Doflamingo responded, ignored Azir completely, and headed straight back to the auction venue.
His long years of hard work had finally paid off—he had won recognition from the upper ranks of Phantom, and was finally allowed a glimpse into its secrets!
Filled with excitement, Doflamingo soon reached the door.
"Come in," Vladimir's voice called out from inside.
"Yes, sir."
Doflamingo pushed the door open. The first thing he saw was Aizen, standing with his back toward him.
"Lord Aizen."
Doflamingo spoke cautiously. Compared to Emperor Vladimir, who was unfathomable and mysterious, the power Aizen radiated felt far more tangible—a crushing strength that towered above everything else.
That was why he feared Aizen even more deeply.
"I promised you something last time. Today, I will deliver on it."
Vladimir turned slowly, his gaze calm as he looked at Doflamingo. "Do you wish to grow stronger?"
"Fufufu... Of course I do."
"Strength always comes at a price," Vladimir said. "In your opinion, what level of power counts as truly strong?"
Without waiting for an answer, he continued: "Do you want to reach the level of an Admiral? Or a Four Emperor? Or perhaps... become unmatched in this era?"
Unmatched in this era?
Doflamingo froze. Even back in Roger's day, the Pirate King himself hadn't truly been without equal.
If anyone deserved that title, it would be Emperor Vladimir... or Aizen, standing right before him.
They were masters far surpassing even the Four Emperors!
But Doflamingo knew he didn't have the potential to reach such heights. He fell silent, unsure how to reply.
Vladimir shook his head and slowly opened his right palm. Resting there was a mysterious gem radiating a dark blue-black light.
"This is called the Hōgyoku. It will make you stronger, but it carries great danger. You could lose your mind. If you accidentally turn into a monster called a Hollow, I will have no choice but to cut you down myself."
Of course, that was mostly meant to scare him. Even if Doflamingo did turn into a Hollow, Vladimir had ways to make him undergo Resurrección.
"Do you still want to become stronger?"
"Absolutely! Fufufu... Lord Aizen, power is everything! Might makes right!"
"I don't entirely agree with that, but since that is what you believe... then prepare yourself." Vladimir smiled. "And don't blame me if you die."
...
District 1, like Districts 2 through 29, was one of the lawless zones of the Sabaody Archipelago.
They lay right at the heart of the islands.
Right now, the entire perimeter of District 1 was sealed off by countless factions.
At the boundary between District 1 and 2, a river cut straight through the island, flowing out into the open sea.
Moored by the bank was a ship coated with resin.
A group of pirates waited onshore.
Suddenly, footsteps approached. A man in a peaked cap hurried toward the ship.
"Did you get it?" asked a man wearing a captain's hat, his voice low and urgent.
"Yes!"
The peaked-cap man nodded quickly. "Hurry up. If we wait any longer, we won't get away at all!"
The crowd cheered and scrambled aboard.
But just then, from the railing of the coated ship, a blind man wearing wooden clogs suddenly laughed.
"Being unable to see is also a blessing. I am Issho. Gentlemen... let go of your ambitions."
...
"Being unable to see is also a blessing... I am Issho. Gentlemen, let go of your ambitions!"
The blind man had been sitting on the ship's railing. As he spoke, he stood slowly, then leaped lightly down to the shore.
The pirates' expressions turned grim, and killing intent flared in their eyes.
The man in the peaked cap pulled his brim lower and muttered, "Issho? Never heard of him."
Another pirate whispered, "Issho the Swordsman... he's a famous master. What's he doing here?"
Everyone grew alert and drew their weapons, ready to protect the peaked-cap man—or, more precisely, to protect the blueprint of Pluton.
To keep a low profile, their alliance of six pirate crews had brought very few men ashore; the vast majority remained anchored offshore.
Only the Moonlight Pirates were there to assist, led by Captain Moonlight Sluth, user of the Star-Star Fruit ability.
Sluth whispered quickly: "You go first. I'll hold him off. This guy is incredibly strong—he won't be easy to deal with."
"Really? Understood."
The peaked-cap man nodded, but couldn't help glancing back at his own shadow.
As if reading his thoughts, the Shadow Fiend flickered into existence within the shadow, and its voice echoed directly inside his mind.
"Give up. This is outside District 1—we won't lift a finger to help you. Of course, if you die, I will personally go to your alliance to collect the remaining seventy-five fruits."
The man's eye twitched. He cursed silently.
Opposite them, the blind man slowly drew his wooden staff—which was, in fact, a sheathed sword. As the blade cleared the scabbard, a dazzling flash of light cut through the air.
"I know the blueprint is in your hands. It is an object of ill omen, destined to throw the world into chaos. If it is not stopped now, great disaster is inevitable."
He raised the sword-staff high and murmured: "Destroy it. It was never meant to see the light of day."
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