"Law, time to get up!" Doflamingo, paying no mind to Law's exhaustion, pushed open the door to the boy's room and directly roused the still-sleeping child.
"Ngh..." Law groggily opened his eyes, rubbing them insistently to chase away the sleep. When his vision cleared and he saw Doflamingo standing before him, he shot up from the bed in alarm.
"Your time is limited! Don't waste it. Hurry and come with me!" Doflamingo urged.
"Yes, sir!" Law replied quickly, terrified of betraying Doflamingo's trust.
After a hasty breakfast, what awaited Law was another day of Doflamingo's hellish training.
"Let's start with a warm-up," Doflamingo said, looking at Law's frail body with a hint of disdain. "Run with all your might. Your warm-up ends when you collapse. After all, your constitution is far too weak."
Law said nothing. Whatever Doflamingo commanded, he would obey strictly. He didn't want to lose Doflamingo's trust. Besides, this intensive training from Doflamingo himself was a privilege others didn't receive. Gritting his teeth, Law began to run, forcing his aching body forward. The fatigue from yesterday was profound; after only a few laps, his legs felt like lead, his chest heaved with ragged breaths, and sweat poured from him endlessly.
Keep going, endure, I can do this, Law chanted silently in his mind.
After bringing Law to the training grounds, Doflamingo paid him no further attention. Instead, he sat cross-legged to the side, centering himself and adjusting his own state. Doflamingo now made it a practice before every training session to empty his mind, achieving a perfect union of spirit and flesh, before commencing his own basic exercises.
The sun climbed higher, bathing the entire training ground in its maternal warmth. Two figures occupied the vast space, each absorbed in their own efforts. Law silently pushed himself onward, fighting to stay on his feet for as long as possible.
Nearby, Doflamingo, having centered himself after Law began his laps, started his own regimen: basic push-ups, squats, handstand push-ups. He no longer needed the assistance of weights or barbells for his conditioning. As his understanding of electromagnetic forces deepened, Doflamingo had learned from Issho's example, generating a magnetic field around his own body, intensifying the gravitational pull on himself. This method of training was akin to exercising under extreme gravity, forcing his body to exert itself to its utmost limits.
Law, head down, focused on running, but he also noticed Doflamingo's movements. They seemed like ordinary exercises, yet with each repetition, sweat poured from Doflamingo as if it cost nothing. Law was puzzled. Why did such simple movements appear to be so strenuous for Doflamingo? The invisible magnetic pressure weighing down on Doflamingo was, of course, imperceptible to Law. But he wouldn't ask; he figured he could inquire after the training session if he was still curious.
THUD. Law collapsed once again. And once again, Doflamingo carried him away.
"Well?" Doflamingo asked, looking at the doctor who was examining Law.
"Young Master, Law is merely suffering from extreme exhaustion. Additionally, his Amber Lead Syndrome appears to have worsened," the doctor replied respectfully.
"Alright, I understand." Doflamingo waved a hand dismissively. "Prepare some medicinal solutions for strengthening bones and tendons. Give him a soak in it each time he collapses from exhaustion."
The doctor received his orders and silently withdrew to prepare the medication.
"Law, keep persevering," Doflamingo murmured, glancing at the boy lying unconscious on the bed. "Your efforts will not be in vain."
"I will," Law thought, his consciousness flickering even though he couldn't open his eyes. He had heard Doflamingo's words.
Somewhere on the Grand Line, a pirate ship sailed against the current, heading towards Reverse Mountain. It was the vessel of Diez Barrels, the Marine defector, and his newly formed pirate crew. The ship was somewhat battered, bearing the marks of cannon fire. Judging by their ragged appearance, they had recently clashed with the Marines and, clearly outmatched, Barrels had fled his pursuers.
"Captain, we've shaken off the Marines!" the lookout shouted down to Captain Barrels.
"Good! Those damned Marines!" Barrels cursed, his voice laced with resentment. "We were once colleagues, weren't we? Yet they attack with such ruthlessness, showing no mercy at all!"
"Captain," one of the pirates interjected, "where should we head now? As long as we remain on the Grand Line, the main Marine forces will surely hunt us down. Especially since you, Captain, are considered a disgrace to the Marines. They won't let us off easily."
"I know that much, you idiot! I don't need you to remind me!" Barrels snapped, his face darkening at his crewman's blunt assessment, though his words were pure bluster – a typical hard-mouthed response. The rebuked pirate wisely said no more. The captain was the boss, after all; his authority was absolute.
"Damned Marines..." Barrels muttered, falling silent for a moment before declaring, "We'll head to the North Blue! It's more chaotic there – countless gangs, numerous pirates. It's well-suited for our development. Besides, the Marine presence there is relatively weak. We can fish in troubled waters. No place is more suitable for us than the North Blue right now!"
"Brilliant, Captain! I think it's a great plan!" "As expected of our Captain!"
The pirates lauded Barrels' analysis with enthusiastic thumbs-ups, showering him with shameless flattery. Barrels preened under their praise, a smug look on his face. Ah, the pirate life is indeed comfortable! he thought. No need to suck up to superiors, no responsibilities to fulfill. Just do whatever makes you happy. Unfettered, free... no wonder so many people want to become pirates!
"Men! Set sail! To the North Blue!" Barrels commanded, full of self-satisfaction.
In the North Blue, Doflamingo of the Donquixote Family was unaware that Diez Barrels was heading his way. Even if he had known, he wouldn't have paid it much mind. In Doflamingo's eyes, Barrels was merely a tool, an insignificant insect. He had little interest in personally monitoring him; Diamante would surely handle the task. His numerous informants would keep a close watch on Barrels' movements. When the time came for Barrels to attempt a trade with the World Government, Doflamingo would naturally be informed. Then, he would 'gratefully' accept the Op-Op Fruit and... ensure Barrels received a proper send-off for his troubles, in consideration of their 'brief acquaintance.'
Time flew. Two years had passed since Law joined the Family. He had developed remarkably well, thanks to Doflamingo's full and unwavering support; Law had certainly not been neglected. During the first year, he trained continuously under Doflamingo's direct supervision, focusing solely on building a solid physical foundation. In the second year, Doflamingo entrusted Law's further training to Diamante for swordsmanship, Gladius for artillery and marksmanship, and Lao G for hand-to-hand combat.
Though he had a decent foundation, making his subsequent training somewhat easier, Law's Amber Lead Syndrome had progressively worsened. It was estimated he had, at most, another year to live. Doflamingo had not interfered with Law's physical condition during these years. He had briefly entertained the idea of using his electromagnetic abilities to try and extract the lead elements from Law's body – while it wouldn't be a complete cure, it might alleviate his suffering. However, Doflamingo ultimately decided against it, doubting his ability to control such forces with the pinpoint precision required for such a delicate operation on a human being. One misstep could be catastrophic, and Law's condition was already complex. He dared not risk it, and could only sigh in frustration, awaiting the fated arrival of the Op-Op Fruit.
Doflamingo wasn't anxious, and neither was Law. The boy had faith that Doflamingo would find a way. And if, in the end, there was no solution, Law would have no regrets. His dream, his will, would live on through the Donquixote Family; his new family would help him achieve his heart's desires. Even if he died, he wouldn't blame Doflamingo. He knew the Young Master had done his best. On the contrary, Law was deeply grateful to Doflamingo. His life these past two years, despite the grueling daily training, had been wonderfully fulfilling. He had found a different kind of happiness.
These two years had also allowed Law to become well-acquainted with the other members of the Donquixote Family. He felt a genuine gratitude towards them. Aside from Doflamingo, whom he respected above all, he held most of the other executives in high regard. With a few notable exceptions, of course. That one person was Rosinante.
Rosinante, for his part, knew by now that his plan to 'save' the children had failed utterly. Consequently, he had ceased his overt attempts to drive them away – with the sole exception of Law. He harbored a genuine, visceral dislike for the boy, because in Law, he saw the same disturbing traits as Doflamingo. Thus, he showed Law no kindness, and Law, in turn, frequently suffered Rosinante's abuse. Just like in the original timeline where Law retaliated by stabbing him, their animosity festered. This time, however, Rosinante had no intention of letting Law off so easily. Though he still hadn't reported anything specific about Law to Doflamingo, Rosinante was determined to root out this 'evil seedling,' this 'little Doflamingo,' this 'small demon.' Even if he couldn't kill Law outright, he aimed to cripple him, to shatter Doflamingo's apparent plans for the boy.
The conflict between them escalated, becoming quite intense, almost to the point of no return. When Doflamingo became aware of the severity, he warned both of them not to take things too far. After receiving the warning, their clashes became somewhat less overt. Notably, Doflamingo did not punish Law for fighting back. Instead, he told him, "Only the weak dare not strike back. When others bully us, we must, of course, retaliate. Though Rosinante is my brother, I will not blame you. In fact, I commend you, Law. You are a courageous person; you are not weak. As for Rosinante, he is in the wrong in this matter. I will... educate him. In my view, bullying the weak is, itself, a shameless act."
Law's heart warmed upon hearing Doflamingo's words, and a lingering trace of worry was completely erased. "That won't be necessary," Law declared, his small hands clenched, his eyes burning with an unyielding light. "I will settle my own score with Rosinante. Even if he is your brother, I will not spare him. Let me be the one to educate him."
"Fuffuffuffuffu," Doflamingo chuckled. "Well then, we shall wait and see!" He didn't refute Law's bold declaration. On the contrary, Doflamingo was quite interested to see how this feud between them would ultimately play out.
After this incident, Doflamingo made no effort to 'get closer' to his dear brother. Rosinante, for his part, was relieved. He himself didn't know how to interact with Doflamingo anymore. Being in the same room for too long made them both uncomfortable. Times had changed; they were no longer the close brothers of their youth. Scenes of brotherly affection and respect existed only in dreams now. Everything was like flowers in a mirror or the moon's reflection on water – illusory, ephemeral. They were walking further and further apart, and nothing could stop their divergence.
Rosinante continued his undercover activities within the Family, treading carefully. Though he believed his actions were clandestine, he couldn't escape the notice of certain perceptive individuals. Monitoring Rosinante was laughably easy – whether it was Ibes listening in on his Den Den Mushi calls, Robin's Flower-Flower Fruit enabling unseen surveillance, or Doflamingo's own powerful Observation Haki, Rosinante's movements were completely transparent. However, Doflamingo couldn't be bothered to actively spy on him anymore, and at his suggestion, Robin and the others had also ceased their direct surveillance. Rosinante's own wariness remained high; over the years, he prided himself on his flawless performance. From his perspective, the Family members treated him reasonably well – apart from that pack of children who seemed to harbor a malicious vendetta against him, everyone else was fine. Even his 'good brother' hadn't punished him, instead seeming somewhat partial to him. Little did he know, Doflamingo simply couldn't be bothered dealing with him directly and had instructed the executives to act accordingly, thereby creating Rosinante's false sense of security. Doflamingo was merely sitting on high, watching the play unfold.
Rosinante's efforts over the years had not been entirely fruitless. He had managed to gather significant information about Doflamingo's operations in the North Blue, even some connections within the underworld, all meticulously documented, ready to be handed over to the Marines at the opportune moment. To ascertain the true strength of the Family executives, Rosinante often frequented the training grounds, ostensibly to 'contribute to the Family by increasing his own strength,' but in reality, to probe their abilities. Enel, Diamante, and the other executives didn't hold back. If Rosinante wanted to get beaten up, they were more than happy to oblige and vent some frustration. While they couldn't kill him, a good thrashing was perfectly acceptable.
The tranquil days flowed by like water, but chaos, as always, was destined to arrive.
Minion Island. Diez Barrels' pirate crew was currently stationed here. They had entered the North Blue two years prior and eventually made Minion Island their base of operations. During this time, they had lived an unrestrained, carefree existence, far more enjoyable than their days in the Marines.
Another day, another raid, another bloody clash with a rival pirate crew. Barrels' strength was considerable in the North Blue; ordinary pirates were no match for him. He secured victory with relative ease.
"Captain, these are the spoils we recovered from the Porcupine Pirates," a crew member reported respectfully, having tallied the loot.
Barrels' eyes lit up as he surveyed the pile of gold and jewels spread across the deck, his greed openly displayed. The surrounding crew members also stared covetously at the treasure, though none dared make a move. Without the captain's permission, any act of insubordination would be tantamount to suicide.
"Captain... we..." "Captain, this..." Seeing their captain unresponsive for a long moment, the crew members began to swallow nervously, urging him hesitantly.
"Hahaha! As expected of the Porcupine Pirates! Truly rich as Croesus! What a fat pig they were!" Barrels finally chuckled, ignoring his crew's impatient murmurs, his greedy gaze finally retracting from the treasure.
"Indeed! Indeed!" his men eagerly agreed.
"Hmm? What's in this chest?" Barrels' sharp eyes spotted a half-open chest, revealing a glimpse of its hidden contents. He quickly retrieved the chest and opened the lid. All eyes were drawn to it.
"This is...? This is... a Devil Fruit!" Barrels exclaimed, surprised. He hadn't expected such a significant find this time. Not only a pile of gold and jewels but also this Devil Fruit! They were going to make a fortune!
"Captain, are you going to eat this fruit?" one of his men asked, suppressing his own avarice as he looked at the heart-shaped Devil Fruit in Barrels' hand.
Barrels took the red, heart-shaped fruit from the chest, examining it closely. After a moment of silence, he said, "No. It's better to use this Devil Fruit for a trade. I'm sure it will fetch a hefty price. Men! You can divide this treasure among yourselves! This Devil Fruit will be mine!" Barrels had made a shrewd calculation. Compared to the potential wealth this Devil Fruit could bring, the treasure on the deck was mere peanuts. He was happy to play the role of the generous captain.
"Really, Captain?" "That's great, Captain! Wonderful!"
A faint smile played on Barrels' lips, its meaning ambiguous – perhaps joy, perhaps mockery.
That very night, Barrels, utilizing Doflamingo's underworld brokerage network, announced his intention to trade the fruit. With that, the news spread like wildfire through the clandestine channels of the underworld: the Op-Op Fruit had appeared.
World Government Headquarters, the Holy Land Mary Geoise. The Five Elders also received the news. "The Op-Op Fruit... has it truly appeared?" the bald Elder with the large mustache murmured to himself. "This fruit must not be allowed to fall into the wrong hands," the blond Elder declared. "In the North Blue, you say?" the Elder with the long white hair and beard asked the reporting CP agent. "According to our intelligence, yes. It is in the possession of a pirate in the North Blue," the CP agent replied respectfully. "Excellent! Since the Op-Op Fruit has surfaced, we absolutely cannot let this opportunity pass," the Elder with the white curled hair stated. "We must prepare on two fronts!" the sword-wielding Elder, his eyes usually closed, snapped them open, issuing the final directive. "First, inform Marine Headquarters and dispatch their forces. Separately, our Cipher Pol agents can also make their move. There must be no mistakes this time."
"Agreed." "Agreed." "Agreed." "Agreed."
Marineford, Office of the Fleet Admiral. Sengoku and Fleet Admiral Kong were discussing matters. Kong had just received the directive from the World Government. To ensure success, Kong decided to entrust this critical mission to Sengoku.
"The North Blue, hmm?" Sengoku murmured, his thoughts drifting to his adopted son stationed far away in that sea. A pang of longing touched his heart.
"Sengoku," Fleet Admiral Kong said sternly, "there can be no failure in this matter. The World Government has high expectations of us."
"I understand, Admiral Kong," Sengoku replied, quickly regaining his focus. "Coincidentally, our undercover Marine agent is also in the North Blue. He should be able to smoothly engage with this situation."
"Is he reliable?" Fleet Admiral Kong asked, his brow furrowed.
"Absolutely reliable!" Sengoku vouched firmly, then, after a slight hesitation, revealed their connection. "He... is my adopted son."
"Very well then!" Kong accepted his assurance without further question.
Back in the Donquixote Family headquarters, Doflamingo had also received the news early on. All incoming and outgoing intelligence for the Family was now managed by Ibes; she had effectively become the Family's chief communications officer, overseeing all transactions and information flow.
"Fuffuffuffuffu," Doflamingo chuckled, a predatory gleam in his eyes. "It's been far too long. It's finally here."