Wano Country, Udon Mine.
"Out of the way, don't block the road!"
With Sea Stone shackles on his wrists, Doflamingo lifted a massive, cubic boulder. His feet seemed to float, and he ran for hundreds of meters in one breath, before finally arriving at the edge of a river, on the side of a transport apparatus, and threw the stone down lightly.
The same was done by Vergo, Lao G, and the others who followed him. Each carried a large stone on their backs.
Rumble!
This intense forced labor, coupled with the huge expenditure of energy, made Doflamingo's stomach churn. Toward noon, he came to the food exchange counter with a stack of coupons and placed them on the table.
The member of the Beasts Pirates standing in front of the counter, after counting the exchange coupons, said, "The total is 221 coupons. It can be exchanged for 221 glutinous rice dumplings. Is this exchange correct?"
"Mhm."
Doflamingo nodded expressionlessly, without his signature cynical smile. In the excavation site, the supervisors were the strongest, and he couldn't provoke them. A few times, he had laughed too loudly and was immediately beaten by those supervisors. Because he didn't want to lose a hand or a leg, he didn't fight back.
After being beaten a few times, Doflamingo finally learned to restrain his laughter.
A moment later, a large bowl of glutinous rice dumplings was placed in front of him. He took it expressionlessly, and as he put the dumplings in his mouth to replenish his body's energy, he walked back toward the cell, ready to rest and take a nap.
However, when Doflamingo passed the excavation area and was next to two people, the contents of their conversation caught his attention.
A black-haired young man approached an old man with a blue dragon tattoo on his muscular body. Humbly, he asked, "Boss Hyogoro, can you teach me how to use Ryuo? These stones are too hard. If I can learn Ryuo, maybe it will be easier to dig the stones!"
"Ryuo is a powerful technique that gathers excess energy from within the body to a single point and releases it. Certain strong fighters can also use Ryuo to perform internal destruction."
As he spoke, Hyogoro extended his fist and punched the stone wall. His fist clearly didn't touch the wall at all, but the wall had a hole in it with a fist print, and cracks spread in all directions.
A strike in mid-air!
Doflamingo's eyes behind his sunglasses suddenly widened. The scene where Kaido defeated him with one blow of his club from a distance flashed through his mind again.
"Fufufu! Old man, can you tell me what this Ryuo is!"
As he spoke, Doflamingo handed the bowl of glutinous rice dumplings, which was already half empty, to Hyogoro.
Damn!
Hyogoro touched his starving stomach and swallowed. Ever since he was imprisoned in this mine, he had to work hard every day. The first two years were fine, but now, at the age of 57, his body was starting to weaken. The less he worked, the fewer coupons he got, and the less food he could exchange. In this vicious cycle, Hyogoro could clearly feel his bodily functions declining dramatically.
"Ryuo is a difficult skill to learn. Most people can't learn it in a few years... However, for the sake of your kind sincerity, I will tell you about it!"
Hyogoro reached out and took the wooden bowl. While hungrily eating the glutinous rice dumplings, he explained the Ryuo technique in Wano Country. A technique that in the outside world was called Armament Haki.
Just by hearing the outline, Doflamingo understood what this so-called Ryuo was. In fact, it was just a more refined version of the Armament Haki layering technique! However, the release of Armament Haki through the air and internal destruction caught his attention.
If the Armament Haki released in mid-air is combined with my awakening technique, "God-slaying," will my attack become even stronger?
Ryuo, I, Doflamingo, will master it!
Not far away, Diamante, who had just finished carrying a stone and exchanging it for glutinous rice dumplings, was stunned as he stared at Doflamingo and Hyogoro, who were chatting. For the past month, he could see all of Doflamingo's changes.
In the past, Doflamingo was so wild and unruly, an arrogant king. But now, he looked obedient and humble!
Is this kind of person really worthy of my loyalty?
When this doubt arose, the wavering in Diamante's mind became even more severe. He lowered his head to look at the glutinous rice dumplings in the bowl, and in his mind, he remembered the days when there was plenty of fish and meat, and he could get drunk to his heart's content. With this thought, Diamante finally made a decision and walked toward the main supervisor of the Beasts Pirates.
"I am a user of the Hira Hira no Mi. Please help me tell Governor Kaido that I am willing to submit to him and serve him…"
"Ah, you know exactly how to behave!"
Hearing this, the supervisor, with an approving expression, praised Diamante, then turned toward the communication office. For Devil Fruit users, Kaido had a stance: recruit them if he could, and imprison them in the mine until they died if he couldn't. If anyone changed their mind, Kaido would be happy to accept the allegiance.
Not far away, Doflamingo, who heard Diamante's words, had a slightly gloomy face.
Family! Comrades!
It's all nonsense. Only power can be above everything!
Doflamingo's face gradually became savage, and the anger in his chest continued to rise. Right now, I don't know anything about the outside world, this mine has not been fully controlled by me, and the escape plan is full of variables.
In addition, the other executives must be even more ready to betray me!
No! It can't go on like this!
Rather than being betrayed by all of them, it's better for me to pretend to submit to Kaido first, then find an opportunity to break free and stabilize my remaining subordinates…
With this thought, the anger in Doflamingo's heart gradually subsided. After making a decision, he immediately turned and walked toward Vergo, Lao G, and the others.
Wano Country, Onigashima Island.
Inside a magnificent castle.
Kaido, sitting cross-legged, held a large gourd of sake in his hand. He raised his head and gulped it down, "Gulp! Gulp! Gulp!" until he finally burped.
Only then did Kaido look at the nine Donquixote Family executives kneeling before him.
"You are all willing to be loyal to me."
Hearing this, Doflamingo immediately lowered his head full of arrogance, and he said expressionlessly, "Yes, Governor Kaido!"
"Good!"
Kaido nodded before turning to look at Queen. "Take them, grab some of their hair or nails, and make a Life Card for all of them…"
"Okay, Keh-heh!"
Queen nodded in agreement and led the nine people out of the room.
A Life Card was a special kind of paper that wasn't afraid of water or fire. The paper was made by incorporating a person's hair or nails, which would then represent the vitality condition of its owner. In addition, the Life Card would also move closer to the person who contributed the hair or nails. In other words, a Life Card was a location tracker!
As long as Kaido had the Donquixote Family executives' Life Cards, if they dared to betray him, no matter where they ran to, they would be found and wiped out by the Beasts Pirates!
There was a case where some pirates pretended to surrender. After leaving the mine and regaining their freedom, they took advantage of a mission opportunity and fled. That pirate group dived from the New World to Fishman Island and escaped back to Paradise, thinking they could relax! However, Kaido sent Queen directly, who hunted them all the way to Paradise and completely annihilated that pirate group!