The struggle for supremacy in the North Blue concluded with the Donquixote Family's costly victory. Seizing the opportunity, their influence expanded significantly. The Five Great Mafia Families, reeling from their defeat, faced unprecedented pressure. Although they technically still held sway over the North Blue, any discerning observer could see that the rise of the Donquixote Family was now unstoppable. Ambitious individuals, eager for opportunity, flocked to join the Donquixote banner, hoping to carve out a piece of the pie for themselves.
Dor returned to his headquarters, battered and leading the remnants of his forces. When the leaders of the other families heard the news, they were stunned. In their minds, the Donquixote Family should have been no match for their combined might. The outcome had drastically defied their expectations – five thousand men hadn't been enough to eliminate them.
"Dor, how did you manage this fight?! Five thousand men! Five thousand! And less than two thousand came back! That was the lifeblood of our families, sacrificed for nothing!" McNeil spat out, his voice thick with disappointment and frustration, hating that the 'iron' hadn't proven to be 'steel'.
"Exactly! Dor, we entrusted five thousand men to you, not sent you on a vacation! And here we were, having such confidence in you," Bouto chimed in, not missing the chance to criticize.
"Was the Donquixote Family really that strong? Or, Dor... did you perhaps not give it your all?" Warner asked, his face a mask of innocent inquiry.
"A bunch of ungrateful wolves!" Dor seethed internally, his face turning livid as he listened to their accusations and questions. "Before we left, it was all 'Brother Dor, Brother Dor.' Now that things went wrong, I'm dirt beneath your feet! You want me to take all the blame, practically wishing I were dead, don't you!"
"Alright, everyone, calm down a bit," Koy interjected, stepping into the role of peacemaker to mediate. "I warned you before that the Donquixote Family wasn't simple. Since this crushing defeat is now a reality, we have no choice but to accept it."
"So what do you propose we do now?" McNeil demanded angrily. "The Donquixote Family is gaining momentum fast. They might actually become a real threat to us!"
Who could have imagined that these upstarts, whom they hadn't taken seriously, would end up causing them so much trouble?
"It's not an easy situation," Dor finally spoke, his voice tight with resentment. "Although the Donquixote Family suffered heavy losses too, their core members weren't harmed at all. And didn't you all tell me Doflamingo was the one to worry about? Why didn't I even see his shadow this time? Instead, there was this guy with huge earlobes who was ridiculously strong!"
Dor firmly believed that if he hadn't been working with inadequate intelligence, he absolutely would not have lost.
"Well, we weren't entirely sure either, Dor. Don't go blaming us now," Bouto said, feigning innocence.
"Enough. This failure is our collective responsibility," Koy cut in, soothing frayed tempers. "The immediate priority is still figuring out how to deal with the Donquixote Family."
"What's there to figure out? We keep fighting, obviously! Are we supposed to be afraid of them now? Do they think we're just paper tigers?!" McNeil declared stubbornly.
"I agree with McNeil." "Let's crush them! Our status as rulers of the North Blue is indisputable!"
Warner and Bouto voiced their agreement with McNeil. Only Dor remained silent, lost in thought.
"Fighting is necessary, of course," Koy said calmly, addressing the group. "However, we still know too little about them. And we truly suffered heavy losses this time. If we're going to eliminate them, we need to do it decisively, in one go. Rushing in again now won't benefit us. Besides, the strength of those individuals is genuinely terrifying. While we have numbers, we lack high-end combat power. For now, I believe it's best to wait patiently. There are plenty of strong fighters returning from the Grand Line. If we recruit more of them, then no matter how much noise the Donquixote Family makes, they won't be our match."
"I agree with Koy," Dor said, breaking his silence. As the one with the most direct understanding of the Donquixote officers' capabilities, he knew Koy was right. Ordinary mafia members were no match for them. Those who came from the Grand Line truly had skills.
"If that's the case, then let the Donquixote Family run wild for a few more days." "It seems we have no other choice." "Next time, I swear, the Donquixote Family will be completely annihilated!" "Let them enjoy their moment! The final winner is yet to be decided."
Following this defeat, the Five Families temporarily ceased hostilities against the Donquixote Family. A period of quiet descended. They focused on defending their own territories, allowing the Donquixote Family to continue growing stronger. This lull puzzled many within the Donquixote ranks, wondering what schemes the Five Families were plotting, fearing some hidden conspiracy.
Individuals like Enel, however, brimming with confidence, weren't worried at all. His attitude was 'meet soldiers with generals, block water with earth' – essentially, deal with problems as they arise. "Bring it on!" As far as Enel was concerned, the Five Families were simply scared. Diamante and the others, however, didn't share his simplistic view. Since Doflamingo had entrusted matters to them, they felt the weight of responsibility to handle things properly and not betray his trust.
Time, relentless and swift, marched on. More than half a year passed since the major battle between the Donquixote Family and the Five Families. Though minor frictions constantly occurred during this period, no large-scale conflict erupted. The Donquixote Family continued to push their advantage, gaining inch by inch, while the Five Families persistently endured, biding their time until the fuse was inevitably lit, formally igniting an all-out war across the North Blue.
During these six months, Doflamingo enjoyed a relatively leisurely pace. Besides continuing to digest and integrate Roger's soul power, he dedicated most of his time to honing his physical body. The body is the foundation of everything; Doflamingo would never neglect his basics just because he possessed a powerful Devil Fruit.
"9,999... 10,000... 50,000!"
While Doflamingo pushed his body to its limits, Ibes stood nearby, keeping count. The moment he finished his exercise, she promptly handed him a towel, ensuring he was well taken care of.
"Hoo..." Doflamingo exhaled sharply, accepting the towel from Ibes and wiping the sweat from his brow.
"Ibes, bring me today's newspaper," Doflamingo instructed.
Though immersed in training, Doflamingo never neglected to keep up with news from across the seas. Reading the daily paper had become an ingrained habit.
"God, here is today's paper," Ibes replied softly, handing the newspaper to Doflamingo.
Doflamingo took the paper, sat down in a chair, and began his morning reading.
He expected the usual inconsequential news – more trivial matters, chicken feathers and garlic skins. He wasn't particularly interested, but then his eyes caught a specific article: an archaeological team was being pursued for defying a World Government directive. Doflamingo's attention sharpened instantly.
Ibes, standing nearby, noticed the change in his demeanor. "God," she inquired softly, "what is it? Has something major happened?"
"Fuffuffuffu," Doflamingo chuckled, a chilling edge to his amusement. "Indeed, something big is about to happen. A lot of people are going to die." He offered no further details.
"A lot of people dead? Is... is a war starting?" Ibes asked tentatively.
"Nothing like that. Don't waste your time guessing. Focus on your training! Your current power level is still lacking," Doflamingo deflected, admonishing her to concentrate on getting stronger.
"Yes..." Ibes murmured, lacking confidence.
Paying Ibes no further mind, Doflamingo abruptly vanished with Soru. "Inform Diamante and the others I'm going out to handle something important," his voice echoed back, leaving only the command hanging in the air.
Ibes stared at the empty space where he had been, sighed softly, and turned to leave.
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