As for him, Donquixote Doflamingo, all he needed to do was sit here and wait for that eyesore to lose everything.
Then, naturally, he could...
Just then—
Purupurupuru... purupurupuru...
A hurried, distorted ringing suddenly echoed through the projected Hall of Authority.
Nusjuro's half-closed eyes snapped open.
On the desk beside him, a pitch-black Den Den Mushi whose face had twisted into an expression of extreme terror was screaming madly.
Doflamingo's smile stiffened slightly.
He recognized it.
CP0's highest-level emergency communication.
It would only be used when the organization faced destruction, or when a mission had suffered a catastrophic failure.
'Did something go wrong with the plan?'
Nusjuro's face darkened, though he remained outwardly calm.
He slowly reached out and picked up the receiver with steady movements.
"Speak."
Doflamingo subconsciously held his breath, leaning forward slightly as he pricked up his ears.
From the other end of the Den Den Mushi came a hoarse voice.
The speaker was gasping heavily, his tone filled with fear and resentment.
It was Black Three.
"F-Five Elders!"
"Get to the point." Nusjuro's voice carried a trace of impatience.
"Yes!"
Black Three's voice trembled, seemingly frightened by that authority. His pace instantly quickened, as though he were using every bit of strength to report.
"The riot at Impel Down... has already been suppressed!"
Nusjuro's brow furrowed almost imperceptibly.
The smile on Doflamingo's face vanished completely.
Suppressed?
By whom?
Did the Marines react that quickly?
As though answering their doubts, Black Three's voice, nearly sobbing, continued from the receiver.
"The one who acted was... that Marine monster, Zaraki!"
"Chief Warden Magellan... was saved by him! Shiryu of the Rain and the released Level Six prisoners who joined the riot were suppressed by him. The ones who fought were either badly wounded or forced back into their cells!"
"My three companions... were slain by him on the spot during the mission!"
"And now..."
"He has already... left Impel Down!"
Those words echoed through the deathly still air of the Hall of Authority.
Black Three's heavy breathing was clearly audible through the receiver, but no one on this side responded.
Doflamingo's smile froze completely.
Through the lenses of his sunglasses, he looked at Nusjuro, his eyes filled with disbelief.
The plan... failed?
This was not merely failure.
Their plan had been completely crushed by the other side, and they had even been humiliated in return.
He saved Magellan?
Suppressed the riot?
Crippled Shiryu of the Rain and forced the released monsters back into their cells?
Almost by himself?
How was that possible?
Crack...
A faint cracking sound rang out.
The corner of Doflamingo's eye twitched.
He saw that Nusjuro's hand, the one gripping the Den Den Mushi receiver, had already dug deeply into the black shell.
Spiderweb cracks spread across the sturdy material.
Veins bulged and throbbed on his smooth bald head.
His eyes, which had been half closed before, were now wide open, filled with icy killing intent.
The Shodai Kitetsu across his knees seemed to sense its master's emotions, and its blade emitted a faint hum.
The temperature in the entire hall dropped sharply.
Black Three on the other end of the call clearly sensed that pressure as well.
Trembling, he used his last bit of strength to ask, "M-My lord... should we use the highest authority... to intercept him outside the Calm Belt?"
That question made Nusjuro explode completely.
"Intercept?!"
Nusjuro's voice was no longer calm. He forced out a low growl through clenched teeth.
"What are you going to use to intercept him? Your head?!"
"Useless trash!"
Bang!
With a muffled sound, the black Den Den Mushi was crushed to pieces in his hand, and the communication ended abruptly.
The Den Den Mushi that had been imitating a terrified expression also went still.
Doflamingo subconsciously shrank back, unable to let out his fuffuffu laugh anymore.
He had never seen Issō, who usually never showed joy or anger, lose his composure like this.
This was not merely a failed plan.
This was an utter humiliation!
"Enough."
At that moment, a steady and aged voice sounded, breaking the dead silence.
From the shadows on the other side, a Five Elder in a dark suit with a long white beard slowly lowered the document in his hand.
His name was Marcus Mars, the strategist among the five.
He calmly looked at Nusjuro, his tone indifferent.
"The chessboard has already been overturned. Anger will not fix it. Rage is the wail of the incompetent."
Nusjuro breathed heavily, his chest rising and falling, but the killing intent in his eyes slowly receded.
He knew Mars was right.
"That brat..." Nusjuro's voice was hoarse. "He must die."
"He will die, of course." Mars said. "And we don't even need to act personally."
"Hasn't the new Seven Warlords plan already begun? Then move the first invitation target forward."
Doflamingo's heart stirred, and he immediately understood the meaning behind it.
The candidate list had already been prepared, and that name had been sitting on it from the beginning.
Choosing him as Zaraki's first target now was clearly deliberate.
Having a Marine special envoy go invite a great pirate to become one of the Seven Warlords was itself an extremely risky and humiliating mission.
If the mission succeeded, the Marines would lose face.
If the mission failed and conflict broke out, then no matter who won, it would benefit the World Government.
Brilliant. Truly brilliant!
This was an open scheme.
"Fuffuffuffu..."
Doflamingo's strange laughter sounded again, this time carrying a bit more excitement and anticipation.
"What a wonderful arrangement. I wonder which lucky great pirate will have the honor of opening this new era?"
A meaningful curve appeared at the corner of Marcus Mars's mouth as he slowly spoke a name.
"Captain of the Spade Pirates, 'Fire Fist' Portgas D. Ace."
Ace?
Doflamingo's smile froze again, but excitement flashed in his eyes.
This game...
It was practically trying to punch a hole through the sky!
Doflamingo could almost imagine the scene when those two monsters met.
A direct collision between them would definitely create a massive storm.
And Zaraki, that irritating man, might be destroyed in the very first wave of conflict.
Inside the Hall of Authority, the oppressive atmosphere vanished, replaced by an even colder silence.
Nusjuro closed his eyes again, but the cruel curve at the corner of his mouth could no longer be concealed.
Daps leisurely picked up his black tea and took a light sip.
As for Doflamingo, he leaned back against the sofa.
"Fuffuffuffu... This is getting more and more interesting."
He could hardly wait to see the opening act of this new play.