What a waste~! It’s so tasty!"

"…………"

And so, as Doflamingo endured the humiliation of watching Nue happily munch on yakitori while waiting for his men to deliver a thousand lives, he made a silent vow: For now, let her laugh.

But he’d use this too. Then he’d be the one laughing.

And after wringing every last drop of usefulness from them… one day, he would be king.

Whether it took ten years or twenty, Doflamingo would make the Beasts Pirates—the most destructive force under the Four Emperors—his ultimate business partners in tearing down the world.

After all, these were the kind of monsters who’d rampage without hesitation, even against Celestial Dragons. They were perfect for his ambitions.

They’d be his allies in the grand scheme. And if enduring this shame was the price? So be it.

Facing these madmen—these beings even more dangerous and unreasonable than himself—Doflamingo smirked, already envisioning the future.