Four days later, the smuggling ship, accompanied by two captured pirate vessels, successfully arrived at the port town of Spider Miles.
This was one of the Donquixote Family's current strongholds in the North Blue.
"Thank goodness we're finally back."
"We were lucky Mr. Pink was in charge this time. Otherwise, those bastards would have gotten away with it."
"Yeah, working under Mr. Pink is truly a blessing."
"By the way, Mr. Pink, what should we do with those two brats? Are we really taking them to Captain Doflamingo?"
As they disembarked, a crew member behind Señor asked him a strange question.
Then, two children were thrown off the ship.
And it was none other than Abel and Law, who had previously hidden in barrels to sneak aboard!
Perhaps they had used up all their luck getting on the ship. By the third day, they were starving—they had already finished all the food and water they had brought.
So they decided to take a chance and emerge from their barrels. After all, they still didn't know the ship's final destination or how many more days they would be at sea.
To avoid becoming the first transmigrator to starve to death, Abel had no choice but to gamble.
And he lost.
As they were sneaking into the kitchen, stuffing their faces, they were caught red-handed by a crew member who had woken up for a midnight snack.
Considering that their original goal was to infiltrate the Donquixote Family, Abel offered little resistance and was promptly arrested along with Law.
They were then brought before Executive Señor Pink.
Fortunately, they had encountered Pink!
This iron-willed man was a stark contrast to the Donquixote Family's usual methods.
While others were busy burning, killing, and looting, he was helping an elderly woman cross the street.
Not only was he fiercely loyal and honorable, but he also possessed a rare compassion for the weak.
It was utterly baffling!
Anyone who didn't know better might mistake him for a moral paragon within the Marines.
Abel couldn't fathom how Doflamingo had managed to recruit someone like Senor. They seemed like polar opposites!
Faced with Señor's questioning, Abel skillfully leveraged his apparent youth and selectively recounted his and Law's story, emphasizing their burning desire to join the Donquixote Family.
Two children who had escaped White City, seeking to join the Family and avenge the dead in their remaining, limited lives...
What a deeply moving tale!
Whether others believed it or not, Señor, who knew the truth, was convinced. The Amber Lead Syndrome afflicting Abel and Law couldn't be faked.
Another Executive might have disposed of the troublesome brats to avoid complications.
But Señor would never do such a thing!
Therefore, his decision was to take the two children to Young Master Doflamingo and let him decide their fate.
Firstly, he lacked the authority to induct anyone into the inner circle of the Donquixote Family. Secondly, Doflamingo himself was actively recruiting at the time, having recently taken in over a hundred children to scout for promising candidates for training.
Abel and Law's arrival couldn't have been more timely.
"Prepare all the loot from this haul. I'm taking them to see Captain Doflamingo."
Señor lit a cigarette, thinking to himself, A real man keeps his word!
The crew behind him sighed in resignation. They knew Pink's old habit of sympathizing with the weak had resurfaced.
But they couldn't object. After all, their survival to this day was entirely due to Pink's "old habit." Otherwise, they would have been tossed into the sea long ago to feed the sea kings for their failures.
"Hey, you two! When you meet Captain Doflamingo, remember to be respectful and polite. If you get Pink scolded, I'll throw you overboard myself!"
Abel and Law remained unfazed by the crew's threats.
Abel saw another side to the situation, realizing that Pink genuinely commanded the respect and affection of his subordinates, undoubtedly due to his charismatic personality.
Law, on the other hand, had simply reached his breaking point.
'I'm not even afraid of death anymore,' he thought. 'Why would I fear the threats of some small-time thug?'
At the heart of Spider Miles' waste disposal plant stood a cluster of buildings flying the pirate flag.
The flag depicted a wide-grinning face, its teeth bared, bisected by a diagonal slash.
This was the banner of the Donquixote Family, instantly recognizable throughout the North Blue.
Pink led the way, carrying two large black leather suitcases, with Abel and Law following behind.
Hostile glares surrounded them, but no one dared approach, intimidated by Pink's status as an Executive.
Only when they reached the second floor and stood before a specific room did he set down one suitcase and knock.
"Come in."
Pink picked up the suitcase again, pushed open the door, and entered.
"Captain, I'm back."
"Ah, Pink.The mission must have gone smoothly if you're back so quickly. Hmm? Who are these two brats? Your secret bastards from some fling, perhaps? Fufufufufu~"
"Don't mind him, just a joke."
Sunlight streaming through the window revealed a man seated in the center of the room.
The man had striking golden hair that stood up like flames. He wore trendy sunglasses and a well-tailored black suit, over which he draped an extravagant pink feather coat.
He was the one who had spoken earlier.
With his distinctive appearance and the preceding conversation, the man's identity was unmistakable:
He was Donquixote Doflamingo, a Celestial Dragon who had single-handedly established the Donquixote Family.
Behind Doflamingo stood two towering figures.
To his left was a slovenly middle-aged man draped in a cloak resembling a cotton quilt, wearing small sunglasses, and sporting a half-dangling snot bubble and a scruffy mustache.
To his right stood a man with a fur-trimmed hat, a red cape, and light purple transparent glasses, his attire a bizarre mix of "fashionable" and tribal.
Judging by their appearances alone, these were likely two of the four Supreme Executives: Trebol and Diamante.
The other executives remained unseen, and it was unclear who else had joined the Donquixote Family.