No Longer Anything to Fear

The agents brought Doflamingo back to the royal palace in Dressrosa.

Joker was able to meet his family as he had hoped.

However, upon seeing the condition of Trebol and the others, Doflamingo unsurprisingly erupted.

His pink feather cloak billowed as he raised his hand, and the thin white threads formed several cold glints that instantly severed the surrounding walls and the government agents around him!

The stone wall collapsed to the ground along the silky crack, turning into a pile of rubble.

The agents, who showed no reaction whatsoever, were instantly dismembered into pieces, their blood flowing everywhere.

"My family has been taken care of by you." Dover's forehead veins bulged, he cracked his knuckles, his face was ashen, and he let out a sinister laugh.

Behind him, the captain of CP0 smiled slightly, unmoved by the subordinate who died in front of Dover.

"You should be happy. You've finally cleared your name... At least you've retained your right to enjoy the power of the Seven Warlords of the Sea, as well as the preferential treatment from those lords." The captain of CP0 said, wearing a mask, hands in his pockets, and turned to leave.

Dover was left standing alone in the destroyed interrogation room, silent.

"Hey~ hey~ Dover~ you're back... are you... alright?"

Before him, his limbs were Chain to the cold wall. He was emaciated and tortured to the point of being unrecognizable. Trebol opened his swollen eyes and peered at the head of the family through the narrow slits of his eyes, calling out Exhaust and stammeringly.

"Thank you for your hard work."

Seeing that Trebol was still conscious, Doflamingo calmed himself down and grinned.

Although they knew that after they left, the agents would do everything they could to search for evidence, even resorting to despicable means, they did not expect them to be so ruthless.

After Doflamingo's return, it took less than an hour for all government agents within Dressrosa to withdraw, and control returned to the Donquixote Family. The Joker quickly got to work, gathering information about the situation in the country and beginning to take control. He also learned about Blackbeard's attack on Dressrosa and guessed it was Oboro's doing, in cahoots with Marshall D. Teach... What the Blackbeard Pirates looted were only some of Dressrosa's surface assets; while still valuable, it was quite an achievement that they managed to protect the underground businesses from being affected.

The entire Donquixote Family is currently recuperating.

Doflamingo then 'cleaned up' the surveillance Den Den Mushi that the agents had secretly placed inside and outside the palace before they left.

To put it bluntly, they still didn't trust him... they wanted to see if the Hell Pirates would reappear after the government forces withdrew. However, more than a month passed, and everything in Dressrosa seemed calm and unchanged. Only then did CP0 receive orders from the Five Elders to return to Mary Geoise from the sea off Dressrosa.

After confirming that there were no government informants, one night, inside the palace...

In Doflamingo's bedroom, as a spatial passage opened, Oboro, dressed in a black suit, walked out.

Doflamingo sat alone on the sofa, a glass of red wine in his hand, gazing at the starry sky outside the window... seemingly waiting for Oboro's 'visit,' and was not at all surprised by his appearance.

"Is everything resolved?"

Dom stood motionless behind Oboro, and Oboro did not ask Doflamingo what he had experienced in Mary Geoise. Even if he didn't ask, he could guess.

"Fufufu... Besides some surveillance equipment, there were also some people they'd brainwashed mixed in with my factory. But they've all been found..." Dover swirled his wine glass, responding without turning his head.

His tone was somewhat nonchalant.

The calamity that befell the Donquixote Family this time would have been an insurmountable 'shadow' for anyone else, but for a ruthless tyrant like Dover, it felt as natural as eating and drinking, nothing special.

It's quite obvious that Doflamingo harbors even greater dissatisfaction with the World Government, or rather, the Five Elders.

Because... the agent hurt his family.

But they didn't give him an explanation.

This means that, to the Five Elders, even he... is just a 'tool'.

At worst... it's just a slightly special 'tool'.

"In half a month, it will be the day that Aokiji takes over as Fleet Admiral... At that time, all the mid-to-high-level combat forces deployed by the Navy in the Grand Line will probably have to return to New Marineford." Oboro walked to Doflamingo's side and stood down. The latter glanced at him and suddenly spoke.

Clearly, he knew some secrets before leaving Mary Geoise.

The World Government has not made any public announcement regarding the succession of the Fleet Admiral.

"They're afraid I'll cause trouble with the Hell Pirates, aren't they?"

Long smiled gently.

Could this reignite the Summit War in New Marineford?

"What are you up to?"

Dover understood the unspoken meaning in Lonely's words.

He was already familiar with this man.

"The succession ceremony... all the named naval officers have to be present, which means... the navy can't help Big Mom with any ambushes or advance any plans. Besides, their alliance has long been defunct. I've had Marshall D. Teach constantly harass Big Mom and Whitebeard's remnants, and Big Mom is now exhausted." Oboro said to himself.

In other words, this is the time when the Totto Land is at its Exhaust.

After more than a year, even the most vigilant person will let their guard down.

Their Hell Pirates have been 'missing' for quite a while now.

"Fufufufu... are they finally going to make their move?" Doffier chuckled.

"Get ready... We'll need you to infiltrate the heart of the Land of Totto Land." Oboro turned his head slightly, staring at Doflamingo.

"Fufufufu..."

"Get ready to become one of the Yonko."

"Oboro said."

Doflamingo and Big Mom are also partners.

It's not just Kaido.

This is mainly due to the Joker's power in the underworld; he can be considered the biggest intermediary in the New World.

Whether it's intelligence, human trafficking, arms, contraband, medicine, science, or anything else, Doflamingo has connections. And to support a powerful Totto Land, even the Yonko need supplies... This gives Doflamingo a certain amount of room to survive. He can even act as a 'middleman,' connecting the World Government with the Celestial Dragons ... and he has always maintained 'neutrality,' to the point that even the Yonko need his help.

During the year or so that Dover left, the collaboration with Big Mom certainly came to a standstill.

This time, it's perfectly reasonable for him to go to Totto Land as an 'intermediary' and resume cooperation with the Big Mom Pirates.

"Shanks and Kaido alright?"

"Dover asked."

The operation is finally about to begin—to destroy Totto Land! But this time, the Hell Pirates are hiding behind the scenes, while on the surface, it appears that the Donquixote Family has defeated the Big Mom Pirates.

Whether the outside world believes it or not, this is a settled matter.

However, Kaido and Shanks will definitely find out and take action afterward.

"When soldiers come, we'll block them; when water comes, we'll dam it... Joker, it's true that I promised to help you become one of the Yonko, but whether you can hold onto that position depends on yourself..." Oboro didn't answer directly, but instead turned and walked back towards the 'door and window' that Dom had opened.

Before stepping into the spatial passage, Long glanced back at him and said coldly, "Show me the courage that matches your ambition. Stop being so 'cautious' as before. From now on... you are the emperor of this sea."

"It's time... to show your fangs."

"There's nothing to fear anymore... because from the moment you took that position, there's nothing in this world that you can fear."

The doors and windows were closed, and the lingering echoes of the previous conversation lingered in the hall.

"Fufufufu..."

Then came Dover's manic, low laughter.