"Fufufufufufu, Judge, you're getting more interesting by the day."
Hearing Judge's flattery, Doflamingo burst out laughing.
He really enjoyed hearing honest praise like that.
"It's all thanks to your guidance."
All the heroes of the world are now in my grasp.
Sanji was now in his hands.
Robin was still being tracked down.
Let's see how you handle this, Monkey D. Luffy.
Maybe he should even try to recruit Luffy too?
But in the next instant...
Doflamingo dismissed the idea.
Even Oden was absurdly stubborn.
The will of the Sun God... who could resist that?
After reviewing Judge's four prized sons, Doflamingo didn't rush to leave this time.
Because—
Pica and the representatives of the Tontatta Tribe had already passed through Water 7.
They were almost at Skypiea.
...
A few days later, in Upper Yard—
Pica led a group of Tontatta warriors across a floating stone, heading toward the grand palace at the center of the island.
Along the way, the Tontatta had gotten over their initial shock at arriving in Skypiea.
Now they buzzed like mosquitoes, chattering nonstop about everything they'd seen.
"The Island Clouds feel so strange when you step on them."
"Yeah! Who knew clouds could actually be solid?"
"And the people from Angel Island—their wings were so beautiful..."
"The residential area was so peaceful too. Everyone had a smile on their face... Doflamingo-sama must be such a kind and compassionate ruler."
Kind? Compassionate?
Pica nearly tripped midair. He almost thought he was hallucinating.
He glanced back at the chattering Tontatta with an expression of utter speechlessness.
He just hoped they'd still think that after meeting Doflamingo in person.
Of course, the Tontatta knew nothing about Pica's inner turmoil. They kept chattering excitedly, full of innocent hope.
"Yeah! It has to be like that!"
"He saved so many people from pirates and wars—just like those folks in the immigration area said..."
"But... are we really allowed to live here?"
"It's so beautiful... even prettier than Green Bit!"
"And all we have to do is plant crops?"
"Plants are easy, right? Just bury seeds and they'll grow big and strong!"
...
Passing through the lush jungle, they soon reached a staircase made of Island Clouds.
As the plant managers, the Tontatta immediately spotted the towering vine stretching into the sky.
At the end of the cloud stairs, built alongside the massive vine, stood a grand palace.
But that wasn't the most important thing.
Above the palace—
A tall human was slowly approaching.
The pink feathered coat on his back fluttered even without wind, spreading out as if it could block out the sun.
Even from a distance, the sheer strength radiating from his towering, muscular frame was palpable.
His flashy sunglasses couldn't hide the burning intensity of his gaze.
He emanated a ferocious aura that sent chills down the spine.
Pure danger.
The Tontatta Tribe immediately began to panic.
The ones who'd just been praising Doflamingo as "kind" now stumbled over their words.
"Th-that's the... Heavenly Yaksha? So scary..."
"What a terrifying human..."
...
What a perfect batch of high-quality labor! He was going to lock them in for sure.
Staring at the Tontatta sightseeing group, Doflamingo's gaze grew even hotter. A predatory smile curled on his lips.
"Fufufufufufu... Tontatta warriors, how do you like it? My personally crafted Donquixote Kingdom."
The little people exchanged nervous glances, then looked to their leader, Ganfu.
Ganfu swallowed hard, took a deep breath, and stammered,
"V-very good, Your Majesty Doflamingo!"
"Heh... looks like you're a bit nervous."
Behind his sunglasses, Doflamingo's crimson eyes gleamed as he sized them up.
His aura had grown even more oppressive lately.
And the Tontatta Tribe's fragility was plain to see.
Not ideal for first impressions.
Doflamingo knew himself well enough — he wasn't exactly a comforting presence.
He shifted his gaze to Pica, the sturdy stone giant whose presence radiated far more warmth.
"Pica, take our guests to the banquet."
"I'll handle it, Doffy."
Wearing his golden horned helmet, Pica responded with a nod.
He was a pro at this — he'd done it plenty of times back in Dressrosa.
As Doflamingo turned to leave, the Tontatta finally let out a collective sigh of relief.
Even though they understood Doflamingo probably didn't mean them harm...
The sheer pressure he gave off was overwhelming.
But Pica was different.
Most of them had already encountered Pica before, back when they'd been captured in Dressrosa.
"Pica, remember to come by the lab tonight."
Doflamingo's voice floated back toward them.
Pica's eyes lit up in excitement. Tonight, he would finally learn the method to boost his strength that Doflamingo had promised!
Ganfu jumped up and poked Pica's knee, looking up at him earnestly.
"Pica-san, where are we going now? And... what exactly does His Majesty Doflamingo want us to plant?"
No way were they going into that terrifying palace just now.
If the task Doflamingo assigned them was too hard...
They were doomed.
"It's all prepared. Follow me to the family's dining hall first," Pica said, controlling the floating stone to veer toward the Donquixote Family's mess hall.
"Tomorrow, I'll take you to visit several major plantations on Skypiea and explain the partnership models we've prepared between the Family and the Tontatta Kingdom."
...
That evening—
After settling the Tontatta in, Pica arrived at the Donquixote Family's laboratory.
Doflamingo ran a quick assessment of Pica's current strength.
"You've definitely got a knack for developing your Devil Fruit abilities, Pica," Doflamingo said thoughtfully."
"Your physical talents are truly one-in-a-million. But your Haki... it's been dragged down by that inferiority complex of yours."
"You'll need time and experience to grind it into something worthy."
"I'm sorry, Doffy," Pica said, bowing his head like he had ten years ago when Doflamingo first scolded him.
Since the founding of the Family, Doflamingo had always seen Pica as one of its pillars.
He had gone so far as to heal Pica's voice, encouraging him to step into diplomacy roles to strengthen his spirit.
And yet, despite everything, Pica still hadn't produced the kind of results Doflamingo expected.
"No need to apologize," Doflamingo said, patting the old scar across Pica's neck — a scar from when Pica had once shielded him from an enemy's blade.
Pica was the kind of man who worked without complaint.
Taking hits, dishing them out, guarding alone on distant fronts without so much as a murmur.
He wasn't like Diamante and Trebol, those two lazy old schemers.
Nor like Enel, the troublemaker, who needed a good thrashing every few months just to keep him in line.
Doflamingo often thought—
If only Enel had even half of Pica's mindset, life would be so much easier.
How could he bear to scold such a loyal subordinate?
"Doffy, I—" Pica started, guilt thick in his voice.
But before he could finish, Doflamingo raised a hand to stop him.
He beckoned.
From the shadows, Judge and Caesar Clown stepped out.
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Fanfic is finished 527 chapters in total on p@treon/tambeerg