Listening to Doflamingo's words, Sage was momentarily taken aback and couldn't help but laugh: "Whitebeard's death didn't make me arrogant, but here you are acting proud already. What, are you done with being one of the Seven Warlords and want to compete with me as a Four Emperor?"
"Fuhuhuhu..."
Doflamingo chuckled a few times, but in his mind envisioned a colossal figure, towering and exuding an overwhelming aura, a bead of sweat trickling down his temple.
He looked at Moriah by Sage's side and said, "Have you really joined? I'm quite envious of such power. If only you'd join me instead."
"Heh heh heh heh, don't say such meaningless things, Doflamingo," Moriah laughed eerily.
"Nyeh, nyeh, nyeh, Dof..."
A sticky, sloppy old man crept closer to Doflamingo, almost letting the snot hanging from his face drip onto Doflamingo's head. "So this is Disaster, huh? Looks pretty formidable..."
Doflamingo's expression changed, "Too close! Trebol!"
Besides Doflamingo himself, there were three others. After getting Trebol to move away from him, he let out a low laugh. "Just in time, meet my family officers. Hey, Monet, do the introductions."
"Yes, Young Master."
Monet smiled as she slowly approached and said, "This is Trebol, one of the top three officers of our Donquixote Family, the Club Elite Officer."
"Hello there," Trebol waved at Sage and his crew as he moved away from Doflamingo.
This sloppy old man wore a thick blue blanket with circular patterns, leaned on a club-shaped cane, and wore small sunglasses. Besides having snot all over his face, even his beard looked like dripping goo.
Seeing this man, Lily couldn't help but frown slightly.
She hated this kind of sticky stuff...
"This is Pika, one of the top three officers, the Spade Elite Officer."
Behind Doflamingo stood a mighty giant clad in gladiator-like armor, wearing a cross-faced helmet. His exposed bronze skin was as hard as stone, and his expressionless face was full of resolve.
"I am Pika!"
A clear, loli-like voice emitted from this giant, causing Sage to be momentarily stunned, showing no expression.
Though the contrast was quite amusing, Sage wasn't bored enough to mock someone's characteristics. This was not a comedy show, after all.
He was just a tough guy.
"Diamante, one of the top three officers as well, the Diamond Elite Officer, and a frequent champion at the Bullfighting Arena."
On another pillar leaned a man wearing a fringed hat, face marked with lines, wearing a red cloak, but dressed like a member of an indigenous tribe.
"No, no, no, Monet, you're overestimating me. It was all just good luck," Diamante waved his hands repeatedly.
"But you are indeed the champion, and you're quite strong," Monet smiled.
"Not at all, I'm not strong, it's just luck, luck..." Diamante looked embarrassed.
"Alright then, I won't say anything more."
"That's right, I am the champion! I am the strongest in the arena!" Diamante proudly raised his head.
"Fuhuhuhu, these are my family members. The other officers are downstairs, and you will see them at the banquet, Sage."
"Alright then, I'll taste your Dressrosa cuisine, hahaha!"
Sage laughed heartily, "I've come to your territory, let's see how you host us! Lily, inform the officers to gather here for dinner tonight!"
"Fuhuhuhu, if you want to enjoy the excitement, you won't be disappointed!" Doflamingo laughed.
As they arrived, it was close to dusk. Two hours later, as the sky dimmed, more officers were summoned to Dressrosa's Royal Palace, both from the Disaster Pirates and the Donquixote Family.
In the banquet hall of the palace, a long table was set horizontally, already filled with exquisite dishes. On the left head sat Doflamingo, grinning with a wicked smile.
On the right head sat Sage, swirling a goblet, watching the red wine inside slosh around.
And on both sides of the long table, people were seated.
Lily sat in the first seat to Sage's right, directly opposite Trebol, the Stick-Stick Fruit Ability User.
The second one was Moriah, facing Pika, the Stone-Stone Fruit ability user.
The third was Hawkins, confronting Diamante, the Float-Float Fruit ability user.
Further back, Marika faced a guy wearing a top hat, a robe, and a mask with round glasses, covering himself tightly.
Gladius, an officer of the Donquixote Family, who ate the Pop-Pop Fruit and became an explosion man.
Sage remembered that Lao Sha used to have a person like this under him, who could also cause explosions, but there were some differences.
That guy could be considered a bomb man, who could make any part of his body explode like a bomb, but this ability user could expand things from inside to make them explode, more like a balloon bomb.
Renedia faced a green-haired girl about her age, resembling Monet slightly, named Sugar...
Also the culprit behind the toys all over Dressrosa, a Hobby-Hobby Fruit ability user, it was said that after eating the fruit, her age was frozen, even her mind, but she seemed to be Monet's sister...
Urouge confronted an old, skinny man in tight clothes, skilled in Ancient Qi Gong, named Lao G, known as 'Jio-Ken', sharing a name with the fist technique he used.
This Qi Gong fist technique was quite interesting, claiming that the older you got, the more pain you could feel, and as you aged, your punches got heavier. However, Sage viewed this as a sort of energy storage and explosive application.
It had some shadows of Life Return, as well as traces of his Dragon Transformation Breathing Technique.
In the vast ocean, body techniques were many and varied.
Yet to Sage, all body techniques were insignificant; no matter what they were, North Star Divine Fist had corresponding and more advanced versions.
Gin faced a man with a bit of a homebody vibe, wearing a baby outfit and sucking on a pacifier, Senor Pink, the Swim-Swim Fruit ability user.
Stansen, as a Giant, had the largest size, occupying the most space, but this long table perfectly accommodated him. Across from him sat a robust woman with red and gold curls, triangle-framed glasses, prominent sharp features, and lips adorned with gloss.
Giolla, an Art-Art Fruit ability user, whose ability could turn targets into the imagined artworks, and even materialize her imagination to attack people. Once hit, the target could become a gallery-like art piece at her will.
Across from Bellamy sat a hairy-chested, wrestler-like stout man named Machvise.
A Ton-Ton Fruit ability user, effortlessly changing his weight, capable of reaching over ten thousand tons.
Jean Bart faced a man with large teeth, marked with the Doflamingo symbol, with a hairstyle resembling a helicopter rotor, Buffalo.
The Spin-Spin Fruit ability user could turn any part of his body into a rotor to spin, producing typhoon-like powerful winds, being a rare flying ability user.
Across from Pearl was a beautifully maiden outfitted in a maid costume, Baby-5.
An Arms-Arms Fruit ability user, who could transform any part of herself into a weapon, be it cannons or bullets, whatever came to mind, she could turn into, even missiles.
Sage was very curious, if she could turn into a missile... could she turn into a nuclear bomb?
Mute faced a little rascal with a baseball cap, bull horns adorning his head, looking fine but a bit girlish... wearing hot pants and high heels, when grinning, revealed sharp teeth typical of Fishmen.
A hybrid of Fighting Fish and human, a Fighting Fishman, Dellinger.
Both sides had basically gathered all their high-ranking officers.
As for those who couldn't appear, both sides had them.
Sage's side had CP9; though he didn't care if they leaked information, some details weren't necessary for them to know.
As for Doflamingo's side, they also had officers they didn't want to be known.
The officers looked similar, but for the Donquixote Family, there was still considerable pressure, while the others were more relaxed, with thoughts of competitive trials.
However, that second-seated Moriah... Former Seven Warlords of the Sea, was not on the same level as them.
"The wine is nice, hehehehehe, brewed by the Little People Race, right? I've had it before," Moriah said playfully, sipping the wine.
The taste was rich and carried a bit of a mystical feeling, making one linger involuntarily.
"Hohohoho, you really are knowledgeable. Indeed, except for Dressrosa, you can't find this wine anywhere else. It's made from grapes carefully cultivated by the Little People Race," Doflamingo chuckled lowly.
"Then give me a few boxes. As for the Little People Race... they're quite good, maybe hire a batch."
Sage also took a sip, nodded, and looked at Doflamingo. "Have you prepared what I requested?"