Doflamingo stared down at the list of potential recruits his subordinates had compiled, a grimace twisting his lips as he felt a headache coming on. What the hell is this?
Before getting the list, Doflamingo had mentally prepared himself. Even if the North Blue still hid some old monsters, they wouldn't necessarily be common knowledge. The publicly known "powerhouses," aside from those Doflamingo had already eliminated, were mostly trash or obscure figures. Reputation clearly isn't reliable, he thought cynically. Plenty of people with impressive-sounding titles turn out to be useless. And there are certainly a lot of scammers these days.
He scanned the list carefully. Finally, two familiar names jumped out: Lao G, practitioner of Jio-Ken, estimated strength equivalent to a ~60 million Beli bounty. Jora, user of the Art-Art Fruit, estimated strength equivalent to a ~60 million Beli bounty.
Doflamingo set the list aside. It was a pleasant surprise, at least. He hadn't found Senor Pink or Gladius, whom he was more interested in, but he had found two potentially useful individuals. Jora's Art-Art Fruit, honestly, is completely wasted on her, he mused. Her development of it is neither here nor there, a complete mess. He resolved to find a better way to utilize Jora's abilities. As for Lao G, his potential was limited, but he'd be adequate for managing affairs in the North Blue for now. The New World required more driven, ambitious youth.
Having settled his thoughts, Doflamingo set out to find the pair. He felt somewhat relieved upon learning they were old acquaintances – known card buddies, apparently.
Following the intelligence provided, Doflamingo soon arrived at a bustling casino. A brief sweep with his Observation Haki was all it took to locate the two familiar figures amidst the crowd. They were younger now, of course, not yet the aged and rather grotesque versions of themselves he recalled from over twenty years in the future. Lao G wasn't quite so stooped, and Jora hadn't yet achieved her later… proportions.
"Hurry up and play, Jora! We're waiting on you, G!" Lao G urged impatiently across the card table.
"I know! You don't need to rush me!" Jora snapped back testily.
Doflamingo watched them bicker for a moment, but he had no time for idle chat. Submit or die – they were smart enough to make the right choice.
WENG—
An intense, overwhelming pressure radiated outwards from Doflamingo. His Conqueror's Haki washed over the casino floor, directly targeting Lao G and Jora at their card game. The surrounding gamblers were unfortunate collateral damage, instantly knocked unconscious by the wave of willpower. Only Lao G and Jora, possessing some measure of strength, remained conscious, though beads of cold sweat broke out on their foreheads, testament to the immense strain they were under.
"Doflamingo!" Lao G recognized the newcomer instantly – the man whose name was currently causing waves across the entire North Blue. "We... we've kept to ourselves! We haven't provoked you!" he managed to say, his voice strained under the Haki's pressure.
"Doflamingo! I haven't provoked you either!" Jora cried out, realizing who it was after hearing Lao G's panicked words, quickly adding her plea for mercy.
"Relax," Doflamingo said coolly, extending an olive branch, albeit a threatening one. "I'll give you a choice. Submit, or die." It was up to them whether to accept or refuse.
"We submit!" "We submit!"
Lao G and Jora weren't idiots. They responded almost simultaneously. Doflamingo's power and influence in the North Blue were currently unmatched. Some people were desperately trying to join his Family and being turned away. For him to personally come and recruit them… they felt no shame, only a surprising surge of excitement and elation.
"Good. You know what's smart," Doflamingo stated flatly, retracting his Conqueror's Haki. The crushing pressure instantly lifted, allowing the pair to breathe again. He hadn't needed to exert much effort at all. Conqueror's Haki truly was the perfect tool for crushing weaklings; those lacking sufficient willpower couldn't even muster the thought of resistance.
Doflamingo… terrifying! Lao G and Jora exchanged wide-eyed glances, seeing a mixture of relief, excitement, and profound awe reflected in each other's eyes.
Doflamingo, ever efficient, brought his two new recruits back to the Donquixote Family's base.
No sooner had he arrived at the entrance than good news greeted him. A subordinate hurried forward, reporting that two individuals had shown up earlier, boldly demanding to join the Family – not as mere fodder, but as executives. They had apparently proven their point by easily beating down numerous subordinates who tried to stop them. The guards had been at a loss, especially with most of the core executives out on missions, and were just about to bother Ibes when the Young Master himself returned. Seeing him gave them immediate confidence.
A dangerous smile touched Doflamingo's lips as he listened to the subordinate finish the explanation.
"Lead the way," Doflamingo commanded curtly.
"Ah, yes!" The subordinate quickly snapped to attention and led Doflamingo and his new companions towards the commotion.
In a large, open plaza within the base complex, two young men stood amidst a scattering of groaning, downed subordinates.
As Doflamingo approached, led by the guard, he recognized the pair instantly. Senor Pink and Machvise. He hadn't expected to find these two together already. Interesting.
"Is there anyone here who can actually fight? Is the Donquixote Family really this weak?" Machvise mocked loudly, looking around at the defeated men.
"Bullshit! You cowards only dare to act tough because the Family executives aren't here!" one of the downed subordinates retorted angrily, defending the Family's honor.
Doflamingo found their posturing tedious. He glanced back at Lao G and Jora, subtly indicating they should handle this. It was a perfect opportunity to gauge their actual combat abilities. Seeing is believing, after all.
Understanding their new boss wanted a demonstration, Lao G and Jora wasted no time, eager to impress. They stepped forward to confront the two challengers.
"Your opponents are us," Lao G stated gruffly.
"Are you members of the Donquixote Family?" Senor Pink asked, eyeing them coolly.
"Indeed! This mistress is a proud member of the Donquixote Family! Just joined today, in fact!" Jora declared puffing her chest out slightly.
"Is that so? Perfect! Let me see what kind of strength you have!" Senor Pink retorted, brimming with youthful arrogance. What young man wasn't full of fiery spirit?
Immediately, Jora and Senor Pink clashed, while Machvise engaged Lao G.
Doflamingo watched the four fight from the sidelines with mild interest. As he expected, Senor Pink, currently without his Swim-Swim Fruit, was no match for Jora. He fought with spirit and youthful energy, but his defeat was only a matter of time against a Devil Fruit user. On the other side, Machvise and Lao G seemed more evenly matched, locked in a temporary stalemate.
"Let this mistress turn you into a work of art!" Jora cackled, finally deciding to end it. She activated her Art-Art Fruit ability, and with a bizarre splash of conceptual paint, Senor Pink was transformed into an abstract, non-functional sculpture. Completely neutralized. A joke.
Doflamingo mentally facepalmed. Honestly, Jora managed to develop a perfectly good Art-Art Fruit into the Gag-Gag Fruit, he thought, exasperated but also slightly amused. Her talent for parody is truly remarkable, I suppose.
Meanwhile, Machvise, realizing he couldn't easily overpower Lao G through sheer strength, began utilizing his Ton-Ton Fruit abilities, drastically increasing his weight for powerful strikes. Lao G, relying on his Jio-Ken and sheer toughness, managed to endure the heavy blows, but Doflamingo could see from his strained expression that he wouldn't last much longer.
"God's Punishment."
Deciding the demonstration had served its purpose, Doflamingo casually intervened. A bolt of lightning descended, striking Machvise squarely, leaving him slightly charred and smoking – cooked 'crispy on the outside, tender on the inside,' as it were – instantly halting his assault on Lao G.
The sudden turn of events brought all four fighters to an abrupt stop. They stared at Doflamingo, holding their breath, uncertain of what would happen next.
"Relax, he's fine," Doflamingo stated calmly, gesturing towards the twitching Machvise. "However, attacking my subordinates without permission won't be overlooked so easily. Consider that a small punishment."
His words, though spoken lightly, resonated deeply. To his existing subordinates, they were a source of warmth and reassurance – their leader stood up for them. To Senor Pink, Machvise, Lao G, and Jora, however, they evoked a different, more complex emotion: respect. This is a leader who protects his own. A man worth following.
Without hesitation, Senor Pink (still slightly abstract) and the electrocuted Machvise dropped to one knee. "We wish to join the Donquixote Family!" they declared in unison.
Doflamingo remained silent for a long moment, simply observing them, letting the tension build. Cold sweat dripped down the kneeling men's foreheads as they waited anxiously, fearing rejection.
"Fine," Doflamingo finally replied coolly. "But your current strength is lacking. You need significant improvement. The Donquixote Family has no place for useless trash. As for becoming executives... that position must be earned by your own efforts. The strong rise, the weak fall. Remember, your status in this Family is determined by you alone. No one will simply hand it to you."
Having laid down the law, Doflamingo turned to the nearest subordinate. "Go inform Ibes. Have her arrange accommodations and assignments for these four." He himself had no intention of handling the administrative details; he'd much rather spend the time chatting with little Robin.
(Imagined internal monologue from Ibes: "Tsk! Scumbag! Forgetting about old friends the moment new ones show up, are we?!")
Hearing Doflamingo's final words – the clear path to advancement through merit – ignited a fire in the hearts of the four newcomers. No one wants to remain at the bottom. If you had the ability, you could rise above others, enjoy privileges others couldn't dream of. In the Donquixote Family, it seemed, strength truly was the deciding factor for everything.
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