Doflamingo stepped onto the deck of the Golden Ark, pulling himself with thin strings. The moment his feet touched the flying ship, his pupils constricted sharply.
'It really is made of gold!'
He had previously thought the dazzling golden light was just a layer of gold leaf. He never imagined that most of this flying ship's hull was actually constructed from solid gold. Every inch of the hull shone with a dizzying brilliance.
Even with his wealth, he couldn't help but marvel at the owner's extravagance.
Doflamingo entered the cabin. His eyes immediately fell upon Setsuna, who sat in the center, cross-legged in meditation.
Although he had seen this face several times in the newspapers, witnessing its youthful appearance in person still felt jarring to Doflamingo.
To possess unimaginable wealth, power, and status at such a young age was enough to drive a man mad with envy.
Setsuna opened his eyes, his tone calm. "Heavenly Yaksha, Donquixote Doflamingo. State your business."
Doflamingo forced himself to regain his signature nonchalant smile, hooking a finger in his pink feathered coat, "Fufufufu, I am responding to the World Government's summons. To inform the other Warlords of the Sea that two new members have been added to their ranks."
(When it was Blackbeard's appointment, Kuma was the one who informed Moria.)
Setsuna raised an eyebrow. "Two new members?"
Doflamingo grinned. "Apart from Hanafuda who was stripped of his title after losing to the [Fire Fist] Ace under your command, Crocodile has also voluntarily resigned from the Warlord's position for... unknown reasons."
"Crocodile, huh?" Setsuna smiled faintly. He had stayed a few extra days in Alabasta, partly waiting for Crocodile to come to him. But Crocodile never showed up, and later he heard Crocodile had disappeared.
He didn't expect Crocodile to resign from the Warlord's position so decisively.
Doflamingo continued. "The World Government was furious. They raised Crocodile's bounty from 81 million Berries to 810 million Berry, and swiftly passed a new resolution for the Warlord's position, appointing [Tyrant] Bartholomew Kuma as the new Warlord."
Setsuna nodded slightly. "And you? Someone like you would agree to act as a messenger for the World Government?"
Doflamingo chuckled. "Fufufufu, delivering the message is just a side task. My real purpose is to propose a deal with you."
"A deal? Perfect timing." Setsuna nodded slightly. "I hear you are a broker in the underworld. I have over a hundred tons of gold that needs handling. Can you manage that?"
Hearing Setsuna casually mention 'over a hundred tons of gold', Doflamingo felt a numb acceptance.
After a brief moment of shock, he quickly regained his trademark sinister grin. "Fuffuffu... A transaction of that scale can only be absorbed in the New World."
Setsuna nodded, not wasting any words. "Fine. You can take all that gold with you when you leave."
Doflamingo asked with a smirk. "You trust me so readily? Aren't you worried I might simply... keep all the gold for myself?"
Setsuna laughed heartily upon hearing this. "Haha, no wonder your underworld codename is [Joker]. That question is truly hilarious. Ace, what do you guys think?"
"Haha, it really is funny!"
"Haha, does he have some misunderstanding about his own strength?"
Ace, Enel, and the others all burst into laughter. The cabin was momentarily filled with a merry atmosphere.
A vein throbbed on Doflamingo's temple, 'Were these bastards mocking him?'
Though he desperately wanted to lash out, after weighing the disparity in strength between both sides, he decided to endure for now.
'Once you come to the New World, I'll have Sugar personally give you the money from selling the gold. Then... fufufufu...' Doflamingo indulged in a brief fantasy, which finally dissipated his anger.
"Just a joke," He forced a smile through his anger, then stated his purpose. "I want to buy a few of those monsters from you."
He had traded a Zoan-type Devil Fruit for information with Hanafuda. He found Hanafuda's idea interesting… as long as they avoided direct confrontation.
"Acceptable," Setsuna agreed after brief consideration. "But you'll have to trade it for the Life Return training manual."
Life Return's digestive abilities probably couldn't compare to Gourmet Cells, but the ability to freely control parts of one's body was still quite useful.
"Life Return? Marine Headquarters would never agree to that," Doflamingo shook his head slightly. "As fellow Warlords, if you can't manage it, naturally, neither can I."
"Oh? Not even with that Marine Vice Admiral spy of yours?" Setsuna asked offhandedly.
'How could he possibly know that?!' Doflamingo was shocked internally, while a torrent of murderous rage filled his mind. Family and betrayal were his two greatest taboos, and this single sentence had violated both.
A savage wave of Conqueror's Haki surged from his body, impacting the cabin and lashing at the sea of clouds. "WHO TOLD YOU?!"
But the next moment, two more Conqueror's Hakis erupted within the confined space.
One Conqueror's Haki was evenly matched with his, but the other was far superior.
The dark red lightning generated by the clashing Conqueror's Hakis flashed for only an instant. Under the suppression of those two Hakis, Doflamingo's Conqueror's Haki was forcibly pushed back into him.
Along with his Haki, his rage was also suppressed. Reason regained dominance.
Doflamingo forced a smile. "Don't misunderstand. I'm furious that a traitor has appeared among my subordinates."
"Oh, is that so?" Setsuna and Ace's Conqueror's Haki immediately receded. The suffocating pressure vanished like a receding tide.
As Doflamingo caught his breath, he couldn't help but stare at Setsuna with a look of horror.
He had actually sensed a hint of regal authority from Setsuna's Conqueror's Haki, as if this man had once ruled the world.
Setsuna said with a smile. "Don't worry. No one betrayed you. You told me yourself."
"Me?" Doflamingo was confused.
Setsuna began spinning a tale with a serious face. "Because my Observation Haki allows me to hear the thoughts of others."
"What?!" Doflamingo's expression changed drastically. He had indeed heard of it… the legendary Red Count who once roamed the seas alone seemed to possess such mind-reading Observation Haki.
'Damn it! I was just thinking about Sugar... No! Can't think about that! Empty the mind, one, two, three, four...' Doflamingo desperately tried not to think, speaking in as calm a tone as he could manage. "Very well. I will have Vergo bring out the Life Return's training manual."
"Then our cooperation is off to a pleasant start," Setsuna leaned back leisurely on the golden throne.
"Pleasant indeed," Doflamingo nodded mechanically, turning to leave the suffocating cabin.
"Wait. How do you plan to transport the gold and the monsters?"
"I have a subordinate in Mock Town. I'll have him receive the monsters. As for the gold..." Doflamingo thought for a moment and decided carrying such a large amount of gold himself was safest. "I will handle the transportation personally."