As Sugar lost consciousness, every person she had turned into a toy over the past eight years returned to their original form.
In that instant, countless points of light overflowed from each toy-like body throughout Dressrosa.
"I… I'm back to normal!"
"Daddy!?"
"Sweetheart, I… why did I forget about you?"
"It's Doflamingo!!"
Conversations like these erupted all across the city.
The crowd was in an uproar.
---xXx---
Royal Palace
Luffy listened to everything with a sharp, perceptive gaze.
"About 150,000 people? Impressive, Doflamingo. You've ruled here for only eight years, and yet you turned 150,000 people into toys?"
Sabo was also paying attention to the situation unfolding across the island. His Observation Haki wasn't as strong as Luffy's, but he could still hear countless cries.
"Let's take back Dressrosa!!"
The people who had regained their human forms grabbed their weapons one after another and charged toward the palace.
Members of the Donquixote Family were fighting the enraged crowd in a panic.
Koala rested her chin on one hand, smiling faintly as she watched everything unfold.
Doflamingo stood up and surveyed the entire scene using his Observation Haki.
He was in agony.
He had specifically told Sugar not to go that far, yet she acted impulsively anyway.
Even if Straw Hat turned into a toy, the man's Haki would still resist the ability's effects. How could Sugar not understand something so basic?
Luffy admired the contorted expression on Doflamingo's face.
"If I were you, I'd be getting ready to run right about now."
"Straw Hat!!"
The Donquixote Family members were furious.
Luffy frowned at them.
He didn't sense Kaido anywhere nearby, yet these people still had the nerve to talk nonsense.
Doflamingo saw the shift in Luffy's eyes and his expression changed instantly. He hurried to stop his subordinates:
"Everyone, fall back!!"
He scolded them coldly, took a deep breath, and turned to look at Luffy, the man wearing the straw hat.
"Fufurfurfur… Luffy, what exactly is it that you desire?"
He was still wearing his usual smile.
A mere group of civilians—nothing worth worrying about.
What truly mattered was Luffy's attitude.
"What I want?" Luffy repeated, surprised. "Your subordinate attacked me—how is that normal? That woman named Sugar has the power of a Devil Fruit, right? She tried to turn me into a toy?"
Yes, it wasn't over.
Cold sweat began dripping down Doflamingo's back.
Sugar was the most vital piece in maintaining his control over Dressrosa. Her ability was far too important to lose.
"She's just a child…"
Doflamingo said something he didn't even believe himself. Then he gritted his teeth and turned toward Trebol.
"Sugar is part of Trebol's army. Trebol, you will take responsibility for her actions."
Trebol was stunned.
He had been the one who gave Doflamingo a Devil Fruit long ago and supported him, hoping he would become king.
But would the king really sacrifice one of his own subordinates in a situation like this…?
"Young Master!" The other members' expressions changed dramatically.
Doflamingo raised his hand, and threads sprouted from his five fingers, wrapping around the banquet hall.
He gritted his teeth and said:
"Don't disappoint me even more, Trebol! I ordered you not to do this—why did you disobey?!"
He treated his crew as if they were his family.
He could understand why the others would disagree with what he was doing…
But reality was rarely as kind as people wanted.
His fingers twitched slightly—
and an invisible thread instantly severed Trebol's right arm.
"AHHHHHH!!"
Blood spurted everywhere as Trebol collapsed to the floor, screaming.
The hall fell silent.
The other Donquixote Family members looked grim. They weren't stupid—they understood exactly what was happening.
Doflamingo then turned to Luffy, who sat calmly in the hall's main seat.
"Is this enough?"
Koala was shocked by what had just unfolded before her eyes.
A single sentence from Luffy had forced Doflamingo to bow and even sacrifice one of his own men.
Sabo also looked at his younger brother.
Luffy shook his head.
"Are you kidding me?"
Doflamingo's smile vanished. He could no longer contain himself.
What do you want?
"Of course, I don't need to kill you," Luffy said casually. "But I don't like Celestial Dragons."
"I abandoned my identity as a Celestial Dragon a long time ago!"
That might fool others, but certainly not Luffy.
They exchanged foolish looks.
"Then I'll renounce my rights as a Celestial Dragon again!" Doflamingo laughed loudly.
It was easy to assume there were conditions…
but what was truly terrifying was when there were no conditions.
"I never asked you to renounce your identity as a Celestial Dragon. In fact, I need you to remain exactly what you are."
Luffy smiled.
"How much do you know about Imu?"
"All I know is that this person exists."
Doflamingo nodded silently.
[But that's all.]
[There is a power above the Five Elders.]
Luffy read his emotions and asked:
"What abilities do the Five Elders possess?"
"Fufurfur… So that's what you want to know?"
Doflamingo suddenly laughed.
"I don't know. But I can find out for you!"
"How long have the Five Elders lived?"
Luffy asked again.
That was the question he cared about most.
If the Five Elders had lived for 800 years like Imu, then there was a massive problem.
Being the most powerful person in the world, if he were still alive after 800 years…
What, did people think the whole world was blind?
"I don't know how long they've lived, but they were already the Five Elders when I was a child, and they haven't changed much since then."
Doflamingo thought to himself:
[That's another thing to investigate.]
[Looks like he won't kill me—and he needs me to work for him.]
[Fufurfurfur… You could have said that earlier. Why would I refuse your request?]
Luffy read his thoughts and asked one last question:
"What is the treasure in the hands of the Celestial Dragons?"
Doflamingo's expression changed instantly.
---
(End of Chapter)