Judge's expression darkened. What did they take Germa for? Some second-rate crew to be squashed on a whim?
He commanded a vast army and wielded fortress-like tech, along with an armored fleet of sea snails. No matter how arrogant his enemies might be, they'd be swallowed up by the black tide of Germa's war machines.
"Fufufufufu..."
Doflamingo didn't bother to argue. He simply licked the corner of his mouth, fingers twitching like a puppeteer pulling invisible strings.
"You won't be the first... and you won't be the last, Judge."
He turned toward the transponder snail still on the line, grinning.
"And you, too, Mr. Nicholas... After everything we've worked on together."
"Doffy..."
Nicholas stared at the familiar twisted shades and that ever-present smirk. Of course he recognized him everyone in the North Blue knew the Heavenly Yaksha.
Truth be told, he too had considered skimming a little off the top. The temptation had been real. But ever since Ozz gave him that chunk of pure gold, the idea died in its tracks.
That one bullet had shot the scheming spirit clean out of him.
All hail His Majesty the Black Emperor.
"You insolent fool!!!"
Judge was about to take off again when, out of nowhere, several of his own synthetic soldiers turned on him.
"Stand down!" he roared.
Clang
The sound of steel on steel rang through the chamber. The soldiers' faces turned purple with strain, but they didn't hesitate to strike their own king. Only when Judge barked the order to bite their tongues did they fall, lifeless, to the floor.
They had been puppeted but even then, they couldn't betray him. Their will overridden, they chose death instead.
"Impressive loyalty. No wonder Germa has dominated the North Blue for so long. War Machine Nation, indeed."
Doflamingo crossed his legs and reclined into the plush chair beside him. With the transponder snail cradled in hand, his grin returned.
"Just a friendly tip... If you patch up the payment before Lord Ozz shows up, you might just walk away with your head."
"Really!?"
The voice on the other end practically burst into tears with hope.
"If that's the case... please! Tell Lord Ozz it was my foolish greed, I'll pay double next quarter!!"
"Fufufufu... I'll see what I can do."
Meanwhile, in the other corners of the North Blue...
The reckoning had begun.
"Please don't kill us! We'll pay every last beli!"
"I don't want to die!"
"This is all your fault! Who told you to cheat on the report Argh!!"
Calls flooded into the lines connecting to Summy's office in Sabaody. Those who acted fast, repaying what they owed before Ozz's crew arrived, were spared.
The rest?
Too slow.
Your life was like a discount egg at a midnight supermarket. Blink and it's gone.
Crocodile stood amid the chaos, sneering at the last few stubborn fools. He raised a hand and unleashed a sandstorm the size of a mountain.
For the first time, the underworld of the North Blue tasted what it meant to be utterly outclassed.
They had never seen anything like it a single strike that split a mountain in two.
From the edges of the chaos, a Navy warship watched from offshore. A marine officer peered through a telescope, dumbfounded. A petty officer approached and saluted.
"Sir, should we land and intervene?"
The officer turned slowly, staring at him like he was mad.
"Sure. I'll send you in first. Go on. Arrest them both."
"Uh... I..."
...
While Little Flamingo clashed with Germa's forces, and Crocodile and Mihawk dished out divine punishment across the sea...
Ozz quietly followed a little blond-headed kid into a room that looked like an infirmary.
He was here to witness a scene burned into memory.
"Bring out Sanji's lunchbox."
The blonde woman said this with a glance toward the neat little bento box and Sanji's bruised, battered hands.
The maid hesitated, then reluctantly delivered the soot-black meal to the bedside.
The kid's face twisted, clearly aware his cooking wasn't exactly Michelin-starred.
But the pale blonde woman, still recovering in bed, simply smiled and took a bite.
"It's delicious."
She brushed her son's hair with tender fingers and pulled him into an embrace. Then she looked past the maid and the boy, directly at the man behind them.
"So, may I ask who you are?"
Such gentle words. Even toward a stranger who had just intruded.
"You're as kind as they say, Lady Sora," said the man in the dark red suit and black coat. He raised a camera and clicked the shutter, capturing the moment between mother and child.
"When did you? Guards!!!"
The maid cried out, spinning toward the window and door in panic.
"No use. The soldiers on this sea snail have been asleep for a while now."
Ozz smiled wryly and pocketed the camera-snail.
"Am I really that scary?"
"Get away from Mama!!" Sanji jumped up to protect his mother.
"Please, don't hurt my son!"
Their first words were both for each other. That made Ozz chuckle, amused. He reached over and hoisted the little cook-in-training by the back of his shirt.
"Relax. I'm here to cause trouble, yes... but not for you."
He gently placed Sanji back in Sora's arms, then turned to the window, gazing out at the distant snail battleship.
"My name is Dotor Ozz. Judge skimmed money from me. So, I've come to collect."
Sora clutched Sanji tightly, her pale eyes fixed on the imposing figure.
"How much... was it? I'm sorry... please, if you'll allow us to make amends..."
"No, no. It's not about the money. It's the attitude."
Ozz turned, now looking Sora square in the eyes.
"Technically speaking, anyone who dares cheat me is supposed to be erased. Entirely. From the map. But…"
He smiled.
"The thing about rules is, I get to decide when to follow them."
"And I just thought of a neat little way to spare Germa."
He knelt slightly, eyes softening.
"So, Lady Sora... how about a deal?"
"Give Sanji to me. And I'll let Germa live."
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Want more chapters? Let's make it happen!
If we hit 300 Power Stones, I'll be uploading extra chapter as a thank-you for your amazing support! ^.^
Every vote counts, and together, we can push this story to the top. Let's reach that goal and unlock more content!
The tides are shifting, and secrets linger in the dark... Step into the shadows early on P@treon, where the next chapter awaits before the world sees it.
p@treon.com/_theon
Change @ to "a"