Chapter Text
Chapter 167: Strange Love
Dressrosa.
All the top officers of the Donquixote Family were gathered.
Violet, Diamante, Trebol, Pica, Sugar… all the key members sat around the table. There was none of the usual laughter or joy. The atmosphere was heavy and oppressive.
On the table, Monet's life card was still intact, but Vergo's had turned to ashes.
Doflamingo stared at the small pile of ash, his body trembling with fury.
"Hehehehehe… Vergo's plan failed."
Doflamingo let out a low, sinister laugh. His rage continued to rise.
Vergo's plan to recapture Caesar had failed completely, and he had been killed by Caelan.
Vergo wasn't just the product of 15 years of undercover work. He was a founding member, someone he regarded as family.
The artificial Devil Fruit operation tied to Kaido was the backbone of the family's business.
The massive blow to both emotional bonds and profits had made Doflamingo lose control. He was speechless for a long time.
Many of the officers looked at him silently. They all understood his pain and fury.
Among them, Violet lowered her head, seemingly mourning Vergo's death like the others.
But in her heart, she was rejoicing.
As the former princess of Dressrosa, she held no fondness for the Donquixote Family that had seized her homeland.
She hated Doflamingo, the main culprit, even more.
If not for her father's safety, she would never have agreed to become a dancer for the Donquixote Family.
Now that Caelan had killed Vergo, it brought her immense satisfaction.
If her father knew, he would surely be happy.
Once Caelan arrives in Dressrosa, I'll go find him and make a deal!
Violet thought to herself.
She had made this decision long ago—to offer the best of herself in exchange for Caelan's help in saving the country.
Violet secretly glanced at Doflamingo, deeply despising his twisted views on love.
Just as Violet was thinking this, Doflamingo spoke up.
Violet's expression hardened, and she looked at him with deep hatred in her eyes.
"I suppose you all know what happened at Punk Hazard."
"Caesar and Monet were captured. Vergo is dead. And Caelan is coming for us."
Doflamingo growled in a low voice. His eyes were bloodshot, and he was like a maddened bull.
Even if Caelan was as strong as a Yonko, it would not stop his thirst for revenge.
Originally, he had planned to lay low and avoid further attention.
Now, he wanted to go all out and fight Caelan to the death.
"Young Master, maybe we should retreat for now and rebuild elsewhere."
Diamante spoke with difficulty.
Caelan's strength was well known.
The Donquixote Family was no match for him.
"Yes, Young Master. We can't go against Caelan."
Trebol and Pica shared the same view. They both believed Caelan was unbeatable.
Sugar was visibly anxious. Her sister, Monet, was still in Caelan's hands, making it impossible for her to run.
"Run? Let's not even talk about the blood feud between us. Dressrosa is the foundation we built with years of effort. How could we abandon it so easily?"
"Besides, now that the artificial Devil Fruit production is gone, that lunatic Kaido won't let us off easy."
Doflamingo rejected their suggestion outright.
He didn't blame them for being afraid. He understood that their concern was for their own survival.
"Young Master, let's fight him."
Diamante and the others looked at Doflamingo with admiration. They were ready to die by his side.
This was their Young Master—the man who awakened Conqueror's Haki at the age of eight and was born to rule.
How could someone like him run away?
"This would be a last resort. We're not there yet."
Doflamingo shook his head.
Caelan's strength was overwhelming. Unless there was no other choice, he would not confront him head-on.
"Young Master, what are you planning?"
Diamante asked cautiously.
"Sugar. We still have Sugar."
"When Caelan and the others arrive, let Sugar stage a scene and look for an opportunity to turn him into a toy."
"If that works, even the so-called God Slayer will be nothing more than prey for us to butcher."
Doflamingo's eyes sparkled as he looked at Sugar.
With the powers of the Hobby-Hobby Fruit, Sugar could turn people into toys—this was how he'd kept control of Dressrosa.
He believed even Caelan might be caught off guard.
"If that works, then we really do have a chance."
Diamante and the others agreed. Sugar's powers were tricky to handle. Only top-tier Armament Haki could counter it.
Even with conscious use of Haki, many of them could still be turned into toys.
Even someone like a Yonko might fall if they slipped up for a moment.
"Leave it to me!"
Sugar clenched her fists. She was determined.
Her sister, Monet, was still in Caelan's hands. She had to use her ability to save the family and rescue her sister.
"Diamante, Trebol. Have your men monitor Caelan's every move. Report the moment he gets close!"
Doflamingo was feeling the pressure.
He wasn't sure this plan would work, but he had no other option.
"Yes, Young Master!"
Diamante and the others responded in unison.
"Also, Violet. Stay close to Sugar, then go with her."
Doflamingo suppressed his displeasure as he gave the order.
Even though they hadn't slept together yet, he already considered Violet his woman.
What's more, Violet had a trace of that person's shadow, which made Doflamingo feel even more uncomfortable.
But if Violet joined the plan, Caelan would surely let his guard down.
"I understand."
Violet remained calm, though she was inwardly stunned.
According to Doflamingo's plan, there really was a chance Caelan could fall for it.
But with her involved, that plan would never succeed!
"All right, go prepare. Violet, stay for a moment."
Everything had been arranged. Now Doflamingo had something private to say to Violet.
Hearing this, the other officers left the room, leaving only Doflamingo and Violet behind.
"Ahem. Violet, don't actually give yourself to him."
Doflamingo suddenly said.
With Violet joining the plan, she would inevitably come into physical contact with Caelan.
A few minor touches were one thing, but giving her body to him? Absolutely not.
"What if he forces me?"
Violet pretended to look worried, secretly mocking Doflamingo in her heart.
The woman you're obsessed with is about to seduce someone else, and you still care so much.
What a joke.
"Even if he does, don't give in!"
Doflamingo said in a low voice.
"Fine, I get it. I won't give it to him."
Violet replied seriously, as if she truly wanted to remain pure for Doflamingo.
Doflamingo was finally satisfied and said, "That's it. Go practice coordination with Sugar."
Violet nodded and left the meeting room.
When the time came, she couldn't wait to see the look on Doflamingo's face when everything fell apart.
(To be continued.)
Chapter 168: Huge Harvest
In the evening, the golden sun set in the west.
Aboard the Wind Rider, heading toward Dressrosa, Caelan had no idea what Doflamingo was plotting.
Of course, even if he did, he wouldn't care.
In the face of absolute power, those little tricks were meaningless.
At that moment, everyone around Caelan was taking stock of their gains.
"Artificial Mythical Beast, Dragon Form, five artificial Devil Fruits, and an entire artificial Devil Fruit production line."
"This time, the harvest is truly massive!"
The women sighed, amazed at everything they had taken from Punk Hazard.
"And that's not all. I also got a beautiful prisoner and a capable officer."
Caelan pointed at Monet, who wore Seastone handcuffs, and Hina, who was still deep in conversation with Gion about the past.
Monet snorted coldly and turned her head away.
Caelan didn't mind. Once it was time for a proper defeat CG, Monet would fall in line.
Hina said modestly to Caelan, "When it comes to talent, I'm nowhere near Sister Gion!"
Hina truly believed that. In both strength and naval administration, she was far inferior to Gion, who had once been a candidate for admiral.
Gion could reorganize the newly recruited marines with just a few words, something Hina knew she couldn't manage.
"Didn't you hear what Caelan said? He's building a new navy. If you don't help, I'll collapse from exhaustion!"
Gion patted Hina's shoulder and complained.
Caelan's talk about forming a new navy wasn't just idle words. He would definitely follow through.
That was going to be a massive undertaking, and she couldn't handle it alone.
"Okay, okay, I'll help!"
Hina stuck out her tongue playfully.
She was genuinely looking forward to the new navy Caelan had envisioned.
Soon after, Hina, Kalifa, and Tashigi were taken by the mermaids and questioned about everything that had happened on Punk Hazard.
"I never thought there'd be so many secrets on an island abandoned by the Marines!"
Shirahoshi, Shyarly, and the other mermaids were full of emotion.
They hadn't expected that just by following Caelan, they'd witness something so thrilling.
What was even more shocking was that Caelan had captured over 2,000 Marines. It was insane.
At this rate, it was only a matter of time before Caelan became king of the world.
When that time came, the residents of Fishman Island could finally move to the surface.
As they thought about this, the mermaids' eyes welled up with tears as they looked at Caelan.
Caelan noticed their gazes and felt a little proud.
At this point, all he had to do was snap his fingers, and plenty of mermaids would throw themselves at him.
However, while Caelan was interested in exploring the physiology of merfolk, he decided to hold off.
Because he had more pressing matters.
Caelan walked over to Gion and whispered in her ear, "Come to my room tonight. Let's carefully review that bet."
Gion's body trembled. Her ears turned red as she nodded ever so slightly, accepting Caelan's invitation.
Elsewhere, Nami, Robin, and Vivi chuckled knowingly.
"I told you we'd get her within two months!"
Vivi said proudly.
"What two months? She only lasted one."
Robin corrected her.
"Caelan's abilities are more formidable than we thought."
Nami rubbed her forehead, feeling a little helpless.
"In that regard, I approve!"
Vivi gave Caelan a thumbs-up and grinned mischievously.
Gion's expression remained calm as she walked into the cabin, pretending not to hear a word.
But deep down, she was so annoyed that her teeth itched.
Once the new navy is established, she would make all of them do hard labor!
Nearby, Nojiko and Uta looked a little down.
As more women joined the ship, Hancock had risen above them all and secured her position.
Time was running out for the two of them.
They glanced at the mermaids making eyes at Caelan and started to feel anxious.
…
In the blink of an eye, it was night. The stars were sparse, and the moon hung high.
Caelan was in his room, sorting through his gains while waiting for Gion.
The 600 million Berries Vergo had sent were converted into synchronization progress, raising his progress bar to 42%.
However, the increase in power wasn't as significant as before.
He had only inherited a bit more experience in spear techniques. As for raw stat improvements, they were negligible.
For Caelan, who had already reached the limit of a Heroic Spirit, enhancements to basic attributes did little.
After all, the true value of the Karna template lay in his skills and Noble Phantasms.
Those skills and Noble Phantasms had already been fully inherited when he acquired the template.
In that regard, the system was actually quite fair.
Still, the greatest gain from Punk Hazard wasn't the 600 million Berries.
Kalifa had acquired the Fish-Fish Fruit, Model: Azure Dragon, significantly boosting her strength and future potential.
He had obtained five artificial Devil Fruits. Though flawed, they could probably sell for 300 million Berries in total.
Then there was Caesar and his SAD production line. Selling them would fetch two to three billion Berries.
More importantly, he had conquered over 2,000 Marines, laying a solid foundation for his future power.
It could be said that the gains from Punk Hazard surpassed even his raid on the Celestial Dragons.
"Next stop, Dressrosa!"
Caelan was already looking forward to it.
In his plan, once he took Dressrosa, his grand enterprise could officially begin.
As Doflamingo's carefully cultivated base, Caelan had a feeling the loot there would rival or surpass Punk Hazard.
There were countless industries in Doflamingo's hands, and who knows how many Berries were tied up in them.
It was also the source of raw materials for artificial Devil Fruits. Controlling Dressrosa would mean monopolizing the entire artificial Devil Fruit industry.
With that control, his new force would finally have fertile ground for growth.
After thinking for a while, Caelan set those thoughts aside and focused on what really mattered tonight.
He had made a bet with Gion. If he could find a powerful Devil Fruit on Punk Hazard suitable for Kalifa, Gion would spend one night in his room.
Clearly, it was time to collect.
It was late at night, and everyone was asleep.
Caelan picked up a Den Den Mushi and said, "Gion, it's about time."
Gion remained silent, her face red. It was finally happening.
She had been preparing herself ever since they left Punk Hazard.
Still, it was hard to accept giving herself away like this!
She wanted to slap herself. Why did she agree to such a bet?
Was the Den Den Mushi broken?
Caelan leaned in and heard the slightly uneven breathing.
So she was just shy.
Caelan smiled. This unexpected shyness from the normally composed Gion made him like her even more.
Still, if she wasn't ready, he could wait a little longer.
Thinking that, Caelan said, "I'm not in a rush. We can do it later if you're not ready."
Hearing that, Gion let out a long sigh and said, "No need. I'll be there soon."
Then she hung up the Den Den Mushi and walked toward Caelan's room.
The longer she waited, the worse it would feel. Better to get it over with quickly and avoid unnecessary trouble.
As for breaking her promise, that was out of the question.
She was honorable. A loss was a loss.
Besides, ever since she boarded Caelan's ship, she had been mentally prepared.
All things considered, aside from being a shameless flirt, the man wasn't that bad.
Soon, Gion entered Caelan's room.
Caelan's eyes lit up at the sight of her.
She wore a white, half-slit bathrobe that perfectly highlighted her stunning figure.
Through the opening, her long, fair legs were faintly visible.
Gion's usually heroic face now carried a trace of shyness. Her sharp eyes held a subtle charm.
She looked like a female general who had just taken off her armor.
Both beautiful and commanding, she made people want to conquer her.
And she was a general—formerly of the Marines, and soon to be one in his new force.
"Then allow me to help my General remove her armor."
Caelan stepped forward with a smile and spoke gently.
Time to get serious.
Gion gave Caelan a sidelong glance.
"Then go ahead."
Gion replied, trying to remain calm.
Her face flushed as she waited nervously for Caelan to make his move.
Soon, she felt a pair of warm hands.
Those hands were causing her to slowly lose herself.
As Caelan removed her bathrobe, a flawless body appeared before him.
"You're beautiful—so beautiful that I can't take my eyes off you."
Caelan whispered into Gion's ear as he wrapped his arm around her waist.
Moments like these called for a bit of flattery.
And honestly, his Gion was breathtaking.
"Mm."
Gion blushed but felt pleased.
Things had come this far. Hearing kind words made it all the better.
And so, the two embraced one another.
As if in a dream, the night passed.
(To be continued.)
Chapter 169: Plan Communication
In the blink of an eye, two days had passed, and Caelan and his large group had arrived in Dressrosa.
The Donquixote Family was already aware of Caelan's arrival.
There was no helping it—Caelan's entourage included two super-large ships and seven warships fully loaded with Marines.
This lineup was far too eye-catching.
Doflamingo led all his officers and hid in disguise near the docks.
As long as Sugar succeeded in turning Caelan into a toy, he would immediately unleash his ultimate move and destroy the toy.
If it failed, then he was ready to fight Caelan to the death.
"Sugar, Violet, are you both ready?"
Doflamingo looked at Sugar and Violet and asked in a deep voice.
These two were the key players in the plan. There could be no mistakes.
"We're ready."
The two girls nodded in unison without hesitation.
The petite looking Sugar was a bit nervous, fidgeting with her hands.
Violet gently patted Sugar on the head and comforted her, "Don't worry. I'll handle everything when the time comes."
"Yeah, I understand, Violet."
Sugar calmed down a little and looked at Violet with gratitude.
Over the past two days of rehearsals, her acting had improved significantly thanks to Violet's guidance.
Now, she felt confident that she wouldn't give anything away.
Violet smiled softly in return.
Don't worry. When the time comes, I'll hand you over to Caelan without hesitation.
If she could show enough sincerity, perhaps she could convince Caelan to save Dressrosa.
"Alright, head over."
Doflamingo nodded as Violet took Sugar to the docks, where they began acting out the rehearsed scenario.
A beautiful older sister bringing her young, adorable little sister. Their family had been persecuted by the Donquixote Family, and now they sought refuge and protection under Caelan.
The plot was cliché, a small twist on the classic damsel-in-distress trope.
But the beauties in the act were truly beautiful.
Doflamingo believed that with Caelan's personality, there was no way he would refuse.
Moreover, after rehearsing together for two days, Violet and Sugar had perfected the performance. Not a single flaw remained.
Even Doflamingo, knowing it was all an act, couldn't help but feel pity when he looked at the two of them now.
God Slayer Caelan, how will you respond to the honey trap I've prepared for you?
Doflamingo secretly looked forward to seeing Caelan turned into a toy.
Unbeknownst to him, the beauty in the honey trap had already begun to rebel.
Still completely unaware, Doflamingo remained proud of his plan.
Just then, Diamante, who was watching through a telescope, saw the Wind Rider approaching the shore and reported to Doflamingo, "Young Master, they've landed!"
"Good!"
Doflamingo's spirits lifted. He grabbed the telescope and nervously observed Caelan's movements.
This was a high-stakes gamble.
Sugar's ability was the foundation of his control over Dressrosa.
If she succeeded in turning Caelan into a toy, then everything would go smoothly.
But if the plan failed, it would mean that Dressrosa had completely slipped from his control.
…
At the same time.
Borsalino, who had received orders from Sengoku, reluctantly arrived at the G-5 branch.
Faced with the nearly empty Marine forces there, he could only sigh helplessly.
The Marines stationed in the New World were all elites.
The sudden loss of over 2,000 personnel was a devastating blow.
It would take a while to reestablish the necessary structure and command.
"Terrifying."
Borsalino sighed in resignation.
Caelan was already a huge headache when he was acting alone.
If he were to establish a new organization, it would become even more difficult to deal with.
If possible, Borsalino truly didn't want to become Caelan's enemy.
Ever since the three admirals fought Caelan at the Sabaody Archipelago, he had no desire to go up against him again.
That guy was even stronger than Yonko Kaido, a monster that couldn't be killed!
Just then, a Marine intelligence officer approached Borsalino and reported, "Admiral Borsalino, Caelan has appeared in Dressrosa. He is suspected of targeting the Warlord of the Sea, Doflamingo!"
"I see."
Borsalino nodded.
This was one of the reasons Sengoku had sent him here.
"Don't make any moves yet. I'll go check it out."
Borsalino gave his orders and left the G-5 branch with a Den Den Mushi.
He said he was going to "take a look," and that's exactly what he meant.
There was no way he was going to fight. He wasn't about to engage Caelan just for Doflamingo's sake.
After the last encounter at Sabaody, Borsalino had no intention of ever facing Caelan in battle again.
(To be continued.)
Chapter 170: Wrong Plot
Caelan led the group ashore and stepped onto the port of Dressrosa.
Behind him were more than 2,000 Marine soldiers and Gecko Moria along with his zombie army, all landing with murderous intent.
Needless to say, the Marines held deep hatred for Doflamingo, who had infiltrated the Marines as an undercover agent. They wanted nothing more than to tear him to pieces.
Moria, despite having no direct grudge against Doflamingo, felt an inexplicable sense of hostility toward him and was eager to confront him.
Caelan walked at the front, leading the others.
At that moment, seeing the legendary nation of toys, passion, and love, the women couldn't help but be amazed.
It was like a kingdom straight out of a fairy tale, filled with all kinds of dolls, and its architecture was distinctly European in style—unique and charming.
Even just looking at the port from afar, it immediately drew the women's attention.
"This country actually looks really nice."
Nami, Robin, and the others were a little surprised.
They had expected Dressrosa, under Doflamingo's rule, to be as chaotic and devastated as Alabasta was under Crocodile.
"We can't just judge by appearances. Vergo seemed very righteous on the surface. Who would've guessed he was a double agent?"
Gion looked around, pondering the truth hidden beneath this peaceful facade.
"That's true."
Nami and the others agreed.
After everything they'd experienced with Caelan, they no longer believed that pirates could truly be good people.
At the very least, Doflamingo—who worked with Caesar to abduct children on Punk Hazard and placed moles in the Marines—was definitely not a good person.
"If you have any doubts, we can look into them after we take over the place."
Caelan gazed at Dressrosa with satisfaction.
In less than two days, this kingdom would be his.
"Alright! We have to put on our best performance too!"
Motivated by Caelan's words, the girls eagerly rolled up their sleeves, ready to show their strength.
Caelan led the group toward the interior of Dressrosa.
Among the group, Monet, still wearing Seastone handcuffs, looked extremely worried. Young Master, please be careful!
Caesar, also cuffed with Seastone, was more resigned. Given the current situation, Doflamingo was clearly doomed.
At that moment, two beautiful figures—one tall, one small—ran out from the side in a panic and stopped in front of Caelan.
The older one wore a layered dance dress and had a seductive, curvaceous figure—an elegant and alluring Violet.
The little girl had mint-green hair, stood just under 1.5 meters tall, had a delicate face, and was a picture-perfect loli.
It was Sugar and Violet!
Monet looked at the two of them and instantly understood Doflamingo's plan.
But… could Sugar really succeed?
Caesar looked indifferent. He didn't recognize them at all.
After all, Sugar was the core of the Donquixote Family, and Violet was Doflamingo's hidden lover. There was no reason for Doflamingo to introduce them to Caesar.
Weren't these Sugar and Violet?
No matter what Doflamingo's intentions were in sending them here, Caelan had no reason to refuse this "gift."
"Caelan, these two could be assassins sent by Doflamingo. Kill them!"
Hancock was full of killing intent.
She was just waiting for Caelan's command to strike.
These two women screamed "vixen" from head to toe. There was no way she'd let them enchant Caelan.
Before Caelan could reply, Sugar quickly said, "Don't kill us! We came to seek refuge with Caelan-sama!"
"Oh? I see."
Hancock gave up her intention to attack but looked even colder than before.
Now, there were two more seductive vixens trying to sink their claws into Caelan.
"Seeking refuge with me?"
Caelan smiled, his tone full of hidden meaning.
"Yes! We once had a happy family, but Doflamingo…"
Sugar began to speak fluently, following the script they had rehearsed.
There were even tears forming at the corners of her eyes, making her look pitiful and innocent.
However, she quickly noticed something odd.
Why was she the only one talking?
Had Violet forgotten her lines?
Sugar gave Violet a discreet wink and whispered, "Say something already!"
Violet responded with a graceful smile and gave Caelan a deep bow.
"Caelan-sama, I've come to seek refuge with you. This is the gift I brought."
To Sugar's stunned disbelief, Violet picked her up and presented her elegantly.
Huh? I'm the gift?!
Sugar looked at Violet, completely baffled.
This scene was not in the script!
(To be continued.)
Sorry for the lack of updates for the past few days. I got really sick, so there was nothing I could do, but thankfully, I am getting better now, so I hope to upload more consistently again.