Royal Plateau, Dressrosa Royal Palace. Inside a hidden chamber.
"Fuffuffuffuffu!"
Doflamingo and the officers of the Donquixote Family had gathered together.
'Clap! Clap!'
They applauded one another.
"Look at you, Baby 5. One of the most important members of our family. I'm so glad you made it back." Doflamingo spread his arms, welcoming his 'family.'
"Young Master..." Baby 5 had finally returned to Dressrosa, but she spoke hesitantly. "I'm sorry... about my mission on Dreamland Island. But please, rest assured, I didn't tell them anything. You can even have someone interrogate me to make sure."
She was visibly anxious.
"Behehehe~ I told you there's no need for that, Baby 5! 'Sniff!'" Trebol chuckled, sniffling as he spoke.
"Exactly. We're family, after all. Family doesn't interrogate family," Diamante added with a smile. "Besides, if your opponent was Hitsuji, you were up against one of the Twelve Zodiac's top officers. Even the Emperors find that guy troublesome. It's only natural you couldn't beat him."
Hearing this, Baby 5 felt a warm glow in her chest. "Th-Thank you, Trebol. Diamante... Thank you all for trusting me."
She knew it. She was a member of this family, and her Young Master would never abandon her.
"Forget about all that. Come watch the tournament with us," Diamante continued.
"Watch?" Baby 5 blinked, slightly confused. "You mean this duel tournament? Actually, I wanted to ask about that. Wasn't Caesar an important bargaining chip in our deal with the Beasts Pirates? Why would we give him away? I saw several massive ships outside the island just now."
"Behehehe, something unexpected happened. Our Young Master discovered some very interesting facts from him," Trebol grinned. "That's why we're holding this grand feast."
"Now we just have to see whether the 'guests' we're expecting will show up."
"The guests we're expecting?" Baby 5 was stunned.
For some reason, as she looked at her family smiling and welcoming her back, an uneasy feeling began creeping into her heart. 'What exactly is the Young Master planning?'
Just as Baby 5 suspected, outside Dressrosa's port, numerous ships hovered around the island, observing from a distance.
That was inevitable. Devil Fruits were the legendary 'Secret Treasures of the Sea.' Each was worth hundreds of millions of Berries, and despite their fatal flaw of turning users into helpless hammers in water, they remained treasures that countless people craved.
Because in this sea, Devil Fruits represented one thing, power.
Power was authority. Power was wealth. Power was everything.
And now, the 'World Economy News Paper' had announced something unthinkable to the world: Devil Fruits could be artificially created. They had even printed a photo of an Artificial Devil Fruit, and the terrifying existence of these fruits, known as SMILEs, had already been confirmed.
Naturally, Dressrosa had become the absolute center of attention for the entire world.
Kingdoms, pirates, underworld syndicates, mafia families, and greedy merchants had all converged on the Country of Love, Passion, and Toys. Ambitious power-seekers and profit-driven opportunists alike swarmed the island.
But among everyone present, the three most furious figures were undoubtedly the infamous trio who had just arrived at the southern port.
Flames blazed across the harbor, the surrounding buildings already reduced to rubble. Three colossal pirate ships had just docked, modeled after a pteranodon, an oriental dragon, and a mammoth. All three flew the same flag: a terrifying horned skull resembling a demon, the flag of one of the most fearsome pirate crews in existence.
From the flames, three figures slowly emerged.
The first was a tall man clad entirely in black with not an inch of skin exposed, a long sword at his waist and flames burning from the back of his head.
Behind him was a large, round-faced, bald man wearing sunglasses, a cigar in his mouth, a metallic left arm, and a long golden braid.
Finally, a massive brute of a man with a towering frame, horn-like ornaments on his head, and a heavy metal jaw covering his mouth.
"That bastard Joker must have a death wish."
"We had a deal. We were supposed to receive the SMILE factory in a few days, and we were only sent here to check on things. Yet that bastard actually dared to use someone Master Kaido values so highly as a prize, and even leaked the existence of Artificial Devil Fruits to the public!"
"Big Brother Queen... let me handle that guy later. I'll kill him myself. No need for you or Big Brother King to bother."
"Ah, Jack~ If you're willing to take responsibility for this, that's even better!" Queen chimed in. "Since that's settled, I'll be the one to drag Caesar back. After all, he was once my research partner. I simply 'can't~' stand by and watch him~ suffer like this!"
"...You look pretty thrilled about it. You're practically dancing."
"Shut up~ or I'll kill you~!"
Their identities needed no introduction. They were the three Lead Performers under Kaido of the Beasts Pirates, the Great Pirates known as the Three Calamities: 'King the Conflagration,' 'Queen the Plague,' and 'Jack the Drought.'
And now, all three calamities, each powerful enough to throw the sea into chaos, had gathered in Dressrosa.
"As for Joker, I'll deal with him personally later," King said coolly, ignoring Queen and Jack's bickering. "For now, the three of us go in and secure Caesar."
"Hah? Why the hell should I listen to you?" Queen snapped back. He and King had never gotten along.
King merely gave Queen a cold look. "Caesar is crucial to Master Kaido's ambitions. Securing him takes priority. If you refuse to follow orders... I'll kill you first."
"Oh? Kill me? You think I'm scared of you?"
"Hey, hey, Big Brothers, stop fighting already..."
Their squabbling made their purpose crystal clear. The World Government ship transporting Caesar M. Clown had been hijacked by Doflamingo. Doflamingo took Caesar specifically for his ability to produce Artificial Devil Fruits, leading to his agreement with the Beasts Pirates.
For Kaido, who craved a world-shaking war and favored Zoan-type Devil Fruits above all, the Artificial Zoans created by Caesar were essential to his plans. That was why Kaido had been too occupied to bother with Big Mom's recent downfall.
According to their deal, Doflamingo was supposed to build a SMILE factory soon, after which the Three Calamities would inspect and approve it.
They never expected to receive a special edition of the 'World Economy News Paper' on their way to Dressrosa. Doflamingo hadn't just torn up their agreement, he had turned the key to Kaido's ambitions into a tournament prize.
It was easy to see why the Calamities were flying into a rage.
Just as the three were arguing...
"E-Everyone..." A trembling voice mustered the courage to interrupt them.
"Hm?" The Three Calamities looked over.
A tournament arena worker stumbled toward them in tears, clutching a Den Den Mushi in his hands. "T-The tournament is about to begin. Please wait here for the time being."
Hearing that, not only did the Three Calamities find it absurd, but even the Beasts Pirates subordinates behind them, who had been cheering as their bosses flattened the harbor, were left dumbfounded.
"You idiot... are you trying to get killed?" One pirate raised his gun, aiming to shoot.
"Hold on," King stopped him. "This guy is being controlled by Joker's ability."
King looked at the worker's rigid posture and tear-streaked face, instantly realizing what was happening. His gaze shifted to the Den Den Mushi in the man's hands. "Joker, it's too late to beg for mercy. Master Kaido is furious."
The next moment...
"Fuffuffuffuffu... No need to be so hostile, Mr. King," the Den Den Mushi spoke. "This is a grand feast. As our honored guests, you should show a little patience."
As Doflamingo's voice echoed through the speaker, a beam of light burst from the top of the Den Den Mushi, shooting straight into the sky. At the same time, identical beams of light shot up from every direction across the island, painting the sky above.
Moments later, a colossal screen formed by countless projected Den Den Mushi appeared over Dressrosa. What appeared on that screen immediately made King's eyes narrow, the flames on his back flaring higher.
"Hey, hey..." Queen pulled the cigar from his mouth, his brow furrowing. "That's Caesar..."
The screen displayed a massive arena: Dressrosa's famous Corrida Colosseum.
Only now, the already gigantic arena had been expanded several times over. It was both taller and wider, with the central circular ring remaining while the surrounding grounds had been transformed into a massive complex covered in intersecting lines and pentagrams.
Word around Dressrosa was that His Majesty Doflamingo had ordered this sudden overhaul himself. The modified arena was allegedly large enough to hold nearly a third of the kingdom's population.
Yet right now, there wasn't a single spectator inside. Only at the highest point above the central ring...
A giant cage hung suspended in midair. Inside sat a single figure, battered, bruised, bound in Seastone handcuffs, and breathing weakly.
Everyone on the island recognized him instantly: former SSG scientist Caesar M. Clown, the man who had suddenly become the most talked-about figure on the sea.
Countless cannons and heavy weapons were aimed directly at the hanging cage. And sitting directly beneath it was Doflamingo, legs crossed.
"Fuffuffuffuffu." He held a Den Den Mushi, letting out his signature laugh. "Ladies and gentlemen, honored guests, and citizens of this nation!"
His voice echoed across the entire country through the broadcast network.
"All our 'guests' have arrived on the island. The duel tournament is about to begin!"
"Now then..." Doflamingo slowly raised one hand. "Let the stage be sealed."
The next moment...
'BOOM!'
From the waters encircling Dressrosa, countless razor-thin strings shot up into the sky. In an instant, they enclosed the entire island.
''{Ito Ito no Mi - Birdcage}''
As the vast dome of strings materialized, it began closing in toward the land. Ships lingering offshore to watch the chaos immediately realized the danger.
"Are those... blades!?"
"They're cutting strings! They're ridiculously sharp, the hull can't take this!"
"Get onto the island! Move!"
Amid the panic, offshore ships that reacted too slowly were sliced into kindling, while others hastily raised anchor and charged toward Dressrosa's shores.
Doflamingo didn't care in the slightest. He casually continued into the Den Den Mushi:
"The rules are simple."
"Everything inside the Birdcage is the arena. Everyone on the island is a contestant. Fight your way through."
"The first five contestants to make it through the Colosseum's five entrances will advance to the central arena to compete for the final prize."
He pointed up at Caesar hanging in the sky.
"In front of whatever spectators manage to survive, the winner takes the prize."
"And as you all know... the world will open its doors to him."
Panicked cries erupted across Dressrosa.
"The tournament is today!? Wasn't it supposed to be later?!"
"Who cares about that?! Look at the rules! The whole island is the arena now!"
"Wait, doesn't that mean we're in danger too?! Half the people here are bloodthirsty pirates!"
"What does he mean 'surviving spectators'?! Hey, this isn't right!"
"That 'Birdcage' thing looks terrifying! Is it gonna stay out at sea, or what?!"
The entire kingdom spiraled into chaos. It was painfully obvious to everyone that something was horribly wrong. This tournament wasn't going to be the lively celebration they had imagined.
Or rather... it was going to be a slaughterhouse.
Doflamingo casually picked his ear, completely ignoring the uproar consuming his country. He tossed the Den Den Mushi down toward the commentator's booth.
Standing frozen on the platform was an armored man whom nearly every citizen recognized, Corrida Colosseum's star commentator, Gaz.
Gaz's body was locked rigid. Doflamingo twitched his fingers, forcing Gaz to raise a hand and catch the Den Den Mushi, another helpless puppet under Parasite string control.
"H-Hello, everyone... I'm your commentator for today's match... Gaz..." His voice trembled violently.
He could feel the razor-sharp strings hovering around him, ready to shred him at a moment's notice. He had no choice but to deliver the commentary Doflamingo wanted.
"Now, I... I hereby announce..."
"The tournament, begins!"
(End of Chapter)
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