Who was this person?
Young Doflamingo trembled all over, thoroughly frightened in the middle of the night.
"I ask, you answer. Don't make any noise. If you scream, I'll have no choice but to kill you."
The man said this, and Doflamingo hurriedly nodded.
"Name?"
"Doflamingo... Donquixote Doflamingo."
"How old are you?"
"Eight."
Huh? Eight...
Dimon recalled the story. He clearly remembered that Doflamingo killed his biological father at the age of ten and ate the String-String Fruit.
And two years before that, his father, Donquixote Homingo Saint, led the family in giving up their Celestial Dragon privileges and chose to descend and live among ordinary people.
Two years ago... meaning now?
"Interesting... Doflamingo, your father will soon abandon his identity as a Celestial Dragon and take your family down to live among the commoners."
Doflamingo did not understand why the other man would say such a thing.
How could Father possibly be foolish enough to give up his identity as a Celestial Dragon?
"Who are you? Why are you in my room?"
Doflamingo asked quietly. He did not dare make any sudden moves, afraid the other man would cut him down with a knife.
Was he some slave who had escaped from somewhere?
That was what he guessed inwardly.
"My name is Dimon."
Upon hearing that, Doflamingo's pupils shrank sharply, and fear appeared on his face.
Dimon raised an eyebrow. "Looks like you know me?"
"R-Rocks Pirates!?"
Doflamingo's heartbeat accelerated, and cold sweat rapidly formed on his forehead.
Seven years ago, the Rocks Pirates had kidnapped Celestial Dragons in the Sabaody Archipelago and demanded ransom from the World Government.
He had only been one year old at the time, so he had no clear memories of it.
But in the years afterward, he often heard about the incident. Whenever children in the Holy Land misbehaved, their parents would frighten them by saying that the Rocks Pirates would come and take them away.
Out of curiosity, Doflamingo had specifically looked into the Rocks Pirates from those stories and remembered their members vividly.
He even had wanted posters for every one of them in his toy room.
Doflamingo had never imagined that a story meant to frighten children would come true and happen to him.
"Are you here to kidnap me?"
Faced with a major crisis, Doflamingo quickly came up with an idea and said:
"My family has no real standing in the Holy Land. You won't get much ransom from us, but I can point you toward a better target!"
"A few years ago, the captain of the Holy Knights brought back a child named Figarland Shamrock. Go kidnap him!"
"He's worth more than me!!"
Dimon: "..."
When had the Rocks Pirates' reputation become like this?
Just hearing his name had scared Doflamingo this badly. It was a little funny.
Still.
This guy truly was worthy of becoming the man who would dare kill his own father. Even in this situation, he had thought of shifting the trouble onto someone else.
As for the Shamrock he mentioned, he was Shanks's twin brother.
The two had been born in God Valley. After the God Valley Incident erupted five years ago, one had been taken away by the Roger Pirates, while the other had been brought back to the Holy Land by his biological father, Figarland Saint Gorosei.
With none of the Five Elders having a newly born son, the son of the Holy Knights' captain truly was the most valuable kidnapping target.
Wait!
Was I here to kidnap Celestial Dragons?
Dimon had nearly been led astray. This brat really knew how to pick a target. He was almost tempted by the suggestion himself.
Compared to stealing Devil Fruits, directly kidnapping Shamrock seemed much easier.
Thinking of that, Dimon asked with interest:
"You know Shamrock?"
"I've seen him a few times!"
Doflamingo answered quickly. "He often appears in the parks of the Holy Land."
Dimon neither confirmed nor denied it, instead asking:
"Where do you Celestial Dragons keep your Devil Fruits?"
"There are no Devil Fruits in our house."
Doflamingo shook his head.
So it really was for Devil Fruits?
The Elixir of Immortality brewed by Dimon the winemaker used Devil Fruits as its raw material.
The existence of the Elixir of Immortality had also drawn enormous attention among the Celestial Dragons.
Agelessness and immortality were not unusual to Celestial Dragons.
The Five Elders were all ageless and immortal beings. Those five had held the world's highest authority for a very, very long time.
But the Five Elders were too far removed from ordinary Celestial Dragons, who had no right to obtain such power.
The appearance of the Elixir of Immortality, however, brought them another hope.
Thus, Dimon's name was known by everyone in the Holy Land, far more famous than Rocks's.
Countless times, Celestial Dragons from many families had jointly proposed to the Five Elders that they capture Dimon and bring him back!
"If you want many Devil Fruits, just go see the Five Elders. They'll definitely agree to make you a Celestial Dragon."
"Hehehe... what would a brat like you understand?"
Dimon had no interest in explaining it to a little kid and continued asking, "Do you know which family has Devil Fruits?"
"I... don't know. I'm just a child. My father might know."
For the sake of his life, Doflamingo brought up his father.
After a pause, he quickly explained:
"Even among Celestial Dragons, every family has a different status. Our family is only an ordinary Celestial Dragon family."
"Above us are families with members of the Holy Knights. Their status is higher."
"And the families of the Five Elders have the highest status among all Celestial Dragons!"
Celestial Dragons and the people below were as distinct as water and fire.
In the eyes of Celestial Dragons, everyone below was a lowborn commoner, a slave meant to serve them, subject to their life-and-death whims.
But even among Celestial Dragons, there were differences.
The Holy Knights even had the authority to execute ordinary Celestial Dragons!
Doflamingo explained the situation in the Holy Land. After hearing it, Dimon could not help frowning.
Did he have to search from house to house?
Or perhaps directly infiltrate Pangea Castle? There should be stored Devil Fruits in its treasury.
After thinking for a moment, Dimon decided to change strategies.
He had to admit, Doflamingo's suggestion was good. Kidnapping Shamrock for ransom was the easiest approach.
Looks like I'll have to return to my old trade!
With that thought, Dimon extended his right hand, pressed his index and middle fingers together, and touched Doflamingo's chest.
Streaks of black light flashed.
"What did you do to me?"
Doflamingo pulled open his pajamas and looked down. His face immediately turned pale with fright.
A Pentagram Magic Circle had appeared on his chest.
"What is this?"
"Take me to Shamrock tomorrow. For now, you can sleep!"
Dimon's gaze sharpened.
In an instant, Doflamingo's consciousness felt as though it had been struck by a massive bell. His eyes rolled back, and he collapsed into sleep.
After finishing this, Dimon walked to the window and opened it.
He did not completely believe what Doflamingo had said. He would go verify it now.
The next morning.
"Ah!"
Doflamingo jolted awake from his sleep, as though he had had a nightmare.
"Was it a dream? What an awful dream!"
Doflamingo's face was grim as he got up and walked to the full-length mirror. Suddenly recalling something, he lifted his pajamas before his reflection.
"N-No, it wasn't a dream!?"
In the mirror, there was clearly a pitch-black Pentagram Magic Circle on his chest.
Uneasy, he thought, What exactly is this? Should I tell Father?
After pondering for a long time, Doflamingo still did not dare act rashly.
"Damn it, such a big pirate bullying a child like me!"
Doflamingo cursed Dimon in his heart when a maid's voice suddenly came from outside the door.
"Young Master, it's time to get up. The master is already waiting in the dining room."
"Got it!"
Doflamingo snorted, got dressed, and went downstairs for breakfast.
In the dining room, his father, mother, and younger brother were already waiting for him.
As soon as Doflamingo sat down, Donquixote Homingo Saint spoke with a grave expression:
"I had a nightmare last night. I've decided to give up my Celestial Dragon privileges, leave the Holy Land as soon as possible, and go live among the people below."
Clang.
The spoon in Doflamingo's hand fell, and he froze in shock.
Doflamingo, your father will soon abandon his identity as a Celestial Dragon and take your family down to live among the commoners.
Dimon's words from last night echoed deep within his mind.
Was that guy a god? How did he know!?
Before you continue