"If I kidnap you… I should be able to get quite a few Devil Fruits out of Doflamingo, don't you think?"
Ren Kuro spoke casually, a faint, dangerous smile tugging at the corner of his lips.
Beside him, Gin Ichimaru stood with his hands tucked into his sleeves, eyes narrowed like a coiled viper—silent, but impossible to ignore.
"…Kidnap me?" Diamante froze for a moment, then forced himself to remain calm. "Death… I don't recall ever having any grudge with you."
"And?"
Ren Kuro lazily lifted his gaze, his tone cold.
"Since I've run into you here, there's no reason to just let you walk away. At the very least… you'll have to pay a price."
"You dare make a move against me? Aren't you afraid of offending the Young Master?!" Diamante snapped, fury rising in his chest.
He had only come to Mariana Island to complete a task—
and now he had run into these two monsters.
"Are you threatening me?"
Ren Kuro's eyes turned icy.
"Even Kizaru lost an arm. Do you really think Doflamingo has the courage to challenge me right now?"
He spoke like someone standing above it all.
Doflamingo might be powerful—
but at this stage, he had yet to reach his peak. He wasn't enough to threaten Ren Kuro.
"…What kind of look is that?" Diamante clenched his fists, his anger boiling over. "Don't look down on me!"
The Donquixote Family ruled the underworld—
and no one had ever dared humiliate him like this.
"You think you can just kidnap me?"
"…Who the hell do you think you are?!"
With a furious roar, Diamante drew his rapier and lunged forward.
"Snake Sword!"
Using the power of the Hira Hira no Mi, his blade softened like fabric, twisting and writhing unpredictably like a serpent. Its attack path became impossible to read.
"Shall I handle this?" Gin asked casually.
"No need," Ren Kuro replied with a faint smile. "Just a small fry. I'll deal with him."
"Diamante… I gave you a chance."
"But you chose not to take it."
As his voice fell—
Ren Kuro began to chant.
"Ruler of all things, mask of flesh and blood, myriad forms, fluttering wings—
bear the name of man and carve twin lotuses upon the wall of pale fire,
await the abyss of blazing heaven in the distant sky—"
"Hadō #73… Sōren Sōkatsui."
The moment the incantation was completed—
a surge of overwhelming Reiatsu erupted from Ren Kuro's body.
The air trembled.
The temperature skyrocketed.
A roaring wave of blue flames surged forward like a tidal inferno, crashing toward Diamante.
BOOM—
The explosion spread like a blazing storm, forcing everyone nearby to scramble away.
"This… this is that power that can burn the sea?!"
Diamante's eyes widened in terror.
"Run!"
His instincts screamed at him to flee—
but it was too late.
His serpentine blade melted instantly under the heat.
And the flames—
relentless, unstoppable—
caught up to him in the blink of an eye.
"AAAAAAAHHH—!!!"
His scream tore through the air as his body was swallowed whole by the inferno.
Despite his strength—
before a fully incanted high-level Kidō—
he was utterly helpless.
Flames roared.
The air boiled.
When the explosion subsided—
Diamante collapsed to the ground, his entire body charred and bloodied.
"…Damn it… I'm a top executive of the family… If you touch me… the Young Master won't let you go…"
He lay there, barely conscious.
"Is that so?" Ren Kuro walked up to him, completely unconcerned. "I'm actually looking forward to him bringing Devil Fruits to me personally."
"Tch… already down?" Gin muttered, clearly disappointed. "How boring."
He smiled faintly.
"I'm more interested in this so-called 'Young Master.' I wonder if he can withstand a strike from Kamishini no Yari."
The Call
Using the Den Den Mushi taken from Diamante, Ren Kuro dialed.
Brr… brr…
"Diamante? The job should be done by now. We'll be waiting at Minion Island."
Doflamingo's voice came through the receiver.
"…Hello there, Doflamingo."
Ren Kuro's tone carried a hint of amusement.
"…Who is this?"
"And where is Diamante? Why do you have his Den Den Mushi?"
There was a brief silence.
Then—
Doflamingo spoke again, his voice colder.
"Ah… I forgot to introduce myself," Ren Kuro said lightly. "You've heard of Death, haven't you?"
"Fufufufufu… so it's the mysterious Death."
Though Doflamingo laughed, the anger beneath it was unmistakable.
"So Diamante fell into your hands."
"Would you like to hear his voice?" Ren Kuro dragged the barely conscious Diamante closer and placed a finger lightly on his shoulder.
Silence.
"Listen carefully."
A spark of white lightning pierced through Diamante's shoulder—
"AAAAAAHHHH—!!!"
His scream was filled with unbearable agony.
The pain was beyond anything he could endure.
"Did you hear that?" Ren Kuro's smile deepened. "You should have a pretty good idea of his condition now."
"…What do you want?"
Despite his ruthlessness, Doflamingo clearly valued his core subordinates.
And Diamante—
was one of them.
"Simple."
"Ten Devil Fruits."
"In exchange for his life."
There was a brief pause—
then—
"…Deal."
Doflamingo agreed without hesitation.
Even Ren Kuro was slightly surprised.
"…Looks like you really do value your people," Ren Kuro said coldly. "Three days from now. Adria Island."
"Bring ten Devil Fruits."
"And we'll make the exchange."
Click.
The line went dead.
Ren Kuro looked up at the sky, letting out a quiet breath.
He knew Doflamingo wouldn't let this go so easily.
But it didn't matter.
With Gin Ichimaru by his side—
any problem could be solved.
What truly mattered was this:
Once he obtained those ten Devil Fruits—
another Captain of the Gotei 13 would descend into this world.
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