Over these two years, the Donquixote Family's growth had not been entirely smooth sailing.
In a small town somewhere in the North Blue, a former Rocks Pirates officer, a fish-man named Babel, was dissatisfied with the Donquixote Family stationing a unit there.
After clashing with the family's local squad, Babel simply wiped out the entire 500-man advance garrison, even killing a fringe officer in the process.
When Doflamingo received the news, there was no way he would just let Babel go.
He personally made a move, fighting Babel for several minutes in the waters off the town's coast. In the middle of the battle, he casually took a strand of Babel's hair, just in case Babel tried to keep running.
As Doflamingo had predicted, as a fish-man, Babel had a natural advantage in the sea. He dove into the water and escaped at high speed.
Doflamingo originally wanted to wipe out all the seawater in a single strike, but on second thought, killing Babel that simply felt like a waste.
So he ordered Trebol to prepare a Vivre Card at once. Following the Vivre Card's direction, Doflamingo started playing cat and mouse.
Every time, he would reach whatever island or town Babel went to rest at ahead of him, then sit there on the route Babel had to pass, calmly holding a wine glass as he waited.
Babel was driven half mad by Doflamingo's repeated appearances. He couldn't understand how Doflamingo always arrived one step ahead of him.
What baffled him even more was that Doflamingo kept deliberately letting him escape, clearly toying with him on purpose.
Unable to stand it anymore, Babel finally stopped running and chose to face Doflamingo head-on.
"Joker, you're being way too domineering.
Your Donquixote Family forcibly occupies my turf and I'm not even allowed to fight back? That's way too unfair!"
Babel roared furiously.
If he couldn't escape, then he might as well vent everything he'd been bottling up.
As for the name "Joker," over these two years, to make business in the underworld easier, Doflamingo had adopted the same underground codename he had in the original story: Joker.
"Heh. When has this world ever been fair?
You, as a former member of the Rocks Pirates, of all people should understand this: only those with strength have the right to speak.
Take right now, for example. I'm stronger than you, so whatever I do is right.
Babel, remember this in your next life. Either choose to become a fearless powerhouse,
or find a strong person's banner to stand under.
It's a pity Rocks died so early. Otherwise, I'm not sure I'd be able to kill you."
"Now die.
Haoshoku Haki Ryōiki (Conqueror's Haki Domain), open!"
As soon as Doflamingo finished speaking, an invisible pressure burst from his body. Objects all around began to crack and shatter, black lightning coiled around him, and the ground itself split under the force of his Haoshoku Haki.
At the very center, Babel was instantly crushed by the pressure of that Haoshoku Haki Ryōiki (Conqueror's Haki Domain). He collapsed face-first to the ground, completely unable to move an inch, his eyes filled with shock.
What kind of overwhelming Haki was this? It felt as if he were facing a true god.
Experiencing a Haki far more terrifying than Rocks's with his own body, Babel stammered out,
"Jo… ker… if I… choose to surrender… will you… forgive what I've done?
I… still have… some value. I… know a few… of Rocks's secrets…"
"Oh?"
Doflamingo's interest was piqued immediately. He withdrew his Haoshoku Haki Ryōiki and said,
"Talk. If what you say doesn't satisfy me, you'll still die all the same."
With the crushing pressure gone, Babel felt as if a massive weight had been lifted. He slowly sat up and spoke each word with extreme care.
"I know there were two Devil Fruits that Rocks was always searching for. As for the Yami Yami no Mi (Dark-Dark Fruit), I once overheard Rocks talking to his son about its whereabouts.
He said that if there were anyone in this world most likely to obtain the Yami Yami no Mi (Dark-Dark Fruit) after his death, it would definitely be Whitebeard.
I was really confused why Rocks would say something like that.
But after Rocks died, I noticed the way the Whitebeard Pirates kept their circle tight.
All that talk about 'a Devil Fruit will appear at the right moment to meet the right person' is complete nonsense.
Why do I say that? Because I personally saw Whitebeard kill a person who had the Yami Yami no Mi (Dark-Dark Fruit) ability.
Rocks probably said what he did because he believed that only Whitebeard could kill a Yami Yami no Mi (Dark-Dark Fruit) user, then find the fruit again nearby."
Doflamingo silently acknowledged that there was some logic to that. After all, when a Devil Fruit user dies, the fruit does have the highest probability of reappearing in the surrounding area.
And among the people Rocks had seen, Whitebeard was the strongest man beneath him, so that speculation wasn't strange at all.
However…
"However, something that vague isn't enough to buy your life. It's just smoke and illusions.
Not to mention you don't even know where the Yami Yami no Mi (Dark-Dark Fruit) is right now. That is nowhere near a good enough recommendation letter for me to keep you alive."
Of course Babel knew that bit of information wasn't enough to move Doflamingo, so he continued,
"I know, I know, Joker-dono. I also know where one of the red Road Poneglyphs is.
When I accompanied Rocks on a mission, on Zunesha's back, on Zou where the Mink Tribe lives, I discovered a red Road Poneglyph placed on their land.
You should know too that the Road Poneglyphs are the key to reaching the final island, Raftel.
I've heard that recently Roger has set sail again, re-traveling the Four Seas and the Grand Line. Not long ago, the news reported that they caused a huge commotion at Reverse Mountain.
I don't believe for a second that you, Joker-dono, would pass up the chance to reach Raftel."
So it was already that point in time.
To be honest, over these past two years, Doflamingo had been completely buried in the underground business of the North Blue: racing around the islands and expanding his territory.
He really hadn't been paying attention to Roger's movements.
Babel's reminder made him start thinking about whether he should trip Roger up on his path to becoming Pirate King, make sure he didn't reach Raftel quite so smoothly.
As for Doflamingo himself, he had absolutely no intention of going to Raftel. Power, status, wealth… he lacked none of them. Knowing the world's secrets wouldn't actually do much for him.
However, just because he didn't want to go didn't mean he was against Roger becoming Pirate King. In fact, the changes that came after Roger became Pirate King were far too interesting.
Just look at the marines as an example.
Before Roger's execution, in a world ravaged by pirates, people with talent, for the sake of survival, mostly chose to join the marines. New blood poured into the navy in waves.
After Roger's execution, for a long time there was no new Pirate King.
And yet, once Roger became Pirate King, he stirred up something called "dreams."
Talented people stopped wanting to join the marines. Drawn by Roger's words, many gifted newcomers chose to chase their dreams and search for treasure instead.
As a result, the number of pirates skyrocketed, bringing even more upheaval to an already chaotic world.
Doflamingo loved the idea of that future world. Why? Because a world like that would be more turbulent and far more interesting.
As for why he didn't start such an era himself, the fundamental reason was simple: Doflamingo couldn't be bothered to spend that much time and effort.
If someone else was already going to do it, why should he make things harder on himself?
(End of Chapter)
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