Reverse Mountain: the unavoidable gateway to the Grand Line. Following the Pirate King's final declaration, countless hopeful men, chasing the dream of One Piece, had readily left families behind, venturing onto the seas in pursuit of an elusive fantasy. Yet, how many of those fine men ultimately met their end upon those very waters? There was no shortage of individuals like Luffy, shouting their ambition to become the Pirate King. However, the Four Seas filtered out one batch, the Grand Line another, and the New World yet another. How many could truly reach the pinnacle? You could count them on one hand.
Still, this reality did nothing to dampen their fervor. Was One Piece truly that alluring? Not necessarily. If they could simply survive, who would actually choose to become a pirate? Perhaps the blame lay solely with this rotten world. Those with no other options struggled desperately, searching for any glimmer of hope to stay alive. If becoming a pirate was the only way, then so be it.
Reverse Mountain, however, wasn't just a path to the Grand Line; it was also the route one had to take to travel between the Four Seas.
The Donquixote Pirates found themselves here once again. This time, though, they weren't entering the Grand Line. Standing at the ship's bow, Doflamingo watched numerous fledgling pirate crews eagerly sail towards the graveyard that was the Grand Line. An enigmatic smile touched his lips, hinting at unspoken complexities.
"Let's go, boys. On to the North Blue," Doflamingo ordered his subordinates, turning his attention away from the doomed newcomers.
Voyaging across the sea was often tedious. The Donquixote Pirates sailed steadily towards the North Blue. They encountered their share of reckless pirates along the way, but none required Doflamingo's personal intervention; Enel and the others dealt with them easily. Ever since Pica had received his bounty, Enel had been nursing a simmering frustration. Naturally, these hapless fools became perfect outlets for Enel to vent his annoyance, serving as convenient training dummies in the process.
After a lengthy journey, they finally arrived in the North Blue. The Donquixote Pirates had returned.
Their destination was the port town of Spider Miles. Indeed, this would serve as the Donquixote Pirates' primary base of operations for the foreseeable future. It was also the place where, eventually, Law and Doflamingo were fated to meet. There was still a long time before the tragedy of the "White Town," Flevance, and Doflamingo had no intention of letting a potential asset like Law slip through his fingers. However, simply waiting passively for Law to appear wasn't Doflamingo's style; he didn't engage in losing ventures.
It was time for the Donquixote Pirates to bolster their ranks. While the members from the original canon—Lao G, Senor Pink, Machvise, Gladius, and others—weren't exceptionally powerful, their loyalty was unquestionable, making them decent prospects. Besides, Doflamingo refused to believe that armed with the Rumble-Rumble Fruit and knowledge transcending this world, he couldn't elevate their abilities.
The North Blue: a land steeped in vice. Once ruled by Germa, it was now overrun by warring underworld factions. Here, survival demanded ruthlessness; extortion, blackmail, deceit, and betrayal were commonplace. Trust no one. Never let anyone read your intentions. Hide in the shadows, stare into the abyss of evil, walk the very edge of hell—that was the North Blue.
The Donquixote Pirates' ship docked at the edge of the port town. Doflamingo led his crew ashore, stepping onto the city's soil.
The established powers of the North Blue underworld were still oblivious that, on this very day, a new pirate force was about to muscle its way into their affairs, poised to unleash a storm of blood and violence.
However, Doflamingo didn't plan on spending too long consolidating control over the entire North Blue. Taking as much time as he did in the original story before advancing to the New World? By then, it would be too late – even Red Hair, slightly younger than him, would have already become an Emperor while Doflamingo was still bogged down here. The comparison was laughable.
Although Doflamingo wasn't particularly interested in titles like Emperor, he cared immensely about increasing his own strength. Haki grew stronger through battles with powerful opponents, pushed to its limits in extreme situations. What true powerhouses did the North Blue offer? Even the strongest in the Four Seas couldn't compare to those in the New World. Environment was crucial. In the brutal crucible of the New World, his subordinates would also experience greater growth. Pressure could be converted into motivation; a life too comfortable dulled one's fighting spirit.
"This city will be our base for the foreseeable future," Doflamingo announced as he led the crew towards town, finding an inn for temporary lodging. He began outlining his plans. "I intend to start here, gradually consuming and eventually controlling the entire North Blue. Even when we eventually leave this specific place, I don't want the North Blue to slip from my grasp."
"Doffy, are you planning to conquer the whole North Blue to make inroads into the underworld?" asked Diamante, ever the attentive chief steward.
"Precisely. Any growing power needs funds, and what's more profitable than the businesses run in the underworld? Not just the North Blue, but the underworld itself—we will seize control of their lifelines, step by step," Doflamingo stated calmly.
"Alright, these are longer-term goals. Currently, our strength and numbers are insufficient. During this period, I will personally seek out talented individuals to supplement the Family's power. Meanwhile, I plan to leave the conquest of the North Blue primarily to you," Doflamingo continued, dropping a bombshell that stunned his crew. "I'm giving you three to five years, maximum. Within that time, I expect you to bring the entire North Blue under our control. I will not intervene unless absolutely necessary."
"Doffy, this..." Diamante trailed off, astonished.
"What? Don't you believe in yourselves?" Doflamingo challenged them.
"Yahahahaha! How could we not? This is perfect!" Enel grinned broadly. "My fists have been itching for action! It's time they learned the name of the great Enel!" Enel wasn't particularly surprised by the assignment; for him, any opportunity for battle and growth was welcome.
"Rest assured, Doffy. We won't disappoint you," Pica pledged confidently.
"Nenenene, leave it to us to turn things upside down," Trebol added his assurance.
"Good. I will help strengthen you," Doflamingo said, scanning the expressions of his Family members. Their reactions are acceptable, he thought.
In Doflamingo's view, every core member of the Family had to awaken and master both Armament and Observation Haki. Devil Fruits could wait; those would come in time. Physical prowess was the foundation of everything, and their physical conditioning needed immediate attention.
This included not just Enel and the others, but Ibes as well. Doflamingo had no intention of letting her off easy. In this dangerous world, beauty could be a curse. A beautiful woman lacking the strength to protect herself would inevitably become a mere plaything, and Doflamingo had no use for decorative pieces in his crew. Alright, initially, she might have seemed like just eye candy, he conceded internally, but after all we've been through, I won't discard her easily. I have to help her get stronger. Besides, Doflamingo didn't believe Ibes, a Skypiean, was inherently weak. Even Conis – the seemingly frail girl Luffy met upon arriving in Skypiea – could eventually wield a weapon and fight. Ibes could become stronger too.
"Alright," Doflamingo declared, "since you're all so confident, I trust you won't let me down. However, Enel, Pica – you two are first. I need to put you through some special training. You're not leaving my sight until you awaken Armament Haki."
"Is that so? Excellent!" Enel grinned fiercely.
"Then we're counting on you, Doffy!" Pica's eyes burned with determination as he looked at Doflamingo.
"Trebol, Diamante, matters in the North Blue fall to you two for now while I conduct this training. Notify me only if you encounter something you absolutely cannot handle," Doflamingo arranged swiftly.
"Leave it to us, Doffy," Diamante guaranteed.
"Nenenene, we'll handle things for now."
"Um... what about me? God? What can I do?" Ibes spoke up, not wanting to be coddled, asking about her own role.
"Don't worry, you're not escaping either," Doflamingo stated evenly, offering no sugar-coated words. "You'll train alongside Enel and Pica. You're too weak."
"That's good," Ibes replied, unfazed by the bluntness of his assessment. She knew it was the truth. As long as she could still be useful to Doflamingo, she was content.
Doflamingo's special training class was now in session!
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