Shichibukai Candidates, Angel Investor (or Agent of Chaos)

After the execution, It took about an hour for Austin to successfully return to Sabaody Archipelago.

Unlike when he left, Austin returned alone.

Walking upstairs in the central hall of the red-light district, he opened the door. Besides Sammy, Little Six, and Little Seven, Rouge and Rayleigh were also there.

"Lord Austin, you're back!!!"

Little Six and Little Seven were the first to excitedly greet him. Austin smiled, patted their heads, greeted everyone, and then plopped onto the sofa, crossing his legs.

"Austin, I saw the live broadcast of the execution. Roger's body..."

Rayleigh, holding a wine bottle, was genuinely curious how Austin had so easily obtained the body from the World Government, and what he had done with it in the end.

Austin thought for a moment. There was nothing he couldn't say; it wasn't some big secret.

After all, everyone present was one of his own.

"Well... I just made a deal with the Five Elders. As for Captain Roger's body..."

"It's been burned, and the ashes scattered into the sea."

"I see..."

Hearing this, Rayleigh nodded, a hint of reminiscence appearing in his eyes. "That is indeed a fitting end for Roger."

As for the deal Austin mentioned with the Five Elders, Rayleigh had no interest in asking.

Sammy and the others felt the same. Although they couldn't help but be curious about dealings between such top figures in the world, If Austin didn't say anything, they wouldn't ask.

Their principle was to know when to advance and when to retreat.

That evening, In a prison cell that had once held unruly female slaves, Tap... tap... tap...

A rhythmic and crisp sound of footsteps echoed through the hollow corridor.

This sound instantly alerted Doflamingo, who had been reading a newspaper, and he quickly sat up from his bed.

These footsteps were completely different from those of the people who usually brought food.

He was too familiar with them!

These past few days, they had been etched into his nightmares countless times – the increasing sense of pressure that accompanied the footsteps, making him wake up gasping from dreams!

Cold sweat dripped from his forehead, His teeth were clenched tight, But... he didn't even dare to let his veins bulge.

"Hoo... Unexpected. They haven't tortured you these past few days?"

With a teasing tone, At some point, Austin had already sat by his bedside, looking with interest at the newspaper Doflamingo had been reading.

"Reading the newspaper is a good habit."

Austin opened the newspaper and saw it was the latest issue.

Captain Roger's execution, the dawn of the Great Pirate Era.

At the end, there was a ruthless photo of Austin carrying Roger's body, looking down from a high platform.

Who was the photography genius who took this?

Why did they always make him look so handsome?

He didn't rely on his looks for a living.

Seeing Austin casually flipping through the newspaper with his legs crossed, as if he didn't take Doflamingo seriously at all, Gulp...

A sound of someone swallowing nervously rang out.

Even though Austin appeared relaxed, Seeing this terrifying figure again, Doflamingo's body stiffened. The suffocating feeling seemed to linger, making his breathing erratic.

The more he read the newspapers these past few days, the more alarmed he became, and the more he understood what a terrifying existence he had offended.

An individual who could casually invade Marine Headquarters, Hailed as "The 'King' of the Next Generation,"

Who acted with impunity right under the noses of the Marines and the World Government, yet they dared not make a move. A monster with extremely high threat levels, The most likely to rule this sea!

[Black Gun]

Dotol Austin!!!

That's right, Only a monster like this, who practically reigns over the world, could possess Conqueror's Haki that's almost crushing, right?

After just one clash, he completely lost the will to resist, his mind filled only with primal, instinctual fear!

In Doflamingo's eyes, Austin had now become one of the strongest individuals in the world.

Because only by losing to someone like him could he find an excuse to mend his own spirit.

Losing wasn't the reason for collapse, Losing to the weak was.

"Relax~ I'm not here to kill you."

Austin flipped through the latest newspaper. Although his gaze wasn't on Doflamingo, his Observation Haki could easily sense the man's extreme tension.

Was it really that big of a deal to have crushed him so thoroughly?

To have such a psychological scar? You have Conqueror's Haki too.

Shanks didn't have his mental state shattered like this even after being put to sleep so many times by him.

No wonder they say he'll be one of the Four Emperors later; even his masochism is on a whole other level.

Upon hearing Austin's words, Doflamingo finally managed to calm down a bit.

Yeah, if he wanted to kill him, it would be as easy as flicking a finger for a monster like this. There would be no need for all this chatter, Unless Austin was some kind of pervert who enjoyed toying with him.

He furrowed his brow, his gaze heavy as he looked at the casual figure before him.

"Is that so... Would someone like you even need a nobody like me?"

"You're no nobody, Donquixote Doflamingo."

Austin smiled as he closed the newspaper.

In the blink of an eye, with his hands behind his back, he suddenly appeared in front of Doflamingo, smiling calmly.

"Losing to me doesn't mean you're not strong. On the contrary, I see great potential in you, and I'm willing to invest in your ambition."

His eyes stared intently at Doflamingo's tense expression.

"A Celestial Dragon, abandoned by the Holy Land, who has witnessed hell on earth, and now awakened Conqueror's Haki.

When you fully mature, many interesting things are bound to happen~

Let me give you a helping hand. You'll have to thank me properly later."

Austin's lips curled upwards, his gaze like a cat playing with a mouse.

What does this monster want...

Even the usually arrogant and defiant Doflamingo felt a tremor of panic within him.

He slowly took out a Den Den Mushi from his pocket.

"Beru beru beru..."

"Click."

A dignified image appeared on the Den Den Mushi, its eyes coldly staring forward.

"What is it now, Austin?"

"Get straight to the point. We made time specifically because it's you."

The moment he heard the Den Den Mushi's voice, Doflamingo's pupils trembled violently. He stared in disbelief at Austin, who still had a smile on his face.

How is this possible!?!?

These voices... he could never forget them in his lifetime.

They were the voices of the World Government's highest authority, the ones who had officially declared his "death sentence" as a Celestial Dragon--

The Five Elders!!!

And now, they were conversing casually with a pirate?

His worldview shattered and was rebuilt.

Facing these figures who practically controlled the entire world, Austin spoke with great ease:

"It's about what we agreed upon. As a condition for the return of Captain Roger's body, and as a symbol of our peaceful coexistence--

I've found one of the candidates for the Shichibukai."