Could it be her?
A guilty chill shot through Doflamingo as that familiar, stunning figure surfaced in his mind.
She hadn't appeared for so long. The world had assumed she was missing.
Even the World Government had lost contact with her. How could she be back now?
"Did you naively think she simply vanished?" Kaguya sneered, grinding her heel into Doflamingo's head. "Are you trying to fool yourself?"
Doflamingo's heart sank. The real reason behind this auction was to test Kaguya's status. If she was still around, she would definitely show up, and then he could conveniently hand over the Devil Fruits as a show of loyalty.
But if she didn't appear, he could confirm that she had truly disappeared—and finally break away from her control without any reservations.
But now, his petty scheme had clearly been seen through.
"You've got some nerve, Doflamingo," Kaguya said with a cold smile. "To try such a childish trick—are you foolish, or just plain ignorant?"
"I didn't—"
Before Doflamingo could finish, Kaguya slammed a kick into his stomach.
BAM!
He flew like a ragdoll and smashed into the wall.
"I don't need your pathetic excuses. They can't hide your betrayal." Kaguya's voice was frosty. "But you should feel lucky. She was going to kill you, but now... she's decided to give you a chance to redeem yourself."
Doflamingo gritted his teeth and looked up at her with resentment, but didn't dare say a word.
Truthfully, his injuries had mostly healed after some time. He had enough strength left to fight. Under normal circumstances, enduring such humiliation would be impossible for him. Even a Buddha has fire in their heart.
But Kaguya's mention of her—her being back—made him forcefully swallow his rage.
Ever since that shameful defeat, Doflamingo had trained ruthlessly, and his power had grown significantly. He was no longer the man he was back then. But even with all that growth, he still didn't have the confidence to defeat Kaguya.
Her strength was like a vast ocean—deep and unfathomable. The stronger he became, the more terrifying she seemed. That was one of the reasons he still didn't dare cross the line.
Now, even a subordinate she sent wielded such overwhelming power. That probably meant she was far more fearsome than he ever imagined. With that thought, the little spark of rebellion in his heart was quickly extinguished.
When you're under someone's roof, you have to lower your head.
"All of these Devil Fruits are confiscated. Of course, they were meant for her anyway," Kaguya said as she walked over to one of the display stands that had escaped destruction. She picked up the Devil Fruit. "Also, you already know Caesar escaped, right?"
"Caesar?" Doflamingo's pupils shrank. "Don't tell me... you were behind Impel Down?"
He had heard rumors before, but with so much conflicting information, Doflamingo hadn't taken them seriously. After all, those ferocious pirates locked up in Impel Down weren't exactly pushovers.
"That's right. I did it." Kaguya tossed the Devil Fruit lightly in her hand, smiling brightly. "Surprised?"
Doflamingo's expression changed. Something clicked in his mind, and cold sweat began to bead on his forehead. "Then Magellan..."
Kaguya folded her arms, the corners of her mouth lifting. "I took care of him too."
Doflamingo's shock was clear. He had heard of Magellan's name ever since his rookie days. The warden of Impel Down—a man with monstrous strength. It was because of him that the prison remained impenetrable for so long.
And yet, this girl had defeated Magellan. No wonder Doflamingo looked so shaken.
"Caesar's situation is your responsibility now," Kaguya said calmly. "This is your last chance. Don't waste it. Otherwise, it won't be me who comes next. And I think you know very well what that means."
Doflamingo clenched his jaw. The threat was blunt and humiliating, but he didn't dare move a muscle. Because what she said might be true.
That person was never known for mercy.
A massacre like the one at the auction house naturally drew the Navy's attention. Countless marines quickly rushed in and surrounded the place.
But with Doflamingo present, Kaguya had no reason to worry. She walked out casually through the encirclement. On her way out, she even helped herself to some desserts the Navy had brought.
Watching her leave, Doflamingo ground his teeth in rage. He had just been thoroughly beaten and now had to cover her escape. It was beyond humiliating.
And yet, even knowing that all it would take was a single command to have her surrounded by marines, he hesitated... and chose not to do it.
He wasn't foolish enough to believe the Navy soldiers could actually capture her. If she escaped, the retaliation would be swift and deadly. And behind her... was an even more terrifying force he had no way to resist.
She was known as the strongest being in the world.
Not even Whitebeard or Kaido could defeat her. As for Red-Haired Shanks—he was said to have learned swordsmanship from her. If the people she trained were already that strong, then her current power must be beyond terrifying.
Doflamingo slammed his fist into a nearby wall, teeth clenched. He was furious—but helpless.
In the busy streets, Bonney walked ahead without looking back. She didn't say a word to Kaguya. But the more she thought about it, the more suffocated she felt.
When they reached the inn, she finally stopped in her tracks, turned around, and bit her lip. "Did I look like a total fool the whole time?"
Kaguya shook her head and said, "Of course not. Why would you say that?"
Bonney lowered her head, lips pursed, trying to suppress the anger in her heart. "Because I feel like a fool. With your strength, who needs me meddling? You must be laughing at me inside, right? Artoria... looks like we're not on the same path. Someone like you doesn't need my help. I'm leaving."
She turned to storm off in a huff.
She felt like a complete idiot. Kaguya clearly hadn't needed her help at all, yet she had interfered anyway. Just thinking about what she did made her feel both embarrassed and frustrated.
But before she could take a step, a hand grabbed her wrist.
"I had special reasons for keeping things from you. That part was my fault," Kaguya said gently. "But I did tell you—you just didn't believe me. It wasn't my intention to keep secrets from you."
Bonney knew there were holes in that explanation. She wanted to argue, but those soft golden eyes were filled with genuine apology. And after all, it hadn't been deliberate... She sighed and muttered, "Fine, I was just being stupid, okay?"
She turned to walk away, but before she could move, Kaguya suddenly appeared in front of her.
"I already apologized. Now it's your turn."
Bonney pointed at herself, stunned. "Me? What do I have to apologize for?"
Clearly, Kaguya was the one at fault—how could she twist it like this?
Kaguya smiled and raised two fingers. "You called me two names: 'idiot' and 'moron'. That wasn't very nice, so you should apologize. Besides, aren't we friends? And friends should trust each other."
"Friends, huh?" Bonney pouted. "I don't remember agreeing to that. Whatever, I was wrong, okay?" She started heading back toward the inn.
But Kaguya didn't move. Her clear eyes stared at Bonney seriously.
Bonney sighed helplessly. "Fine! I'm sorry. It was my fault. Happy now?"
Kaguya gave a slight nod. "Admitting your mistakes makes you a good girl."
The playful smile on her lips made it impossible for Bonney to stay mad.
Just then, a tall, broad-shouldered middle-aged man walked past them. As he brushed past Kaguya, he suddenly stopped and said, "The world really has gone mad. Even little things like you are crawling out of the woodwork. It's exhausting."
"The world has always been this chaotic," Kaguya replied, glancing at him meaningfully. "It's just that no one dared resist before."
"Chaos doesn't come from nothing. It's the fault of those who abuse power," the man snorted.
"Someone has to speak the truth, don't they?" Kaguya replied.
"And people like that never end well," the man said, eyes narrowing. "Even so, are there still those who'd walk that path?"
"If you don't stand by your ideals, even in the face of hardship, what's the point of living? You might as well be a salted fish," Kaguya said calmly.
"Is that so..." the man murmured.
Once he was far enough away, Bonney turned to Kaguya and asked, "Do you know him?"
Kaguya shook her head. "Nope. Probably just some crazy guy."
In the distance, the man staggered a bit, clearly thrown off by her words.
"Those two little brats," the middle-aged man snorted.
"Instructor Zephyr, do you know them?" a cadet beside him asked curiously.
Zephyr replied with a cold face, "No."
Because of the massacre at the auction house, all of Sabaody Archipelago was placed under lockdown. Everyone entering or leaving the town had to undergo strict inspections. That meant Kaguya had to remain in the inn, and even the other pirates were affected—many were captured by the Navy.
A classic case of innocent bystanders suffering from someone else's disaster.
Those pirates probably hated Kaguya to death by now.
After eating, Kaguya pulled out the Devil Fruits. There were ten in total, each covered in intricate patterns. She had no idea what types they were—but it didn't matter to her.
Kaguya placed her hand on the fruits. A glowing, radiant light slowly rose from them, and before long, the essence within the fruits had been completely absorbed, leaving behind only shriveled husks.
[Ding! Congratulations, your mission completion has reached 85%. For every 5% milestone reached, the system will randomly reward the host.]
There was such a good thing?
Kaguya was slightly stunned. In her impression, the system was usually stingy and reluctant to give out anything, always seeming to pit her. Even purchases came with no discounts.
"Please select your desired reward."
Three black cards with intricate designs floated in the air, resembling the Clow Cards from Cardcaptor Sakura.
Kaguya reached out and paused for a moment, then grabbed the card on the far right.
"Congratulations, you have received the mount: Fenrir."
A mount?
Kaguya froze and immediately tossed the card to the floor.
What a scam!
Why would she get something like this?
Ever since Black Saber had been corrupted by the black mud, her riding skill had plummeted. She used to possess the Riding Skill, but now she was practically incompatible with mounts. So what use did this have?
But as her gaze drifted to the card on the ground, she paused and bent down to pick it up.
Fenrir: The motorcycle belonging to Cloud, the protagonist of Final Fantasy VII. A product of modern technology, it boasted incredible speed—a top speed of 500 km/h, powered by twin engines. When the boosters were activated, it could surge up to 700 km/h.
Not only that, Fenrir had exceptional steering and handling, performing well even in harsh environments.
It was a great item. But such a shame...
Kaguya couldn't help but feel it was a bit of a waste—until she saw the next line and her eyes widened.
Notice: To ensure smooth handling of the Fenrir, Riding Skill A has been granted. Even an accident-prone female driver can handle it with ease.
Suddenly, Kaguya thought maybe the system wasn't so bad after all.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
40 Advanced Chapters Available on Patreon:
Patreon.com/DaoOfHeaven