One Piece: Crown of Darkness

"Eh? The World... World Government wants to recruit pirates as allies? Nyeh, nyeh! You're not joking, nyeh?!" Trebol finally snapped out of his astonishment, mucus oozing grotesquely from his seven orifices.

He had countless flaws, rotten to the core, but he wasn't without merit. For instance, in terms of opportunism, he possessed an absolute talent for it. Through Doflamingo's and Spandine's few words, he sensed that the Seven Warlords of the Sea plan held great potential for profit.

Doflamingo said playfully, "Don't be so surprised, Trebol. In fact, it's not unprecedented for the World Government to actively lower themselves and seek cooperation with pirates! Fufufufu~ Their 'Marine-Pirate Alliance' orchestrated a few years ago wasn't a huge success, annihilating that super mad dog 'World Destroyer' Byrnndi World?"

"Doffy? Are you planning to secure a position among them?" Diamante stroked his chin, speaking subtly. "But your identity is... awkward."

Doflamingo gazed up at the night sky with its crescent moon and scattered stars. "That's what I'm thinking too. I just fear the World Government still won't let me off the hook," he said, then changed his tone. "It doesn't matter, fufufufu~~ Once I possess the power and influence they dare not trifle with, and apply a certain amount of pressure, they'll have to accept me obediently."

"Nyeh, nyeh, Doffy? How much authority do you think the World Government is willing to grant the Seven Warlords of the Sea?" Trebol's small eyes darted around.

Doflamingo said casually, "The 'Great Pirate Era' is in full swing since its curtain rose. The World Government's governing power is gradually declining. When they recruit pirates with both strength and influence, on one hand, it strengthens themselves, but on the other, isn't it also weakening their opponents? Given the long-standing adversarial relationship between the World Government and pirates, and the pirates' personalities..."

"Top pirate overlords like 'Whitebeard,' 'Golden Lion,' 'Big Mom,' and 'Kaido' – the World Government can't recruit them, and they wouldn't stoop to it. The pirates willing to cooperate with the World Government are naturally the second-tier silver medalists. The reason silver medalists are willing to cooperate with the World Government is naturally to leverage them to challenge the status of the gold medalists, and then break free from the World Government."

Doflamingo spoke eloquently, "So, from the start, both sides are operating on a basis of deception. The authority the World Government is willing to grant the Seven Warlords of the Sea won't be small, but it won't be enormous either. If it's too small, it won't be attractive; if it's too large, it risks backfiring, fufufufu~ I guess, stopping bounties and Marine pursuits, and legally plundering non-World Government affiliated countries while having to surrender a portion of the gains—three special conditions! That's probably about it."

"Young Master is truly clever, oh~ hohoho~~~" Giolla praised, even coaxing Weevil, "Good boy, you must be clever in the future too, hoho."

Weevil sniffed, staring blankly and foolishly.

"Behehehe~ Sounds like there's something to it, nyeh," Trebol mused.

Doflamingo stretched, saying, "Before I form an alliance with 'Big Mom,' I must become a Seven Warlord of the Sea. Otherwise... the New World is already calling them the Four Emperors! 'Whitebeard,' 'Golden Lion,' 'Big Mom,' 'Kaido.' They are currently the World Government's strongest enemies. The World Government is busy guarding against them; how could they allow someone involved with them to join the ranks of their quasi-allies?"

Diamante also seemed interested. "Then what should we do, Doffy?"

"Hoist the sails! The next stop is Mock Town. We're going to Sky Island," Doflamingo said, brazenly lying. "I have a treasure map that can lead us to the treasure of the 'City of Gold'."

"Ooh!!!"

Gold, especially vast amounts of gold, certainly stirred excitement. The family members immediately cheered.

But after the cheers subsided...

"Sky Island? Is there really a Sky Island?"

"Isn't 'City of Gold' just a lie invented by that great liar Noland 400 years ago, nyeh?"

"Young Master?"

The family members babbled amongst themselves.

"I said there is, and there is. It's that simple," Doflamingo said, taking the Poneglyph rubbing and heading directly to the lounge.

A few days later.

Following the upward surge of the sea current, the Flamingo rocketed skyward.

"So this is how you get to Sky Island. No wonder so many people couldn't find it, thinking it was just a fleeting lie," Diamante couldn't help but sigh. Sometimes he was filled with doubt about why Doflamingo, on his first journey through the Grand Line, seemed to have more experience than he did, despite having navigated it before. But he never dared to ask.

Doflamingo stood at the bow, cautiously on guard, ready to act at any moment. "I originally wanted to take that 'Dead or Alive Dangerous Current,' but the amount of rainfall from the storms this season isn't enough to create the conditions for the 'Dead or Alive Dangerous Current'... which means we're taking a partial version of the 'Dead or Alive Dangerous Current'."

"Behehehe~ What does that mean, Doffy?" Trebol asked.

Doflamingo said eerily, "Taking the 'Dead or Alive Dangerous Current' has two outcomes: everyone survives or everyone dies. Taking the partial version of the 'Dead or Alive Dangerous Current' has one outcome: only some members survive! Fufufufu~ Which unlucky one or lucky ones will it be among you?"

"Ah?!!!"

The family members' faces fell.

"I'm just messing with you, fufufufufu~ Hahahaha..." Doflamingo roared with laughter. "If there's real trouble, I'll use my strings to hold up the Flamingo."

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