In the New World lies Dressrosa, the country of fairies, love, and passion.
Ten years ago, Donquixote Doflamingo seized control of this nation, transforming it into the base of operations for his powerful family. While his rule was cruel and built on a foundation of lies, Doflamingo's special status as a Shichibukai and his diligent, albeit ruthless, management had allowed the country to prosper on the surface.
Today, on the King's Plateau where the royal palace stood, a rare gathering was taking place. With the exception of Vergo, who was deep undercover in the Marines, nearly every core member of the Donquixote Family pirates was present.
And among them was a special guest.
"Wait… wait… Doffy, you have to be joking, right?" a sharp, fearful voice shrieked, echoing through the grand palace hall.
The speaker was a pale man with a twisted, terrified expression, wrapped in a robe that seemed to be made of floating smoke. This was Caesar Clown, a former scientist of the legendary MADS group and now Doflamingo's lead researcher on artificial Zoan Devil Fruits.
He had received a message yesterday summoning him from Punk Hazard to Dressrosa. Caesar hadn't thought much of it. Doflamingo was his patron, after all, providing him with protection from the World Government and the vast funds needed for his research. Besides, with Doflamingo's agent, Monet, always by his side, he had no power to refuse anyway.
But he never could have imagined what was waiting for him. The moment he arrived, Doflamingo had spoken a few simple words that drained all the blood from his face.
"Fufufufu, my hands are tied, Caesar," Doflamingo said with a wide, unfeeling grin. "Kaido specifically asked for you by name. And he offered me something I simply couldn't refuse."
Doflamingo's words felt like a knife twisting in Caesar's gut. Are you kidding me? Do these pirate bastards just see me as cargo to be traded? The thought screamed in his mind, but he didn't have the courage to say it aloud.
Instead, he tried to reason, his voice taking on a whiny, obsequious tone. "But wait, Doffy! Is there anything more important than my SMILE project?"
"Fufufufu, if you were producing a successful product, then of course SMILE would be more important," Doflamingo replied coolly. "But the problem, Caesar, is that the failure rate of your creations is far too high. As it stands, their value can't compare to a single, real Devil Fruit. Before, I would never have considered giving you up, but now…"
The undisguised business talk made Caesar's face turn even uglier. Seeing his despair, Doflamingo offered a twisted sort of comfort.
"Hey, hey, don't make that face, Caesar. You should be happy. Everything I can give you, Kaido can give you, and more. You've heard the rumors, haven't you? He found the legendary City of Gold. You'll never have to worry about research funds again. And he can offer you protection far beyond what I can. He's one of the Four Emperors, after all."
Caesar's expression softened slightly. What Doflamingo said was true, but the thought of working directly under a monster like Kaido made him tremble. There was the matter of his freedom, but more importantly, scientific research was a process of trial and error. Projects like SMILE were bound to have setbacks. If he failed to meet Kaido's expectations, would his life be on the line?
"Besides," Doflamingo added, "Kaido doesn't just want you. Monet and Baby-5 will be going with you. You won't be alone."
At the mention of her name, Monet, who stood silently nearby, showed no change in expression. She had already been briefed on the situation.
Baby-5, however, immediately burst into tears. Snot and tears streamed down her face as she wailed, "Young Master! Don't you need me anymore?"
"How could you say that?" Doflamingo said smoothly, having long since mastered how to manipulate her personality. "It's precisely because I need you that I'm sending you to Kaido. I'm entrusting you and Monet with an incredibly important mission. Kaido has promised me that within the next month, he will complete his conquest of Wano Country. When he does, he will open its borders and hand over the country's entire Sea Stone and weapons business to our family."
The room fell silent. The information Doflamingo had just revealed stunned every member of the Donquixote Family.
"Young… Young Master, is that true?" Diamante asked, his face a mask of shock.
Others might not grasp the full implications, but as the man in charge of the family's existing weapons trade, Diamante understood perfectly. The profits involved were astronomical. The Sea Stone trade alone was worth more than ten Dressrosas.
Trebol, the slimy executive, also sounded disbelieving. "Do-Doffy… that's impossible, isn't it?"
"Fufufufu…" Seeing the awe on his subordinates' faces, Doflamingo smiled with deep satisfaction. "When I first heard it, I thought it was unbelievable too. But I confirmed it. With Kaido's arrogance, he wouldn't bother lying to me about something like this."
A wave of excitement washed over the room.
"That's a massive deal! If we get the Wano Sea Stone trade, the Donquixote Family will rule the entire underworld!" one of them shouted. "Even the Marines and the World Government will have to do what we say!"
It was true. Wano was the only place in the entire world that produced Sea Stone, the miraculous mineral that could neutralize Devil Fruit users. Controlling Wano's Sea Stone meant controlling the production of every Sea Stone weapon and tool on the planet. And the biggest customers for those items weren't pirates, but the Marines, the World Government, and the Celestial Dragons themselves. With that kind of leverage, their power would be absolute.
"So, Young Master," Monet asked, her voice calm and professional. She was still in her human form, not yet having been altered by Law's Devil Fruit. "What do you need me and Baby-5 to do?"
"You won't be taking orders from me. Kaido will give you your assignments," Doflamingo explained. "You just need to follow his commands. And remember, don't do anything unnecessary. The only thing that matters to the Donquixote Family is securing that Sea Stone business. Everything else is secondary."
Monet's eyes lit up with understanding. "I understand, Young Master."
"Good. I have complete confidence in you, Monet. But what about you, Baby-5?"
Baby-5 pouted, wiping her tears away. "Don't treat me like a child!"
Monet covered her mouth and let out a soft chuckle. "Don't worry, Young Master. I'll look after Baby-5."
"Fufufufu… Then I have nothing to worry about."
Suddenly, a small voice piped up. It was Sugar, still a little girl, looking up at her older sister with sad eyes. "Then, Big Sister… does this mean you can't visit me anymore? Waaah…"
"Of course not," Monet said, though her own eyes filled with a trace of sadness as she gently stroked her sister's head. Sugar's Devil Fruit ability meant she could never leave Dressrosa, and they both knew it.
Seeing this, Doflamingo offered his own brand of comfort. "Don't worry. This mission is a lot like the one at Punk Hazard, maybe even easier. If Kaido really opens up Wano like he says, the country will become a paradise for pirates. If Monet does a good job, he might even give her a few days off. You never know."
Sugar's eyes brightened at the thought, but Monet simply continued to rub her sister's head, holding no such hope. She was used to being separated from her sister for the sake of the Young Master's ambitions. More than a decade ago, she had worked undercover at King Riku's side. After Doflamingo took the country, she was sent to Punk Hazard to monitor Caesar. Now, she was heading to the territory of the Beasts Pirates.
But even so, she had no regrets. The Young Master was her savior, her king. He was her everything.
Just then, the sharp ring of a Den Den Mushi came from Doflamingo's coat.
"Looks like they've arrived," he said, pulling out the snail. "Caesar, Monet, Baby-5, come with me. The rest of you, stay here. And start preparing for us to take over Wano's weapons trade."
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