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North Blue.
In the far north, a nameless town was undergoing a baptism of blood and fire. Screams, wails, curses, and pleas for mercy rose and fell. Flames spread across dozens of li, and billowing smoke rolled outward on the wind.
Not far from the burning town, in a forest, two people were gathered around a boar more than two meters tall, roasting it over a fire.
No—more accurate to say one was doing the roasting, while the other sat cross-legged and watched. They were Doflamingo and Vergo of the Donquixote Family, founded two months prior.
Two months had passed without the torment of hunger. With training from Diamante and Trebol, Doflamingo had shot up in height, now around 1.7 meters.
Because he was deliberately grinding his body with martial training, he'd grown sturdy and corded with muscle. Not bodybuilder-massive like in his previous life's competitions, but enough to make ordinary people stare in awe.
This near unrecognizable change from two months ago came from Doflamingo's daily, crazed regimen. After the Donquixote Family was established, the five of them hijacked a merchant ship and sailed toward the small town where Corazon was.
Even aboard ship, Doflamingo never forgot his goal of becoming stronger. Every day he ran laps around the deck until there wasn't a drop of strength left in him. Thanks to the astounding physical talent of people in the pirate world, he'd wolf down meat and dive right into the next cycle of conditioning: the regimen Diamante used before awakening Busoshoku (Armament) Haki—swinging a heavy greatsword, dumbbell work, weighted live spars—and, based on memories of the original story from his past life, sea-swimming drills. Out of twenty-four hours, Doflamingo spent eighteen training.
Maybe his body's innate talent was simply high. Maybe awakening past-life memories had brought an unexpected bonus. Doflamingo found that although each day's training left him so exhausted he couldn't lift a finger, when he woke the next morning his body wasn't just fully recovered—his strength had ticked up again. It was practically like senzu beans from Dragon Ball.
He couldn't explain the principle, but it was definitely a good thing. No need to worry that his young age made high-intensity training impossible. Thanks to this, he'd transformed so drastically in just two months.
Of course, during his training, Trebol and Diamante—glared at by Doflamingo's fire-spitting eyes—reluctantly joined the physical regimen. Vergo and Pica, roughly the same age as Doflamingo, threw themselves into the grind even harder.
Doflamingo had to admit he was impressed. No wonder Vergo's martial arts would be so formidable later—he'd focused on physical development from an early age. Spurred by Doflamingo's effort, Vergo pushed himself too. His progress wasn't as explosive as Doflamingo's, but it was steady.
As for Pica, Doflamingo could hardly believe someone with such a huge frame was about his age. The pirate world never ceased to surprise; judging a person's true age from appearance alone was a fool's game.
During training, Pica had originally worked with Doflamingo. But that shrill, tiny voice Pica occasionally let out really grated on him. Not long after, with Doflamingo's promise that, given the chance, he would prioritize fixing Pica's voice, Pica became even more devoted—and happily went off to train solo.
"Fufufufufu… Vergo, what are you spacing out for? Turn the meat—another moment and you'll burn it!"
"Yes, Doflamingo-sama." Jolted by the reminder, Vergo quickly rotated the spit. A man of few words, he clearly had no intention of explaining why he'd drifted off.
Just then, three figures approached through the trees—Trebol, Diamante, and Pica, the other members of the Donquixote Family.
Before they arrived, Trebol's voice came drifting in first.
"Hey, hey, I say, I say, Doffy, that little town that made you stumble—we've completely destroyed it. When are we heading for Corazon's place?"
When the three sat around the fire as well, Doflamingo thought for a moment and said,
"Fufufufufu… In that case, let's settle things with the ones who tied me up first. If my 'adorable' otōto still holds a grudge against me right now, I don't mind getting my hands stained with a little more kin's blood."
At his bloodthirsty, merciless answer, the four showed no resistance at all. Instead, they each declared their loyalty in turn:
"Shishishishi—Doffy, you're really cold-blooded! But we like it. Only a king like you can lead us to our dreams."
"We won't allow anyone who defies you to exist."
"Our loyalty is forever yours."
"Having recognized you, we'll gladly lay down our lives."
Tearing a hind leg from the boar, Doflamingo took a huge bite. After swallowing, he laughed boldly.
"Fufufufufu… That's perfect. My family, let's make our first stand here and carve the name of the Donquixote Family into the world. This will be our first stronghold."
As Doflamingo laughed, the other four joined in, laughing without restraint.
An hour later, in a non-World-Government-member nation—the Totoria Kingdom—on Yaz Town's commercial street, a "vicious thug" strode forward with that I-answer-to-no-one swagger.
Not far away, a few hoodlums—local toughs—had never seen anyone act so brazen on their turf. The bald leader crooked a finger casually.
"Hey, hey, brat. Lookin' pretty cocky, aren't ya? Get over here and kneel to your grandpa. Otherwise, your grandpa's gonna beat you down!"
The passersby who saw the town's most vicious gang—the Wild Wolf Gang—picking a fight all sensibly cleared the area, watching from a distance.
"Bang! Bang! Bang!"
Contrary to what the onlookers expected, the golden-haired kid in shades didn't walk meekly up to the bald punk. Instead, three gunshots answered the provocation.
As the shots rang out, a wail of sheer agony tore through the street.
He hadn't killed the bald punk outright. The swaggering blond teen—Doflamingo—clicked his tongue in mild regret.
"As expected, I couldn't snipe him cleanly. Kenbunshoku (Observation) Haki has only just awakened—I can't use it skillfully yet."
Even so, his face showed delight. Awakening Kenbunshoku in just two months owed much to his frequent live spars with the family. He'd ordered them to fight with the resolve to kill. If you can't awaken in true life-and-death, then when would you?
"Not dead? Then go die."
He holstered the gun at his waist and drew a knife he carried on his person. With a kick off the ground he ghosted in front of the howling bald punk, and with a casual flick, before the man could react—
(End of Chapter)
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