While Doflamingo was busy training Enel, Pica, and Ibes, his ever-attentive chief steward, Diamante, and the sticky eccentric, Trebol, had already sprung into action. Having witnessed the grandeur and chaos of the Grand Line, the petty squabbles of the North Blue felt almost trivial to them now. Looking at the local gangs, it seemed like they were just playing house – far too peaceful.
As for the plan Doflamingo had laid out for them, Diamante even wondered if the timeline was perhaps a bit too generous. Alright, maybe Diamante was getting a little ahead of himself. While not overwhelmingly powerful by Grand Line standards, he was certainly a force to be reckoned with in one of the Four Blues. After all, few in these seas even knew what Haki was, let alone possessed the ability to wield it. Of course, this world wasn't lacking hidden powerhouses; it was entirely possible that some old veterans retired from the Grand Line were lurking within the North Blue's underworld structure. That possibility couldn't be dismissed. Still, Diamante felt incredibly confident right now. Setting aside the idea of Doflamingo intervening personally, if Diamante and the others couldn't even handle a few local crime syndicates on their own, it would be a genuine disgrace to the Young Master's name.
Diamante and Trebol had spent time in the North Blue before. Though their previous endeavors had been decidedly small-time, their experiences under Doflamingo had broadened their horizons immensely, and their strength had undergone a heaven-and-earth transformation.
The power structure of the North Blue was complex. Take the Mafia, for instance; it was dominated by five major families:
The Foster Mafia Family: Their primary business was arms dealing, making them the largest source of weaponry in the North Blue. If you wanted to know what brought in the most cash, it was undoubtedly the arms trade, and the Foster Family's coffers were overflowing.The Lucayge Mafia Family: They controlled the pleasure districts – casinos, brothels, hotel chains. Essentially, any entertainment-related venture that made money likely bore the Lucayge mark. The so-called dens of male indulgence, vice and gambling; once caught in their snare, even gods would find salvation difficult.The Lucifigus Mafia Family: Nearly all trade in lumber, decommissioned warships, and secondhand battleships in the North Blue passed through the Lucifigus Family. They could even procure high-grade materials like the wood from the Treasure Tree "Adam". Beyond that, the Lucifigus Family was the largest transportation broker in the North Blue. If something happened to them, the supply lines of many North Blue nations would grind to a halt. With this economic lifeline in their grasp, they could practically command the wind and rain.The Dantay Mafia Family: They controlled the entire pharmaceutical trade in the North Blue – illicit drugs, rare specialty medicines native to the region, and pharmaceuticals flowing in from the Grand Line were all under their dominion. Offend them, and you wouldn't be able to buy so much as a single pill in the North Blue; you could only wait for illness to torture you to death. Having medicine exist but being unable to obtain treatment – a truly tragic state.The Eitov Mafia Family: Besides trafficking slaves and maintaining connections with major powers in the Grand Line, the Eitovs were also a renowned family of assassins. These depraved individuals even supplied slaves to certain nefarious organizations for human experimentation! They would stop at absolutely nothing for money.
These five Mafia families each wielded considerable power. It would be unbelievable if their organizations lacked strong individuals. However, this time, Doflamingo and his subordinates were dead set on bringing the entire North Blue under their control. No matter how strong these five Mafia families were, Doflamingo had declared, "North Blue. It will be mine. I, Donquixote Doflamingo, have spoken, and no one can change that!"
The businesses of these five families encompassed the entirety of the North Blue, with lingering connections reaching even further. They certainly wouldn't be toppled easily. Doflamingo knew it would take time, and his current manpower was indeed insufficient to swallow the vast North Blue whole. It required time to digest gradually. Adopting a strategy akin to "surrounding the cities from the countryside," Diamante and Trebol planned to slowly encroach upon the North Blue, starting with smaller factions before methodically targeting the five major Mafia families. Although Diamante and Trebol didn't hold the Five Families in particularly high regard, they wouldn't underestimate them either. One had to admit, Diamante had certainly matured.
They chose the bustling port town as their starting point not only because it was a major hub with constant ship traffic but also because the presence of all five major families, mixed with numerous smaller groups, made it the perfect place to fish in troubled waters.
Truthfully, it didn't need to be so complicated. For pirates, strength is always paramount. Territory? Just steamroll through and take it. No matter your schemes and plots, overwhelming power shatters them all! Such dominance was appealing. If Doflamingo personally intervened, it would undoubtedly be settled quickly. However, Doflamingo had his own plans; his sights weren't set on this immediate conquest. Instead, he intended to use the North Blue underworld as a whetstone to sharpen his Family members. Diamante and the others were prideful men; they likely guessed Doflamingo's intentions. Unless faced with utter defeat, they couldn't bring themselves to ask the Young Master for help. Doing so would be incredibly embarrassing.
Taking advantage of the time while Doflamingo was still nearby, Diamante and Trebol moved swiftly, targeting several minor underworld groups – outfits similar to the gang led by Kapac Usman previously, essentially subsidiary forces thriving under the shadow of the Five Families.
It didn't take long. Diamante and Trebol each dismantled a small faction and began absorbing their resources. But small fries were just small fries; there wasn't much profit to be made, nor were there any fighters strong enough to catch their eye.
As Diamante and Trebol ramped up their forceful acquisition of underworld territory, the name "Donquixote Family" gradually reached the ears of the Five Families. An emerging power was poised to challenge them. However, they didn't pay it much mind. How strong could this new group possibly be compared to the five of them combined? Furthermore, though their businesses differed, the five families had jointly controlled the North Blue for many years. They would surely unite to deal with any newcomer trying to take a slice of their cake. So, despite the Donquixote Family's rapid initial expansion, in the eyes of the Five Families, it amounted to little more than a temporary nuisance.
The underworld was like that – constant struggles, snatching territory, life-and-death battles, not unlike the pirate world. In this world, strength reigned supreme. Without power, even the largest organization was nothing but empty talk. Consider this: how could they possibly withstand Aokiji's Ice Age or Akainu's Meteor Volcano? No amount of manpower would matter; it would just be fodder. Quality over quantity – Doflamingo intended to follow an elite soldier policy. At the very least, the strength of his core Family members had to meet his standards. As for the rank-and-file? They were expendable. If they died, he'd just recruit more.
Regarding Sugar's use of the Hobby-Hobby Fruit to control Dressrosa in the original timeline, it couldn't exactly be called well-executed. Not to say turning enemies into toys was inherently bad, but if everyone knew Sugar's critical importance, didn't they ever consider the consequences if she lost control? Knowing her vulnerability, why wasn't her weakness addressed sooner? She looked like a child but was actually a young woman, and frankly, her combat strength was pitifully low. Perhaps it was a side effect of the Hobby-Hobby Fruit – maybe her strength couldn't increase? To be so careless, letting Sugar wander around so freely... Still, one had to admit, the Hobby-Hobby Fruit was undeniably broken – a real cheat code!
It would be impossible for the current Doflamingo not to have designs on the Hobby-Hobby Fruit. Of course, his application of its power wouldn't be as foolish as in the original story. For Doflamingo, the primary requirement for his Family members was loyalty, but the strength of every individual within the Family also had to be rigorously developed. Doflamingo didn't care if you were a woman or a child; to hold a secure position as a Family executive, you must have strength. Relying solely on a Devil Fruit's strategic function wasn't enough. This wasn't playtime; this was the pirate world, filled with blood and chaos! Everyone had to find and prove their own value; no one could be easily excused.
Perhaps the vulnerability surrounding Sugar in the original story represented a rare instance of Doflamingo's gentleness towards his Family – he spoiled her too much! No matter which Family member messed up, Doflamingo never seemed to truly reprimand them, instead cleaning up their messes like a doting parent. But without rules, there can be no order. The current Doflamingo would not blindly indulge them. He would carve iron-blooded rules into their very hearts. Betrayal to the Family is unforgivable. Failure to complete a mission cannot be so easily brushed aside.
Merit shall be rewarded; failure shall be punished. The strong shall rise; the weak shall fall. Members of the Family must be absolutely loyal. Traitors shall be executed without mercy!
These were the iron-blooded rules of the Donquixote Family, and no one could defy them!
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