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"Heavenly Night Fork, it's time to wake up..."
Kicking Doflamingo lightly, Ichi roused him from unconsciousness.
Ichi stood there calmly, glancing at Law and Bepo with a hint of warning in his eyes.
"You damn brat! I'll kill you..."
The moment Doflamingo opened his eyes, an overwhelming murderous aura erupted from him as he prepared to lunge at the Germa brat who had brought him such humiliation.
"Thud!"
However, still cuffed with Seastone handcuffs, he was immediately pinned to the ground by Horton. "Doflamingo, as a prisoner, how dare you be disrespectful to our lord... Understand your situation!"
Horton showed no signs of discomfort despite having his heart swapped. His absolute loyalty to Germa rendered Doflamingo's status as one of the Seven Warlords irrelevant.
"Seastone!? "
Doflamingo's expression changed drastically as realization dawned. He gritted his teeth in frustration. "Damn it!!"
"Your subordinates are already on their way here. Please try to calm down for now..."
Sitting comfortably in a chair brought over by a Germa soldier, Ichi glanced at the disheveled and furious Doflamingo before snapping his fingers. "Horton, invite them aboard."
"Brat, since you didn't take the chance to kill me, what do you want?"
Doflamingo calmed himself slightly, sitting unceremoniously in a nearby chair while coldly staring at Ichi.
With the Seastone cuffs firmly binding his hands, he couldn't unleash his power. No matter how angry or resentful he felt, he had no choice but to submit—for now.
"Despite some unpleasant conflicts that have occurred..."
Taking a towel handed to him by a soldier, Ichi tossed it to Doflamingo and smiled. "I believe that Germa and the Donquixote Family can still cooperate deeply."
"Fufufufu~~~ Taking my subordinate and then wanting to cooperate? Do you think the world works so conveniently?" Catching the towel rudely, Doflamingo wiped his soaked blond hair and rattled the Seastone cuffs with a mocking clang. "Besides, this is hardly proper hospitality."
"If not for being at sea and your carelessness, facing a 'monster' like you would've been quite troublesome..."
Shrugging nonchalantly, Ichi's smile remained unchanged. "After all, if you were to lose control before we reached an agreement, it could cause significant problems."
Beneath his sunglasses, Ichi's gaze grew icy as he glanced at Law standing quietly nearby. Doflamingo smirked bitterly, addressing Law. "Fufufu~~~ Law, does this mean you've betrayed me?" He noticed that Law wasn't bound by Seastone cuffs, and the hostile glare directed at him carried undeniable killing intent.
"Betrayal? I want nothing more than to kill you, Doflamingo..."
Law made no effort to hide his murderous intent and hatred, glaring icily at Doflamingo as rage boiled within him. "You should be grateful this guy stopped me from killing you. Otherwise, even if it cost me my life, I'd slaughter you! To avenge Mr. Corazon!!!"
"Corazon!?"
Doflamingo's brows furrowed as his face darkened, then twisted into a sinister grin. "So that's why you've been hiding all this time? Fufufu~~~ And here we've been searching tirelessly for you!"
His eerie laughter sent shivers down everyone's spines.
Doflamingo finally understood—Law had long betrayed the Donquixote Family. Under Corazon's influence, he harbored an unrelenting hatred toward him.
"What a pity..." Law sneered mockingly.
He refrained from revealing the true secret of the ultimate operation—the Operation of Immortality—even though he suspected Ichi might know something about the Ope Ope no Mi's capabilities. The mere thought of granting eternal life was enough to drive anyone mad.
"My lord invites you aboard..."
Just as Trebol and Diamante hesitated, ready to order their cannons to fire, Horton stepped forward onto the bow of the War House.
"What!?"
"Invite us aboard? Is this a trap?"
Trebol and the others were stunned, their expressions wavering with suspicion.
They hadn't expected Germa to refrain from attacking and instead extend an invitation.
"Trebol, be wary of a trick..." Diamante's expression shifted uneasily, fearing it might be a ploy.
"I know, but..."
Trebol hesitated as well.
Still, they couldn't abandon Doflamingo. His survival represented their "hope." Over the years, they'd enjoyed the luxurious treatment of high-ranking executives under the Donquixote Family—a position just below Doflamingo himself. Free from fear of the Marines or rival pirates, their indulgent lifestyle had become addictive, making it impossible to let go.
"I advise you—if you still wish for Doflamingo to leave alive—don't do anything foolish!" Horton's stern voice cut through the tension.
In truth, even without Ichi present, it would've been nearly impossible for Trebol and the others to rescue Doflamingo. Germa's War House was a scientific war machine; its firepower far surpassed their pirate ship tenfold. Even direct cannon hits wouldn't dent the massive vessel. Engaging in naval combat against it would be suicide!
"Damn it..."
Gritting their teeth, Diamante and Trebol ordered their men to inform Pica and the other executives back in Dressrosa. For Doflamingo's safety, they reluctantly boarded the War House.
But the moment they stepped aboard, they realized they may have misjudged the situation.
Doflamingo sat casually in a chair, seemingly engaged in conversation with Ichi. Though drenched and looking somewhat disheveled, he appeared unharmed.
"Fufufufu~~~ Germa and the Donquixote Family already have numerous business dealings..."
Doflamingo scrutinized Ichi carefully, his tone tinged with suspicion. "I fail to see how we can deepen our cooperation further. If you haven't killed me yet, it must mean you have other intentions."
"No opportunities now don't mean there won't be any in the future, right?"
Pouring two glasses of red wine, Ichi handed one to Doflamingo and chuckled lightly.