As someone who had walked both the path of light and shadow, Doflamingo had long seen the depths of this world. He no longer flinched at darkness—after all, he had lived within it. To him, the Navy's "justice" was laughable. It was just a set of rules written by the victors, no different from lies told by kings.
Being defeated by Chiga didn't shake his beliefs. It only reminded him of one truth: his power wasn't enough.
Uchiha Chiga knew Doflamingo's character well. He hadn't expected him to beg for forgiveness, nor did he need it. Killing Doflamingo wasn't part of the plan. In fact, some of the warlord's ideals weren't too far from Chiga's own.
Power determined order. Without strength to uphold it, justice was just a fantasy—empty and fragile.
Chiga narrowed his eyes, and four black rods materialized in the air. With a sharp whistle, they pierced into Doflamingo's limbs.
The pain was brutal, both physical and mental. But Doflamingo only grunted through gritted teeth before falling silent. He glared at Chiga's Rinnegan, refusing to look away.
"What's the meaning of this?" he asked through clenched teeth. "Aren't you the type to execute monsters like me on the spot? Or... is it the World Government you're afraid of? Don't want them breathing down your neck?"
Chiga smirked.
"Letting you die now would be too merciful. And as for the World Government..."
He leaned in slightly, voice low and confident.
"Don't worry. They'll make sure you have newspapers in your cell. Just don't assume the headlines are fake."
Without another word, Chiga delivered a punch to Doflamingo's gut, causing him to cough blood and slump into unconsciousness. With a flick of his wrist, Chiga sealed Doflamingo inside a compartment in the Door-Door Space.
Turning to Violet, he offered a casual smile.
"Alright. Go release your father. I've got other matters to take care of."
Violet hesitated, wanting to say more. But before she could speak, Chiga vanished from the spot with Robin.
She stared at the empty air, a quiet sigh escaping her lips. But soon, a determined light burned in her eyes. Her mission wasn't over. She still had to free her father, and now, with tens of thousands of spectators as witnesses, the truth would spread like wildfire across Dressrosa.
As for Chiga, she had no doubt they'd meet again. Once she reclaimed her title as Princess, she'd have the freedom to seek him out.
---
Meanwhile, Chiga and Robin reappeared inside a massive underground facility—the SMILE factory.
The sight before them was strange and haunting. Dozens of tiny humanoids, no taller than a thumb, and scattered living toys toiled tirelessly under fluorescent lights. The air smelled of chemicals and crushed plants.
Chiga's sudden arrival startled them, but a brave female Tontatta leaped down, fists clenched.
"Who are you? How did you get in here?"
Robin smiled softly. The tiny warriors were impossibly adorable. She bent down, scooping the little woman gently into her palm.
The Tontatta girl stiffened, clearly frightened, but didn't resist. These people were known for their strength—despite their size, they were far more powerful than the average human. They were also incredibly fast.
Doflamingo had valued them for another reason: they were expert botanists, capable of cultivating even the rarest of plants. He had tricked them into working for him, claiming their Princess Mansherry was ill and needed special fruits grown from the SAD chemical to survive.
To someone else, the story would be full of holes. But the Tontatta were simple and trusting—easy to manipulate.
Robin gently asked, "What's your name?"
"I... I'm Funi," she whispered.
Chiga knelt beside them, offering a kind smile. But when Funi looked up and saw his Rinnegan, she gasped and curled into a ball in Robin's hand, trembling in fear.
Chiga scratched his cheek awkwardly. Robin chuckled, brushing her fingertips gently over Funi's back.
"Don't worry," she whispered. "He's not a bad person. He's here to help."
Funi peeked up at him, still nervous. Chiga softened his voice.
"How long have you been here?"
"I'm not sure... They said Princess Mansherry had a strange illness. They said these fruits would help her get better. So we just kept working…"
Robin's eyes narrowed. It was a lie—obvious to anyone who knew Doflamingo. Princess Mansherry was most likely imprisoned, not sick.
Chiga shook his head with a sigh. "They're too trusting. If these little guys ever went out into the real world, they'd be scammed out of their clothes in minutes."
As they talked, more Tontatta and toys gathered around, watching the strangers with a mix of fear and curiosity.
One soldier-like toy nudged Chiga's leg, whispering urgently, "You have to leave. Now. If she sees you…"
"Who?" Robin asked.
Before the soldier could answer, a quiet voice echoed through the factory.
"Oh my... you make me sound so scary."
A little girl stepped from the shadows, each of her fingers tipped with a grape, which she popped into her mouth one by one.
She wore a red cloak with bear ears on the hood, a golden crown resting on her head. She looked innocent enough, like a child playing princess.
But the fear in the toys' eyes told a different story.
It was Sugar—the user of the Hobby-Hobby Fruit. The one who had turned all of them into toys.
She approached slowly, her expression feigning hurt.
"Hmph, how mean," she said, eyes locked on Chiga. "I'm not scary at all, am I?"
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