"W-What kind of partnership…?"
Sabo's father collapsed helplessly onto the marble floor of his mansion, surrounded by the corpses of his once-loyal guards.
From between his legs, a sour stench began to rise, he had soiled himself.
He swore to himself, if he survived this night, he would rip Sterry's mouth off for giving that reckless order.
Luffy didn't even look at him directly as he said calmly,
"Don't be so tense. You're Sabo's father."
"Whether or not he still acknowledges you doesn't matter. As long as you don't do anything stupid, I won't hurt you."
Without waiting for a response, Luffy casually strolled past the stunned father and son, heading deeper into the mansion.
"By the way… you've got a lot of empty rooms in this place, don't you?"
"I'd rather not sleep outside."
He glanced around the grand interior as he spoke, a mysterious little smile playing on his lips.
To anyone else, it might have seemed harmless. But to Sabo's father, that smile was a death sentence.
"Y-Yes! Of course we do!"
The noble, well-versed in the art of groveling, immediately shouted his answer. He didn't want to risk angering this demon any further, not even for a second.
Luffy nodded approvingly, as if pleased with a student who finally got the answer right.
There was no hint of shame on his face for invading the home, killing dozens, and claiming it for his own.
In Luffy's worldview, laws and order were meaningless. They existed only for the weak.
What truly mattered was power.
Only overwhelming strength could ensure he lived free, without constraint.
And only true freedom would allow him to pursue what he really wanted in life.
Turning to the kneeling noble, Luffy spoke again.
"Get us a few rooms ready. We'll be staying here for a while."
"Yes, of course! Right away!"
The broken man scrambled to his feet, ignoring the wetness between his legs, and rushed inside to prepare accommodations.
"Wait," Luffy suddenly called out.
The terrified noble froze instantly, obeying without question.
He turned around, confused.
Luffy looked at him, really looked.
The man before him now, trembling and desperate, was nothing like the arrogant noble who had stood tall minutes ago.
What a pitiful transformation.
That was the fate of the weak.
But Luffy said nothing of what he was thinking. His expression remained calm.
"Since we might be here for a while," Luffy said evenly, "make sure it's one of the better rooms."
"Absolutely! No problem!"
Luffy then added, with a strange smile:
"And don't worry, I'm not asking for something for nothing."
"How would you feel… about becoming king of this country?"
A favor for a favor.
After all, this man was still Sabo's biological father.
Even if Sabo had long since discarded his blood ties, Luffy felt it was right to offer him something, some shred of acknowledgement.
And if Luffy was going to make use of him anyway, why not elevate him to the throne? That would make things easier going forward.
"Ki… King…?"
It was as if time had stopped for Sabo's father. His whole body froze, only his trembling, bloodshot eyes showed any sign of life.
Luffy continued, softly but firmly:
"We're going to be here a while. Having a 'partner' with a noble title will make everything easier for us, right?"
His grin shifted, no longer innocent.
It was the calculating smile of a schemer.
One that might've been seen on Doflamingo's face, not Luffy's.
Maybe Luffy had picked it up from hearing that guy's voice so many times through the Den Den Mushi.
This wasn't a normal smile. It was a seductive, manipulative one, calm, but carrying a hypnotic weight that stirred desire in the hearts of the weak.
Like a devil whispering in the dark.
Sabo's father stared into Luffy's eyes, and slowly, under the mounting pressure of that unseen force, he began to lose himself.
King…?
Wasn't that his dream?
Hadn't he devoted his entire life, schemed and sacrificed, just to raise a son who could elevate their family name to untouchable heights?
And now… this young man was offering him the throne?
The noble's mind was spiraling. Logic faded. All that remained was ambition.
Luffy saw the look in his eyes change, the exact reaction he wanted.
He leaned in slightly, releasing a subtle pressure: a unique application of Conqueror's Haki he had only recently discovered.
By combining light sensory influence with the right words, he could nudge people toward hypnotic suggestion.
Of course, it only worked on regular people, not on real fighters.
But still, Luffy wanted to see how far he could take it.
And when someone's hidden desires matched the suggestion?
It worked perfectly.
In the pirate world, Conqueror's Haki was usually just used to destroy or intimidate.
But Luffy, having encountered plenty of people with Mental Power-based powers, believed there had to be more subtle uses. Mental manipulation. Emotional pressure. Influence.
It was worth experimenting.
Luffy's voice softened again.
"Exactly."
"The Goa Kingdom is nothing to someone like me, a Warlord of the Sea."
"So why not start a little revolution?"
"In the name of the people."
His words, dark and enticing like whispers from a demon, entered Sabo's father's ears like angels singing.
He didn't care what the "Warlord of the Sea" title meant. But Luffy's strength, and the overwhelming aura of command, shattered his mind's defenses in seconds.
Thud!
Sabo's father collapsed to his knees, placed both hands on the floor, and bowed his head low in complete submission.
"My lord… your servant is at your command!"
Luffy turned slightly to acknowledge the bow, then straightened up. His face returned to its calm neutrality, devoid of that earlier sinister edge.
"It's not a big deal," he said coolly. "Just follow my orders…"
"…and the throne will be yours."
"But remember, it's for you, not your family."
"Y-Yes… for me… for me…"
Luffy's voice echoed in the noble's head like a hypnotic chant, fusing perfectly with his lifelong obsession with class and status.
A fire, named Ambition, began to blaze in his eyes.
Luffy smiled faintly.
Blackbeard was right about one thing.
A man's dream… never dies.
Everyone has one.
It's just that most people get beaten down by reality and learn to hide it, bury it under layers of compromise and false humility.
"That's enough for tonight."
"Go find us a place to rest."
Luffy stood at the center of the grand hall and stretched lazily.
Around him lay dozens of corpses, blood seeping through the cracks in the marble floor.
Sabo's father respectfully led them to the guest quarters at the back of the mansion.
As everything settled down…
Sterry, still trembling, watched his foster father with wide eyes.
This wasn't the same petty, scheming man he'd always known.
Now, there was a strange intensity in his gaze, a quiet power that commanded respect.
"F-Father…"
He whispered nervously.
"Are we really going to listen to them…?"
In the past, his adoptive father had always been a coward, greedy and cunning, but harmless.
Now, he seemed… dangerous.
Sabo's father glanced at Sterry out of the corner of his eye, then pondered silently:
"If I no longer need to marry into the royal family…then what use is this outsider, Sterry, to me anymore?"
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