Doflamingo's pupils contracted, and his heart pounded wildly.
This is…
That Marine!!
The Admiral of the North Blue!! Rogers Daren!!
The image of that man—brutal as a wild beast—ripping through the Donquixote Pirates like they were nothing, crushing them without mercy, flashed through his mind again. A chill ran down his spine.
"Relax. I mean you no harm."
Daren sat comfortably on the sofa, legs crossed, exhaling a puff of smoke as he spoke.
From the look in Doflamingo's eyes, he caught a trace of deeply buried fear. The corners of his mouth curled into a faint smile.
Just as I thought. Some brats won't learn unless you beat it into them.
No harm, my ass… The moment Doflamingo heard that, it felt like a sword had pierced straight through his chest. Bloodshot eyes locked onto Daren as he growled through gritted teeth,
"What the hell do you want?"
He scanned the surroundings.
They were in a dim hall. Oil lamps hung on the gray-white walls, casting flickering light and shadow throughout the room, creating an eerie atmosphere.
The hall's door was still open, revealing a rundown courtyard outside.
Chunks of rotten plaster had peeled off the archway leading out, exposing damp, weather-worn brick.
Dark doors lined both sides of the hall, with blackness behind them that even the lamps couldn't penetrate.
Trebol, Diamante, Vergo, and Pica lay unconscious in one corner of the hall. Their wounds had been crudely bandaged, and their eyes remained shut.
Seeing that his officers were still alive, Doflamingo felt a faint sense of relief.
He lifted his defiant face and said coldly,
"Why didn't you just kill me?"
"I'm a pirate, you're a Marine… Isn't hunting pirates supposed to be your highest honor, you so-called champions of 'justice'?"
"Kill you? No, no," Daren replied, feigning helplessness.
"I already said, I just want to talk. I don't mean any harm. But you jumped me without warning—I had no choice but to defend myself."
Doflamingo nearly coughed up blood in rage.
"Are you toying with me!?"
Veins bulged on his forehead as he shouted, face twisted in fury.
If he weren't in so much pain, his body drenched in cold sweat, he'd have gone for another round with this bastard, even knowing he'd lose.
"Believe it or not..." Daren shrugged.
"As for your 'Marines are justice, pirates are evil' bit... that way of thinking is outdated."
He looked at the pale, arrogant kid in front of him with a half-smile.
"I'm the 'scum of the Marines.' Justice, evil, neutrality—none of that means a damn thing to me."
"Since ancient times, this world has always followed one basic rule."
"Justice will always prevail? Of course it will..."
Daren leaned forward, a cold, defiant smile on his face as he moved closer to Doflamingo.
"——Because the winner is justice!"
The voice was deafening.
Doflamingo's face turned pale. Faced with the madness and ambition burning in the Marine's eyes, he instinctively shrank back.
But he quickly caught himself, gritted his teeth, puffed out his chest, and met Daren's gaze head-on.
"So what? Even if you're the 'Scum of the Marines,' what difference does it make?"
"You're still a Marine. That won't change anything."
"Kill me if you want. Do it. The weak don't even get to choose how they die."
He stared Daren down without flinching, even letting a cruel smile creep onto his lips.
Daren smiled in satisfaction.
Now this... this was someone worth molding.
He looked at the blond brat in front of him with admiration. The kid looked only twelve or thirteen, yet his eyes held a burning ambition—a desire to destroy everything.
He couldn't help but compare him to the protagonist of this world, Straw Hat Luffy.
Doflamingo at twelve... What was our chosen one, Luffy, doing at that age?
Probably still playing house with his two little buddies.
And Doflamingo?
He'd already gathered a band of strong, loyal, and dependable subordinates and had started carving out his own territory in the chaos of the North Blue.
Extraordinary talent, the power of the Ito Ito no Mi, the aura of a natural-born ruler, and even the bloodline of a Celestial Dragon...
If nurtured and guided properly, with a little push in the right direction, Doflamingo could become a valuable asset—a card worth holding.
Right now, Doflamingo was like a shooting star rising through the night sky—brilliant and dazzling.
All he needed was a little push from behind, and he'd set the world ablaze.
Daren had a crystal-clear vision for his own future.
His identity as a Marine couldn't be discarded so easily. A powerful fleet in the North Blue, loyal only to him, was already forming. And once he joined the Officer Training Camp, the vast training resources at his disposal would only multiply.
Power, status, strength, followers... these were things that the life of a pirate could never offer.
The incident with the Celestial Dragon, Saint Xildes, had been resolved smoothly, thanks to his political finesse. But it had also served as a sobering reminder.
He got lucky this time...
But what about next time?
Or the time after that?
Daren didn't believe for a second that he'd never cross paths with the Celestial Dragons again.
A break with the World Government was only a matter of time.
He couldn't afford to put all his chips on the Marines.
Zephyr from the original story was the perfect cautionary tale.
He'd dedicated his entire life to the word "justice," gave it everything he had, and in the end... it was his three finest, most loyal students who carried out the orders, pulled the trigger, and buried him.
That's why Daren had to build something outside the Marines—an ace up his sleeve strong enough to make the World Government and even Marine Headquarters wary.
And right now, that ace was right in front of him.
The most crucial part?
Doflamingo was still just twelve years old.
His body hadn't matured. His worldview wasn't fully formed.
If he were already the future King of Dressrosa and a Shichibukai... Daren wouldn't have hesitated to kill him on the spot.
But this Doflamingo was different.
He was still young.
Which meant... with the right kind of pressure and discipline, he could be molded to obey.
As the thought crossed his mind, a smile slowly spread across Daren's face—one that made Doflamingo's skin crawl.
A curious, unsettling smile.
Doflamingo knew that kind of smile well.
It was the look of a boy who had just found a new toy.
He couldn't help but shiver.
(40 Chapters Ahead)
p@treon com / PinkSnake