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"IT'S NOT HOPELESS!!"
Morgans stroked his chin with a wing-like hand, thinking.
"In the first half of the Grand Line, there's a rising rookie crew that's been making a name for itself—the Donquixote Family. According to my intelligence, they've been looking to partner with an Emperor-level crew from the New World. And our Thunder God Pirates, with our constant expansion, are second to none."
"Unfortunately, with the strength of the Thunder God Pirates, we have no need for outside help, nor do we stoop to using partnerships to achieve our goals."
"Then contact him immediately," Shiryu said, his voice a cold blade of calm.
"The Captain entrusted everything to us. He gave us the freedom to act as we see fit. A minor collaboration with some insignificant little pirate crew... I imagine he won't care in the slightest."
"Morgans, I'm leaving this to you. Get that little crew to retrieve the Captain. We can satisfy any demand they make. But if the Captain so much as loses a single hair on his head, they can forget about ever setting foot in the New World for the rest of their lives."
A bloody light threatened to erupt from his eyes. Shiryu's bloodlust was growing heavier, and with it, his strength grew ever stronger.
He was a completely different man.
In the last few months, through countless battles big and small, he had been tempered into something new. His strength was increasing at a terrifying rate, and he was already on par with the strongest commander in the Thunder God Pirates—Byrnndi World.
"If they can't even handle a simple task like this, they have no reason to exist. I will hunt them to the ends of the earth."
There was no room for reason. Shiryu smiled cruelly, the tyrannical arrogance of the world's strongest pirate crew on full display.
"Quack!" Morgans puffed out his chest. "Leave a small matter like this to me!!"
"The Captain must be brought back."
"Now—prepare a ship for Sabaody. We're going to rendezvous with the Captain!!"
All the commanders of the Thunder God Pirates began to move.
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On the outskirts of Sabaody, aboard a great flamingo-headed ship.
"Fuffuffuffuffuffu!" Doflamingo held a hand to his forehead, a wide grin splitting his face.
"The war is over. Thunder Emperor Arthur can still move—and I don't know if he has any strength left, but there's no doubt that the Red Count's journey on the seas is definitively finished."
He switched off the Video Den Den Mushi and looked at the family he had built—each member raring to go, ready to make their mark. He couldn't help but feel a sense of relief.
Strength in numbers—that was the true essence of a pirate crew.
The fate of a man with no partners, who acted alone, was to be left lying on the shores of the Sabaody Archipelago. And perhaps this time, he would be lying there for the rest of his life.
"The power of the pinnacle... it's truly something to be feared."
"Doffy, we can't mess with monsters like that..." Trebol muttered, wiping his nose, fear still etched across his face.
That time in the New World, when they had been so powerless, crushed by an emperor as if by a careless whim—that kind of psychological shadow, that feeling of being hopelessly outmatched, would follow a man for his entire life.
Unless you could regain your confidence through constant battle, you would never be able to summon the will to face that terrifying presence again.
The moment you saw them, you wouldn't even be able to think of fighting; just remaining on your feet would be a testament to your willpower.
"LET'S GO, DOFFY! TO THE NEW WORLD!!"
"THAT'S WHERE THE DONQUIXOTE FAMILY'S STAGE IS!"
Seeing their motivation, Doflamingo nodded lightly and waved his large hand. "Is the coating ready? Then let's move out!!"
The bow of the great flamingo ship began to slowly submerge, preparing to enter the deep sea and journey to Fish-Man Island, ten thousand meters below.
Just then...
"Purupurupurupurupuru!!"
"Purupurupuru!"
The Den Den Mushi lazily stuck out its tongue, its snail-like mouth suddenly transforming into a bird's beak.
"Doffy, a call," said Jora, a member of the Donquixote Family who had eaten the Art-Art Fruit and was not yet as plump as she would be in the future, holding the Den Den Mushi as she walked over.
"Oh?" Seeing the transformation of the Den Den Mushi, Doflamingo knew in an instant who was calling.
"Click." The call connected.
"Fuffuffuffuffu! Mr. Morgans, what a rare occasion. To think you would take the initiative to contact me."
"Quack quack quack! Doflamingo, it's been a few years. I never thought you'd become such a famous Supernova!" Morgans's grating voice laughed.
The two exchanged pleasantries, humbly praising each other, their clumsy compliments enough to give anyone goosebumps.
As they chatted, Morgans's tone suddenly changed.
"Doflamingo, I hear you want to cooperate with the Thunder God Pirates?"
On the other end of the line, Doflamingo fell silent. The topic seemed to have come to an abrupt end.
After a full few minutes, Doflamingo's smile returned. "Fuffuffuffu, the strength of the Thunder God Pirates is plain for all to see. Who wouldn't want to cooperate with such a powerful crew? And you—I hear you've already joined the strongest crew to ever dominate the New World?"
"That's right. I am now under the command of Captain Arthur, in charge of intelligence and news for the seas," Morgans said, clearing his throat, his expression turning serious.
"But let's get down to business. Doflamingo, I am now acting as the full representative of the Thunder God Pirates. As long as you can bring Captain Arthur, who is still on Sabaody, to the New World, then the Thunder God Pirates will grant you one condition—no matter how excessive."
Even though he said that, Doflamingo, with his intelligence, would never make an excessive request that would burn his bridges.
This promise—it was all he needed.
"Is this... for real?"
Doflamingo's smile grew wider. With a promise like this, the Donquixote Family's position in the New World would be absolutely rock-solid.
"Of course," Morgans said with absolute certainty.
"This was the unanimous decision of all the commanders. I'm sure the Captain himself will not overrule it."
"FUFFUFFUFFUFFUFFU!!" Doflamingo stood up from his half-seated position. "I'll take the job! The Donquixote Family will use every means at its disposal to deliver Thunder Emperor Arthur to the New World!!"
The call was disconnected, but Doflamingo's unique and wild laughter still echoed.
"Doffy, isn't it too early to get involved with a being like that...?" Trebol asked with concern.
"It's fine. From their words, we can tell that Thunder Emperor is likely so weak he can't even move on his own. A life-saving favor like this is the most valuable currency on the seas, fuffuffuffu!!"
"Weak? Doesn't that mean we could take his head and become famous across the sea?" Gladius, the user of the Pop-Pop Fruit, said, his eyes lighting up.
Everyone present was part of the same family. They could speak freely.
"IDIOT! DROP THAT IDEA RIGHT NOW!"
Doflamingo's expression darkened, and for the first time, he lashed out at one of his own family members. "NOBODY KNOWS IF THE THUNDER EMPEROR IS ACTUALLY WEAK!!"
"Turn the ship around! Return to Sabaody! The Donquixote Family's chance to rise—it All Depends On This!"
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