Royal Laboratory.
Kuma was suspended mid-air, his limbs shackled by Seastone chains, forming a large X.
Dozens of researchers in white lab coats surrounded him.
"Squelch."
Several thick syringes pierced deep into Kuma's arms and legs.
As they twisted and drew back, viscous blood plasma was extracted.
"...Ugh..."
Even a man as stoic as Kuma couldn't hold back a muffled grunt under such torment.
Still, he forced a strained smile toward the girl beside him—his daughter.
Not far away, Bonney, bound in Seastone cuffs, was held tightly by two researchers. She could only let out muffled sobs, tears like pearls spilling all over the floor.
...
Eventually, the needles were removed from Kuma's body, and the researchers gradually filed out.
He looked visibly thinner, his face deathly pale.
Bang!
As the door slammed shut, darkness once again fell over the room.
Bonney, her body trembling and weak, crawled over and hugged Kuma's foot tightly.
Her small hands tried in vain to cover the wounds on his leg.
She choked back her cries.
"Papa... are you okay? Sob... sob..."
Her voice was barely above a whisper, terrified it might draw the guards' attention.
"...Bonney..."
Kuma's heart clenched with pain at the sound of her sobs.
And yet, he couldn't even lift a hand to comfort her.
"I'm fine. We're going to make it out of this..."
"Fufufufufu~ What a touching father-daughter moment~"
The door, shut only moments ago, swung open again.
The figure responsible for their capture stepped in.
Bonney immediately recoiled, shrinking behind Kuma's leg, peeking out only slightly to glare at Doflamingo.
Kuma simply furrowed his brows and said nothing. For the defeated, words were meaningless.
Faced with their mixture of fear and vigilance, Doflamingo's smile only grew as he sauntered forward.
Clink! Clink!
Kuma strained against the chains, trying to shield Bonney behind him completely.
But it was useless.
With a single finger, Doflamingo brushed past his weakened body.
Bonney felt her feet lift from the ground—Doflamingo had picked her up effortlessly. She flailed helplessly in the air, panic rising in her voice.
"Papa! Papa...!"
"Don't hurt her! She's just a child!" Kuma shouted, desperation breaking through his usual calm. As he struggled, the wounds on his limbs reopened, bleeding anew.
"Relax. Your bond is so touching—it brings tears to my eyes," Doflamingo said, holding Bonney in one arm while gently running a hand over her trembling back.
Feigning emotion, he wiped at his dry eyes.
"How about I send Bonney back?"
"...?" Kuma's eyes narrowed, locked onto Doflamingo's face, trying to pierce the mask and see what he was really after.
There was no way Doflamingo would act out of kindness.
"Fufufufufu~"
Doflamingo chuckled at Kuma's suspicion, amused.
"What's wrong? Don't trust me?"
"Relax. I'm a man of my word."
As he spoke, Doflamingo gently set Bonney down, then reached into his coat and pulled out a Den Den Mushi wearing a black feathered cloak.
He pressed the dial.
...
Grand Line — Little Garden Waters.
The ship cruised steadily through the sea.
A breeze landed softly on the deck and coalesced into the form of a dragon.
The moment Dragon appeared, the crew rushed toward him, voices overlapping with urgent questions.
"Dragon-san, what's the situation?"
"Did you find where Kuma and Bonney are being held?"
"When will the rescue begin?"
...
Their words reflected their deep trust in Dragon.
To these revolutionary soldiers, the man who had led countless successful uprisings was invincible.
But Ivankov, Karasu, and Terry Gilteo—three top officers—focused on Dragon's hands with concern. Unlike the others, they weren't as optimistic.
"The defenses on Sky Island were far tighter than I expected."
Raising a hand to silence the chatter, Dragon spoke in a low, serious tone.
"Even Bullet, the Demon's Heir, has submitted to Heavenly Yaksha. He blocked my way this time."
"But I've figured out the route to Sky Island."
"Next time, I'll approach from a different direction, track down Kuma's location, and launch the rescue."
Everyone exchanged looks.
Among them, Rosinante let out a long breath.
It was hard to tell whether he was relieved that Dragon had returned safely—or that he hadn't clashed directly with Doflamingo.
After calming the others, Dragon gestured for Ivankov and the other officers to follow him to the meeting room.
"Rosinante, you come too. I need your help with something."
"Huh? Oh—yes!" Rosinante snapped out of his thoughts and quickly followed.
...
In the meeting room, Dragon turned to Rosinante and asked gently:
"Rosinante..."
"Pururururu..."
"Ah! Sorry, Dragon-san!" Rosinante fumbled to pull out his Den Den Mushi.
Seeing the crimson-lensed eyes staring back at him, his pupils shrank in shock.
"Brother!!"
"Doflamingo?" ×4
Dragon, Ivankov, and the other two officers immediately tensed. What was Doflamingo doing calling Rosinante now?
Feeling the weight of their stares, Rosinante squirmed awkwardly.
"I'll hang up right away."
"No need," Dragon said calmly. "Answer it."
Click.
"Fufufufufu~ Rosinante, you've been ignoring my calls. Life with the Revolutionary Army so wonderful you've forgotten your dear brother?"
"...N-No, Brother!" Rosinante's voice trembled, drenched in sweat. He remembered all the intel he'd spilled before.
Dragon lightly placed a hand on his shoulder, giving him silent reassurance.
"Oh? So you really did join the Revolutionary Army."
On the other end, Doflamingo was toying with Bonney's cheeks under Kuma's furious, bloodshot glare.
"Is Dragon there?"
Rosinante looked helplessly toward Dragon.
Dragon took the Den Den Mushi and asked in a cold, steady voice:
"Doflamingo, what's the situation with Kuma and Bonney?"
The moment they heard Dragon's voice, both Kuma and Bonney struggled harder, trying to resist.
But they couldn't even make a sound.
Which only seemed to thrill Doflamingo more.
"Such a pity... It's been almost five years since Loguetown, and you don't even ask how your old friend is doing?"
Dragon: "..."
The Den Den Mushi captured his deadpan expression perfectly.
Who's your old friend? .jpg
Seeing that Dragon didn't respond, Doflamingo wasn't the least bit fazed. Instead, he chuckled darkly.
"But I get it. Kuma and Bonney are clearly closer to you than Rosinante and I ever were."
"As for their current condition? Perfectly safe."
"I've got a brilliant idea... how about a prisoner exchange?"
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Fanfic is finished 527 chapters in total on p@treon/tambeerg