Moroni Island Port
Finn descended the gangplank slowly, his Admiral's coat billowing slightly in the spring breeze. Before him lay a surprisingly prosperous settlement, its streets bustling with commerce despite being situated in the chaotic New World.
Moroni was a spring island, blessed with year-round temperate weather that made it ideal for habitation. The locals had adapted to the constant presence of pirates over the years, and most pirate crews exercised restraint once they reached the New World. Mindless destruction and slaughter were behaviors left behind in Paradise.
Finn's gaze swept across the harbor, noting the distinctive flags flying from various buildings. He smiled faintly. "Donquixote's flag. It seems Doflamingo has claimed this place as his territory."
Hina, clutching a stack of documents against her chest, nodded seriously. "That's correct, Admiral. This island is now under the Donquixote Family's control. Do we need to clear them out?"
"No need," Finn said, waving one hand dismissively. "That man's identity is... complicated. Under normal circumstances, the Marines won't touch him. As long as he doesn't cause problems, I have no interest in dealing with him either."
"Complicated?" Hina looked surprised.
At her rank, she lacked access to that level of intelligence.
Behind her, Vergo relaxed slightly. It seemed the Admiral had no intention of moving against his young master.
At that moment, a tall, arrogant figure emerged from the crowd at the docks.
He wore flamboyant clothing topped with a pink flamingo feather coat. His short blond hair was styled sharply, and a wicked smile played across his lips. Tight pants and pointed shoes completed the look of a sea-going dandy.
"Fufufufu, welcome, Admiral Finn," Donquixote Doflamingo said, his voice dripping with false pleasantry.
Finn's expression remained neutral, though his eyes glinted with something strange. He raised one hand to stroke his beard, his tone curious. "What gave you the courage to appear before me again, Donquixote Doflamingo?"
Doflamingo seemed to have forgotten, or at least chosen to ignore, the humiliation he'd suffered on Jaya Island. No trace of anger crossed his face. Instead, his smile widened. "Fufufufu, I haven't provoked your Marines in five hundred fifty-seven days. I've been conducting business in an orderly, peaceful fashion. And I've gone to the trouble of welcoming you personally. Surely you wouldn't be so rude as to attack me unprovoked, Admiral?"
"Have you always been this brave?" Finn asked, genuine amusement coloring his voice.
He'd expected Doflamingo to flee the island the moment Marine warships were spotted, only returning after Finn's business was concluded. The fact that the Warlord candidate was standing here, bold as brass, was genuinely surprising.
Did the man have no sense of self-preservation? Or was his pride simply that overwhelming?
Actually, this worked out well. Finn had been considering how to arrange another meeting with Doflamingo, to deepen their "understanding" and lay the groundwork for future cooperation.
"The seas favor the brave, don't they?" Doflamingo replied smoothly.
"Your intelligence network is impressive," Finn observed.
"Just standard business practice." Doflamingo raised one eyebrow.
"I'm in a good mood today, so I don't have time to pay attention to you," Finn said, starting to walk past the pirate. "As long as you don't interfere with my work, you can do whatever you want."
It was a perfect opportunity for a surprise attack, a moment of vulnerability as Finn turned his back.
Doflamingo didn't move.
After Finn had walked several paces past him, Doflamingo turned and called out, "Excuse me, Admiral Finn, but what exactly are you planning to do here?"
"Do I need to report my activities to you?" Finn replied without turning around.
"Ah, of course not, but this is my territory after all..." Doflamingo's smile remained fixed.
Finn stopped walking. "Are you threatening me?"
As he spoke, the gravel on the ground beneath his feet began to tremble and jump, small stones rising into the air against gravity.
Doflamingo's heart sank, fear flickering through his chest despite his confident facade.
That was the truth of it. No matter how casual he appeared, he carried a psychological shadow where Finn was concerned. A deep-seated fear born from their previous encounter.
He'd considered running before Finn arrived. One part of him had screamed to flee. But another part had balked at the humiliation of being chased off his own territory. And beyond that, a calculating part of his mind recognized that Finn was unique among Marines. Perhaps there was an opportunity here, if he played his cards correctly.
Suppressing the fear, Doflamingo turned fully to face Finn's back. "No, actually, I very much hope to maintain a friendly relationship with you, Admiral Finn. What I meant was, perhaps there's something I can help you with on this island?"
Unconsciously, even Doflamingo himself didn't notice that his manner of address had shifted from casual to respectful.
Finn stood silent for a moment, then suddenly scratched his head and turned back. "I'll give you a chance to please me, Doflamingo."
Behind his orange-tinted sunglasses, Doflamingo's eyes narrowed with irritation at the condescending words. But his smile never wavered. "I'm very grateful, Admiral."
"Blood Torrent Craster," Finn said bluntly. "He's on this island, isn't he? I don't feel like searching. Just tell me where he is."
Surprise flashed across Doflamingo's face. "Craster? He's my partner."
"So you've decided to side with him?" Finn asked, his smile taking on a dangerous edge.
Looking at that predatory expression, Doflamingo waved his hands quickly. "No, no, nothing like that. I'm just confused. From what I understand, Craster is about to become one of the Seven Warlords of the Sea. Which means the Marines should be..."
"It's precisely because he's about to become a Warlord that I'm here to find him," Finn said calmly.
Understanding dawned in Doflamingo's eyes. "You're here to recruit him?"
"No," Finn replied without hesitation. "I'm here to eliminate him."
Finn closed the distance between them in a few casual steps, then placed his hand on Doflamingo's shoulder. The weight of it was almost gentle, but the implied threat was unmistakable.
"It's not just Craster, is it, Doflamingo? From what I understand, you've been using your connections within the World Government to try to become a Warlord yourself. Am I wrong?"
Doflamingo felt the hand on his shoulder like a brand. He knew from bitter experience that if Finn wanted to, he'd be face-down on the ground in the next heartbeat. The memory of Jaya Island's humiliation was still fresh.
"That's true," he admitted carefully, "but I should also tell you that all my efforts have failed. The people above seem very opposed to my candidacy. It's really quite disappointing."
It wasn't a lie. Doflamingo had tried multiple times to secure a Warlord position through his Government contacts, only to be rebuffed repeatedly. Eventually, he'd realized the World Government had no intention of granting him the title.
In the original timeline, that was when he'd taken the desperate gamble: stealing a shipment of Heavenly Tribute meant for the Celestial Dragons. Regardless of the monetary value, the political significance had been enormous. The World Government had been forced to negotiate, and Doflamingo had leveraged that stolen gold into a Warlord position.
After that, he'd used his new status to launch his plan to seize Dressrosa, reclaiming his ancestral homeland and becoming a legitimate king. A pirate ruling a World Government member nation. The absurdity had granted him even more power, including the right to attend the World Conference in Mary Geoise itself.
But that was all still in the future. Right now, Doflamingo had no Warlord title and no kingdom.
"Really? That shouldn't be disappointing, Doflamingo," Finn said, removing his hand from the pirate's shoulder. "You're actually quite lucky. But let me make something clear: even if you somehow gain recognition from the World Government and qualify to become a Warlord, if our Marines disagree, the consequences will be severe."
Doflamingo was a smart man. Understanding crystallized immediately. He tilted his head slightly, studying Finn from behind his sunglasses. "Like Craster?"
"Exactly." Finn's smile was cold and sharp. "The dead and prisoners cannot serve as Warlords. That is the Marines' position."
"I see," Doflamingo murmured. Then he raised one arm and pointed toward a tall tower in the distance. "That man is over there. Do you need my help blocking the area to prevent his escape?"
"No," Finn said simply. "He won't escape."
Doflamingo didn't press the issue. Instead, he asked carefully, "So, Admiral, do you think it's possible for the Marines to recognize me as a Warlord candidate?"
Finn turned his gaze toward the distant tower, raising one palm and pointing it at the structure. His tone was almost conversational. "That depends on your sincerity, Doflamingo. So... keep pleasing me. I still find you quite useful."
Before Doflamingo could respond, a purple gleam flashed in Finn's eyes.
His hand clenched into a fist.
The tower in the distance exploded.
It happened so suddenly that Doflamingo's breath caught. The entire structure imploded as though crushed by an invisible giant's hand, stone and mortar compacting with a sound like thunder.
He's gotten stronger, Doflamingo thought, a chill running down his spine.
From the smoke and debris, a red torrent burst forth like a stream of blood. It shot through the air and landed on a high building near the port, condensing into human form.
The civilians who'd been watching scattered immediately, accustomed to this kind of violence in their daily lives.
The figure crouched atop the building had pale skin and short blood-red hair. His eyes were scarlet, inhuman. He wore no shirt, only shorts and a belt from which hung a circle of daggers.
"Is that him?" Finn asked.
Hina pulled a wanted poster from within her documents, compared the images, and nodded. "Yes, Admiral. Blood Torrent Craster."
Craster stared down at Finn and his entourage, his expression dark and dangerous. "An Admiral? Quite the welcoming committee. But perhaps you're not aware that I'm about to become your 'colleague.' So there's no need for this kind of display, is there?"
"Colleague?" Finn turned his full attention away from Doflamingo, looking up at Craster with an amused smile. "It's precisely because I don't want to be colleagues with an idiot like you that I'm here."