"Break up? What do you an by that!!"
The words hit like cannon fire. Crocodile, who had only just returned to the crew, froze mid-bite. Even Mihawk, usually unreadable behind his hawk-like eyes, raised his head and fixed Ozz with a silent stare.
The way he said it…
It sounded disturbingly like those ominous "3D2Y" stories.
Ozz, unfazed, swallowed his steak with a loud gulp then imdiately choked on it.
"Cough… tsk, damn bone." He reached for a tall glass of orange juice and downed it in one go. GLUG GLUG GLUG.
When he put it down, he wiped his mouth and grinned.
"What? You two looking at like I just declared war on the world?"
"You an…" Mihawk spoke slowly, as if weighing every word. "You want to disband the crew?"
His tone carried none of the usual ice. This felt different. Ozz had wandered off before, run wild on his own little detours. But this ti… this ti Mihawk had a bad feeling. Ozz's words rang heavier than before, echoing the way he had once ntioned letting them all "go free."
"Disband? Tch. You make it sound so cold," Ozz said with a smirk. "Like I'm tossing you out and changing the locks."
His eyes glead red for just a flicker, then softened again into that lazy grin.
"Listen. It's not about cutting ties. It's about setting you free to chase what you're really after. You've all got your own ambitions. You don't need to babysit forever."
He jabbed a fork toward Mihawk.
"Take you, little hawk. I'm a trouble magnet. I'll never spend my days dueling every swordsman worth a damn. That's your thing. You'd rather cook in your castle, grow tomatoes, then spar with anyone dumb enough to challenge you. Admit it."
Mihawk's lips pressed thin, but he didn't argue. The truth was undeniable. His cold pride craved duels and solitude more than constant voyages. The only reason he stayed this long was… well, Ozz. Sparring against a man whose Observation Haki could mimic every move like fighting his own reflection was priceless training. Ozz was the ultimate tool, whether he admitted it or not.
But now, hearing Ozz put it this way, Mihawk could only nod in silence. A dignified acceptance.
Ozz turned his grin toward Crocodile.
"And you, Sand Girl. You've always dread of your own kingdom, your own ironclad power. With ? Forget it. I've got no interest in playing king of the sandbox."
Crocodile's brows furrowed, cigar smoke curling. Yet, again, Ozz's words cut close to truth. She had wanted control, not to orbit around soone else's empire.
"And besides," Ozz continued, "it's not like we're burning bridges. You're still welco at Sabaody, still welco at my table. I'll always be around. Co and see whenever you like."
His tone carried no guilt, no hesitation. Just that sa playful, dangerous certainty.
Because in his mind, this was never the end. It was investnt. The new era was here, and his old companions would each beco pieces on the board. They weren't livestock to be tethered they were beasts to be unleashed.
Hawks. Crocodiles. Flamingos. Demons of gold. He'd let them all run free.
So long as the sea's rhythm still matched his laugh, everything remained in his grasp.
"Go," Ozz thought, crimson eyes glinting. "Make chaos. Make history. Just rember who the king is."
His freedom wasn't Joy Boy's dream of liberation. It was darker, cheekier. A freedom born of amusent. The right to sit back, drink, and laugh as the world spun madly on.
"How could I rob my cutest companions of the chance to shake this new age to its core?" His smile stretched wide, sharp as a blade. "Go raise hell."
But freedom ca with chains. Ozz would never let his na be used recklessly. Which is why he had already planned… the Jinyiwei. His own shadow guard, watching, ready to correct anyone who stepped too far.
For the first ti, Ozz felt a shift in his heart. No longer clutching everything tightly in his own hands. He would play the shadow puppeteer instead, watching from behind the curtain as the play unfolded.
Ti passed.
He gave Crocodile a mountain of start-up capital. He gave Mihawk a modest little ship one plank and a dream. Both set off on their own journeys.
After passing through Sabaody, Ozz entrusted the Oro Jackson to Rayleigh for safekeeping. It was a ship too legendary to parade around every day. Better to let it sleep until the right mont, when its return would shake the seas.
And then, Ozz stepped aboard another vessel.
Donquixote Doflamingo's ship.
"Fufufufu… Ozz-sama," Doflamingo cackled, bowing with theatrical flourish. "I swear, your trip to Dressrosa will be unforgettable."
Ozz lounged into a chair like a king reclaiming his throne.
"Doffy, you've always been one of my favorites. You know that, right?"
At those words, Doflamingo's pulse spiked. He had been sweating bullets ever since Ozz expressed displeasure with him. But if Ozz still chose to sail under his flag, that ant all was not lost. He could spin this. He could wrap himself in the Black Emperor's cloak once more. To the outside world, this was proof that the Donquixote Family still had Ozz's blessing. His enemies would hesitate. His underworld empire would endure.
Yes. Joker was far from finished.
A maid shuffled forward with a drink. Ozz took it, tousled her hair, and chuckled.
"Baby 5, right?"
Her eyes widened like stars. "Yes, Ozz-sama!"
He drained the glass in one pull. Then, at last, he turned those scarlet eyes back to Doflamingo. The grin never faded, but the air grew cold. Predatory. The weight of death itself pressed down.
"You've built a loyal family, Doffy," Ozz said slowly. "Strong. Useful. Dangerous."
His fingers tapped the glass once. CLINK.
"So don't let down."
The smile stayed, but the voice sharpened like a blade sliding free.
"Your future? I won't cage it. I'll let you run wild. But lies… like hiding the Toy-Toy Fruit from ?" His gaze cut straight through the Warlord. "That ends now."
Silence drowned the cabin. Doflamingo's grin faltered, sweat slicking his temples. He bowed low, the laugh in his throat strangled into a whisper.
"Yes… understood, Ozz-sama."
Ozz leaned back, eyes half-lidded, as if the world already belonged to him.
"Good. Because the only thing I hate more than boredom "
His fingers snapped. CRACK. The sound echoed like a death sentence.
" is disappointnt."
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