North Blue. Doflamingo's special training session began.
To train Enel, Pica, and Ibes, Doflamingo had specifically chosen a secluded location. Attracting unwanted attention wasn't part of the plan.
"Alright, listen up. You three will start with some basic conditioning. First, run laps back and forth along this coastline. Keep going until you physically can't move anymore," Instructor Doflamingo began educating his students.
No unnecessary chatter followed. Both Pica and Enel immediately obeyed Doflamingo's command. This wasn't playtime; slacking off in training meant bleeding—or worse—in real combat. Without a word, they bolted forward, neither willing to lag behind the other.
Behind them, Ibes watched Pica and Enel take off and followed suit, doing her best to match their pace.
"Run with everything you've got! Pica! Enel! Look at your speed! Can you not even keep up with Ibes?" Doflamingo barked sternly at his students.
"Impossible! How could I, Enel, lose to you two?! Watch me leave you behind!" Enel, spurred on, didn't waste breath on words and pushed himself into an all-out sprint.
"That big-eared fool! Don't think you can shake me off! I'll be first!" Pica, seeing Enel surge ahead, poured all his strength into his legs, absolutely refusing to let Enel get ahead. Gradually, he closed the distance, pulling alongside Enel as they ran neck-and-neck.
Enel saw Pica catch up, but he had no intention of settling for a tie. He pushed his speed again, determined to overtake Pica.
Further back, Ibes gritted her teeth, struggling to keep pace with the two men. Though exhausted and gradually falling further behind, Doflamingo saw the unwavering determination in her eyes, a refusal to give up. He couldn't help but feel a growing sense of respect for the woman. This was how it should be. Doflamingo didn't recruit decorative pieces. Beautiful women were plentiful, but in this chaotic world, beauty without the strength to protect it was a curse. Doflamingo wanted the people by his side to be not only captivating but also capable of defending themselves.
Back on Skypiea, Ibes had been just an ordinary person. But from the moment she met Doflamingo, everything changed. Her future promised to be far more exciting than remaining confined to a small corner of the sky, passively counting sunrises and sunsets, living a life as bland as water, devoid of passion until old age set in.
Doesn't everyone harbor a devil inside? Doesn't everyone have dreams? Since they were still young, why not strive towards those dreams? If you don't live wildly, you just grow old. Everyone's blood runs hot; let your heart beat fiercer!
Watching the three figures recede into the distance, Doflamingo didn't follow. They were adults now, responsible for their own actions. If they slacked off, they were only hurting themselves.
Turning his attention away from them, Doflamingo sat cross-legged on the spot, focusing inward to perceive the soul power belonging to Roger. He realized now that the souls he had absorbed previously were simply too weak to provide any significant impact. While the accumulated soul power had been substantial, it lacked distinction, merely serving as supplementary energy. It wasn't until he fully absorbed Roger's soul that he understood: the soul of a powerful individual not only enhanced his own but also granted access to fragments of their memories—including invaluable insights like their training methods.
Although Doflamingo knew the basic training methods for Observation and Armament Haki, and even had a superficial understanding of Ryuo, the advanced application of Armament, the finer details remained unclear. Doflamingo had no teacher; unlike Luffy, who received systematic training, he had figured everything out through his own relentless practice and trial and error.
Observation Haki was almost innate, growing stronger as his own soul power increased; it required less direct focus, though he wondered when its advanced predictive capabilities might awaken. He had mastered the basic applications of Armament Haki and just needed to deepen that foundation. As for its advanced stage—Ryuo—while he hadn't mastered it yet, he felt he was approaching that threshold.
The top priority, however, was Conqueror's Haki. Doflamingo was currently clueless about its advanced applications. He could control its release freely, but when it came to infusing it, he was completely in the dark. The power of Conqueror's Haki wasn't just for knocking out fodder; it could be imbued into weapons or parts of the body, representing the highest form of power, even allowing strikes without direct contact. But Doflamingo didn't know how. Fortunately, 'Teacher' Roger's martial memories were a godsend, a truly immense gift. While Whitebeard might be the strongest man in the current era, that wasn't necessarily true of the previous one. Roger's experience was an incredibly timely boon!
Absorbing Roger's soul power gave Doflamingo a clearer understanding of his own abilities. He previously thought it only strengthened his soul, but he hadn't expected the bonus of accessing memories from powerful souls. The souls of the weak simply dissipated upon death, let alone retaining memories. Even with strong souls, accessing all memories wasn't guaranteed. While Doflamingo wasn't interested in Roger's personal life, he truly wished he could learn the secret of One Piece. Alas, he couldn't find it; Roger's soul fragment was incomplete, missing significant portions of memory. Still, receiving the Pirate King's 'experience package' was more than enough to make Doflamingo wake up laughing in his dreams! What more could he ask for?
Armed with new training methods to become stronger, Doflamingo certainly wouldn't spare himself. He intended to push himself relentlessly, forging himself into a greater power to achieve his ambitions.
Drawing on Roger's soul power, Doflamingo felt his perception of his surroundings deepen, his body's reactions becoming significantly faster. This was good. Stronger, stronger still—becoming the strongest was the goal!
Although this enhancement of his soul power hadn't brought about any noticeable change in his Observation Haki yet, the benefits gained were already immense.
"Pant... Pant..."
Just as Doflamingo was immersing himself in understanding his power, Ibes finally reached her limit. She collapsed to her knees, supporting herself with her hands on the ground, gasping heavily for breath.
"Keep going... Get up... I can do this... I'm not just a pretty face..." Ibes desperately tried to encourage herself, willing her legs to move again. But it was futile. After such an intense sprint, especially for someone undergoing high-intensity training for the first time, her body had long since given out. Her legs felt like lead, refusing to budge.
"Move, damn it!" Ibes cried out, frustrated with herself, but she had truly hit her wall.
"Alright. You've reached your limit. There's no need to push past it like this," Doflamingo, sensing Ibes's distress while meditating, appeared instantly beside her. His large, warm, and surprisingly strong hand gently rested on her head in a reassuring gesture. "This is only your first time. You will get stronger and stronger."
"God..." Ibes looked up at the large hand resting on her head, tears welling in her eyes. "Am I... am I really useless? I couldn't even keep running..."
"Everyone starts out weak," Doflamingo replied, his usual imposing aura softening slightly. Towards his Family, he could show a rare gentleness. "Since you feel weak, then become strong. Become stronger."
"Yes," Ibes nodded, Doflamingo's reassurance soothing her distress. To better help you, my God, she added silently in her heart.
With Doflamingo's help, Ibes moved to the side to rest and recover her strength. As for Pica and Enel, it would likely be a while longer before they collapsed from exhaustion. In this monstrous world, rewards came to those who sought them. Effort, at least, never lied.
Geniuses are rare, but isn't every genius also someone who worked hard? What truly defeats oneself isn't a lack of talent or effort, but complacency and laziness. Only by constantly moving forward can one avoid being surpassed by those who come after.
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