"By the way, what about Monet's share?"
Merlin asked. Hearing this, Doflamingo's face darkened, and he gritted his teeth, asking, "What do you mean?"
Merlin found his reaction amusing, realizing Doflamingo had misunderstood. He chuckled lightly and clarified, "I mean Monet's stipend. It should also be 600,000 Berries a month like mine, right? Or did you think otherwise?"
Doflamingo put a hand to his forehead. He had assumed Merlin was asking for another Devil Fruit. The corner of his mouth twitched, and he nodded speechlessly. "A mere 600,000 a month. I can afford to feed a freeloader kid."
However, a glint flashed in his eyes as he added, "Since you brought it up, let me add something. When you go on missions in the future, you have no right to choose the resources seized during those missions."
Hearing this, Merlin shook his index finger. "I don't need the spoils from joint missions, but if I seize something through my own efforts alone, that belongs to me."
Doflamingo thought for a moment and finally nodded in agreement. But then Merlin added, "Food, clothing, housing, and transportation are all included here, right? I shouldn't have to pay for those myself, right?"
Doflamingo's mouth twitched, his face dark as he gritted his teeth. "I won't let you work on an empty stomach."
Hearing this, Merlin immediately laughed. "Then what are we waiting for? Let's eat! My stomach is already growling!"
Doflamingo: "..."
He glanced out the window; it was about noon. Doflamingo looked at Jora. "Have someone serve the food!"
"Yes, Young Master."
As the head chef of the Donquixote Family, she had always been responsible for the nutritional balance of the executives. She nodded and gracefully got up to leave.
With the negotiations concluded, the atmosphere in the room relaxed. Merlin looked at Doflamingo and asked, "By the way, regarding Haki, will you be teaching me?"
Doflamingo grinned and shook his head. "I don't have time. Pica will teach you. You already know Observation Haki, so we'll just focus on Armament Haki. Pica has mastered it quite well."
"What about Conqueror's Haki?"
As soon as the words left his mouth, everyone present fell silent. Then, Trebol laughed, his tone mocking. "Ne ne~ Kid, are you dreaming? Be~hehehe! Conqueror's Haki is the innate qualification of a king. Do you think you're a chosen king too? Do you think you're Doffy?"
Merlin raised an eyebrow, squinting at him, then looked at Doflamingo. "You promised me the training method for Haki. I want a written document. Even for Conqueror's Haki, I hope you can give me a detailed introduction."
Doflamingo narrowed his eyes slightly. After a few seconds, he chuckled. "Fine!"
But speaking of this, his gaze shifted slightly as he looked at Merlin. "Early next month, we're having an arms deal with a rebel group in the Kingdom of Cassandra. You'll come along then!"
Merlin's gaze hardened. The Kingdom of Cassandra—one of the four nations involved in the destruction of Flevance. The corner of Merlin's mouth curled into a smile. "Good! By the way, you have the Devil Fruit Encyclopedia here, right? You don't mind if I take a look?"
Doflamingo chuckled meaningfully. "After Baby 5 wakes up, ask her to get it for you."
Merlin nodded, then turned his head to look at Monet, who was leaning back in her chair, unconscious. Black flames filled his eyes as he saw the mental negativity within her—a loss of consciousness similar to the mental strain Merlin experienced from excessive fatigue.
There were similarities. He reached out and tapped her shoulder.
Amidst the swirling black flames, Merlin quickly understood the principle behind this calamity.
Calamity Absorption.
At the same time, under Merlin's control, two streams of black flame transformed into tendrils and landed on Law and Baby 5 nearby.
Absorb.
After finishing, Merlin dispelled the black flames. Then, with a casual flick, two arcs of electricity flew onto Law and Baby 5. Accompanied by the electric shock, the two shuddered violently, cried out, and stiffened as they woke up.
Simultaneously, he tapped his index finger on Monet's shoulder, a wisp of electric light buzzing.
Monet's eyes suddenly widened. She looked around blankly at where she was, but when she saw Merlin, the uneasiness in her heart vanished instantly.
"Merlin. What are we...?" Monet called out to Merlin softly.
Merlin smiled. "The matter is resolved. The cooperation is established."
Monet looked bewildered, recalling her experience just now—her mind went blank in an instant, and now she was here. She asked in confusion, "What happened to me just now?"
At this moment, two other gazes turned toward them. Merlin smiled at this and briefly explained the situation.
The three of them looked at Doflamingo with shock in their eyes.
Meanwhile, Doflamingo, secretly pleased with himself, looked at Merlin and pointed at Buffalo. "Since you can wake them all up, and we're about to eat, wake Buffalo up too!"
Hearing this, Merlin glanced at Buffalo. With a wave of his hand, a bolt of electricity shot out. Amidst the buzzing sound, Buffalo's hair exploded, and he jumped up with a scream.
His body went rigid.
A puff of black smoke escaped his mouth.
At this moment, the corners of everyone's mouths twitched. They could all see that Merlin treated these four differently.
Soon, Jora arrived with a few cooks, and a table full of delicious food was laid out.
Lobster, steak, ham, pasta, pizza, vegetable salad, high-end liquor—all kinds of delicious food were available.
After lunch.
Led by Baby 5, Merlin and Monet were shown to their arranged rooms.
Doflamingo was efficient. At 3:00 PM, Pica came to Merlin's room with a document on Haki.
After Merlin got a general understanding, Pica took him to the open space in front of the residence.
Although he still looked at Merlin with some dissatisfaction, he began to teach seriously. "The training methods for both types of Haki are recorded in the document I just gave you. Since you already know Observation Haki, I won't waste time on that."
"Now I'll teach you the training for Armament Haki. Armament Haki is the power of will and belief. First, you need to clearly recognize the [existence] of Armament Haki. Haki is an innate power in living beings, but it sleeps within the body, so the vast majority of people in this world cannot detect it. The prerequisite for training Armament Haki is to possess a strong body."
"Armament Haki is like a kind of 'Qi' settled within the body, or you could say it's an aura. Since you've already awakened Observation Haki, you can use that power to perceive this aura existing within you."
However, speaking of this, a sly look flashed in Pica's eyes. "I've told you the basic principles, but I assume you didn't understand. Put simply, I will hit your body with fists wrapped in Haki. You just need to use the pain and your strong subjective will not to get hurt, combined with your Observation Haki to perceive my Armament Haki, to awaken your own Armament Haki."
Saying this, he punched his right fist into his open left palm with a smack! Pica looked at Merlin happily. "I've given you the method. So, do you want to learn? If you don't, I'll go do my own thing."
Merlin grinned, seeing the eagerness in Pica's eyes. He said calmly, "Want to take the chance to beat me up? Fine. After all, this might be the only chance in your life to beat me."
Hearing this, Pica instantly turned red, his high-pitched voice spewing profanities. "Arrogant bastard, who do you think you are?"
Merlin just lifted his chin and smiled at him, then took off his shirt and threw it aside.
He began to warm up his body. A few breaths later, Merlin's gaze became calm. He stood with his legs apart, muscles all over his body tightening. He extended his left hand and beckoned to Pica. "Start your performance!"
Pica gritted his teeth, stomping the ground with both legs. His massive figure rushed over quickly, his huge right fist turning pitch black. That fist could almost cover Merlin's entire torso.
Bang!
Crossing his arms in front of his chest, Merlin instantly took Pica's heavy punch. The terrifying impact acted on Merlin's body, and in the blink of an eye, Merlin was knocked back, his feet plowing two trails over ten meters long in the ground.
His arms and chest felt a heavy, dull pain, but Merlin didn't feel the stirrings of Armament Haki within him. On second thought, Merlin understood. "This guy isn't skilled enough. He can't project his Armament Haki into my body to cause destruction."
Merlin couldn't help but grin at him. "Did you not eat enough at lunch? Such a weak and powerless fist... are you actually a woman?"
Pica's chest heaved heavily with anger. His eyebrows stood on end as he roared in his high-pitched voice, "You're looking for death!"
Running like a small mountain with heavy steps, he smashed one fist after another.
Left hook, right hook, uppercut, left and right swings.
The heavy, muffled sounds like hitting thick cowhide rose and fell.
Interspersed with Merlin's various taunts and Pica's roars.
"Ah! Why are you hitting back, you bastard?"
Pica clutched his stomach, eyes bulging as he stumbled back.
"Tch! Did you think I was the kind of idiot who wouldn't fight back? Besides, I'm helping you. Idiot, come again!"
"Damn bastard, you're looking for death!"
Bang bang bang bang!
The two exchanged blows with fists and feet, using the most primitive hand-to-hand combat to display the strength of their respective bodies.
As time passed, Pica was bruised and swollen all over, gasping for breath, his voice hoarse from shouting. Merlin, with black flames lingering on his body surface, would absorb the calamity of his injuries from time to time. Under Merlin's tireless verbal assault, Pica fought from three o'clock until seven in the evening. During this time, the executives of the Donquixote Family were attracted by the drum-like sounds in waves, but after watching for a while, they all left with solemn expressions.
At this time, Baby 5 came downstairs. Looking at the two, her crisp voice rang out, "It's dinner time! You guys stop for a bit!"
Merlin looked tiredly at Pica, who was three meters away, hands on his knees, panting violently. The corner of Merlin's mouth curled into a slight smile. "Big guy, let's call it a day! We'll continue tomorrow. Your stamina is no good! Needs improvement!"
After speaking, he moved his body, walked to the side to pick up his clothes, and went to the bathhouse to wash up.
Pica cursed with a dark face from behind, "Bastard, heal my injuries!"
A moment later, arriving at the meeting room which also served as the dining room, Merlin sat down to enjoy dinner under everyone's gaze.
Just as he finished a portion of pasta, Law looked at Merlin with admiration and placed a chicken leg on Merlin's plate, his eyes longing. "Your endurance is so strong? Can you tell me how you do it?"
Merlin glanced at him, sensing everyone's covert peeks. A smile appeared on his lips. "Get up at five every morning before dawn to train, then break through your body's limits two to three times a day. Over time, even a pig could evolve into a strong pig."
Slap! The sound of tables being slapped rang out.
They retorted in unison loudly, "So it's still a pig!!!"