After the execution, it took about an hour for Orin to return to the Sabaody Archipelago.
Unlike when he departed, he ca back alone.
Walking into the upper floor of the central hall in the Red-Light District, he opened the door. Aside from Sammi, Lina, and i, Rouge and Rayleigh were also there.
"Orin-sama, you’re back!!!"
Lina and i were the first to bounce over to greet him.
Orin smiled, patted their heads, greeted everyone, then flopped onto the sofa and crossed his legs.
"Orin, I watched the execution broadcast. Roger’s remains..."
Rayleigh held a bottle of liquor in his hand. He was genuinely curious how Orin had managed to retrieve Roger’s body so easily from the World Governnt—and what he did with it afterward.
Orin thought for a mont. It wasn’t anything that couldn’t be said—not really a big secret.
After all, everyone present was one of his own.
"Well... I just made a little deal with the Elders. As for Captain Roger’s body..."
"It’s been cremated. The ashes were scattered into the sea."
"I see..."
Rayleigh nodded when he heard that, a trace of reminiscence flashing in his eyes.
"That really does seem like a fitting end for Roger."
As for the deal Orin ntioned with the Elders, he didn’t ask any further.
Sammi and the others were the sa. Though they were curious about the affairs of the top powers in the world,
if Orin didn’t bring it up, they wouldn’t ask.
They knew how to read the room.
...
That night, in a prison once used to hold unruly female slaves—
Tap... tap... tap...
A rhythmical and crisp set of footsteps echoed through the empty hallway.
The sound snapped Doflamingo out of his newspaper reading at once. He quickly sat up on the bed.
These footsteps... were completely different from the ones who usually brought als.
He knew them too well!
These days, they had been carved into his nightmares over and over again. The sound of those footsteps, each one bringing an increasingly unbearable pressure—he had woken up gasping from that feeling countless tis.
Beads of cold sweat dripped down his forehead.
His jaw clenched.
But... he didn’t even dare let his veins bulge.
"Whoa... unexpected. Didn’t think they hadn’t given you a private beating these past few days."
A teasing tone.
At so unknown mont, Orin was already seated at the edge of his bed, glancing with interest at the newspaper Doflamingo had just been reading.
"Reading the paper’s a good habit."
Orin opened it and saw it was the latest edition.
Captain Roger’s execution, the dawn of the Great Pirate Era—
At the end was a photo of Orin carrying Roger’s body, standing atop a platform, looking down with a cold expression.
Who the hell took that picture?
Why do they always make him look so badass?
He didn’t even rely on his face to make a living.
Seeing Orin sitting there casually, legs crossed, flipping through the newspaper like Doflamingo wasn’t even worth noticing—
Gulp...
The sound of soone swallowing in nervous tension broke the silence.
Even though Orin acted easygoing, just seeing the man again sent a wave of stiffness through Doflamingo’s body. The suffocating pressure still lingered, disrupting his breathing.
The more newspapers he read these days, the more terrified and aware he beca—
He had offended sothing monstrous.
Soone who could casually infiltrate Marine Headquarters.
Dubbed the "King of the Next Generation."
Running wild under the Navy’s and the World Governnt’s nose, yet they didn’t even dare make a move. An incredibly high-level threat—
A monster most likely to reign over the entire sea!
[Black Gun]
Orin!!!
Yes.
Only a monster close to ruling the world could have such overwhelming Conqueror’s Haki Infusion—
With just one clash, Doflamingo had lost all will to resist. His heart filled only with primal, biological fear!
In Doflamingo’s eyes, Orin was already one of the strongest people in the world.
Because only by losing to soone like that, could he find a shred of justification to soothe his shattered pride.
Losing wasn’t what broke him.
Losing to a weakling would have.
"Relax~ I’m not here to kill you."
Orin flipped through the recent paper. His eyes weren’t even on Doflamingo, but his Observation Haki easily picked up the man’s tense state.
Was it really that traumatizing?
All he did was crush him once.
And this guy had Conqueror’s Haki too?
Back when Shanks got stomped by him repeatedly and rocked to sleep, he didn’t end up this broken.
No wonder that guy beca one of the Four Emperors later. Even getting wrecked, he did it with class.
Hearing Orin’s words, Doflamingo finally began to recover slightly.
That’s right. If this monster wanted him dead, it’d take only a second—no need for this much chatter.
Unless... Orin was the type who got off on tornting others.
He frowned, his gaze focused on the relaxed figure.
"Is that so... soone like you would still find use for a nobody like ?"
"You’re no nobody, Donquixote Doflamingo."
Orin smiled and closed the newspaper.
In the blink of an eye, he vanished and reappeared right in front of Doflamingo, arms behind his back, smiling calmly.
"Being defeated by doesn’t an you’re weak. In fact, I see a lot of potential in you. And I’m willing to invest in your ambition."
...
His eyes stared straight into Doflamingo’s tense expression.
"A Celestial Dragon cast out by the Holy Land, one who’s seen the hells of the mortal world, now awakened with Conqueror’s Haki—
If you truly grow into your strength, things will get very interesting~
Let give you a helping hand. Be sure to thank properly later."
Orin’s lips curved upward, that cat-playing-with-mouse glint in his eyes.
This monster... what the hell did he want...
Even Doflamingo, usually arrogant and defiant, couldn’t help but feel panic rising.
He slowly pulled out a Den Den Mushi from his chest.
Bero bero bero...
Click.
A dignified voice erged from the Den Den Mushi. Cold eyes stared ahead.
"What do you want now, Orin?"
"If it’s sothing important, make it quick. We’re only giving you this ti because it’s you."
And the mont he heard the voice through the Den Den Mushi, Doflamingo’s pupils trembled violently.
Staring in disbelief at the still-smiling Orin—
Impossible!?!
Those voices—he could never forget them in his life.
They were the voices that had once sentenced him to death as a Celestial Dragon—
The voices of the Elders, the highest authority in the world!!!
And now...
They were casually chatting with a pirate?
His entire worldview collapsed and rebuilt itself on the spot.
Facing the people who practically ruled the world, Orin casually said:
"This is about what we discussed. As part of the deal for Captain Roger’s body, and as a symbol of peaceful cooperation between us"
"One of the candidates for the [Seven Warlords of the Sea]. I’ve already found soone for you."
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