~ Support & Read 13 Advanced Chapters on Patreon!
❁❁❁❁
Sanjuan Wolf held the title of Eighth Division Commander, but he didn't have a single subordinate. It was, frankly, pathetic.
Arthur thought for a moment. "Little Garden. It's the second stop on the fourth route of Paradise. The island is home to two former captains of the Giant Warrior Pirates: Dorry the Blue Ogre and Brogy the Red Ogre. They've been fighting over some petty squabble for nearly a hundred years."
"Giants are built for war, but they aren't exactly known for their brains. Your size is your greatest advantage. Intervene in their duel, defeat them, and you'll earn their respect. Bringing them under your command should be easy after that."
"Once you have Dorry and Brogy, take them to Enies Lobby. The two giants guarding the main gates—Oimo and Kashi—were once members of their crew. They're fiercely loyal."
"When they see their old captains following you, they'll fall in line without a second thought."
"By then, Wolf, you'll be the new Captain of the Giant Warrior Pirates. When the giants of Elbaf hear that their legendary crew is sailing once more, they'll come flocking to you..."
The Giant Warrior Pirates. A hundred years ago, they were the undisputed, most powerful crew on the seas.
The giants of Elbaf were all born warriors.
Taller, stronger, and longer-lived than any human, their potential for destruction was terrifying. Even Big Mom, who had lived among them, once said that with Elbaf's army, she could have defeated Kaido and Whitebeard.
For a Yonko of her stature to covet their strength meant Elbaf held a power beyond mere soldiers.
Whatever that secret was, the fact remained: a legion of giants was a force of nature.
"Do you understand, Wolf?" Arthur asked, noticing the colossal man was staring blankly into space, a trail of drool leaking from the corner of his mouth.
He sighed. He had never held high hopes for Wolf's intellect. He just needed him not to screw this up.
Then again, giants valued strength and size above all else. Wolf's sheer scale might just be the one thing that could pull this off.
"I understand!" Wolf snapped to attention, nodding eagerly.
"Then get moving."
"Yes, Captain!" Wolf roared. He lumbered out of the hall and leaped from the shallows into the deep sea. The resulting wave was so massive it nearly swamped Raijin Island.
—————————
"If he really can bring the Giant Warrior Pirates back..." Redfield mused, "manpower will no longer be an issue."
"It's said that with Dorry and Brogy gone, Elbaf is already forming a new Giant Warrior Pirates," Morgans interjected, clearing his throat. "The one leading them is a young warrior named Hajrudin. Only sixty-two years old, I believe."
A giant's lifespan was three times that of a human. Sixty-two, for them, was barely out of adolescence.
Arthur clapped his hands, recapturing the room's attention. "Whether he succeeds or not doesn't matter. It's a bonus, not a necessity."
"That's all for today. Go back, secure your territories, and focus on growth. Anything else?"
He scanned the room. Seeing only shaking heads, he was about to adjourn the meeting when his Haki flared, sensing a familiar vessel entering his domain. Under the new, crystal-clear power of his Image Manifestation, he saw it perfectly.
The flamingo-headed ship. The Donquixote Family.
'Hmm.' Arthur raised an eyebrow, impressed. 'He's fast.'
He had been back on Raijin Island for less than two hours. Doflamingo's arrival was no coincidence. The man's intelligence network was impressive.
"Captain? What is it?"
"Is something wrong?"
"The Donquixote Family is here," Arthur said, waving a hand. "Devon, go and meet our guest."
Catarina Devon nodded and strode from the hall.
It was a long wait. Several barrels of ale were emptied before Doflamingo was finally escorted into the great hall, carrying a large, ornate treasure chest.
Inside, no doubt, were the Devil Fruits he had collected.
"Fuffuffuffu! Lord Thunder Emperor, it has been too long..." Doflamingo's trademark grin was fixed in place, yet his eyes—hidden behind his sunglasses—immediately darted to the man sitting at Arthur's right.
Redfield...
His pupils contracted. The newspaper reports were true. His fear of the Thunder God Pirates deepened.
Arthur had not only healed an unhealable wound, but his aura felt even more monstrous than it had three years ago. He had returned with a living legend as his First Mate.
'He never stops getting stronger,' Doflamingo thought, fighting to keep his composure. 'He's a monster.'
"Three years, Doflamingo. This is all you bring me?" Arthur's voice was cold, his dissatisfaction obvious.
"Useless trash. We should just kill him, meow!" Pizarro hissed, his cat-like eyes full of contempt.
Shiryu's hand was instantly on the hilt of his sword, like a predator sensing blood. He didn't need an order; he could feel his captain's displeasure.
The atmosphere in the hall dropped to freezing. Doflamingo felt a bead of cold sweat roll down his back, yet his grin remained.
"Lord Thunder Emperor, these are not common items. They are the rarest treasures in the sea. You specified no Zoans. That makes the hunt infinitely more difficult."
He placed the chest on the floor, produced a key, and opened it, revealing seven bizarre, swirling fruits.
"The Gummy-Gummy Fruit, the Spring-Spring Fruit, the Arms-Arms Fruit, the Heal-Heal Fruit, the Sickle-Sickle Fruit, the Whisper-Whisper Fruit, and..." Arthur leaned forward, his eyes narrowing in surprise. "The Glare-Glare Fruit?"
He hadn't scanned the contents of the box when Doflamingo entered. Now, looking at them, he was stunned. Three of them were top-tier.
The Heal-Heal Fruit was an incredible support ability, the one that was supposed to belong to the Tontatta princess, Mansherry.
The Arms-Arms Fruit was the one that should have belonged to Baby 5. In the hands of someone like Vegapunk, its potential was world-changing.
Yet it was the Glare-Glare Fruit that truly baffled him. It should have already been eaten by Viola, the princess of Dressrosa. If he remembered correctly, she'd consumed it in her childhood.
❁❁❁❁
~ 13 Advanced Chapters Available on Patreon!
https://p-atreon.com/dragonnx
(Just remove the hyphen to access Patreon normally.)