North Blue, Spider Miles Island. The air was still thick with industrial smoke, and the occasional sound of machinery operating in the factories could be heard.
Every month, hundreds of thousands of various firearms were manufactured here, loaded onto cargo ships, and sold all over the North Blue and even other seas.
As a result, the island had three large docks, and regardless of whether it was day or night, the flow of ships was extremely frequent, while the number of docked ships was surprisingly low.
On this day, Doflamingo, accompanied by Pica, stepped off his ship and looked at the bustling scene of loading and unloading cargo, feeling quite pleased.
"Fufufufufu, business is as good as ever~~"
He knew that these crates of weapons would cause chaos, war, and death in various countries and regions, creating many troubles for the world, and that was exactly what he wanted to see.
This sea, ruled by those lofty Celestial Dragons, would one day be destroyed by his own hands.
Since I, Doflamingo, cannot become one of the Celestial Dragons, then you Celestial Dragons won't have it easy either! At this thought, madness and killing intent flashed in Doflamingo's eyes, though it was all completely hidden behind his sunglasses.
"Doffy, I heard that Bullet has been captured by the Marines, and it was Garp who took him down."
Pica, who stood at a towering height of 4.3 meters, followed behind Doflamingo, looking quite happy. However, his voice was unusually high-pitched, which, combined with his gladiator armor and rugged muscular build, created a strong sense of dissonance.
"Fufufufufu, that guy is clearly a brainless idiot. No matter what he does, it won't last long, and his end is destined to be tragic~"
Doflamingo walked with an arrogant, swaggering stride, sneering as he strolled along the piles of industrial waste by the island's edge, leisurely heading towards his base.
"Sometimes I wonder why there are so many fools in this world who only know how to use their fists but never think with their brains. No matter how strong a person is, how many opponents can they really take on?"
"Strategy, influence, military power, financial resources, even reputation and status—these are all part of one's strength."
Pica listened attentively to Doflamingo's words. He admired the latter's confident demeanor; their young master should be this outstanding and intelligent! The Donquixote Family's growth to its current scale was all thanks to Doflamingo's planning and leadership.
"Hmm?"
But just as the two approached their small seaside building, they immediately sensed something was wrong.
Doflamingo knew the benefits of grooming his own people from a young age, so he had adopted many young orphans, bringing those he deemed promising here to keep them close.
Thus, it was usual to hear the playful noises of nine-year-old Giolla, six-year-old Buffalo, and Monet as soon as they reached this spot.
But now, it was quiet, eerily quiet. Apart from the sound of waves crashing and seagulls crying in the air, there was no human voice to be heard.
"Trebol! Diamante!"
Soon, the small building came into view, but the scene of chaos shocked Pica, who cried out in alarm. At that moment, the executives and children of the Donquixote Family were all lying on the ground, unsure whether they were unconscious or dead.
Doflamingo's pupils constricted to the size of pinpricks, and a dangerous aura emanated from his body.
Those familiar with him knew—Doflamingo was furious!
Doflamingo was someone who deeply cared about his "family." To him, Vergo, Trebol, Diamante, and Pica, who had been by his side from the beginning, were his family.
Not only would he not tolerate anyone harming them, but even a mocking remark would provoke a brutal retaliation.
Previously, when Buffalo laughed at Pica's voice, the latter had beaten him up severely. Doflamingo hadn't intervened at all. Even if Pica had killed Buffalo on the spot, Doflamingo wouldn't have batted an eye.
In his heart, people were clearly and distinctly categorized into four groups: close, distant, outsiders, and enemies.
In an instant, Pica disappeared from his spot and reappeared beside Trebol at an incredible speed, crouching down to check on him.
The thick, quilt-like coat Trebol often wore had melted into a pool of blue liquid, leaving his thin upper body exposed as he lay on the ground. Beside him was a golden cane that had been broken in two.
Not far away, Diamante looked even worse. His abdomen was covered in dark bruises, clearly the result of a heavy blow, and blood still trickled from the corner of his mouth.
"Huff—they're not dead, they're still breathing. Thank goodness!" Pica first felt a wave of relief, but it was quickly replaced by raging anger, his already high-pitched voice becoming even sharper and more piercing.
"Who did this? Who did this?!"
"He's inside," Doflamingo stopped in front of Pica and reminded him, his eyes fixed on the small building.
As soon as he finished speaking, the door on the first floor was pushed open from the inside. A tall, slender figure emerged, wearing a white mask, a white suit, and a coat.
"Who are you?"
Doflamingo pulled his hands out of his pockets. Normally, he would have attacked without hesitation, but his Observation Haki sensed a powerful and dangerous presence, making him cautious.
The man in white didn't answer. Instead, he tilted his head and looked at Pica.
In the next moment, he vanished with a whoosh and reappeared right in front of Pica.
This sudden movement caused both Doflamingo and Pica to change their expressions, especially the latter, who immediately activated Armament Haki, covering his entire body in a layer of black.
But the man in white was too fast. Before Pica could react, a heavy punch landed on his abdomen, sending him flying like a cannonball.
BANG!!!
At the same time, Doflamingo's "Five Colored Strings," which he had swung toward the man in white, were effortlessly caught in the latter's left palm. These threads, as tough and sharp as piano wire, capable of easily cutting through a ship, were completely ineffective against the man's hand. This made Doflamingo realize the situation was dire.
"Donquixote Doflamingo, there are some things only you should hear. By the way, I'm with the World Government."
Just as Doflamingo was about to launch a further attack, the man in white suddenly spoke up to stop him and immediately released the 'Five Colored Threads'.
"..."
Doflamingo watched as the man in white stepped back a few meters. After hesitating for a few seconds, he finally retracted his hand, suppressing the cruelty and anger in his heart.
Firstly, the latter's displayed strength was clearly far superior to his own. Secondly, Pica, Diamante, and the others were not in mortal danger, merely unconscious.
From these two points, it was evident that the other party truly had no intent to kill. Moreover, this person claimed to be from the World Government, and his attire indeed resembled that, albeit switching from a black suit to a white one.
This was Doflamingo's first encounter with CP0.
"What do you want to say?"
The man in white coldly stated, "The Elders wish to see you. Come with me."
"Mary Geoise?" Doflamingo widened his eyes in surprise beneath his sunglasses. "The Five Elders sent you!"
"Correct."
Hearing this, Doflamingo's expression darkened further. He gritted his teeth and sneered, "Back then, I wanted to return, and you refused. Now you want me to obediently go back? What do you take me for?"
"And, just to deliver this message, you knocked them out?"
Faced with such questioning, the man in white showed no change in expression. His tone remained as cold as ever, like an emotionless machine, as he replied.
"Your people attacked first. As for just now, I found that knocking them out was a very convenient approach. So, what is your decision? Will you come, or refuse?"
Doflamingo sneered and retorted, "What if I say I won't go?"
"Knock you out, take you away."
"..."