The Kingdom of Dressrosa.
It was a famous tourist island located in the New World, known as the "Land of Love and Passion."
The entire island was filled with the fragrance of flowers and renowned for its rare delicacies. Alongside its food and music, the young, passionate dancers were another major attraction.
Among them, the country's greatest entertainment, the warrior tournament known as the "Gladiator" battles, drew countless visitors.
Because of that, Dressrosa was one of the few countries in the New World famous for its wealth.
A fairy-tale-like atmosphere of joy filled every street and alley.
In a splendid building in the Kingdom of Dressrosa,
Doflamingo, wearing a pink coat and cropped pants, lay on a sofa chair on the balcony, enjoying the sunlight. Behind his glasses, his gaze rested on the colorful country before him.
Ever since choosing to become a pirate, Doflamingo had set his sights on this country, intending to take it for himself.
For an ordinary pirate, invading a World Government member nation and ruling it would be nothing but a fool's dream. But Doflamingo was different. He was a Celestial Dragon, a descendant of the Donquixote Family that had once ruled this country.
Even though his father's foolish actions had caused him to be cast out from the ranks of the Celestial Dragons, the fact that he had once been one still allowed him to act with impunity on this sea.
Celestial Dragons meant privilege. That was the unchanging truth of this world.
Especially after the Marines and the World Government foolishly proposed the Shichibukai plan, Doflamingo sensed that his opportunity had arrived.
He had thought the wave of this era might end there, but he had never expected that the real surprise had only just begun...
Creak.
As the door opened, Trebol, a sloppy-looking middle-aged man, user of the Beta Beta no Mi and member of the Donquixote Family, appeared in the room. With a sleazy grin, he laughed and said, "Hehehehe, Young Master, sunbathing again..."
Doflamingo perked up as well. He sat up, rubbed his head, and asked, "Well? Any new and interesting intelligence?"
Ever since the major incident three days ago, when Fire Dragon Yemu declared war on the Celestial Dragons and the World Government and freed the slaves, Doflamingo had clearly felt that a new tide of the era had arrived.
This was completely different from the Great Pirate Era that Pirate King Roger had set off before his death.
If the beginning of the Great Pirate Era had been the first wave before the arrival of a new age, then the true wave had now arrived. This was a wave that might overturn all existing order in the world, and it had come so quickly.
Because of that, he had scattered all of his intelligence personnel across the seas. He had even temporarily set aside his plan to seize control of the Kingdom of Dressrosa and begun paying close attention to the changes across the sea.
Seeing his young master's excitement, Trebol shook his head, his mucus looking as if it might be flung off as he said, "No. The Marines are making big moves, though. Their original large-scale conscription was stopped because of Fire Dragon Yemu, but instead, they've transferred a large number of elite Marines from the Four Seas. I heard there are a full one hundred and fifty thousand this time, leaving the various Marine branches weaker than they've ever been. As for the Sky Pirates, they've remained very mysterious, with no intelligence at all. The Sun Pirates also left Green Bit Island yesterday. Since we were worried about causing a misunderstanding, our people didn't follow them."
"Well done. At a time like this, we should be careful. Otherwise, we may very well be buried by this era."
Seeing how cautious his young master was, Trebol asked curiously, "Young Master, do you really think the Sky Pirates can win this war?"
At that question, Doflamingo became unusually calm, falling into thought.
"Unfortunately, although I have expectations for Fire Dragon Yemu, captain of the Sky Pirates, that go beyond the ordinary, I still don't feel optimistic about the outcome of this war. You have to understand, even a pig would become a monster if it lived for eight hundred years, let alone an enormous monstrosity like the World Government. That monster hidden in the Holy Land Mary Geoise alone possesses the power to change the entire world situation by herself."
Hearing this, Trebol's face filled with shock. Then he asked curiously, "In that case, how was Fire Dragon Yemu able to leave the Holy Land Mary Geoise safely?"
Doflamingo glanced at Trebol and said with a hint of madness, "Simple. Even that monster among the Celestial Dragons had no certainty she could keep him there. Fire Dragon Yemu possesses an incredible power that even that monster fears, a power that transcends this world. And a so-called trump card only has deterrent value as long as it remains unplayed. Unless she has absolute certainty, or unless it comes down to the final moment, she won't make a move."
"I see!"
Although Trebol did not quite understand what that trump card was, it did not stop him from understanding Doflamingo's words.
"But it doesn't matter, Trebol. Whether the Sky Pirates win or lose this war has nothing to do with us. One thing, however, is certain. The world is bound to fall into chaos in the future, and that will be our opportunity..."
"Mm."
Trebol nodded.
Just then, hurried footsteps came from outside, and Doflamingo suddenly laughed.
"Looks like something interesting has arrived?"
Sure enough, as soon as he said that, Doflamingo's younger brother, the second-generation Corazon, Rosinante, and Pica, the user of the Ishi Ishi no Mi, rushed in.
"Young Master... look! Big news!"
As Pica pulled out a newspaper in a sharp voice completely mismatched with his burly body, Doflamingo took it impatiently.
But the very first glance made his expression change drastically.
Trebol had never seen such a complicated look on Doflamingo's face before.
First shock, then a darkened expression, then excitement, until he finally burst into wild laughter.
"Fufufufufu, fufufufufu, fufufufufu..."
After Doflamingo finished reading the information on it, the newspaper drifted from his hand. Seeing this, Trebol hurriedly picked it up and took a look.
He had not even read the words yet. Just the four photos printed on it were enough to startle him.
"The Four Emperors Who Rule the New World Are Born..."
"Whitebeard Pirates: Edward Newgate..."
"BIGMOM Pirates: Charlotte Linlin..."
"Beasts Pirates: Kaidou of the Beasts..."
"Thunder God Pirate Crew: Thunder God Enel..."
If that only surprised Trebol, then the next section made his expression change completely.
"The Rainbow Business Alliance Connecting the Four Seas and the Grand Line Has Been Established, with the Yonkō as Its Escorts..."
Just then, Doflamingo's cold voice rang out.
"Fufufufufu. Was my vision still too narrow after all? Since Fire Dragon Yemu has already set his sights on the entire sea, then our Donquixote Family cannot fall behind either. Tell Diamante to contact the address listed above. Our Donquixote Family cannot miss out on a business opportunity this big..."
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