Abel barely had time to wait before Law was brought back.
The reason was simple: Doflamingo had long issued orders that if Abel and Law attempted to escape, they were to be apprehended immediately.
Even though Corazon deliberately pretended nothing had happened and didn't order Law's capture, Law still couldn't escape.
Law was imprisoned, and Abel tried to give him some last-minute instructions, but he was stopped at the door.
Despite having joined the Donquixote Family, Abel's status was still too low. As a mere trainee member, he couldn't possibly persuade anyone to disobey Doflamingo's standing orders.
Even if he brought Baby-5, it wouldn't make a difference.
Left with no other choice, he had to give up.
After all, as long as Law kept his mouth shut when the time came, nothing would go wrong.
A day later, Doflamingo's group returned, having swiftly dealt with the traitors.
They seemed to have made quite a haul, bringing back crates of money and various gold and silver jewelry.
However, their expressions were grim, as if they had been through the wringer.
It turned out they had returned so quickly because they were being pursued by Marines led by Tsuru.
To shake off the persistent Marines, Doflamingo had been forced to cover their retreat alone, boarding a Marine warship to engage Tsuru in a fierce battle before barely escaping using the String-String Fruit's Ability to flee through the air.
"That old hag is like a persistent ghost!"
Bang!
Back at their base, Doflamingo, feeling thoroughly vexed, slammed his fist heavily on the table.
"It's strange... Our decision to deal with the traitors in Rakesh was completely impromptu, yet the Marines appeared there as if they had foreseen our actions. Could it be...?"
"Shut up, Giolla!"
"It was just a coincidence. I don't want to hear any more baseless speculation."
"My apologies, Young Master..."
Doflamingo, in a rare fit of fury, reprimanded Giolla harshly.
He preferred to believe it was either a coincidence or that the Marines had somehow tracked their movements, rather than suspecting anyone present.
Once the seeds of mutual suspicion were sown, the so-called family would inevitably crumble.
Unless someone could provide concrete evidence that someone had betrayed them, selling out the family.
In that case, he would personally execute the traitor!
At that moment, two subordinates brought Law forward.
"Young Master, this brat suddenly tried to escape for some reason. As per your orders, we immediately apprehended him upon discovery."
"Let go of me!" Law struggled fiercely, but in vain.
When he saw Corazon sitting calmly at the table, sipping tea, Law was stunned. His heart sank like a stone.
He couldn't believe the man was still alive.
It's all over now.
That guy must have told Doflamingo everything.
But then something Law never expected happened.
Doflamingo suddenly burst into laughter. "Fufufufufu, Corazon, it seems you've been giving them quite the hard time."
Corazon calmly sipped his tea, taking it as tacit agreement.
"Alright, let him go. And the rest of you hiding outside, come in."
Law's face twisted in confusion. 'Could it be that Corazon didn't say anything? But why? Is he deliberately protecting me? No, that's impossible! This guy must be plotting something. And the people who saw me that day weren't just...'
Just then, Baby-5, Buffalo, and... Abel, who had been eavesdropping through the window, entered the room.
Buffalo even gave Law a malicious grin.
'Damn it!'
Law assumed Doflamingo and the others had just returned, so this fat idiot hadn't had time to rat him out yet. Now, they definitely wouldn't let him off the hook.
To their surprise, Buffalo simply laughed and did nothing.
Abel then gave Law a reassuring glance.
Though Law didn't understand what had just happened, it seemed they had successfully passed this test. He felt a slight sense of relief.
Abel, however, remained focused on the people in the room. He meticulously compared their appearances and attire to the names in his memory, realizing that the Donquixote Family was now nearly complete, with only two or three members missing—excluding Vergo, who had already been sent as a Marine mole.
For instance, Sugar's whereabouts were still unknown.
Violet wouldn't be forced to join until after Doflamingo seized the throne of Dressrosa.
Dellinger was still a baby, currently sitting beside Giolla, who was taking care of him.
At that moment, Doflamingo spoke up.
"Law, Abel, from this moment forward, you two are Official.members of the Donquixote Family."
His words stunned everyone present!
It hadn't even been a week since the two boys had become apprentice members.
Doflamingo had always indulged Corazon's behavior, not only because he was his younger brother, but also because he viewed Corazon's torment as a test. Only those who could endure it would be considered full members.
Baby-5 and Buffalo had both gone through this process.
But now, with the test only halfway complete and Law's escape attempt still fresh in their minds...
That's why Doflamingo's sudden announcement was so astonishing!
This time, however, no one dared to question Doflamingo's decision.
After all, they had long sensed that Young Master Doflamingo was determined to accept these two brats. His abrupt move likely stemmed from a desire to prevent Corazon from actually driving them away.
Now it was Corazon's turn to feel speechless.
His perfect excuse had vanished.
With Abel and Law becoming full members of the Donquixote Family, he could no longer treat them as he had before—at least, not with the same extreme measures.
'Well, whatever. They're just two pitiful kids with little time left anyway. If they stay, at least they'll have a few years of relative peace.'
Corazon thought it over and finally decided to give up, resolving to stop antagonizing Law.
"Starting tomorrow, I'll have arrangements made for you to undergo comprehensive training. Whether you seize this opportunity to change your fate will depend on your effort and luck."
Doflamingo hadn't made this decision on a whim.
He was simply growing tired of this cat-and-mouse game with the Marines.
He no longer wanted to hide in the shadows, yearning to appear openly before the world.
Therefore, the process of recruiting soldiers and secretly amassing power in the North Blue needed to be accelerated.
Moreover, Abel and Law's circumstances were particularly urgent. If he wasted their already limited time on trivial matters, what would be the point of taking them in?
As a shrewd businessman, Doflamingo naturally had no intention of incurring losses.