Chapter 33: The Invited Don Flamenco!

North Sea, Spadameirus Island. The air here is still thick with heavy industrial smoke, and the occasional mechanical roar of factory machinery can be heard.

Every month, hundreds of thousands of various firearms are manufactured here, then loaded onto cargo ships to be sold throughout the North Sea and even to other seas.

Consequently, this island possesses three large docks. Regardless of whether it is day or night, the traffic of passing ships is extremely frequent, while moored vessels are few and far between.

On this day, Doflamingo, accompanied by Pica, stepped off his private sea vessel. Watching the bustling scene of loading and unloading, he felt a surge of pleasure in his heart.

"Fuffuffuffuffu... business is as good as ever~~"

He knew that these crates of weapons would cause chaos, war, and death in various countries and regions across the world. They would create immense trouble for this world, which was exactly what he enjoyed seeing.

This ocean, ruled by those high-and-mighty Celestial Dragons—one day, he would destroy it with his own hands.

Since I, Doflamingo, cannot be one of the Celestial Dragons, then none of you Celestial Dragons shall ever have a peaceful life!

At this thought, madness and killing intent flashed in Doflamingo's eyes, though it was entirely concealed behind his sunglasses.

"Doffy, I heard that guy Barrett has already been captured by the Marines. The one who took him down was that Garp."

Standing at four meters and thirty centimeters tall, Pica followed behind Doflamingo looking quite pleased. However, his voice was incredibly high-pitched, creating a jarring contrast with his gladiator armor and rugged, muscular physique.

"Fuffuffuffuffu, that guy was clearly a brainless idiot. People like that can't sustain anything they do; their end is destined to be miserable~"

Doflamingo walked with an arrogant, swaggering gait, sneering as he strolled leisurely toward his base along the mountains of industrial waste piled up by the island's edge.

"Sometimes I wonder why there are so many fools in this world who only know how to use their fists but never use their brains. No matter how strong a person is, how many opponents can they truly handle?"

"Strategy, influence, military power, wealth, and even reputation and status—these things are actually components of power."

Behind him, Pica listened intently to Doflamingo's words. He loved the latter's brimming confidence; his young master was meant to be this excellent and this brilliant!

The Donquixote Family's ability to grow to its current scale was inseparable from Doflamingo's planning and leadership.

"Hmm?"

But just as the two approached their seaside villa, they suddenly sensed something was wrong.

Doflamingo knew well the benefits of raising his direct subordinates from childhood; thus, he had adopted many young orphans, keeping those he deemed suitable close to him.

Normally, upon reaching this spot, one would hear the playing sounds of nine-year-old Uladeus, six-year-old Buffalo, and Monet.

But now, it was quiet. Extremely quiet. Aside from the sound of waves crashing and the cries of seagulls in the sky, there was no human voice to be heard.

"Trebol! Diamante!"

Soon, the villa came into view. Seeing the scene of utter devastation, Pica cried out in shock. The various officers and children of the Donquixote Family were all sprawled on the ground, whether unconscious or dead.

Doflamingo's pupils constricted into tiny pinpricks, and a dangerous aura radiated from his body.

Those familiar with him knew: Mingo was angry!

Doflamingo was a man who cared deeply about his "family." To him, the four who first appeared by his side—Vergo, Trebol, Diamante, and Pica—were his family.

Never mind someone hurting them; even a single mockery would result in a brutal retaliation.

Previously, Buffalo had laughed at Pica's voice and was given a severe beating by the latter. Doflamingo had not intervened at all; even if Pica had killed Buffalo on the spot, Doflamingo wouldn't have even blinked.

Close kin, distant kin, outsiders, and enemies—these four categories were clearly and distinctly defined in his heart!

In an instant, Pica vanished from his spot and reappeared beside Trebol, crouching down to check on him.

Trebol's coat, which usually hung around him like a thick quilt, had melted into a pool of blue slime. This left his thin, exposed upper body lying on the ground, with a golden cane snapped in two beside him.

Not far away, Diamante looked even worse. His abdomen was bruised purple, clearly indicating a heavy blow, and crimson blood stained the corner of his mouth.

"Phew—he's not dead, he's still breathing. Thank goodness!" Pica felt a moment of relief, followed immediately by a burst of rage. His already high-pitched voice became even sharper and more piercing.

"Who did this? WHO DID THIS!!"

"The person is inside," Doflamingo reminded him, stopping in front of Pica while staring intently at the villa.

As soon as he spoke, the door on the first floor was pushed open from the inside. A figure emerged—extremely tall and thin, wearing a white mask, a white suit, and a white coat.

"Who are you?"

Doflamingo pulled his hands out of his pockets. Given his temperament, he should have attacked without a word, but his Observation Haki had sensed a powerful and dangerous presence, making him cautious.

The man in white did not answer; instead, he tilted his head toward Pica.

In the next moment, with a *whoosh*, he vanished from his spot and reappeared directly in front of Pica.

Doflamingo and Pica's expressions changed instantly. Pica, in particular, immediately activated Armament Haki: Full Body Coating, his entire body turning black.

However, the man in white was too fast. Before Pica could take his next action, a heavy punch struck his abdomen, sending him flying backward like a massive cannonball.

*CLANG!!!*

Simultaneously, Doflamingo's "Gladius" strings were easily caught by the man's left palm. These ultra-fine strings, as tough and sharp as piano wire and capable of easily slicing through a sea vessel, failed to even scratch the man's hand, causing Doflamingo to realize things were looking bad.

"Donquixote Doflamingo, there are some things only suitable for you to hear alone. By the way, I am with the World Government."

Just as Doflamingo prepared to launch a further attack, the man in white suddenly spoke to stop him, releasing the "Gladius" strings immediately after.

"..."

Doflamingo watched the man in white retreat a few meters. After a few seconds of hesitation, he withdrew his hand, suppressing the violence and fury in his heart.

Firstly, the strength displayed by the other was clearly much greater than his own. Secondly, Pica, Diamante, and the others were not in mortal danger; they were merely unconscious.

From these two points, it was evident the opponent truly lacked killing intent. Furthermore, the man claimed to be from the World Government, and his style of dress indeed matched, albeit in white instead of black.

This was Doflamingo's first encounter with CP0.

"What do you want to say?"

The man in white said coldly, "The Elders wish to see you. Come with me."

"Mary Geoise?" Doflamingo's eyes widened behind his sunglasses in surprise. "The Five Elders sent you!"

"Correct."

Hearing this, Doflamingo's expression darkened further. He sneered through gritted teeth, "When I wanted to return before, you refused. Now you want me to go back obediently? What do you take me for?"

"And besides, did you knock them all unconscious just to deliver this one sentence?"

The man in white showed no change upon the questioning. His tone remained as cold and indifferent as a machine without emotion.

"Your people struck first. As for just now, I found that knocking them unconscious was a very efficient method. So, what is your decision? Will you come, or will you refuse?"

Doflamingo sneered and countered, "And what if I say I won't go?"

"Knock him out. Take him away."

"..."

***

The Five Elders knelt at the feet of the readers, bowing their heads respectfully to report: "Reporting to the Great Reader: This book currently has 221 collections, 325 recommendations, and 51 monthly tickets. The signed author ranks 47th in the Light Novel category of the New Book Chart. However, relying solely on these is still far from enough to face the opponents of the myriad worlds. Please issue your instructions."

(End of Chapter)