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New World.
Dressrosa.
On the rooftop terrace of the luxurious palace atop King's Plateau...
"Hehehe, Doffy, Doffy, did you know? That brat from Germa made the news again..."
Trebol hobbled over, leaning on his cane, holding a fresh newspaper. Two streams of snot dangled from his nose, making him look utterly grotesque.
"Trebol, Doffy and I have already seen the latest paper..."
Diamante, sitting on the other side, sneered. "What an attention-seeking little punk!"
It wasn't just because their hearts were still in each other's possession—unretrieved—but also because, after Donquixote Doflamingo had suffered a major setback in the North Blue, they'd been plagued with endless troubles lately.
Although the newspapers hadn't fully disclosed the details and instead embellished things by claiming "the battle ended inconclusively," the New World pirates still began questioning Doflamingo's strength. The title of one of the Seven Warlords of the Sea, "Heavenly Yaksha," was now under scrutiny. Petty challenges kept pouring in.
At first, it was only reckless newcomers, but eventually, even some seasoned pirates who had long roamed the New World grew bold enough to challenge Doflamingo's status as a Warlord. This significantly impacted the business of the Donquixote Family.
Enraged, Doflamingote had no choice but to unleash brutal massacres to instill fear into those who dared entertain similar thoughts.
"Fufufufu~~~ Ending the six-month-long rebellion in the Kingdom of Golban in less than an hour... quite the exaggeration, isn't it?"
Leaning back in a large chair, wearing red sunglasses and draped in a brand-new pink down coat, Doflamingo chuckled as he read the newspaper. "Such audacity—to use Haki and knock out tens of thousands of rebels at once. Does he not fear attracting unwanted attention?"
"The taller the tree, the stronger the wind that tries to break it! G..."
Opposite him, Laou G, dressed in his ridiculous outfit, made a "G" gesture with his hand.
"Forget about that monster from Germa for now, Young Master. Recently, there's been quite a stir caused by this rookie pirate named Portgas D. Ace in the New World..."
Gladius, wearing a metal helmet and a blue trench coat, adjusted his goggles and pulled out a bounty poster. "Not only did he reject the invitation to become one of the Seven Warlords, but since entering the New World just two months ago, he's already defeated numerous pirates with reputations here..."
"'Fire Fist' Ace—such a greenhorn possessing the Logia-type Mera Mera no Mi. What incredible luck!" Doflamingo sneered. "Fufufufu~~~~ To reject the invitation to be a Warlord... Is he arrogant or simply ignorant?"
The "D" in the boy's name irked him inexplicably.
Or perhaps it was jealousy—how could someone like "Fire Fist" Ace obtain the Logia-type Mera Mera no Mi so early in his career?
---
A gentle sea breeze blew across the horizon.
The warm sunlight bathed the ocean, creating shimmering ripples on its surface.
A giant sea slug, carrying a fortress-like structure on its back, raced across the waves.
"This beast won't give its all unless you discipline it properly..."
Seated on a large chair at the bow of the ship, Issho gazed at the swiftly passing seascape, feeling somewhat speechless. He regretted not being harsher earlier.
After issuing a threat recently, the sea slug's speed had noticeably increased, and it still seemed to be holding back. Clearly, it had been slacking off before.
"Master, what are you planning to do on Oblivion Island in the New World?"
Isabelle gently massaged Issho's shoulders, her beautiful eyes filled with curiosity. She tilted her head slightly, asking in confusion.
"Based on the intelligence I've gathered, there might be a Devil Fruit there that I'm interested in acquiring..." Issho didn't bother hiding anything. Most of the Germa soldiers he brought along were obedient artificial beings. When the time came for a thorough search, he would need their assistance.
"I see!" Isabelle nodded in understanding.
No wonder their master had seemed somewhat anxious these past few days—it was all for the sake of finding a Devil Fruit.
"Whether or not we find it depends on luck..." Issho's gaze burned with determination. How could he not covet the power of immortality?
The Mythical Zoan-type Bat-Bat Fruit (Vampire Form)—that was the Devil Fruit he sought!
Though whether this fruit truly granted immortality was merely speculation, even if it didn't, the abilities of a Mythical Zoan-type Devil Fruit were sure to be extraordinary.
Devil Fruits weren't cabbages growing by the roadside, waiting to be picked.
Over the years, Issho had searched tirelessly without finding a satisfactory Devil Fruit; otherwise, he would have become a Devil Fruit user long ago.
Ideally, he hoped to find a fruit with strong growth potential.
Something akin to the Magnet-Magnet Fruit, Repulsion Fruit, or Gravity Fruit—Paramecia-type abilities with immense scalability. If he stumbled upon any of those, he wouldn't hesitate to take them!