"Whoooaaa!"
Exhausted pirates were reignited with enthusiasm at the thought of treasure.
"The latest intel suggests the target is in Water 7. Set sail!"
...
Above the pirate ship, a cloud drifted like a kite, always trailing behind.
Standing atop that cloud was a towering figure—Donquixote Doflamingo, looming like a god among the skies.
The ship neared Water 7's junkyard pier, a place fitting for disposing of trash.
A thin yet powerful whip lashed downward from the sky. The sheer force of the attack ripped through the air, a shrill screech echoing as the tip of the whip ignited into flames.
"Whoosh!"
"Move! Get out of the way!"
Reck, a pirate with a 30-million-beri bounty and a crocodile Zoan Devil Fruit user, had fought his way from the North Blue to the Grand Line. He wasn't some weakling.
The moment he heard the sound from above, he sensed the incoming strike.
Shifting into his hybrid beast form, he leaped from his throne at the center of the deck.
In the next instant—
CRACK!
The whip slashed diagonally into the ship, piercing deep into the keel.
"AAAAHHHH!"
"W-what the hell is this?!"
"The keel! The keel is broken!!"
The unlucky pirates who failed to evade were bisected along with the ship. Blood and viscera spilled everywhere, while the high-temperature cut left the exposed flesh seared, releasing the distinct scent of burning protein.
The taste of pirates… the sea knows it well.
Those who survived turned pale, staring up in horror at the source of the attack.
...
Junkyard
A ten-year-old Cutty Flam clung stubbornly to a visibly annoyed Iceburg.
(Born as Cutty Flam, Franky adopted his new name to safeguard himself from individuals seeking the Pluton blueprints.)
"Come on, Iceburg! You gotta check out my new invention!"
BOOM!
A distant explosion interrupted their tug-of-war. Iceburg grabbed the binoculars hanging around his neck, peering into the distance.
Cutty Flam did the same. His eyes widened in excitement.
"That was insane, Iceburg! Did you see that?! What kind of weapon was that?! Two strikes and the ship was gone!"
"I couldn't tell—it was too fast. It looked like a person… Someone in the sky. Could it be a Marine from headquarters hunting pirates?"
"Iceburg, look! That drifting barrel… There's someone inside! And—hey! He has blue hair like me!"
Following Cutty Flam's pointing finger, Iceburg adjusted his binoculars. Inside the half-broken barrel, he spotted a figure about the same size as them, curled up, chest faintly rising and falling.
"He's alive! Quick, Flam! I'll go get Tom-sensei!"
What neither of them noticed was a nearly invisible thread attached to the barrel, guiding it toward the shore.
...
Tom's Workshop
After a flurry of activity, the unconscious boy was placed in a bed inside Tom's workshop.
Gathered around him were Iceburg, Cutty Flam, Tom, Granny Kokoro, and her pet frog Yokozuna.
During the emergency treatment, his mask had been removed, revealing burns across his body—marks of suffering that made him appear both pitiful and wretched.
Dressed in her usual bikini, Granny Kokoro pulled her stethoscope away from the boy's chest, her aged eyes filled with sympathy.
"He's not in any mortal danger, just swallowed a bit of seawater. But these burns…"
"Ribbit!" Yokozuna croaked.
Tom, an experienced shipwright, had already determined the cause.
"Burns from extreme heat. Must've been war. But these aren't fresh wounds. Kid's been through a lot. He may be young, but he's already a man worthy of respect. Iceburg, where did you find him?"
"A pirate ship was destroyed nearby. He drifted over from there."
"Cough! Cough!"
The boy suddenly coughed up seawater, his eyes fluttering open. He glanced around, taking in the unfamiliar faces surrounding him. Even with his years of training, he was momentarily stunned.
Was infiltrating this place… really that easy?
"You're awake!" Cutty Flam leaned in excitedly. "Where are you from? Did you make these bombs? That's so cool!!"
His voice snapped the boy back to reality.
"The North Blue… Thanks for saving me. And yeah, I made them. I owe you one."
"Why were you on that pirate ship?" Iceburg pressed.
"I come from a ruined land… the Clock Town, on the island of Beaudice in the North Blue…"
...
Watching Gladius being taken in by Cutty Flam, Doflamingo turned away, stepping onto the sky path, heading toward Sabaody Archipelago.
Whether Gladius could truly earn Tom's trust and be adopted, he didn't care.
If they wouldn't hand it over, he'd just take it. At the very least, he now knew—the blueprints were in Tom's possession.
As long as Gladius stayed in Water 7 long enough, he'd find an opportunity.
Why not simply force Tom to hand it over?
For one, Gol D. Roger was still alive. Even the World Government wouldn't dare make a move on Tom until two years later, after Roger's execution. Doflamingo wasn't about to be the idiot who jumped the gun.
Second, Tom was a true craftsman, a man of principle. Threats worked on people like Caesar Clown or Vinsmoke Judge, but some men… would rather die than yield.
...
Sabaody Archipelago
Due to the existence of the Mangrove, the world's largest red tree, its extensive roots had emerged above the water, forming the Sabaody Archipelago.
The tree's roots secreted a unique resin that expanded upon contact with air, creating bubbles that drifted skyward—giving the island a dreamy, surreal quality.
Its peculiar scenery, combined with its strategic location, made Sabaody a hub for all kinds of activity.
It was near Marine Headquarters.It neighbored Mary Geoise, the Holy Land.It was the last stop before the New World.
Here, you could find:
Tourist attractions for people from all over the world.The human auction house, catering to Celestial Dragons and nobles.Illegal zones and coating industries, serving pirates and criminal syndicates.Marine bases, ensuring some semblance of order.And… Doflamingo's growing empire.
Setting down the reports in his hand, Doflamingo glanced at Machvise, who still hadn't fully… slimmed down.
He smiled.
"Fufufufu… Machvise, is this what you've accomplished in half a year?"
The large man flinched, his massive body trembling as he cautiously spoke.
"Y-young master, the situation in Sabaody is too complex. The auction house—we can't get involved… ."
"What about the Seastone trade, which happens every three months? Tell me, who is our buyer?"
Machvise hesitated, then muttered, "T-the… World Government…"
His voice grew weaker as Doflamingo's gaze bore into him, suffocating with pressure.
"And Seastone is…?"
"Incredibly important… !"
"Sabaody is practically the World Government's backyard. Tell me, Machvise… Who here dares to declare themselves an enemy of the government?"
"…"
Useless.
Watching the man fall into silence, Doflamingo rubbed his temples, suppressing the urge to punch him.
It wasn't that Machvise was incompetent—he had experience running operations in the North Blue under Diamante.
But most people in this world weren't like Monkey D. Luffy. They feared standing against the government.
Being a pirate was one thing, but the moment the World Government entered the picture, they turned into ostriches—burying their heads in the sand, pretending the threat didn't exist.
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+100 chapters on p@treon/tambeerg