Having grasped Doflamingo's intention, Ibes decided she couldn't let these people live. Keeping them alive would only bring more suffering. Rather than let them continue to waste precious resources, it was better to cleanse the world of their presence.
"Let's start with the main culprit," Ibes murmured, her gaze fixed on the direction the red-haired woman had fled.
Doflamingo heard her whisper. He raised his hand and placed it gently on Ibes's head, ruffling her hair affectionately.
"Go on. She hasn't gone far."
"Mm," Ibes affirmed, her resolve firm. She immediately set off in pursuit of the woman.
Watching Ibes depart, a faint smile touched Doflamingo's lips.
Now, only Doflamingo and the former captives remained. The slaves watched the others leave, their faces still blank, lost in a daze.
"You are free now."
With those words, Doflamingo vanished in an instant, leaving the slaves behind.
He didn't concern himself with the fate of these broken individuals. In this world, the only person you could truly rely on was yourself. Doflamingo had granted them freedom; whether they could seize the opportunity was up to them. He wasn't a saint; useless people held little value in his eyes. Would these former slaves grasp this chance to escape their sea of suffering? He didn't know, but suspected many would likely perish.
Ultimately, they had no one to blame but themselves. If they harbored resentment, it should be directed inward—resentment for their own lack of strength. The weak were destined to be oppressed at the bottom rung of society. Only the strong could control their own fate.
Terrified by Doflamingo, the red-haired woman had fled like a scalded cat, desperate to put distance between herself and that dreadful place.
"Can't believe I provoked a Devil Fruit user... this is completely screwed! No choice, gotta hide out for a while," she muttered frantically as she ran.
Her plan was to abandon this base, lie low, and wait for the trouble to blow over. Good things come to those who wait, and her life was paramount. Her calculations were meticulous, but unfortunately, fate had other plans.
The woman's speed wasn't slow, but it all depended on who she was being compared to.
Ibes, moving at full speed, rapidly closed the distance.
Hearing the commotion behind her, the woman glanced back. Seeing Ibes gaining on her, her expression turned ugly.
"Damn that woman! Sooner or later, I'll make you properly enjoy my 'love'!" she thought venomously, her legs pumping even faster. The fear Doflamingo instilled in her was still potent, terrified he might be chasing her. Besides, Ibes's own combat strength was clearly significant, and the boss was a strategist, not a brawler. Fighting wasn't her forte.
"It's useless! You can't escape!" Ibes called out, annoyed by the woman's desperate flight.
The woman had no intention of wasting breath or energy talking. She ignored Ibes and focused solely on running for her life.
The gap between them dwindled rapidly. Seeing this, Ibes hesitated no longer.
"Soru!"
In an instant, she appeared directly in the woman's path, blocking her way.
Seeing Ibes materialize before her, the woman's face fell. She knew, deep down, that escape was impossible now.
With striking decisiveness, the woman dropped to her knees without a shred of hesitation. Her face crumpled into a mask of misery as she sobbed, "Milady, please, spare me! I didn't want to do this! Circumstances forced my hand! How can a weak woman like me survive otherwise? I'm just a grunt, obeying orders! If you want justice, punish the big shots behind the scenes! Who understands the hardships of a small fry like me?"
Her words were heartfelt, her emotions raw. Ibes hesitated, a pang of pity stirring within her despite everything. The woman's actions were heinous, but she was also clearly manipulated by others, and her life had been undeniably harsh.
Head bowed low in supposed supplication, the woman subtly watched Ibes through her tear-filled lashes. Seeing the flicker of softness in Ibes's expression, she knew her chance had come.
In the instant Ibes wavered, the woman's face transformed. She whipped out an exquisite pistol from her clothes and fired point-blank at Ibes, multiple shots echoing in the confined space.
"Die, damn you! This is how the world works, you naive woman! Remember this for your next life—don't be so trusting!" the woman shrieked, her face alight with manic triumph. She was the victor.
Years spent navigating the underworld had honed her acting skills to perfection. Though her own strength was mediocre, her treacherous mind and cunning tricks had brought down many opponents far stronger than herself.
Ibes had been deceived by the performance. In that moment of compassion, the woman seized the opening, delivering a harsh slap of reality.
Dodging gunfire at such close range completely was nearly impossible. Ibes could only twist her body desperately, trying to minimize the damage.
Watching from the shadows, Doflamingo merely shook his head slightly. He had no intention of intervening. Ibes had already avoided fatal danger; at most, she'd suffer minor injuries. Let it be a lesson etched into her memory.
One bullet tore through Ibes's arm, drawing a stream of crimson blood. The other shots zipped harmlessly past her, disappearing without a trace.
"Damn it! How are you not dead?! Why won't you just die!" the woman cursed furiously, seeing Ibes dodge her surprise attack.
Bang! Bang! Bang!
The acrid smell of gunpowder filled the air as the woman vented her rage, emptying the clip towards Ibes.
Though sharp pain flared from her wounded arm, Ibes was no longer a target the woman could hit.
"Soru!"
Effortlessly dodging the remaining bullets, Ibes closed the distance in a flash. With a swift motion, she slapped the pistol from the woman's hand, sending it clattering away. Her uninjured hand clamped around the woman's throat.
The fight was over in an instant. The woman hadn't stood a chance.
As the dust settled, the woman dangled limply in Ibes's grasp, disbelief etched on her face. She couldn't comprehend how easily she'd been caught, played like a puppet.
"Spare me... Milady... I'll give you anything you want... just let me live!" the woman choked out, struggling desperately, clinging to the hope that Ibes might show mercy.
"I'm sorry," Ibes said, her voice tinged with apology, even as her grip tightened relentlessly. "But I cannot let you go today. Even though... I don't want to do this."
"No... don't... spare... spare me..." Deprived of air, the woman's struggles became frantic. Her limbs flailed wildly, kicking and hitting Ibes's body, using every last ounce of strength in a desperate bid to break free.
Ibes squeezed her eyes shut, unable to watch, though her hand remained firm.
Gradually, the struggles weakened, then ceased altogether. Silence fell.
Sensing the stillness, Ibes slowly opened her eyes. She looked at the woman in her hand. Tear tracks stained the scarred face. Had she felt remorse in her final moments? Ibes couldn't know.
She released her grip. The lifeless body slumped to the ground.
"Oof—retch!"
The visceral reality of taking a life hit Ibes full force. Turning away, she doubled over and vomited violently, the physical revulsion momentarily overshadowing the pain in her arm. A storm of conflicting emotions raged within her.
After a long moment, having emptied her stomach, Ibes straightened up and composed herself. Whatever happened now, she had made her choice, and she had to accept the consequences. Her hands were stained with blood now. How much more blood would stain them in the future? Would she, eventually, grow numb to it all?
Doflamingo watched silently from the shadows, a silent guardian observing Ibes's ordeal.
This was the nature of the world. Men may mean the tiger no harm, but the tiger certainly means to harm men. If you didn't want to be killed, you needed power. Without strength, you couldn't protect anything, least of all yourself.
"Grow stronger, slowly," Doflamingo thought, his voice a low whisper only he could hear. "You've only seen the barest surface of this world. Naive fools don't live long here."
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