The port town currently served as the main base for the Donquixote Pirates. By now, the Donquixote Family was making serious waves in the North Blue, their influence rising like the midday sun. Consequently, plenty of people looking to make a name for themselves were scrambling to join, practically sharpening their heads to squeeze through the door. Most, however, were merely opportunists, fair-weather friends drawn by the Family's burgeoning reputation, hoping to ride their coattails to some semblance of status.
But would Diamante, Doflamingo's ever-attentive chief steward, be unaware of such motives? Diamante understood his Young Master well; he knew Doflamingo looked down on such riff-raff. Yet, Doflamingo was the leader, and a leader couldn't function without underlings to handle the grunt work.
While Doflamingo himself might not pay attention, Diamante couldn't afford to ignore it. Thus, he largely turned a blind eye to the applicants' motivations. Regardless of why they joined, once they were in, loyalty became the absolute priority. Betrayal meant death. No matter where a traitor ran, they would be hunted down and eliminated.
Though this iron fist scared some away, others genuinely wished to join. These were mostly restless young people, unwilling to accept a life of mediocrity, who saw no hope within the established Five Families. After dominating the North Blue for so long, the Five Families had become entrenched enterprises; outsiders found it incredibly difficult to climb their ranks. So, these ambitious individuals turned their gaze to the newly emerged Donquixote Family, seeing a chance to prove themselves.
Since the North Blue under the Five Families' control had grown stagnant for too long, perhaps it was time to stir things up. A new power challenging the old guard – winner takes all. Who would emerge as the ultimate victor?
With Doflamingo's year-and-a-half "master class" concluded, Enel and Pica were preparing to lead their own teams and sweep across the North Blue. They were eager for action after eighteen months of monotonous training – endless running, grueling lightning tempering, sparring, and getting beaten up. Again, and again. It had been utterly boring.
Ibes had also completed the course, but she wasn't being deployed into combat like the other executives yet. Doflamingo understood she likely hadn't overcome the psychological barrier required. Asking her to kill was currently impossible. So, Doflamingo had no specific assignment for her for the time being; she would stay by his side.
Doflamingo's interest in North Blue talent was largely confined to the members of his original crew. He wasn't particularly concerned about uncovering other hidden powerhouses and didn't believe he'd stumble upon any ridiculously overpowered, 'bug-level' individuals anyway.
For their next excursion, Doflamingo planned to show Ibes the true hellscape of the North Blue. Since she had joined a pirate crew, she needed the corresponding mindset. What kind of pirate hasn't seen blood? Was this supposed to be playing house? Would she be like Luffy, only knocking enemies down but never killing? Ridiculous. Piracy was drenched in blood – it was kill or be killed! Luffy was, at best, an adventurer, one chasing a dream. Real pirates fought tooth and nail across the seas for higher status and greater power, carving out bloody paths for themselves.
Doflamingo knew that a kind-hearted person like Ibes would inevitably hesitate when faced with this brutal reality, unable to strike a lethal blow. To help her break through this mental obstacle and witness bloodshed firsthand, Doflamingo kept her close, planning to orchestrate the perfect 'lesson'. And when it came to lawless places, nowhere was more suitable than the depths of the North Blue underworld. By letting Ibes personally witness the ugliness of the world, she would be forced to grow.
Doflamingo and Ibes walked casually down the main street, openly visible to everyone.
"God," Ibes asked, voicing the question in her heart, "is there something we need to do this time?"
"We don't need to do anything," Doflamingo replied. "You just need to watch carefully."
"Watch? Yes, I will," Ibes affirmed earnestly.
Doflamingo led her away from the crowded thoroughfare, turning into a deep alleyway. Few people frequented this place; it was a gathering spot for thugs and hooligans, rarely visited by ordinary citizens. It was also a prime location for criminals to operate. Even on the busy main streets, if slave traders targeted you, escape was unlikely.
This was precisely Doflamingo's intent: to show Ibes the world's vileness. Only by clearly recognizing this reality could one live with clarity, free from blind innocence and naive kindness. Everyone possessed kindness, but it needed to be directed selectively.
Thugs leaned lazily against the alley walls. As Doflamingo and Ibes entered, their eyes gradually lit up – the unmistakable gleam of predators spotting prey. Doflamingo knew that look all too well, but he paid it no mind. Ants, nothing more.
Ibes, however, observed her surroundings with curious eyes, diligently following Doflamingo's instruction to watch.
To her, the main street had been bustling and bright. Yet, this deep alley reeked of filth and chaos. The people here lived harsh lives – beggars, thugs, all manner of desperate souls... Is this reality? Having lived on a Sky Island, Ibes had rarely encountered such scenes. Birka, after all, had been peaceful.
"Ibes," Doflamingo's voice cut through her thoughts, low and laden with meaning. "The rest of this path, you walk alone. Deeper inside, there are women and children suffering who need rescuing. Can you handle it by yourself?"
"Alone?" Ibes hesitated, apprehension flickering in her eyes. After a moment's pause, she nodded firmly. "Yes, I can. I will definitely save them."
"Good." Doflamingo seemed satisfied with her resolve. "I'll leave first, then. I look forward to seeing you rescue those people." With that, he vanished instantly, likely using Soru or Geppo to meld into a dark shadow, undetected by Ibes.
Seeing Doflamingo gone, Ibes took a deep breath. She patted her delicate cheeks with pale hands, giving herself a small pep talk.
"You can do this, Ibes. You're not just a decoration. You absolutely cannot disappoint God's expectations."
Steeling herself, Ibes walked deeper into the alley alone, immediately drawing the attention of numerous unsavory characters.
"Whoa, look what we have here! Prime goods!"
"Heheh, little beauty, come play with us!"
"Let big brother take good care of you... I guarantee a taste you'll never forget, heheh..."
Three lechers, captivated by Ibes's beauty, made the first move, launching their crass verbal assault while preparing to grab her. Their methods were crude and low-class, but brutally effective against defenseless women. See something you like? Just take it. Simple and direct.
Ibes looked at the foul-mouthed delinquents, her expression an undisguised mask of contempt and disgust.
The thugs were slightly surprised by her reaction. Usually, women would be terrified, stammering "no" while their bodies betrayed their fear, eventually submitting to their tormentors.
"Ooh, a bold little beauty, huh? Don't worry, brothers will love you real good."
"Yeah, yeah, don't be scared."
"Heheh, here we come!"
The three thugs lunged, intending to embrace Ibes tightly and 'cherish' her.
"Scram!"
With lightning-fast kicks, Ibes sent the lunging thugs literally flying through the air. They traced parabolic arcs before landing face-first on the ground, performing an impromptu kissing ritual with the dirty alley floor.
"She's trouble! Brothers, let's bounce!"
The downed trio realized this beautiful woman was not someone they could mess with and scrambled to retreat.
Ibes didn't pursue them. She simply watched them go.
"Still too soft-hearted, too kind," Doflamingo thought, observing everything from the shadows. "Even though they offended her, she couldn't bring herself to finish them. That won't do." He shook his head mentally. "This world, which looks so beautiful on the surface, hides deep darkness beneath its prosperity. It's not that simple. Hopefully, everything you encounter next will help you make the necessary choice of fate... sooner rather than later."
For Ibes, it was merely a minor interruption. Putting it out of her mind, she prepared to continue the mission assigned to her by 'God'.