"Hey, Doffy… are you really just going to let them leave that easily? If we call in the pirate crews nearby to surround them, we could wipe them out completely."
Watching Reggie lead Aaron and his men away, Trebol's face twisted into a dark frown as he spoke quietly to Doflamingo.
For this transaction, he and Doflamingo had been preparing for quite some time. Around this small island, more than ten pirate ships lay hidden in the surrounding waters — a thousand hardened, bloodthirsty pirates at the ready, all meant to be used against the Frosthorn Gang if things went south.
If it hadn't been for the fact that Akio's crew had taken hostages earlier, those ships would've already encircled the island, and a bloody battle would have erupted. But now that Pica and Lao G had been safely ransomed, they no longer had to hold back.
Hearing Trebol's suggestion, the other officers of the Donquixote Pirates — except Corazon — all revealed eager, bloodthirsty grins.
After all, a crew reflects its captain.
And under Doflamingo — a man born an arrogant and ruthless Celestial Dragon — his subordinates had inherited the same arrogance and fearlessness.
If he ordered it, they would attack anyone — even a Celestial Dragon — without hesitation.
Take Pica, for example. His violent temper was part of his nature, sure, but Doflamingo's reckless, domineering way of living had deeply shaped him.
"Fufufufu~ No, Trebol. Calling those pirates in would be pointless. Reggie's still sharp — that old swordsman hasn't dulled one bit. Even if those crews showed up, their ships would be split in half by a single swing of his blade. Surrounding them is impossible.
And now that they've got two more capable fighters, even if we did win, it'd be a pyrrhic victory. You know me, Trebol — I'm not the self-sacrificing type.
Besides…" Doflamingo's grin widened. "Even if we don't lift a finger, Drum Kingdom will tear itself apart soon enough. And now that there's another ambitious player in the mix, this upcoming show's bound to be spectacular. We'll just sit back and enjoy the performance.
When your enemies are exhausted — that's when you strike, Trebol. That's how you win big with minimal losses."
Doflamingo hadn't spoken until Aaron and the others had completely disappeared from view. Only when their ship faded beyond the deck's edge did he finally turn, laughing aloud to his crew.
Of course, the thought of leaving the Frosthorn Gang alive had crossed his mind. He'd just lost three Devil Fruits in one trade — one of them a Logia, the Snow-Snow Fruit. It was a humiliating loss, one of the biggest since he'd first set sail.
He wanted revenge — but chose to restrain himself.
Not because he feared Reggie, the great swordsman, but because it simply wasn't worth the cost.
If he fought now, his own pirate forces would be heavily damaged, leaving him too weak to threaten Drum Kingdom further. Worse still, he'd earn the wrath of the legendary pirate — Golden Lion Shiki.
And being targeted by that man was anything but a blessing. It would seriously jeopardize his plans to move into the New World.
Even more critically, if Shiki's attention turned to him, then Shiki might not unleash chaos on Drum Kingdom as Doflamingo had intended.
That would be a total loss. Best to cut his losses now.
Within the Donquixote Pirates, Doflamingo's word was absolute. His decision was law. No one dared object. They all nodded silently, then followed him in order back aboard the Numancia Flamingo.
Meanwhile, Corazon — who had remained silent throughout the entire negotiation — cast one last glance toward the direction Aaron had gone, a flicker of deep concern glinting in his eyes.
Aboard the Akio, Aaron stood among his crew, watching as the Frosthorn Gang members now greeted him with respect and enthusiasm.
He smiled warmly and responded with polite modesty — though inwardly, his thoughts were laced with cold amusement.
The power of a Logia Devil Fruit truly leaves a mark on people's hearts.
Before eating it and after — their attitudes toward him couldn't have been more different.
He remembered well the faces of those who had glared at him with hatred on that deserted island, and those who had stood by him. Friend or foe — it was all crystal clear now.
Still, he couldn't help but feel a mix of emotions. He hadn't expected to obtain a Logia Fruit in such a way, and now his carefully laid plans would need to change.
With the Snow-Snow Fruit in his grasp, few in the first half of the Grand Line could threaten him anymore. Especially here in Drum Kingdom — a land of perpetual winter — he was virtually invincible.
The Snow-Snow Fruit allowed him to blend into snow seamlessly, travel swiftly through snowdrifts, create lifelike snow clones, and even use each falling snowflake as an extension of his senses — a thousand eyes watching his surroundings.
In short, in this snowbound land, his survival abilities had multiplied manyfold. Unless he courted death himself, there was hardly anyone in Drum Kingdom who could kill him now.
Still… I owe a great debt now, he thought as he waved to Reggie before leaving for the Fetes Pirates' ship. I can't treat the Frosthorn Gang like disposable tools in the future.
Aaron wasn't one to stay indebted. Since Reggie had entrusted him with such an invaluable Logia Fruit, he would someday repay the favor — just as he vowed to one day risk everything to save the fish-man hero who had freed him from the Celestial Dragons.
"These people are disgusting," muttered a voice beside him. "Just a while ago, they hated you to death, and now they're all acting like docile sheep the moment they saw your power. Makes me sick. How do you stay so calm, like none of it matters?"
The speaker was Els, a fifteen-year-old boy — simple, honest, and one of the few who hadn't begrudged Aaron the Snow-Snow Fruit.
Aaron chuckled. "Don't worry about it. You'll get used to it soon enough. People like them are everywhere in this world. There's no point getting upset. All that matters is that they fear us.
As long as we have strength — true strength — they'll all behave like sheep."
Then, after a brief pause, Aaron added a quiet warning:
"But never show weakness or be too kind to them. The moment you do, they'll tear off their masks and show their true faces — snarling wolves."
Els thought for a moment, then nodded, newfound respect gleaming in his eyes. Moments later, he was pestering Aaron to spar with him again.
This time, Aaron didn't refuse — though instead of a sword duel, he used Els as a live target to test his new Snow-Snow Fruit abilities.
Els didn't mind, of course. He obediently became Aaron's "training dummy."
A few hours later — at a secluded house behind the slums of Vilria Port — snow fell softly over a quiet yard.
There, a handsome young man in a training uniform practiced diligently in the snow.
If any members of the Frosthorn Gang from Slum District B had been there, they would've immediately recognized the movements — the same combat forms their boss, Aaron, used during training. The young man's execution was less refined, a little stiff… but unmistakably similar.
And his face — strikingly alike to Aaron's.
After another ten minutes, the youth finally stopped, exhaling heavily. His pale skin was flushed from exertion, sweat dripping down his temples.
Suddenly, a flash of red light gleamed in his eyes. He spun around sharply, staring at a mound of snow.
In the next instant, the snow gathered and rose, shaping itself into a human form — Aaron, the new Snow-Snow Fruit user, emerging from the white drift.
Seeing him appear, the young man smiled faintly.
"Not bad," he said with calm approval. "The Snow-Snow Fruit suits you."
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