Looking at the two captives, Vale D. Drake suddenly thought of his current financial predicament.
"How about this: inform Doflamingo to come and ransom his people. Five hundred million Berries each." Drake's lips curled into a slight smirk as his gaze shifted to York. "As for him, hand him over to the Marines. I recall he has a bounty of three hundred million, doesn't he?"
At this moment, Drake only wanted to scrape some cash together as quickly as possible. Otherwise, the items in the System Shop were just tantalizing treasures he could only stare at but never touch—it was agonizing. The Dragon Flag Pirates were currently so destitute that even a beggar would look at them with a twinge of pity. They weren't just poor; they were redefining the bottom of the barrel.
"Understood!" Bernice smiled gracefully, though a trace of worry lingered in her heart. Taking this path meant an inevitable declaration of war against the Donquixote Family.
"Drake." At that moment, Kenshin and the others approached from two different directions.
They had clearly come up empty-handed in their search, which was unavoidable given how much the situation had exceeded their expectations.
"Sister!" Bell turned into a blurred afterimage as he lunged toward Bernice. The siblings instantly crashed into a tight embrace. "I'm so glad you're safe, Sister."
Kenshin and the rest had actually arrived a while ago. Moka City wasn't large, and with an incident of this magnitude, it was impossible for them to remain in the dark. They had rushed to the scene immediately but had stayed back until they could fully grasp the situation. Only after seeing Bernice and Drake together did they reveal themselves.
One day later.
"The Donquixote Family is here!"
Intelligence arrived just as the crew was busy with their respective tasks. Upon hearing the news, Drake and Kenshin stood up, exchanged a meaningful glance, and began walking slowly toward the harbor.
"Locke, stay calm," Drake said as they walked, clapping a hand on the shoulder of the grim-faced man. He knew Locke harbored a deep-seated hatred for the Donquixote Family because they had been the ones to capture Ann.
"Mmm..." Locke offered Drake a smile so ghastly and chilling that Drake's mouth twitched violently. He swore then and there that he would never again try to force a smile out of someone in a foul mood. It was bloody terrifying.
"What's the situation?" Drake asked Bernice, who was busy directing the crowd at the harbor.
As soon as they saw Drake arrive, the crowd fell silent. Regardless of the circumstances, the Dark Clan was now a subordinate force under the banner of the Dragon Flag Pirates. After a day of interaction, the clan members had gained a basic understanding of the crew, but that didn't mean they were truly subservient. Drake's reputation was sky-high, but they had never heard of the other members of the Dragon Flag Pirates. This was only natural, as the crew had only just been established.
Many still harbored doubts. They were about to conduct a transaction with the Donquixote Family—the undisputed overlords of the underworld. Using the Family's own officers as leverage for a deal was, in everyone's eyes, a blatant provocation. Could the Donquixote Family tolerate such an insult? Impossible.
"They've sent one ship," Bernice said, her heart heavy with uncertainty as she looked at Drake and the others. However, the arrow was already notched and the string drawn; the enemy was at their doorstep. "Prepare for battle. They're coming."
A massive galleon slowly drifted toward the docks. Standing at the prow was none other than the Warlord of the Sea, Donquixote Doflamingo.
To the world, he was the King of Dressrosa, the architect of a living hell where loved ones were forgotten and discarded. Drake was more than familiar with him, having seen him briefly at Marineford. Amidst the chaos of the war, Drake's attention hadn't been on him, but anyone who knew the history of the Great Pirate Era would have a deep impression of the man. Doflamingo was the quintessential villain among pirates.
Ruthless, arrogant, cruel, and devoid of humanity—these words described him perfectly. Yet, for those who knew of his past, he inspired a strange kind of understanding. One could comprehend his actions and his cold-blooded nature. Born into the supreme nobility of the Celestial Dragons, he was a descendant of the Creators. Having been traumatized by the "lower humans" in his youth, he no longer harbored mere resentment; he sought a total rebirth through chaos. In this world, Doflamingo was arguably the man who understood the ugliness of human nature most profoundly. Family held no sway over him, for he was fundamentally heartless.
"Kim Bernice..." On the ship, Doflamingo sat with his legs crossed, his gaze falling squarely on her. "Where are my people?"
"They are unharmed, naturally. Have you brought what we asked for?" Bernice stood her ground. Since she had decided to take this gamble, she had long since prepared for this confrontation.
"Hmph..." Doflamingo's expression grew calm as he looked at the resolute Bernice. He gave a casual wave of his hand.
The scene fell into a suffocating silence. The members of the Dark Clan barely dared to breathe. There wasn't a soul among them who didn't recognize the man across the water; nearly half of the New World's underworld belonged to him. It was no exaggeration to say he stood at the very apex of the criminal world.
Three men stepped out from behind Doflamingo, each cradling a large chest, which they placed at the edge of the ship.
"Open them!" Doflamingo's voice was unreadable.
"Yes, Young Master!" The underlings complied immediately, flipping the lids to reveal the contents to the onlookers.
"Gold... so much gold..."
The crowd was mesmerized. Each chest, large enough to require a full embrace, was filled to the brim with gold bars.
"Five hundred million Berries' worth of gold in each chest. Three people, 1.5 billion Berries," Doflamingo said, his eyes scanning the crowd. "Now, where are my people?"
Bernice was internally jolted by the sheer sight of the gold, but her composure was far beyond that of an average person. She regained her calm instantly, showing no outward sign of emotion as she clapped her hands.
"Bring them out."
Lao G, Baby-5, and Machvise were brought forward. Each looked utterly humiliated, unable to meet Doflamingo's gaze.
Seeing that his officers were safe, Doflamingo relaxed slightly, though his eyes continued to search the docks. He had already received word that the Dark Clan had been absorbed into the rising Dragon Flag Pirates and that the useless leader, York, had been ousted by his Vice-Leader. None of this had been part of his calculations; a perfectly orchestrated deal and a flawless window for annexation had been shattered.
"Hmm?" Finally, Doflamingo's eyes locked onto the group standing on a high platform. To his surprise, the Dragon Flag Pirates contained two faces he recognized quite well.
"Fuffuffuffu..." Doflamingo's lips curled into a smirk, and a sharp glint flashed behind his signature red-tinted glasses. "Move!"
Rumble!
Suddenly, the entire city of Moka began to shake violently. The members of the Dark Clan were instantly seized by panic.