Dressrosa.
King's Plateau.
Inside the palace, four chairs with backrests adorned with Heart, Diamond, Spade, and Club motifs sat in the center of the room. The seats for Diamond, Spade, and Club were already occupied.
"You've all heard about Vergo."
"Tch... they actually cut off one of my arms!"
"Those damn brats!!"
Donquixote Doflamingo stood by the window, veins bulging on his forehead. His fingers were curled like claws, with shimmering, transparent threads weaving rapidly between them.
"Doffy, we must kill Law and the Straw Hat. Especially Law, he violated the family rules!" Pica, sitting in the Spade seat, spoke in his characteristically shrill, high-pitched voice, his killing intent palpable.
"That brat Law... he's certainly become unexpectedly arrogant," Trebol added from the Club seat, mucus trailing from his nose as his eyes turned cold.
"Doffy, Law didn't just provoke us; he provoked that man. He's a dead man walking!" Diamante said from the Diamond seat, his expression frigid and ruthless.
"Fuffuffuffuffu... Truly my reliable family!" Doflamingo grinned, letting out a low, guttural laugh.
After a few moments, he pressed a hand to his forehead, his face twisting into a sinister mask. "Enel has captured 'Black Leg' Sanji and Nico Robin. Given the Straw Hat's temper, he'll definitely head to Clifford to save them. We need to slaughter Law and the Straw Hat ourselves. We must find a way to lure them into our grasp!"
"Exactly, Doffy! If they reach Clifford, we won't have nearly as many opportunities to strike," Diamante said urgently.
"Trebol!" Doflamingo turned and beckoned.
Trebol rose from the Club seat and handed an exquisite small treasure chest to Doflamingo.
Click.
Doflamingo opened the chest. Resting inside was an orange-red spherical fruit covered in spiral patterns. Its stem was green, shaped like a swirling flame on one end, and the skin appeared to be composed of countless tiny flame-like swirls.
"Is that..."
Diamante and Pica gasped, staring at the fruit in disbelief.
"That's right. The power of the former Second Division Commander of the Whitebeard Pirates, 'Fire Fist' Ace. The Logia-type Devil Fruit, the Flame-Flame Fruit!" Doflamingo held the chest high, laughing wantonly. "He'd never let his own brother's power fall into someone else's hands! Fuffuffuffuffu!"
"Doffy, in that case, let's host a grand martial arts tournament!" Diamante's eyes sparked with excitement.
"An excellent suggestion, Diamante. I'm leaving the full responsibility for this in your hands!" A glint reflected off Doflamingo's red sunglasses as he smirked. He stepped forward and handed the chest to Diamante.
"Wait, Doffy, I'm not really cut out for this!" Diamante feigned modesty, waving his hands frantically.
"No, you're the most suitable one," Doflamingo insisted, offering the chest again.
"Stop it, you're flattering me! I'm no genius!" Diamante continued to decline with a humble wave.
"No, only a genius like you could pull this off!" Doflamingo grinned with absolute certainty.
"Stop, really! You're making me blush!" Diamante kept waving his hands, looking embarrassed.
"Fine, forget it then..." Doflamingo began to pull the chest back.
The moment the hand retreated, Diamante snapped into a dramatic pose. "Since you insist, I suppose I'll admit it. I am a genius! I'll make sure Law and the Straw Hat pay dearly!"
Doflamingo's low laughter filled the room. "Fuffuffuffu... So reliable. He'll dive headfirst into this trap!"
…
The Ruins of Alchemi.
The massive Chris was anchored near the shore. Aeridar, Dimitri, Gin, Nico Robin, and Olga disembarked, looking out at the tiny speck of land that remained of the legendary island.
"So this is Alchemi," Robin murmured, looking around. The remnant was barely larger than the Chris beneath their feet.
Olga looked at the ruins with a somber expression. This was her home.
"Captain, what's the plan?" Dimitri asked casually, glancing at Aeridar.
Aeridar turned to Olga. "Olga-san, it's your turn. Call out Bonbori."
"How do you know about that?!" Olga looked at him in shock.
"Bonbori? What's that? Does it involve the Pure Gold?" Robin asked, her brow furrowing in confusion.
"I know much more than you can imagine," Aeridar said with a smirk, feeling the immense satisfaction of acting like an all-seeing prophet.
Knowing she was dealing with no ordinary pirate, the cornered Olga prepared to remove the ring from her left hand. Suddenly, Aeridar, Dimitri, and Gin all stiffened, their heads snapping toward the rear starboard side of the Chris.
"What is it?" Olga froze, she and Robin sharing a confused look.
"Hmph... a little bug following me? That's a first," Aeridar's eyes narrowed, a dangerous glint flickering within.
In the next instant, he snatched at the air beside him as if grabbing an invisible object and hurled it toward the rear starboard.
BOOM!
A massive explosion erupted. In the empty air, the shimmering outline of a giant, transparent ship appeared, its cloaking effect instantly failing.
A luxurious vessel over a hundred meters long materialized. Encrusted with countless massive gemstones, it was obscenely opulent, its sails bearing a unique Jolly Roger. A hole five or six meters in diameter had been punched through its bow, the result of Aeridar's casual strike.
"That's... Mad Treasure's ship!" Dimitri's brow arched in irritation. "Covering a hull in that many jewels? Talk about arrogant."
"So many gems... what a decadent ship," Robin noted in surprise.
On the deck of the jewel-encrusted ship stood a man with green glasses and long, deep-red hair flowing over his shoulders. He was shirtless, revealing a muscular torso and a large green tattoo on his left shoulder.
Captain of the Treasure Pirates—Mad Treasure!
"Jararara! I didn't expect to run into such a truly 'big' figure!" Mad Treasure's face twisted as he glared at Aeridar.
Beside him stood Naomi, a thick-lipped woman carrying a bow and arrows, clutching a bottle of rum and reeking of alcohol. Next to her was Psycho P, a dark-skinned man in a purple-pink padded jacket, wearing a hat and glasses, the very picture of a shady character.
Back on the Chris, Aeridar grinned. "Hey... care to tell me..."
In the blink of an eye, Aeridar vanished.
"...how exactly you managed to follow me?"
The voice whispered directly into Mad Treasure's ear from behind.
"So fast! When did he—?!"
Mad Treasure's expression froze in terror. The voice was inches away, and he couldn't even sense the man's presence.