Chapter 27

Given Saint Dio's personality, by then it likely wouldn't be a simple protest or dissatisfaction-he would truly turn against them.

So the Five Elders chose another approach: to grant Saint Dio conveniences in various matters, selling him a personal favor.

That way, when the time truly came to use Stussy's abilities, they would at least have room to bring it up, without provoking Saint Dio's resentment.

This was a long-term emotional investment, and what the Five Elders had most in abundance was patience.

Chapter 41: Be My Dog

Having received Fleet Admiral Kong's approval, Vice Admiral Tsuru still harbored doubts, but military orders were absolute-all the more so since this was an order issued personally by the Five Elders.

She took a deep look at the white figure on the deck, then slowly lowered her raised hand and said in a low voice to her adjutant beside her, "Let's go."

The warship turned around, gradually receding into the distance, disappearing at the end of the sea's horizon.

Stussy watched the warship depart, then lightly tapped her toe on the deck, her figure landing steadily on the pirate ship shaped like a flamingo.

The instant she landed, the Donquixote Family members on the deck immediately became alert, several blades and guns all leveling at her in unison.

A few of the bolder pirates, seeing Stussy's shapely figure and fair skin, couldn't help but reveal lecherous grins, their mouths running filthy as they hollered, "Yo, where'd this little woman come from? Pretty good-looking, too! Coming onto our ship, you must want the brothers to give you a good-"

Before he could finish, a transparent thread flashed in the sunlight.

The man who had spoken cut off mid-sentence, the lecherous grin still on his face as his upper body slowly slid down along a smooth diagonal line, his organs and blood splattering across the ground with a splash.

The surrounding people instantly fell silent, backing away one after another, clearing an open space.

Doflamingo slowly retracted his finger and pushed up the sunglasses on the bridge of his nose. "A subordinate with no eye for things is useless to keep."

Trebol dragged his sticky body over to Doflamingo's side and asked in a lowered voice, "Doffy, what's this woman's background?"

"Cipher Pol Aigis Zero." Doflamingo's voice was low and steady. "An intelligence agency directly under the Celestial Dragons."

The moment the words "Celestial Dragons" left his mouth, Trebol's gaze involuntarily flicked to Doflamingo's expression, then he tactfully shut his mouth and asked no more.

Stussy turned a blind eye to the bloody scene that had just occurred, merely calmly straightening the collar that the sea breeze had mussed, then gave Doflamingo a slight nod and spoke: "My master would like you to come over for a meeting."

Doflamingo was silent for a moment, his gaze behind the sunglasses flickering uncertainly.

Someone who could make Vice Admiral Tsuru withdraw, and could also command a Cipher Pol Aigis Zero member to run errands and deliver messages.

It showed that this Celestial Dragon was by no means the kind of trash who knew nothing but to live a life of drunken revelry in Mary Geoise.

Even among the Celestial Dragons, he had to be someone with real power.

Could it be someone from the Holy Knights?

He calculated rapidly in his mind, and finally nodded. "Fine."

Diamante, dressed in his chieftain's attire, stepped forward and asked in a low voice, "Doffy, want me to follow?"

"No need." Doflamingo waved his hand.

Then, with a slight movement of his fingertip, a transparent thread shot from his finger and stuck to the gunwale of the treasure ship in the distance.

He gave a light pull, and his whole body rose into the air like a pink flamingo, tracing an elegant arc before landing on the deck of Saint Dio's treasure ship.

Stussy followed close behind, landing lightly on the deck, then led the way ahead, passing through the corridor to the door of the dining room located deep within the ship's cabin.

She pushed open the carved wooden door, stepped aside, and made a "please" gesture.

Doflamingo strode into the dining room.

The lighting inside was warm and soft, a long dining table draped in a pure white tablecloth, set with silver cutlery and crystal wine glasses.

At the very center of the table, in the seat of honor, sat a White Hair youth, unhurriedly wiping the corner of his mouth with a pure white napkin.

At his side, a black-haired woman of stunning beauty was pouring him a glass of deep red wine.

And behind him, two tall women held naginata, standing to his left and right like a pair of door gods, staring coldly toward the doorway.

After leading the way, Stussy also silently walked over to stand behind the White Hair youth, then reached out and pressed down on the head of a little girl beside her who seemed eager to step forward, stopping her restless behavior.

Doflamingo stood at the doorway, his gaze crossing the long dining table to meet those black eyes in the seat of honor from afar.

He was silent for a moment, then split his mouth into his signature grin.

"Fufufu... now this is truly an unexpected invitation. Having a Celestial Dragon come to my rescue-what an honor."

Saint Dio didn't look at him directly.

He raised the crystal wine glass before him, took a light sip of the deep red wine, while his gaze slanted toward his side.

Hancock's long, fair legs gleamed like ivory under the light, and his palm stealthily reached over beneath the table, covering that smooth, delicate skin and stroking it gently.

Hancock's expression didn't change, as if the hand roaming over her thigh didn't exist at all, still maintaining that noble, cold, aloof posture, eyes fixed straight ahead.

Saint Dio set down his wine glass, too lazy to exchange another half-sentence of pleasantries, and laid out his intent bluntly: "Doflamingo, I helped you out of a tight spot, not because I had nothing better to do. From today on, you're going to be my dog."

The moment the words left his mouth, the air in the dining room instantly froze.

The smile on Doflamingo's face slowly faded, replaced by a cold, icy gloom.

His hands opened slightly, his ten fingers curved like claws, transparent threads faintly flickering at his fingertips under the light-the String-String Fruit could be activated at any moment.

He stared at Saint Dio and asked, "What... do you mean by that?"

Seeing this, Hancock's brows and eyes also lowered slightly, a trace of coldness flashing through those black eyes.

Without any outward sign, she spread her legs a little wider.

Not for anything else, but to better exert force.

The moment Doflamingo dared make any move, one kick from her would be enough to snap his neck.

However, this action of spreading her legs actually made things easier for Saint Dio.

His palm slid along accordingly to the inner side of her thigh, slowly stroking that softer, more delicate skin.

Saint Dio's expression remained composed, not noticing at all the killing intent that Doflamingo could barely contain. He continued: "I know about your affairs. I need a spokesman in the Underworld, and you barely qualify."

Doflamingo narrowed his eyes, was silent for a moment, then slowly spoke: "The Underworld? A lofty Celestial Dragon, interested in a place like that too? Is Cipher Pol Aigis Zero not enough for you?"

As he spoke, his gaze drifted vaguely toward Stussy behind Saint Dio.

"No." Saint Dio's answer was short and blunt. "This is my personal business."

Doflamingo fell silent.

His mind was racing.

The matter had come too suddenly, he had too few clues, and for the moment he still couldn't judge this White Hair youth's true intentions and hidden cards.

But he was a clever man, and he keenly smelled the opportunity contained within.

No matter what purpose this Celestial Dragon had in seeking him out, as long as he got on the other's ship, the Donquixote Family could use the chance to absorb nourishment and rapidly grow stronger.

This deal, no matter how you looked at it, wasn't a loss.

He weighed it for a moment, and finally retracted his spread fingers, resuming that flippant posture, and grinned: "Fufufu... interesting. Go on, what do you need me to do for you?"

Saint Dio's fingers tapped lightly on Hancock's thigh and stated his demand: "I want to get into the arms trade."

Hearing this, Doflamingo's heart stirred slightly.

The arms trade was precisely the field he was currently actively positioning himself in.

If he could ride this Celestial Dragon's coattails, both in channels and in supply, he would gain tremendous assistance.

He didn't hesitate long before nodding. "Fine."

"Also," Saint Dio added, "I need you to collect Devil Fruits for me. One a year, type unrestricted, but the quality can't be too poor."

Doflamingo's brow furrowed slightly.

Devil Fruits were the kind of thing that couldn't be sought, only encountered-prices were high and supply unstable, and one a year was no low demand.

But it wasn't impossible either.

With his connections and channels in the Underworld, as long as he was willing to spend money, he could always get his hands on them.

He pondered for a moment, and finally nodded. "Deal."

Chapter 42: Her Figure Is Developing Really Well

The two sides' intention to cooperate was thus settled.

Although Saint Dio had bluntly said "be my dog" at the opening, Doflamingo was clearly a realist who knew how to weigh pros and cons.

He pretended not to have heard that remark, and with his signature wicked grin, turned and left the dining room.

As his figure disappeared beyond the cabin door, the atmosphere in the dining room relaxed somewhat.

Hancock tilted her head slightly, a trace of puzzlement in those black eyes, and asked, "Lord Saint Dio, why seek cooperation with a man like that? With Sister Stussy here, surely she could handle matters of intelligence and Underworld channels, couldn't she?"

Saint Dio's hand didn't stop because the conversation had ended-instead it continued upward along the inner side of Hancock's thigh, his fingertips tracing across that layer of delicate, smooth skin, finally reaching that soft core.

His entire palm cupped over it, a full, soft sensation coming through his palm, like a freshly steamed bun, plump and bulging, both soft and springy.

His fingers fiddled with it a few times, then followed through to grasp that round, perky buttock, unhurriedly kneading it, feeling that astonishing elasticity out of proportion to her age.

Hancock's breathing paused slightly, but her face still maintained that cold, aloof, composed expression.

Saint Dio, enjoying the soft sensation in his palm, explained offhandedly, "Stussy is in charge of intelligence affairs. If she were also made to manage the Underworld channels, her energy would inevitably be stretched too thin. And..." He paused, his fingers giving Hancock's buttock a light pinch, "this move is an unexpected gain, not part of the plan. Just consider it a casual piece placed on the board-best if it's useful, no matter if it isn't."

It was worth noting that although Hancock was only twelve this year, the rate of human physical development in the pirate world clearly couldn't be measured by common sense.

Her figure had already begun to show full curves, her chest had obvious swells, her waist was slender and supple, yet her buttocks had already risen into round arcs.

Even Saint Dio himself was only fourteen, yet his height already exceeded one meter eighty, and he was still growing.

At this rate, breaking the two-meter mark in the future wouldn't be difficult at all.

Saint Dio turned his gaze to Stussy and instructed, "Next, the liaison with Doflamingo's side is yours. Mainly provide intelligence support, focus on monitoring changes in his organizational structure and the movements of his personnel-I want to know his every move."

Stussy gave a slight nod and said, "As you command, Master. I'll keep a close eye on him."

As for Doflamingo, Saint Dio truly didn't hold great expectations.

This was merely an accidental encounter, not part of his original plan-at most a casual piece on the board.

Even without his intervention, Doflamingo could have escaped Vice Admiral Tsuru's grasp on his own merits; he had merely done him a casual favor.

Still, then again, Doflamingo was, after all, a core figure of a major future arc-the resources and intelligence network in his hands, and those coveted Devil Fruits, were all worth Saint Dio investing some effort in him.

Especially-the Op-Op Fruit.

That legendary fruit, possessing the ability to grant others eternal life.

Although the Op-Op Fruit's true value lay in performing the "Eternal Youth Surgery," at the cost of the user's own life, that didn't stop Saint Dio from harboring a deep interest in it.

After all, eternal life had always been one of his ultimate pursuits.

Doflamingo had countless ties to the Op-Op Fruit; as long as he kept a close eye on him, it was possible to intercept intelligence on that fruit at a critical moment, or even take it directly into his own hands.

This casual piece on the board might, in the future, play an unexpectedly significant role.

Saint Dio stood up, casually giving Hancock's buttock a light slap that produced a crisp sound. "All right, Hancock, come with me."

Hancock asked nothing, silently stood up, and followed behind Saint Dio through the corridor into the bedroom located at the deepest part of the cabin. The door slowly closed behind them, shutting out the clamor and light of the outside world.

The taming of a slave had to start from childhood. Although Hancock was no longer the weak, bullied young girl she once was, that obedience carved into her bones still needed further consolidation and deepening.

Saint Dio turned around to face Hancock.

He reached out and unhurriedly undid the ties of her qipao, peeling the garment from her shoulders, revealing smooth, round shoulders and delicate collarbones.

Next came the undergarments, one after another falling to the floor, soon piling into a small heap.

Hancock stood naked under the dim light, and Saint Dio took her hand, leading her to the bed.

Hancock sat with her back to Saint Dio, in his embrace, her back pressed close against his firm chest.

She could feel his steady, powerful heartbeat, and the faint scent about him.

Saint Dio's hands came around from behind her, beginning to roam over her body.

First her flat, smooth belly, his fingertips drawing circles on it, feeling the faint rise and fall of her breathing beneath that taut skin.

Then slowly moving upward, covering those two already rather sizable soft mounds, kneading them neither too hard nor too soft, feeling that fullness and elasticity out of proportion to her age.

His fingertips pinched the two tender cherries at the tips, lifting them gently, rubbing them, feeling them gradually harden and stand upright between his finger pads.

Hancock's breathing grew rapid, her body temperature gradually rising, a faint flush spreading across her bare skin.