Dressrosa, deep within the palace.
Sunlight streamed through the stained glass, casting twisted, colorful patterns on the carpet, yet it couldn't dispel the almost tangible chill of anger that filled the room.
"Fufufufu…"
A low, strange laughter echoed through the spacious chamber, not a hint of joy, only a tooth-grating, malevolent aura.
Donquixote Doflamingo sat on a large sofa, leaning forward, elbows resting on his knees. His face, hidden in shadow beneath pink sunglasses, twisted into an exaggerated grin verging on the grotesque.
On the coffee table before him, a Den Den Mushi simulated an expression of terror and despair, intermittently reporting in a voice distorted by extreme fear:
"…Th-That's it, Doflamingo-sama!"
"Lord Gal and his men… completely wiped out! That Marine officer… that guy… his ability is too strange!"
"We couldn't even get close… the ships sank… just before communication cut out, we only heard Lord Gal shout… shout for your help…"
Crack!
A sharp sound. The wine glass in Doflamingo's hand was crushed in his grip, scarlet wine trickling over his knuckles like blood, dripping onto the luxurious carpet.
The Den Den Mushi immediately went silent, its simulated expression frozen. Then its eyes rolled back, fainting from fear, the messenger completely lost all courage.
The room fell into absolute silence.
Baby-5 and Buffalo, standing nearby, dared not even breathe. They could feel the killing intent emanating from their young master, so sharp it seemed capable of cutting through the air itself.
Trebol, leaning on his cane, squirmed uneasily: "Puwehehe… if Diamante knew how useless his men were, he'd go mad…"
"Shut up, Trebol."
Doflamingo's voice cut through like ice, stopping him.
He slowly raised his head; the sunglasses reflected cold light, obscuring his eyes, yet the sense of oppressive predation felt tangible.
"Fufufu, a Marine Commodore… named Renzo? Never heard of him before…"
He chuckled lowly, fingers twitching unconsciously. Threads extended from his fingertips, silently shredding the shards of glass on the carpet into fine powder.
"Not only did he destroy the 'Ancient Energy Source' I wanted, kill my men, he even dared… to disregard me?!"
He forced out the last words through clenched teeth, each syllable wrapped in rage.
Gal's final desperate shout, "Doflamingo-sama will never forgive you!"
Now sounded like a sharp slap across Doflamingo's face.
An unknown Marine officer had dared to show such blatant disrespect for his authority!
"Young Master, let me blow him to pieces!" Pica spoke.
"Or let me give him an artistic send-off!"
Giolla the Art-Art Fruit user waved her cane aggressively.
"No."
Doflamingo suddenly raised a hand, stopping his subordinates from volunteering.
He leaned back into the sofa, shards of broken wine glass slipping through his fingers.
After extreme rage came extreme, calculated calm.
"A Marine… Headquarters Commodore…" he mused, savoring the title. A grin returned to his face, now tinged with playful scrutiny.
"To eliminate Gal and his backup team so cleanly, and even make the ancient machine 'too lazy to react'… this is no ordinary officer. That old fox Sengoku… is he secretly raising some monster again? Fufufu…"
He recalled scattered rumors he'd heard: about a Marine officer at headquarters who always seemed half-asleep, yet even Akainu struggled with him. His mission success rate was strangely high, but he repeatedly refused promotions, citing "too troublesome."
Could this be that Renzo?
"And…" Doflamingo's fingers twined invisible threads.
"He's still a 'legitimate' Marine officer. I'm a Warlord of the Sea… directly attacking a Marine officer would create a lot of fuss. Not that I'm afraid, but… there's no need to tear things with HQ over one Gal."
His mind raced.
A man with such strange abilities, mysterious strength, yet no respect for Marine rules… could be trouble, but also an opportunity.
"Vergo."
Doflamingo spoke suddenly.
In a shadowed corner, a man in a plaid coat with chips stuck to his face appeared silently, Vergo, long embedded in the Marine.
"Investigate," Doflamingo ordered, his voice back to its usual tone, colder than ever.
"I want everything on this Renzo, from the day he joined the Marine: records, ability details, background, preferences… weaknesses. Especially, his relations with Sengoku, Garp, and the other admirals."
"Understood." Vergo nodded succinctly, then melted back into the shadows.
"Young Master, are we just going to let this go?" Trebol asked, puzzled.
"Let it go? Fufufufu…"
Doflamingo laughed, the sound echoing through the palace. "How could I possibly let it go!"
He stood, walking to the window, overlooking all of Dressrosa. Sunlight fell on his pink feathered coat, yet it brought no warmth.
"Killed my men, stole my things… I've taken note of this 'trouble.'"
"But now is not the time to personally deal with him."
His gaze stretched far into the distance, as if piercing space itself, seeing that warm island and the lazy figure there.
"Let the brainless pirates of the New World test the waters first."
"Spread the news of the 'Warmwave island with strength-enhancing hot springs and ancient treasures,' and casually mention that a Marine Commodore is guarding it alone… fufufu."
"Also..." He paused, the smile turning cold. "Send Morgans a little fee, and have him write about 'Marine hero' Commodore Renzo, who single-handedly crushed Donquixote family's key officers and safeguarded the peace of the seas."
Baby-5 blinked, instinctively: "But… won't that make him famous?"
"Famous?" Doflamingo turned, his gaze beneath the sunglasses terrifying.
"In this sea, fame is sometimes… the deadliest curse. He'll find endless trouble coming his way. And his kind of lazy personality… fufufufu…"
He trailed off, but everyone in the room understood.
Set him up, frame him, drive predators toward him.
Let countless greedy hyenas bite at the target until he's exhausted and vulnerable.
Or let his strange ability and Marine status make him a magnet for attacks.
Either outcome would delight Doflamingo.
"Renzo… fufu…" he whispered the name like a viper striking.
"Enjoy the 'fame' I've given you. When countless troubles pile up and you're at your wits' end… I'll pay you another 'visit.'"
"Then you'll know that crossing the 'Joker'… is the biggest 'trouble' of your life."
He waved, signaling his subordinates to leave.
The palace returned to silence, sunlight still streaming through the stained glass, illuminating the crimson wine stain like blood.
Far away on Warm Island, Renzo shivered inexplicably, waking from his nap, grumbling, "Who's chanting my name again… such a nuisance."
.....
If you enjoy the story, my p@treon is 30 chapters ahead.
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