Doflamingo's Invitation!

In the North Blue, on Spider Miles Island, the air was still thick with industrial fumes, and the sound of machinery operating in the factories could occasionally be heard.

Every month, hundreds of thousands of firearms of all kinds were manufactured here, then loaded onto cargo ships and sold throughout the North Blue and even other seas.

As a result, the island had three large docks. Whether day or night, ships came and went constantly, while few remained docked.

That day, Doflamingo led Pica down from their family's ship. Seeing the bustling scene of loading and unloading goods lifted his spirits considerably.

"Fuffuffuffuffu, business is as good as ever~~"

He knew that crate after crate of weapons would cause chaos, war, and death, large and small, in nations everywhere. It was also a way of creating plenty of trouble for this world, which was exactly what he wanted to see.

One day, he would personally destroy this sea ruled by those high-and-mighty Celestial Dragons.

If I, Doflamingo, cannot become one of the Celestial Dragons, then you Celestial Dragons should not expect to have it easy either!

At that thought, madness and killing intent flashed in Doflamingo's eyes, though his sunglasses concealed it all completely.

"Doffy, I heard that Bullet has already been captured by the Marines. The one who took him down was Garp."

The four-meter-thirty Pica followed behind Doflamingo, looking quite pleased. Yet his voice was extremely high-pitched, creating a powerful sense of incongruity when paired with his gladiator armor and brawny physique.

"Fuffuffuffuffu, that guy looked like a brainless idiot. People like that can never last long, and their end is destined to be miserable~"

Doflamingo walked with an arrogant, swaggering gait, sneering as he leisurely made his way toward their base along the mountains of industrial waste piled beside the island.

"Sometimes I really wonder why there are so many idiots in this world who only know how to use their fists and never use their brains. No matter how strong one person is, how many opponents can they handle?"

"Schemes, influence, military power, wealth, even reputation and status—these are all forms of power too."

Behind him, Pica listened attentively to Doflamingo's words. He liked how confident his young master was. His young master should be this outstanding, this intelligent!

The Donquixote Family could not have grown to its current scale without Doflamingo's planning and leadership.

"Hm?"

But just as the two approached their small seaside building, they immediately sensed that something was wrong.

Doflamingo understood the benefits of cultivating trusted subordinates from childhood, so he had adopted quite a few young orphans. If he thought they had potential, he brought them here and kept them by his side.

Normally, the moment he reached this spot, he could hear nine-year-old Uradius, six-year-old Buffalo, Monet, and the other children playing around.

But now, it was quiet. Far too quiet. Other than the crashing waves and the cries of seagulls overhead, there was not a single human voice.

"Trebol! Diamante!"

Soon, the small building came into view. But when he saw the wreckage before them, Pica cried out in shock. The Donquixote Family's officers and children were all sprawled across the ground, and it was impossible to tell whether they had merely fainted or were dead.

Doflamingo's pupils narrowed to pinpoints as a dangerous aura radiated from him.

Anyone familiar with him knew that Doffy was angry!

Doflamingo was someone who cared deeply about "family." To him, Vergo, Trebol, Diamante, and Pica—the first four people to appear by his side—were his family.

Forget harming them; even a single mocking remark would earn someone a ruthless beating.

Previously, Buffalo had laughed at Pica's voice and gotten brutally beaten by him. Doflamingo had not stopped it in the slightest. Even if Pica had beaten Buffalo to death on the spot, Doflamingo would not have blinked.

Loved ones, close allies, outsiders, enemies—he divided these four kinds of people with absolute clarity in his heart!

Pica vanished from where he stood and appeared beside Trebol in an instant, crouching down to inspect him.

The thick coat Trebol usually wore, like a quilt wrapped around him, had melted into a puddle of blue mucus. It left his thin upper body exposed as he lay on the ground, with a golden cane broken in two lying nearby.

Diamante, not far away, looked even worse. His abdomen was covered in bruises, clearly showing that he had suffered a heavy blow, while bright red blood still stained the corner of his mouth.

"Whew—he's not dead, he's still breathing. Thank goodness!" Pica first sighed in relief, then flew into a rage, his already shrill voice becoming even sharper and more piercing.

"Who did this? Who did this?!"

"They're inside." Doflamingo stopped in front of Pica and gave him a reminder, his eyes fixed firmly on the small building.

The moment he finished speaking, the first-floor door was pushed open from within. A tall, thin figure emerged, wearing a white mask, a white suit, and a white coat.

"Who are you?"

Doflamingo pulled his hands from his pockets. Given his temperament, he should have attacked without a word, but his Observation Haki had sensed a powerful and dangerous presence, making him cautious.

Yet the White-Clad Agent did not answer. Instead, he tilted his head toward Pica.

The next instant, he vanished with a swish, then appeared directly in front of Pica.

Doflamingo and Pica's expressions changed. Pica, in particular, immediately coated his entire body in Armament Haki, turning himself black from head to toe.

But the White-Clad Agent was too fast. Before Pica could make another move, a heavy punch slammed into his abdomen, sending him flying backward like a massive cannonball.

[Dang!!!]

At the same time, the Five-Colored Strings Doflamingo had swung out were effortlessly caught in the White-Clad Agent's left palm. These incredibly thin threads were as tough and sharp as piano wire, capable of easily slicing apart a ship, yet they could not harm the man's palm at all. Doflamingo immediately sensed trouble.

"Donquixote Doflamingo, some matters are only meant for you to hear. Oh, and I am from the World Government."

Just as Doflamingo was preparing to attack further, the White-Clad Agent suddenly spoke to stop him. After speaking, he released the Five-Colored Strings.

"..."

Doflamingo watched as the White-Clad Agent retreated several meters. After hesitating for a few seconds, he ultimately withdrew his attack and suppressed the violence and fury in his heart.

First, the strength the other man had displayed was clearly far greater than his own. Second, Pica, Diamante, and the others were not in mortal danger; they had merely been knocked unconscious.

Those two points showed that the man truly had no intention of killing them. Moreover, he claimed to be from the World Government, and his attire did resemble their style—only white suits instead of black ones.

This was Doflamingo's first encounter with CP0.

"What do you want to say?"

The White-Clad Agent said coldly, "The higher-ups want to see you. Come with me."

"Mary Geoise?" Doflamingo's eyes widened beneath his sunglasses. "The Five Elders sent you!"

"That's right."

Upon hearing that, Doflamingo's expression darkened further. He gritted his teeth and sneered. "When I wanted to go back, you refused. Now you want me to obediently return? What do you take me for?"

"And you knocked them unconscious on the ground just to deliver that one sentence?"

Faced with such questioning, the White-Clad Agent did not change at all. His voice remained as cold as an emotionless machine as he said,

"Your people attacked first. As for the one just now, I found that knocking people unconscious is a very convenient method. So what is your decision—come, or refuse?"

Doflamingo sneered and countered, "What if I say I'm not going?"

"Knock you unconscious and take you away."

"..."

The Five Elders knelt at the feet of all readers, lowered their heads, and respectfully reported: "Reporting to Lord Readers, this book currently has 221 favorites, 325 recommendations, 51 monthly votes, and ranks 47th in the light novel category of the new signed author book rankings. However, these are still far from enough to face the opponents of the Heavens and Myriad Worlds. Please issue your instructions."