"Fufufufu... Rosinante, you betrayed me?"
Rosinante remained silent.
"Why?" Doflamingo asked, "What have I done to wrong you?"
Rosinante looked at him, a complex emotion flashing in his eyes.
" Doffy, you don't understand."
"What don't you understand?"
"That child... he just wanted to live."
"When he wanted to join the Donquixote Family, his ferocious eyes were just like yours when you were a child!"
I don't want him to become the next you!
Doflamingo's smile vanished completely.
He stared at Rosinante, his eyes filled with disappointment.
"Is this your reason for betraying your family for a brat?"
"Family?" Rosinante gave a wry smile. " Doffy, your so-called family is nothing but a tool."
Doflamingo's expression completely changed.
He raised his hand, his five fingers slightly curled.
The silk threads gathered at the fingertips.
" Rosinante, I'll ask you one more time—where is the Op-Op Fruit?"
Rosinante looked at him and shook his head.
I told you, I've already eaten.
Doflamingo's patience finally ran out.
He raised his gun and pointed it at Rosinante.
The cold muzzle of a gun was pressed against his chest.
"I'll ask you one last time—where are you?"
Rosinante did not answer.
He simply turned his head and looked at the box in the corner.
That glance was so gentle.
Then he smiled.
" Doffy, fire."
Doflamingo's finger was on the trigger.
His eyes were filled with struggle.
But ultimately--
Bang.
Gunshots rang out in the silence.
The bullet pierced Rosinante's chest, and blood gushed out.
He swayed, leaned against the wall, and slowly slid down.
The cigarette butt fell to the ground, sparks flew, and then it went out.
Doflamingo stood there, gun in hand, his hand trembling.
He looked at Rosinante, his eyes full of confusion.
"Why..."
Rosinante did not answer.
He leaned against the wall, blood gushing from the hole in his chest.
Blood trickled from the corner of his mouth, but he was still smiling.
That smile was very calm.
" Doffy," his voice was soft, "You seek immortality, you seek power."
"But I only want to save that child."
Doflamingo's face twisted in pain.
He gritted his teeth, his eyes blazing with anger.
"A child I don't even know? Is he worth betraying me? Worthy of dying?"
Rosinante did not answer.
He looked at the box in the corner, his eyes filled with tenderness.
Luo was hiding inside.
As long as he doesn't make a sound, no one will notice.
The barrier of the Calm-Calm Fruit will protect him.
Doflamingo followed his gaze and frowned.
He walked to the corner and looked at the box.
What's inside?
Rosinante's heart clenched suddenly.
But his face remained calm.
"It's nothing," he said. "Just some junk."
Doflamingo stared at the box for a few seconds, then turned away.
He didn't notice.
Rosinante breathed a sigh of relief.
" Rosinante," Doflamingo walked back, squatted down, and looked at him, "I'll ask you one more time—where exactly is the Op-Op Fruit?"
Rosinante looked at him and smiled.
"I told you, that child ate it. It should be on the warship now."
Doflamingo stared into his eyes, trying to find a trace of a lie.
But Rosinante's eyes remained calm.
He was so calm, unlike someone who was about to die.
"You..." Doflamingo's voice was hoarse, "Are you really not afraid of death?"
Rosinante coughed twice and spat out a mouthful of blood.
"I'm afraid," he said, "But some things are more important than death."
Doflamingo fell silent.
He stood up and looked down at his former "younger brother".
His eyes were filled with complex emotions.
" Rosinante, you have disappointed me greatly."
He turned and walked towards the door.
He stopped at the door without turning his head.
" Trebol, search this island. Dig three feet into the ground, find that child."
"Yes."
Trebol left with Diamante and Pica.
Doflamingo has left too.
Inside the room, only Rosinante and Ro, who was hiding in the box, remained.
Rosinante leaned against the wall, his breathing growing weaker and weaker.
His consciousness began to blur, and the scene before him gradually darkened.
But he was still clinging to life.
He must not die.
You can't die yet.
Luo is still in the box.
He wanted to wait for Luo to come out.
We need to confirm that Luo has left safely.
want...
"Mr. Corazon..."
Law, who witnessed everything from inside the box, was already sobbing uncontrollably. If Corazon hadn't maintained the power of the Calm-Calm Fruit,...
It's likely that Law was exposed the moment Doflamingo fired his gun.
Luo pushed open the box lid and climbed out.
His face was covered in tears, and his eyes were frighteningly red.
"Mr. Corazon..."
He ran to Rosinante's side, squatted down, looked at the bloody hole, and frantically tried to cover the wound.
But there was too much blood, and it couldn't be stopped.
He wanted to use his Devil Fruit ability again, but his depleted stamina was completely insufficient for him to open the Operating Room once more.
"Don't... don't cry..."
Rosinante's voice was very soft, as if he had used up his last bit of strength.
He raised his hand and ruffled Luo's hair.
"You... must live..."
Luo shook his head desperately, "No... don't die... don't die..."
Rosinante smiled.
That smile was so gentle.
"Luo, listen to this..."
He took a deep breath, his voice broken and intermittent.
"The ultimate ability of the Op-Op Fruit... is the Eternal Youth Surgery..."
"At the cost of the ability user's life... to grant another person eternal life..."
"That's why... the World Government offered such an exorbitant price of five billion..."
Luo was stunned.
"But you mustn't use..." Rosinante looked at him, "That ability... never use it..."
You must live... not for others... but for yourself...
You are free... No one can force you...
" Doflamingo... that bastard... one day... someone will defeat him..."
"Until then... you must live well..."
Luo's tears flowed uncontrollably.
He opened his mouth, as if to say something, but his throat seemed blocked, and he couldn't utter a single word.
Rosinante's hand slid off his head.
"Mr. Corazon?"
There was no response.
"Mr. Corazon!"
There has still been no response.
Luo threw himself onto Rosinante and burst into tears.
But the barrier of the Calm-Calm Fruit remained, and his cries could not be heard.
Only he himself could hear it.
The cries were heart-wrenching.
Doflamingo stood in the center of the town, his face grim.
Trebol and his men searched the entire island, but they couldn't find the child.
" Doffy, we can't find him." Trebol shook his head. "He was probably really taken away by the Navy."
Doflamingo remained silent.
He looked up and gazed in the direction of the port.
There, a dilapidated warship was docking.
The navy has arrived.
"Fufufufu..." Doflamingo laughed, but the laugh was chillingly cold. "The Navy arrived quite quickly."
He turned around and looked at the cadres behind him.
"Prepare for battle."
"Yes!"