A/N: Don't forget to check out my original novel: Can I Magic Please. It's like really good. 😉
ANYWHOOO. ENJOY THE CHAPTER
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For a moment—
The entire Corrida Colosseum remained frozen.
The undefeated champion had lost.
Kyros slowly looked down at the blade resting against his neck.
Then—
He smiled.
A genuine smile.
"…You're strong."
Giovanni grinned proudly.
"I know."
Kyros chuckled softly at the shameless answer.
Then his expression turned serious again.
"…Thank you."
Giovanni blinked.
"…Hm?"
Kyros lowered his voice slightly.
"You could have humiliated me."
"…But you didn't."
The crowd still screamed around them.
But for that brief moment—
The two swordsmen understood each other perfectly.
Giovanni rested his sword on his shoulder.
"Well…"
"…You're a good guy."
Kyros stared at him silently.
Giovanni smiled lightly.
"And honestly?"
"I'd feel bad embarrassing a great father."
Kyros' eyes widened slightly.
Giovanni immediately realized what he said.
'…Ah.'
'Future knowledge slip.'
But thankfully—
Kyros only looked confused for a second before shaking his head.
"…You're strange."
Giovanni pointed dramatically at himself.
"Thank you."
"That's usually how legends are described."
Kyros snorted slightly.
Then—
The undefeated champion extended his hand.
Giovanni looked at it.
Then grinned.
CLAP!
Their hands met firmly.
The crowd absolutely exploded.
"KYROOOOS!!"
"ONE CUT ONI!!"
"THAT WAS AMAZING!!"
People were practically losing their minds.
Then suddenly—
"GIOVANNIIIIII!!!"
Women started flooding the arena.
Guards panicked instantly.
"H-Hey!"
"Stop them!"
But it was hopeless.
Fans rushed past barriers wildly.
Girls screamed excitedly while surrounding Giovanni almost instantly.
"YOU WERE SO COOL!"
"PLEASE MARRY ME!"
"LOOK OVER HERE!"
"CAN I TOUCH THE ARMOR?!"
Giovanni instantly folded his arms proudly.
"…I understand."
"Please remain calm."
"I know my beauty is overwhelming."
Kyros quietly walked away before he caught secondhand embarrassment.
Inside the stands—
Shanks nearly fell over laughing.
"That idiot's enjoying this way too much!"
Yassop pointed dramatically.
"LOOK AT HIM POSING!"
Robin puffed her cheeks.
"…Unfair."
Bonk Punch blinked.
"What is?"
"Why don't crowds scream for me?"
Bonk Punch laughed loudly.
"Maybe when you're older."
Meanwhile—
Far above the chaos—
Near the royal platform—
A shadow quietly moved.
Caribou grinned beneath his hood.
The guards were distracted.
The crowd was distracted.
Everyone's attention remained on the arena.
Perfect.
His swamp-like body slowly slid across the walls unnaturally.
'Hehehehe…'
'Easy money.'
Princess Viola stood near the railing excitedly waving toward the arena.
Completely unaware.
Caribou's hand stretched outward from the darkness.
'Got you—'
Then—
Every instinct in his body suddenly screamed.
A horrifying chill shot down his spine.
Caribou slowly looked downward.
And saw—
A sword pointed directly at his throat.
Silence.
Complete silence.
Standing before him—
Was Giovanni.
No footsteps.
No sound.
No warning.
One second he had been in the arena.
The next—
He was here.
Eyes cold.
Sharp.
Terrifying.
"…Who the hell are you?"
Giovanni's voice was calm.
Too calm.
"And what exactly do you think you're doing?"
Caribou's pupils shrank violently.
Because what he saw—
Was not a human.
Behind Giovanni—
A monstrous demonic aura towered toward the heavens.
Like a Demon King glaring down at him.
Caribou instantly shrieked.
"GYAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!!"
The scream startled everyone nearby.
The guards finally noticed him.
"INTRUDER!"
"GET HIM!"
Weapons instantly surrounded Caribou.
The pirate collapsed shaking violently.
"T-T-THE DEMON!!"
"THE DEMON'S GONNA KILL ME!!"
Giovanni blinked.
"…Demon?"
'The hell is this guy talking about?'
King Riku Doldo III quickly approached.
His wife beside him.
Scarlett too.
The guards dragged Caribou away while he continued crying hysterically.
"PLEASE DON'T LET HIM NEAR ME!!"
"I'LL NEVER KIDNAP AGAIN!!"
Giovanni scratched his cheek awkwardly.
"…That was weird."
King Riku sighed heavily.
"…Regardless."
"You have my thanks."
Queen Seraphina smiled warmly.
"You protected our daughter."
Little Viola instantly jumped toward Giovanni excitedly.
"SO COOL!!"
Giovanni caught her easily with one arm.
Naturally posing afterward.
"I know."
Scarlett folded her arms.
"…Thank you."
Giovanni immediately looked toward her.
Then smiled slowly.
"…A thank you won't stop me from collecting my reward."
Scarlett froze.
"…Reward?"
Giovanni pointed dramatically.
"My deserved kiss."
Silence.
Then—
Scarlett's face exploded red.
"W-W-WHAT?!"
King Riku's neck snapped toward her instantly.
"…Kiss?"
Queen Seraphina's eyes sparkled.
"Oh my."
Scarlett panicked immediately.
"I-IT'S NOT LIKE THAT!"
Riku narrowed his eyes.
"…Scarlett."
Scarlett looked moments away from dying.
Meanwhile—
Giovanni had already vanished.
Completely gone.
Leaving Scarlett alone with her horrified father.
"…Explain."
Scarlett screamed internally.
Elsewhere—
Giovanni casually returned to his crew section like nothing happened.
Shanks instantly threw an arm around him.
"YOU DID IT!"
Yassop waved stacks of money proudly.
"We made a fortune!"
Lucky Roo grinned while eating.
"People really underestimated you."
Giovanni's eyes widened immediately.
"…Money?"
Shanks and Yassop instantly hid the cash behind their backs.
"…No."
Giovanni pointed accusingly.
"You gambled on me and didn't tell me?!"
Yassop smirked.
"That's called business."
Giovanni looked deeply offended.
"…We're supposed to be family."
Shanks nodded seriously.
"Exactly."
"Which means you should support our financial growth."
Giovanni's vein bulged.
"…Split the money."
"No."
"Split it."
"Never."
Giovanni immediately grabbed Shanks by the shirt.
"I FOUGHT!"
Yassop pulled Giovanni backward.
"AND WE BELIEVED IN YOU!"
Robin watched the entire argument while eating snacks calmly.
"…Pirates are weird."
Bonk Punch nodded seriously.
"Very."
---
Far away from Dressrosa—
Beyond the chaos of the Colosseum.
Beyond the roaring crowds.
Beyond Giovanni and the Red-Haired Pirates.
In the cold seas of the North Blue—
A castle stood atop a cliff overlooking the dark ocean.
Inside the highest chamber—
A young man sat lazily upon an extravagant chair.
One leg crossed over the other.
Wine swirling slowly inside a crystal glass.
Donquixote Doflamingo.
Even at a young age—
He already carried that same unsettling presence.
That same madness hidden behind a grin.
"Fuffuffuffuffu…"
The sound of a Den Den Mushi echoed through the room.
Doflamingo leaned back casually.
"Yes."
"Everything has already been prepared."
The voice on the other side remained distorted.
Unrecognizable.
Cold.
Even Doflamingo showed a level of respect while speaking.
"The security?"
"Handled."
"The buyers?"
"Confirmed."
"The merchandise?"
Doflamingo's grin widened.
"…Perfect."
The distorted voice spoke again.
"You understand your role in this."
Doflamingo's sunglasses reflected the candlelight.
"Of course."
"On the surface…"
"…I'm merely the host."
The voice remained silent.
Doflamingo swirled his wine slowly.
"But the one truly running the auction…"
His grin widened further.
"…is X."
Silence lingered briefly.
Then—
"Do not disappoint us, Joker."
Click.
The call ended.
The Den Den Mushi fell silent.
For several seconds—
Only the sound of wine shifting inside the glass remained.
Then—
Doflamingo started laughing.
"Fuffuffuffuffuffu…!"
The room itself felt darker as he leaned back into his chair.
"At last…"
"…The Donquixote Family enters the New World."
His fingers tightened around the wine glass.
"This auction…"
"…is only the beginning."
CREAK.
The large doors behind him slowly opened.
Several figures entered the room.
Trebol.
Corazon.
Vergo.
Diamante.
And towering above them—
Pica.
Trebol grinned nastily.
"BEHEHEHEHE…!"
"Everything's ready, Doffy."
Vergo adjusted his glasses calmly.
"The ship has been prepared."
Diamante smirked confidently.
"The route toward Dressrosa is clear."
Pica crossed his arms silently.
Corazon remained near the back of the group quietly observing.
Doflamingo slowly stood from his seat.
The pink feathered coat resting nearby was lifted effortlessly onto his shoulders.
The moment it settled—
The atmosphere changed.
Like a king putting on his crown.
"Fuffuffuffuffu…"
Doflamingo began walking toward the exit.
The others immediately followed behind him.
Trebol grinned excitedly.
"You really think all those monsters are gonna show up?"
Doflamingo's smile widened.
"Of course they will."
"The sword of the Pirate King."
"A Mythical Zoan."
"Power."
"Influence."
"Status."
He laughed again.
"Pirates are greedy creatures."
The group exited the castle.
Outside—
A massive ship waited at the docks below.
The black flag of the Donquixote Pirates swayed violently in the ocean wind.
Crew members rushed back and forth preparing supplies.
The sea itself felt restless.
As though sensing something dangerous was beginning.
Doflamingo stopped briefly near the edge of the cliff overlooking the waters.
Then slowly—
He smiled toward the horizon.
"Dressrosa…"
"…Let the games begin."
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