After defeating Diamante, Yuno heard the system prompt ring in his mind.
But now wasn't the time to focus on it. He only gave the panel a quick glance—he could check the details later.
His gaze shifted to the trembling underling nearby.
Yuno casually pulled out a devil fruit, its surface etched with strange, swirling patterns, and dangled it in his hand.
"Do you know what kind of ability this fruit holds?" he asked lightly.
It was the devil fruit he had taken from Barofia.
The underling flinched, casting a wary glance at Yuno, then quickly lowered his head.
"M-My lord… I… I don't know…"
Yuno wasn't surprised. This was just a small fry—how could he possibly know anything classified?
Yuno frowned. In hindsight, maybe knocking Diamante out had been a mistake. That guy might've at least had a clue.
After a short pause, Yuno dismissed the thought and tucked the fruit away. He turned back to the underling.
"Contact Doflamingo for me. You should have a way to reach him, right?"
The man's eyes widened in alarm. Of all the things he expected, it wasn't that.
"S-Sir, I—I won't tell anyone what happened here!"
But he misunderstood. He thought Yuno wanted to silence him.
His face turned pale with panic, words tumbling out of his mouth. "I won't breathe a word! I swear!"
Yuno's eyes narrowed, and a terrifying pressure washed over the man like a crashing wave.
"I'll kill you right now if you don't do as I say," Yuno said coldly.
The man froze. He wanted to read Yuno's expression, but the black-and-white mask gave away nothing.
"H-Huh?" Yuno gave a slight frown.
The man flinched. "Please don't kill me! I don't have any way to contact the young master… but Master Diamante should! There should be a Den Den Mushi on him! I'll find it for you!"
His voice trembled, sweat pouring down his face as he stumbled toward Diamante's unconscious body.
Yuno barked, "Found it? Then throw it over."
"Y-Yes, sir!"
Fueled by sheer fear, the man moved quickly. From inside Diamante's feathered cloak, he retrieved a Den Den Mushi—pink and frilled to match—and tossed it toward Yuno.
But before Yuno could dial, the Den Den Mushi started chirping on its own.
"Well, what a coincidence…" Yuno muttered, then answered without hesitation.
The snail's face morphed into a wide, eerie grin.
A voice came through, lazy yet filled with authority:
"Fufufufu… Diamante, how's it going?"
Yuno smirked behind his mask.
That laugh—there was no mistaking it.
Donquixote Doflamingo.
"Donquixote Doflamingo?" Yuno's voice echoed through the Den Den Mushi.
Meanwhile, on an island in the Grand Line—
At an extravagant auction house under Donquixote control, Doflamingo sat casually, overseeing the proceedings.
But the moment he heard Yuno's voice, his smile vanished.
His expression darkened.
"…Who are you?" he asked, voice low and dangerous. "Where's Diamante?"
This was Diamante's private Den Den Mushi—he was never without it.
The implications were clear.
Then came Yuno's voice again, calm, but laced with mockery.
"Diamante? Oh… are you talking about the one under my foot right now?"
Buzz.
A wave of overwhelming Conqueror's Haki exploded from Doflamingo.
The entire auction house shook. Several people in the crowd fainted on the spot, overwhelmed by the sheer pressure.
Officials scrambled toward him, panic on their faces.
"Doffy! What happened?!"
The voice reached the officials before the slime-trailing Trebol arrived.
The rest of the executives had just stepped in as well.
Doflamingo didn't immediately respond to Trebol. Instead, he kept his eyes fixed on the Den Den Mushi, as if trying to pierce through it and see what was happening on the other side. He drew a long breath, and when he spoke, his voice was icy and deliberate.
"Who the hell are you?"
"Haha, don't take it so seriously." Yuno's voice came through distorted by the mask — even the Den Den Mushi rendered it cold and impersonal. "Relax. Your officer isn't dead. Yet."
After a short pause, he continued.
"Alright, enough nonsense. Let's get down to business."
"My name is Quincy — a bounty hunter. And I'm here to inform you that I've captured one of your men."
There was silence.
Doflamingo didn't say a word, but the table in front of him suddenly shattered. Countless white threads writhed in the air, betraying the fury he struggled to restrain.
Nearby, Trebol's eyes flashed at the name "Quincy." Quietly, he melted into the shadows like a puddle of slime.
Doflamingo clenched the Den Den Mushi tightly, barely holding back from crushing it in his palm.
"I want to know Diamante's current condition."
"Still alive. Don't worry."
Doflamingo's eyes narrowed. He paused, calculating, then asked:
"What are your demands?"
"Perfect." Yuno's voice took on a smug tone. "One billion berries. Pay up, and I'll let him go. Fail to deliver it within ten days, and she dies."
The words were delivered with chilling nonchalance. The officials around Doflamingo all scowled in unison — rage simmering in their expressions.
In all their years on the Grand Line, when had the Don Quixote family ever been so humiliated?
Then, unexpectedly, Doflamingo chuckled.
"At the right time, at the right place... we'll deliver the ransom."
"Glad to hear it. And I hope you're smart enough not to try anything stupid." Yuno laughed lightly. "Because if you are... I can't guarantee what happens next."
Doflamingo's grin sharpened, cruel and grim.
"Heh... for the sake of our family, we're willing to pay a price. But you'd best ensure nothing happens to Diamante. Otherwise..."
"Don't worry." Yuno cut in, voice casual yet firm. "As a bounty hunter with professional ethics, I play by the rules."
"The exchange will be on Bavilijiang Island. I assume you know where that is."
"Ten days. Not a second more."
Click.
The Den Den Mushi call ended.
"Swallow Island... Quincy, the bounty hunter..."
Doflamingo's voice was dangerously low. His gaze turned murderous.
"A mere bounty hunter... and he dares lay hands on one of my family? He truly has a death wish."
Pica, his massive frame looming over the others, spoke coldly in his high-pitched, eerie voice.
"He won't live to regret it."
At that moment, Trebol slid back into the room, clutching a stack of documents.
"Doffy, here's everything we've got on Quincy."