As Senor slowly "slipped" into the wall, Doflamingo exhaled a long breath.
This guy was a new addition to the family—steady, decisive, nothing like a brutish mafioso. In fact, his demeanor was more like that of a well-mannered gentleman.
Doflamingo had taken notice of Senor early on.
His Sui Sui no Mi ability allowed him to freely submerge into liquefied surfaces like the ground or walls, moving through them as if swimming. It was an incredibly efficient power for infiltration, assassination, and intelligence gathering...
So even though Senor wasn't yet a core officer in the family, Doflamingo had still deliberately handed him important tasks—both to cultivate and test his potential.
And Senor hadn't disappointed him.
"Doffy... are you really going to let Senor go save... that guy?"
Trebol, who had been hesitating for a while, finally couldn't help but speak up.
Doflamingo lit another cigar, took a deep drag, and raised his head, scanning the faces of the Donquixote Family officers one by one.
"So... you all think it would be better for us if that guy Daren were dead, huh?"
Diamante grit his teeth, clearly frustrated.
"You're our young master! Of course we follow your orders and trust your judgment."
"But... but..."
He clenched his fists tightly.
"If that guy dies, you can take his place and become the 'King of the North Blue'! Isn't that right?"
Doflamingo blew out a thick stream of smoke.
From the looks on Trebol and the others' faces, it was obvious—deep down, they feared Daren. It was instinctual.
"You might be right... but I don't believe someone like Daren would die that easily."
"You've seen the intelligence we've gathered from Marineford."
"The name Rogers Daren no longer represents just the North Blue."
A flicker of complexity shone behind Doflamingo's sunglasses.
"A monster of a man... top of his class at the Officer Training Camp... a genius Marine who once clashed head-on with legends like Byrnndi World and Gol D. Roger..."
"A Marine with that kind of potential—there's no way Marine Headquarters would give up on him."
"If I'm not mistaken, even as we speak, Headquarters has already dispatched sufficient forces to the New World to mount a rescue."
He let out a slightly helpless sigh.
"So whether or not we send someone may not make a difference in the end."
At that, Trebol and the others finally understood what was really going on.
"Then why send Senor at all, Doffy?" Trebol asked, frowning.
Doflamingo smirked, a hint of bitter irony in his expression.
"It's a matter of attitude."
"Whether or not Senor actually helps doesn't matter. What matters is that we've shown our sincerity."
"Otherwise... think about it. If that guy really survives and finds out our Donquixote Family did nothing—knowing his personality—how do you think he'll come after us?"
At those words, all the officers shuddered.
That man's brutal methods...
None of them dared to imagine what would happen next.
"And..."
At that moment, Doflamingo shook his head.
"That guy should be arriving any second now."
As soon as he spoke, Trebol and the others froze.
Arriving? Who?
Bang!
The doors to the residence hall were suddenly slammed open, and a blast of wind thick with the scent of gunpowder surged inside.
Before Trebol and the others could react, over a hundred fully armed Marines stormed in, surrounding them completely.
Their expressions changed drastically.
"Marines!!"
"What are you trying to do?!"
"What the hell is going on!?"
"This is the Donquixote Family's base!!"
...
They were just about to act—
Swish!
Dozens of black muzzles were raised in unison, aimed squarely at the Donquixote Family members with cold precision.
Fury flashed across their faces, but confronted with elite Marines wielding stun rifles, flamethrowers, metal entrapment nets, high-explosive spears, and other state-of-the-art weaponry, they didn't dare make a move.
The hall fell into a suffocating silence. The air was thick with tension.
"Doflamingo-sama... the Marines... five warships from the North Blue Fleet have completely locked down all of Rubeck Island..."
Just then, a panicked outer member of the Donquixote Family rushed in, voice trembling as he reported.
Doflamingo chuckled coldly.
"Fufufufufu... making quite the entrance, huh? Guess Admiral Momonga doesn't really care about keeping up appearances."
He looked up toward a figure slowly stepping out from among the Marines.
The troops held their ground warily, opening a clear path through the center.
Momonga, cloaked in a billowing coat, strode into the hall with a frosty expression and said calmly,
"In the North Blue... who would dare disrespect Donquixote Doflamingo?"
He raised a hand and ordered his men:
"Lower your weapons. The Donquixote Family is a vital force for maintaining stability in the North Blue, and they are the most respected and friendly guests of our fleet."
Immediately, the assembled Marines withdrew their weapons and silently stepped back.
Without sparing even a glance at Trebol and the others, Momonga addressed Doflamingo in a low voice.
"Doflamingo, you already know why I'm here. Apologies for the sudden visit, but I'm not in the mood for pleasantries."
There was a faint trace of urgency in his tone... along with a killing intent buried deep beneath the surface.
Doflamingo studied Momonga for a long moment before suddenly chuckling.
"Fufufufu... I see. Now it makes sense."
"Relax. I've already sent someone. We'll have news soon."
"Admiral Momonga, believe me... I'm even more anxious than you."
"Don't forget—he's my godfather... fufufufufu..."
Momonga gave a slight nod, ignoring the sneer hidden in Doflamingo's laughter.
"Good. Then I'll be waiting for your update."
With those words, Momonga turned and left, leading his elite troops out of the base.
...
When they reached the port, he came to a sudden stop.
Several enormous warships cruised just offshore, each fitted with rows of silver, large-caliber cannons along their hulls.
"Captain Momonga, what's our next move?"
A Marine Lieutenant Commander asked grimly.
Momonga turned, narrowing his eyes at the skull flag fluttering above the Donquixote base in the distance.
"No. Keep eyes on Doflamingo."
"Wait for the news. If something really has happened to Daren... whether or not Doflamingo sent help to save him..."
Momonga clenched his jaw. Daren's final words before leaving the North Blue echoed in his mind, and his eyes sharpened with resolve.
"We move. Wipe out every last member of the Donquixote Family!"
...
(70 Chapters Ahead)
p@treon com / PinkSnake