(T/N: Please consider reviewing this Fanfic, Thanks and appreciate all who support me)
(T/N: Enjoy!!)
<><><><><><>
The sudden figure that appeared aboard the Moby Dick was none other than Donquixote Doflamingo, one of the Seven Warlords of the Sea, known by the codename "Flamingo."
Naturally, the Whitebeard Pirates didn't greet him kindly—after all, during the Paramount War, this man had even struck down some of their own.
Though he was a pirate himself, he was nothing like them. Most pirates saw the Warlords as nothing more than traitors—tools of the World Government.
Even with immense power and influence, they were widely regarded as inferior by their peers.
"Fuffuffuffuffu…You all seem surprised to see me," Doflamingo said, licking his lips with a faint, cryptic smile. Then, his gaze shifted directly to Ace.
"Did you really think you could slip past the Marines' surveillance?" His words made Ace, Marco, and the others tense up immediately.
"You've really underestimated that man's capabilities." Doflamingo shook his head, eyes filled with mockery as he swept his gaze across the group with an air of superiority.
"Without Whitebeard," he sneered, "you lot are nothing but small fry. I could wipe you out alone." That comment infuriated Marco and the others.
"Then allow us to see what you're capable of!" Flower Sword Vista drew his twin blades, his voice icy.
Marco's face turned dark, flames igniting across his body as a single wing unfolded behind him. His eyes were like those of a predator staring down prey.
"We're not in the mood to play, Doflamingo," Ace growled, flames bursting to life on his right arm with a sharp hiss.
Every commander present exuded killing intent, glaring at Doflamingo with undisguised hostility.
To storm aboard the Moby Dick alone took guts, that much was true. But the hatred between them ran far too deep. His arrogant tone only fueled their fury.
"Fuffuffuffuffu! Let's see what you broken remnants are truly capable of!"
Doflamingo's eyes gleamed, though his smile bloomed like a flower. If Whitebeard were still alive, he wouldn't have dared to set foot on this ship.
Whitebeard was a king of his era—his strength worthy of fear. Even Doflamingo had to admit he wouldn't stand a chance then. But now?
He smirked, eyes brimming with disdain.
"Take down this arrogant bastard! You picked the wrong place to act tough, punk!" This is the Whitebeard Pirates!!"
The shouts came all at once as several figures lunged forward. First among them was Marco.
As he charged, flames erupted from his body and brilliant wings spread wide—he had transformed into the Phoenix.
When he reached within three meters of Doflamingo, he flipped in midair and brought his claw crashing down toward Doflamingo's forehead.
"Phoenix Brand!"
Doflamingo raised his head and grinned. He lifted his right hand, extended a single finger, and met Marco's strike head-on.
Crack!
Black and red lightning erupted violently from the point of impact. An overwhelming, domineering aura surged outward.
"What is this?!"
Everyone who had charged forward froze in shock. Ace's pupils contracted as he stared at the black and red flickering around Doflamingo's fingertip.
Woooosh!
A second later, the storm-like aura swept through their ranks, chilling their souls to the core.
"Conqueror's Haki!!!" Vista and the others stared wide-eyed, stunned at what they were witnessing.
He had stopped Marco's attack with just a finger. His strength was beyond anything they'd expected.
Even more frightening was the continuous surge of overwhelming pressure radiating from him—an unmistakable sign of Advanced Conqueror's Haki, something only the strongest in the world could wield.
"When did he—?" Vista clenched his teeth, sweat forming on his brow.
"Fuffuffuffuffu! You all seem very surprised!"
Doflamingo chuckled, slightly lifting the finger that had blocked Marco's strike, sending Marco skidding back across the deck, eyes grim.
"Haki is the key to standing at the top of the world and Advanced Conqueror's Haki—" he said, voice proud, "is the ticket to join the ranks of true kings."
"Without Whitebeard, do any of you have that kind of potential?" He pointed his finger at the crowd before him, smiling. "Is it you?Or you?"
"The decline of the Whitebeard Pirates is obvious now. Without Whitebeard, what do you people even amount to?"
He paused, then sneered again. "I finally understand why that man gave up chasing you down…Because you're no longer a threat."
Marco and the others' expressions darkened. Their fury was palpable. "This bastard's going too far!"
Sixth Division Commander Blamenco shouted in rage, pulling a massive hammer—twice his size—from a pocket near his chin. With a springing motion, he shot toward Doflamingo.
"Fuffuffuffuffu! What, angry already? You're still a long way off from having real Haki!" Doflamingo laughed, then kicked out hard at the descending hammer.
Boom!
Black and red lightning blasted out again. Blamenco was knocked backward, face twisted in shock and rage.
The force behind that strike—laced with Advanced Conqueror's Haki—was terrifying.
Worse still, Doflamingo's mastery of both Armament and Observation Haki was top-tier.
"Be careful! This guy's no pushover!" Blamenco warned grimly.
In the next instant, more than ten commanders moved simultaneously. Their rage and hatred toward Doflamingo gave them no reason to hold back.
Seeing this wave of attacks coming, Doflamingo's pupils narrowed, and he muttered coldly, "No wonder the mission that man gave me wasn't going to be easy…"
With a sweep of his right hand, countless white threads surged forward, forming a massive shield in front of him.
Boom!
A massive shockwave rang out. The thread shield shattered, and Doflamingo used the force to leap back, landing on the ship's edge with a cold smile.
"Fire Fist!"
Ace's roar came from the side. Doflamingo turned his head and saw a fiery fist racing toward him.
He narrowed his eyes, and a surge of threads met the flame head-on. But in an instant, the fire consumed the threads completely.
His pupils contracted. He dodged just in time.
"Countered by fire?" He muttered, looking around at the Whitebeard Pirates now encircling him.
"I can't afford to be careless…"
"Facing these world-class fighters... I might fall if I let my guard down," he thought to himself. His edge came from Haki, but his Devil Fruit had its flaws.
Even though he'd pushed the String-String Fruit to its limits, it couldn't fully compete with certain more destructive abilities.
In some ways, it even paled in comparison to Rosinante's Silence Fruit, which could rival Whitebeard's Tremor-Tremor Fruit in direct combat.
"Fuffuffuffuffu! This is going to be an entertaining battle!"
He grinned, inhaled deeply, then launched himself forward, pulling twin curtains of thread behind him to block two commanders' attacks.
"Crane Claw!"
Marco came flying in with a powerful kick. Doflamingo raised his arm to block, but the sheer force sent him sliding across the deck.
"As expected of Whitebeard's famed officers." He smirked, feeling the tingling in his arm.
Even without Advanced Conqueror's Haki, their mastery of standard Haki and combat refinement was world-class—there wasn't a weak link among them.
Lines wove rapidly through the air, twisting and merging into a sleek white string blade.
A swirl of dark violet-black energy wrapped around it, creating a mysterious pattern.
"Holy Blade." He murmured the name, then launched into the air.
"Rose Waltz!" Vista swung both swords, scattering a rain of crimson rose petals.
"With a name like that, your attack hardly sounds 'holy'!"
He taunted. Doflamingo grinned, slashing with his blade. Threads exploded from the weapon, merging into razor-sharp strikes that sliced through the petals.
Buzz!
The petals were shredded and flung into the sky, splitting clouds above. "I've always seen myself as the side of justice, after all."
A moment later, Ace's fire surged from behind. Doflamingo turned to block, but his string blade was incinerated to ashes. His brow furrowed.
Even the spark of this second "Marineford War" had formidable power—Ace was not to be underestimated.
Their clash dragged on. In what felt like a blink, fifteen minutes had passed.
To Marco and the others' surprise, though Doflamingo was mostly defending, none of them had managed to break through and injure him.
"Conqueror's Haki…"
"He's using Advanced Conqueror's Haki… That puts him on the same level as Pops!"
Their voices were tense. It was an unshakable truth—the difference between ordinary powerhouses and true elites.
"Fuffuffuffuffu! This ends here. I didn't come to trade blows!" Suddenly, Doflamingo laughed and backed off, ceasing his attacks.
Marco's gaze narrowed. "What's your real objective?"
"My objective?" Doflamingo raised a brow, chuckled, then pointed to Ace. "Let's just say... I'm here on someone else's behalf."
"Cut the crap, Doflamingo!" Ace snapped.
Doflamingo shrugged, eyes locking onto Ace with a sly grin. "We're not enemies. I only came to ask you one question."
He paused. His tone dipped low. "Do you want the same power as me? Do you want to become stronger?"
His words sent a ripple through the Whitebeard Pirates. Ace stared, eyes sharp. "What are you talking about?"
"What do I mean?" Doflamingo chuckled again. "Portgas D. Ace or Gol D. Ace... I really envy your background—so many eyes are always on you."
"After the Marineford War, your fame will soar even higher. You'll gain more admirers than ever." Ace's expression darkened further.
"If our roles were reversed, I'd have achieved even more than you! You don't know how to use every opportunity to climb higher!"
His tone shifted again, this time with a smile. "But I guess you wouldn't care for those words. So let's get to the point."
He grinned widely, staring straight at Ace. "I'm here to give you a chance."
Ace didn't relax at all. His guard remained up. "…What kind of chance?"
"The chance to help you truly take command of the entire Whitebeard Pirates! The chance to gain overwhelming power!"
"The chance to reach the pinnacle of the world and become a world-class powerhouse!"
Doflamingo laughed heartily. Ace's eyes grew sharp—he didn't trust a single word out of that man's mouth.
"Doflamingo… Don't tell me you plan to betray the World Government? Everyone knows you're just one of their lapdogs." The division commanders mocked him without restraint.
"Fufufufufu! Short-sighted fools like you don't even deserve to speak to me," Doflamingo sneered, completely unfazed by their insults.
"You bastard!" The commanders shouted in fury, raising their weapons once again. But Doflamingo simply shifted his gaze to Ace.
"Make your decision. I don't have time to wait around here!"
Ace hesitated. For a moment, he didn't know whether to trust the man before him.
But if he truly wanted to become someone who stood at the top of the world, then perhaps, just perhaps, this man was his only option.
He'd once thought of asking Shanks, but because of his position, he never dared to speak up.
Marco seemed like he wanted to say something, but in the end, he stayed quiet. He understood that this was a path Ace had to walk alone.
Only Ace could decide whether to trust him or not. At a crossroads in life, if Doflamingo were truly trustworthy, this might be the chance for Ace to grow stronger.
But if not… the consequences would be dire.
"Hah!" Ace drew in a deep breath, locking eyes with the man in front of him. "Then let me see just what kind of opportunity you're talking about!"
Doflamingo narrowed his eyes and suddenly let out a low chuckle, his tone tinged with admiration.
"You've got some spirit, I'll give you that." Then, he turned his back. "If you want to become stronger… follow me."
Ace was stunned. His eyes drifted toward the sea, where a ship was slowly approaching—Doflamingo's ship.
"Ace! That man may not have good intentions!" Vista warned loudly.
"I know. But I also know… right now, I can't do anything. Even if I went back with you, I wouldn't be able to lead the Whitebeard Pirates… and I certainly couldn't bear the weight of the burden Pops left me."
Taking another deep breath, Ace suddenly turned to face the others. "Marco," he said solemnly.
"Hm?" Marco blinked.
"Could I entrust the crew to you… just for now?" Ace asked, his voice calm. Marco was taken aback. "What…?"
"I'm counting on you." Ace smiled.
Without another word, he turned decisively, leapt into the air, and landed on the ship that had just arrived.
"Young Master!" Trebol and the others greeted respectfully. Doflamingo casually nodded, then slouched back into a deck chair, glancing at Ace.
"Fufufufu. I'm sure you've already figured out the reason behind all this… haven't you?"
"Otherwise—" He chuckled coldly. "I wouldn't care one bit about the fate of the Whitebeard Pirates."
Ace's body tensed as he replied in a low, cold voice: "It's because of Arashi, isn't it?"
"Correct. Training you to become stronger—that's the task he gave me." Doflamingo smiled slyly, his eyes gleaming.
"But why? I already refused his offer the moment I left Marineford. He shouldn't still be hoping anything from me," Ace said with a complex tone.
"Who knows? Maybe he sees you as a seed worth planting." Doflamingo's smile was filled with amusement.
"A… seed?" Ace was caught off guard.
"Fufufufu! It's not surprising. Even I am one of the seeds he planted." Doflamingo's words hit Ace like a thunderclap, his pupils contracting.
"A guy like you… you're one of his seeds too?" Ace said in shock.
"You can't even begin to grasp the scope of that man's ambition." Doflamingo scoffed.
"From now on, I'll be responsible for training your Haki. Until you reach the top tier, you won't leave my side."
Ace's eyes flickered. So this man was just fulfilling a mission—but if that was the case, there was no need to hold back.
"Then you'd better hurry up and get started." Doflamingo chuckled, completely unbothered by Ace's bluntness.
The ship changed course, and Ace soon realized—to his surprise—they were heading toward a remote island not far from Marine Headquarters.
After docking, Trebol and the others unloaded large amounts of food before sailing away. Now, only two people remained on the island.
Doflamingo gave Ace a mysterious smile. Ace's heart skipped a beat, and he clenched his fists.
At Marine Headquarters—Marineford—
Arashi held the morning paper in his hands, reading it with interest. Next to him, Sengoku wore a relaxed expression, even casually munching on melon seeds.
"That old Garp's grandson caused quite the ruckus!" Sengoku chuckled.
"You can still laugh?" Arashi shook his head. "Something like that, happening on Marine turf? It's an embarrassment to our dignity."
In bold red text, the newspaper read:
"Straw Hat Luffy, Dark King Rayleigh, and Sea Knight Jinbei hijack a Marine warship, sail around Marineford, hold a 'burial at sea,' ring the Ox Bell sixteen times, leave flowers, and offer a silent tribute."
The photo clearly showed the "3D2Y" tattoo on Luffy's arm.
"The Ox Bell, located in the west of Marineford, is a sacred bell, retrieved from the battleship 'Ox Lloyd.'"
"Each year, it's rung 8 times to give thanks for the past year and 8 more to pray for the new year—16 in total, known as the 'Sixteen Bells.'"
"Its sound symbolizes the end of an era… and the start of a new one. This kid… ringing it at Marineford of all places…"
Sengoku shook his head. "If Garp finds out, he'll probably explode."
Arashi set the paper down and looked out the window. "He rang the Ox Bell himself… and ushered in a new era."
Sengoku was stunned.
"He's not someone to be underestimated. The power within him—it could even threaten me." Hearing Arashi's serious tone, Sengoku's expression turned grave.
"You? Threaten you?"
"You're the one who crushed both Whitebeard and Red-Haired on the battlefield. The world calls you invincible!"
Arashi smiled faintly."Have you ever heard of Joy Boy?"
Sengoku blinked. "Of course. But that's a legend from 800 years ago!"
"Luffy ate the very same fruit Joy Boy once possessed. It's not just a simple Rubber Fruit…"
"It's a Mythical Zoan-type: the Human-Human Fruit, Model 'Sun God Nika.'" Arashi's voice drifted like a breeze.
"What?!" Sengoku was utterly stunned. "The legendary warrior of liberation… Sun God Nika?!"
He took a deep breath, his voice involuntarily rising, "No wonder the kid performed so astonishingly during the war. Even Garp, who knows him best, was shocked by his power!"
Arashi smiled again and dropped another bombshell. "Luffy has already awakened the Nika Fruit. Sooner or later, he may become the Marine's most troublesome enemy."
Sengoku stared at the man before him, deeply puzzled. "You sure hold him in high regard." Arashi chuckled softly, offering no further comment.
After all, it's only right to take a protagonist seriously in a shonen world. Especially one like Monkey D. Luffy—a monster with infinite second winds and plot armor made of pure gold.
Elsewhere, Rayleigh led Luffy to a savage island filled with wild beasts. "Luffy, you possess the fruit with the greatest potential in the world."
"But you haven't mastered its power yet. That's the difference between you and the world's strongest."
"In the coming training, I'll teach you Haki and help deepen your awakening. Only by mastering Haki can you stand at the top and face them."
Luffy nodded firmly. "I'll leave it to you, Rayleigh!"
Rayleigh smiled. "That's the power of the Sun God Nika. You'd better treasure it."
Luffy had already tasted its strength. After the Drums of Liberation sounded, his power had skyrocketed. But the aftermath left him in agonizing pain.
"I will master this power!"
...Meanwhile, at the Marine hospital…
"Admiral Arashi is going to become the next Fleet Admiral!"
"Well, of course! With his reputation now, who else could lead the Marines? Admiral Arashi is the strongest man in the world! With him leading us, pirates everywhere will tremble!"
"Right? Not only was Whitebeard captured, even the Blackbeard Pirates, newly appointed as Warlords, were sent to Impel Down today!"
The voices echoed through the corridor. In the hospital bed, a towering figure suddenly opened his blood-red eyes.
Five minutes later, a nurse stepped into the room. Her face had changed drastically.
"Admiral Akainu!! Where is he?!"
If you want to support me, join my patr**on. Have 10 advanced Chapters for you guys.
patr**n.com/saitamablast > OP:COI NOVEL TIER (PLEASE DONT SUBS THROUGH IOS PLATFORM)