Chapter 138: The Stage is Set
"..."
Doflamingo's eyes nearly bulged from their sockets. The clamoring crowd had pushed him into the spotlight. Did Ian intend to publicly put him on trial before these fools today? Having already answered Ian's first question, Doflamingo naturally couldn't refuse the second.
"Joker..." The name left Doflamingo's lips, and the scene fell into a dead silence. The citizens stared, mouths agape, their disbelief palpable.
"Joker is my codename in the underworld," Doflamingo ground out. "Are you satisfied, you bastard Marine brat? If you ask any more absurd questions, I swear I'll kill you right here!"
For Caesar Clown, Doflamingo was truly going all out. Disregarding the crowd and the inevitable gossip, he had completely revealed his true colors. Ian knew this, of course. He dared to push because he was prepared for Doflamingo to silence everyone present afterward. But what Doflamingo didn't yet know was that he would never get that chance. The Kingdom of Dressrosa was about to be plunged into even greater turmoil!
"Very satisfied," Ian said smoothly. "This historic colosseum must be magnificent, right? It seems all the gladiators have evacuated. Could Mr. Joker give me a tour?"
As he spoke, Ian strode forward into the colosseum. Doflamingo followed closely, using the power of his String-String Fruit to seal the entrance behind them.
Simultaneously, a psychic force enveloped Ian's subordinates.
"Huh? Why are the people around here..." Doll began, confused.
Peacock quickly grabbed her hand, silencing her. Doll, the newcomer, was still unaware of the current situation. The veteran cadres, including Speed, had all witnessed Ian's special skill back on Sabaody Archipelago.
[Dream World]!
To let everyone know they were under the influence of the skill, Ian deliberately controlled the images within the dream world. In the eyes of the cadres, the people around them had frozen completely. Only they themselves could still move.
"Team, the battle officially begins now!" Ian's voice echoed in their minds. "Next, I'll outline the battle plan! Listen carefully and know your individual responsibilities. If your comrades run into trouble, remember to assist them."
"..."
Doll: "!!!"
Listening intently, Doll immediately realized they were in a special spiritual realm. Lieutenant General Ian actually possesses an unknown ability like this! The power of the Human-Human Fruit far exceeded her imagination.
As Ian's plan unfolded... his subordinates' eyes grew steadily more determined. Everyone now understood the full scope of their mission. Saving a country couldn't be done by Ian alone. It required the seamless cooperation of the entire team to utterly eradicate the Donquixote Family.
The moment [Dream World] dissipated, Ian's subordinates scattered, moving in all directions with incredible speed.
"Eh?"
"They... they all ran away?"
"What in the world is going on?!"
Violet stood dumbfounded, completely unable to process what had just happened. However, Ian had already told her what she needed to do.
…
On a building overlooking the scene, Diamante held a Den Den Mushi, urgently contacting all family cadres.
"Damn it! What the hell are these bastard Marines planning?!" he yelled into the receiver. "Doffy, they've split up! I'm going after the one with the flying dragon! Get the rest of the family mobilized! We can't just let them run wild on the island! Two heading west, two more east... Hurry up and intercept them, or we'll lose them completely!"
Diamante's voice was frantic with anxiety.
At that moment, another Doflamingo appeared at the highest point of the Royal Plateau. The family's core cadres gathered around him. Without knowing Ian's squad's objectives, their only option was to try and stop their movements.
"Understood, Diamante. Be careful," Doflamingo's voice was calm but edged with steel. "Try to avoid direct combat until my negotiations with Ian are concluded. Stop them first. Don't let them run amok. Pica, Buffalo, Gladius, Lao G, Machvise, Baby 5... My family, we must get through this together! Fufufu... It's been a while since it's been this lively. Go, catch up to them. I will intervene if necessary."
Doflamingo briefed all his officers, preparing for the worst.
"Yes, Young Master!"
"Understood, Young Master!"
"..."
All members of the Donquixote Family swiftly dispersed from the Royal Plateau. The greatest trial the family had faced since seizing Dressrosa had begun.
Buru Buru...
Buru Buru...
A row of Den Den Mushi sat on Doflamingo's desk. One of them began to ring. He twitched a finger, and the snail connected automatically.
"Doffy, I'm free now," Violet's voice came through. "Those guys just held me hostage. They saw through my identity. I don't know what's happening right now, but suddenly everyone started moving. They just... left me here!"
Doflamingo fell into a brief silence. They discovered Violet's identity but took no action against her? Why leave her there? Don't they know her ability would be a great asset? The situation was growing more and more perplexing...
"Fufufu... Violet," Doflamingo's voice was icy. "Can I still trust you?"
"Huh? What are you talking about, you idiot?!" Violet shot back, her voice dripping with feigned anger. "If you have no mission for me, then forget it! It's not like I've ever been trusted by you anyway!"
💫 Loved the chapter? Want more? 100+ early chapters are waiting on Patreon — including Chapter 238: A Future Forged in Dawn🔥
👉 Patreon.com/EchoPen
Special shout-out to these incredible supporters:
✨ AbsoluteZero
✨ Ryan Cesario
✨ Archer Sterling
✨ lulmelfrmda3
Thank you all for keeping this story alive 💖
And don't forget to drop a Power Stone ⭐!
Thanks for reading! 🙌✨
🎉 "Join Patreon now and save 10% — offer lasts until New Year!"