Dressrosa — The Royal Palace.
At the top floor, Donquixote Doflamingo lounged comfortably, a smug grin stretching beneath his tinted shades as he sipped fine wine.
Things had gone far better than he'd dared hope.
He had boldly offered one hundred SMILE fruits in exchange for five Senzu Beans, a blatant attempt to pressure Kaido into trading. He expected Kaido to erupt in fury — maybe even send one of his All-Stars to kill him.
But to his surprise, the "Strongest Creature Alive" had agreed.
Not directly, of course. Kaido had decided to hold an "auction" instead, where the highest bidder would win the beans.
Still, to Doflamingo, that was semantics. The auction would take place in his territory, his city, his fortress.
The Donquixote Family ruled Dressrosa — every soldier, every stone here was his to command.
How could he possibly lose?
The thought made him laugh aloud.
With the power boost from the Monster Cell he'd consumed, his confidence was soaring. His strength had grown drastically — enough that even Kaido himself could no longer treat him like a disposable pawn.
Once he got his hands on the Senzu Beans, he would make the next move: demand more Monster Cells from the Beasts Pirates and feed them to his officers.
Then… the Donquixote Family would stand among the Emperors themselves!
The very thought thrilled him. He drained his glass in one gulp, turned to the woman standing silently by the window, and asked with lazy amusement:
"Violet, do you see the Beasts Pirates' ships yet?"
The woman by the window was as graceful as her name — Viola, the former princess of Dressrosa.
Her beauty was tinged with danger, like a violet in full bloom.
With her Giro Giro no Mi (Glare-Glare Fruit), her sight stretched across four thousand kilometers — enough to watch the seas beyond the horizon.
"...I see them," she replied softly. "The Beasts Pirates' fleet has entered Dressrosa's waters."
Doflamingo's grin widened.
"Good. Tell me, who's on board? Did the mysterious Beast Prince Consort, Luo Xing, really come in person?"
Viola focused her vision, narrowing her eyes.
"Other than some lower-ranked crew… I see two main figures. One wears a red cloak — likely Fuz-Fu of the Flying Six. The other…"
"The other what?" Doflamingo pressed impatiently.
Viola hesitated, her tone strange.
"The other one wears a Hannya mask — a demon's face. I can't see his real appearance."
"A Hannya mask?"
Doflamingo blinked — then chuckled darkly.
"Heh… how fitting for a man so mysterious. Let him wear whatever mask he likes. As long as he delivers my beans, I couldn't care less what's under it!"
He stood, spreading his arms theatrically.
"Come, Violet. Let's go welcome our 'distinguished guest'."
In a blur of motion, he leapt straight out the palace window.
His pink feathered coat flared behind him like flaming wings as he strode through the air on invisible threads — the Heavenly Yaksha, gliding toward the port like a flamboyant predator.
Viola watched him vanish into the clouds. Her polite expression melted away, replaced by deep, bitter hatred.
The man who stole my kingdom.
Who murdered my family.
Who turned my home into his puppet stage.
She clenched her fists until her nails drew blood.
Even if her eyes could see for thousands of kilometers, she could no longer see the path to vengeance.
Aboard the Beasts Pirates' warship
Luo Xing's brow twitched. For a brief moment, he felt something — as if invisible eyes had brushed against him.
"How far are we from Dressrosa?" he asked, glancing toward Fuz-Fu.
"Less than four thousand li," Fuz-Fu replied.
Luo Xing's eyes narrowed slightly.
Four thousand li… then that must've been the Glare-Glare Fruit.
As a man who knew this world's history well, he instantly recognized the ability — and the woman who wielded it.
Viola.
A faint smile crept across his lips beneath the Hannya mask.
He knew her story — and her hatred for Doflamingo.
Perhaps fate was already offering him a useful piece on the board.
Beside him, the small Mink girl with rabbit ears, Carrot, tilted her head curiously.
She hadn't noticed the change in his expression — hidden as it was behind the mask.
Luo Xing had specifically brought her along this time.
In Wano, under Yamato's watchful eye, there had been little chance for privacy.
Now, with Yamato far away and the open sea between them, Carrot's bright curiosity made the long voyage pleasant.
The ship continued cutting through the waves. By noon, the coastline of Dressrosa appeared on the horizon.
At the harbor.
Doflamingo and his officers were already assembled in full display — a colorful parade of smiles and deceit.
When the Beasts Pirates' warship docked, polite greetings and hollow laughter filled the air.
"Prince Consort Luo Xing," Doflamingo said with mock respect, his grin stretching wide. "The man behind the miracles — the inventor of Monster Cells and Senzu Beans himself. It's an honor."
Luo Xing's tone was calm.
"Save the flattery, Joker. I prefer business."
Doflamingo chuckled, raising his hands innocently.
"Of course, of course. But before the auction begins, could you at least show us this legendary Senzu Bean? Surely we're all dying to see it with our own eyes."
The way he said it was smooth — but Luo Xing could hear the intent.
He was probing. Testing.
Trying to confirm whether the beans were truly in his possession.
Luo Xing smiled beneath the mask and reached into his coat.
Then, with a casual motion, he pulled out five small green pellets, glowing faintly in the sunlight.
A collective gasp rippled through the Donquixote Family.
Eyes widened, greedy and awed. Even Doflamingo himself couldn't help but lean forward.
And then — with a flick of his wrist — Luo Xing tucked them away again.
"All in good time. You'll have your chance — three days from now, at the auction. You can bid all you like."
Doflamingo's eye twitched behind his glasses, irritation flashing before he forced a smile.
Now wasn't the time to make enemies.
"Heh. Fair enough, Prince Consort. You've had a long voyage. Please, rest in the palace as our honored guest."
As they walked toward the palace, curious gazes followed Luo Xing's every step.
This was the first time the Beast Prince Consort had appeared in public — and yet his face remained hidden behind the demonic mask.
"So that's him?"
"The man with a 1.5-billion bounty?"
"Can't even show his face, huh?"
Hidden voices whispered in the crowd — envy, mockery, and fear intertwining.
"He's not dangerous because of his fists," someone muttered darkly.
"It's his mind. His inventions threaten the world more than any Emperor."
And from deeper in the shadows, sharper gazes watched him — some curious, some covetous, and some filled with the cold edge of murderous intent.
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