Three days later.
Grand Line — Adria Island
"Ren Kuro… do you think they'll really come?" Gin Ichimaru gazed out at the horizon, his tone lightly curious.
"Of course." Ren Kuro's expression remained calm. "Diamante still has some value. Doflamingo will definitely come in person. Whether we actually get those ten Devil Fruits, though… that's a different matter."
He had already prepared for the worst.
If things went badly—
they might have to fight the entire Donquixote Family.
"Oh my, I was hoping for a good show." Gin narrowed his eyes with a smile. "Still… compared to wandering around alone, I'd much rather see another captain descend."
The meaning behind those words was obvious.
If it came to it—
he would help Ren Kuro seize all ten Devil Fruits by force.
"I'm looking forward to it too." Ren Kuro glanced down at Diamante lying at his feet. "The arrival of the second captain…"
With a casual flick of his fingers, another Byakurai shot out.
Diamante, who had only just regained consciousness, let out a miserable cry and fainted once again from the pain.
Not long after—
a large ship appeared on the horizon.
It was an extravagant vessel, beautifully built and imposing in presence. At the center mast, a flag fluttered in the wind.
The emblem of the Donquixote Family.
"Oh my… they've really come." A gleam of excitement flickered in Gin's eyes, the same look he wore whenever prey came within reach.
"So aside from Doflamingo, the family's three top executives came too?" Ren Kuro smiled faintly. "Interesting."
Just as he had expected—
the worst-case scenario had arrived.
On the Opposite Side
Aboard that magnificent ship—
"Fufufufufu… only two of them?"
Doflamingo stood at the bow, wearing his sunglasses, pink feather coat, and cropped trousers, looking as arrogant as ever.
"No wonder they were able to force Kizaru that far. They really are monsters."
"Young Master… was it really them who took Kizaru's arm?" asked Trebol, one of the Donquixote Family's highest executives.
As one of Doflamingo's most trusted men, Trebol was thin and slovenly, with shackles around his legs and a grimy mustache hanging from his upper lip. At first glance, he looked like nothing more than a filthy old man.
But in truth—
Trebol was one of the most calculating of the family's top officers. Even the bulky cloak around him was merely mucus, used to make himself appear fat and clumsy.
"If not, would anyone really get a bounty of 500 million the moment they set out to sea?" Doflamingo spread his hands slightly, though beneath his sunglasses, there was a clear trace of wariness in his gaze.
"What terrifying monsters… Are we really just going to hand over ten Devil Fruits?" Pica, another top executive, clearly bristled at the idea. As the user of the Stone-Stone Fruit, he longed to crush Ren Kuro outright.
"Don't be reckless, Pica," Doflamingo said coldly. "We still don't know the full extent of their abilities."
For all his cruelty, Doflamingo was never careless.
Unless he was absolutely certain—
he would not act rashly.
The ship soon reached Adria Island.
The moment they disembarked, Ren Kuro stepped forward and faced Doflamingo directly.
"Doflamingo. Did you bring what I asked for?"
"Fufufufufu… looks like Diamante hasn't had a pleasant few days."
Doflamingo forced a smile, but the moment he saw the bloodied holes in Diamante's body, the muscles near his eyes twitched.
It was obvious he had been tortured badly.
"The fact that he's still alive is already my greatest concession," Ren Kuro said, his gaze fixed on the box in Doflamingo's hand. "Hand over the Devil Fruits."
"Death… you intend to honor our agreement, don't you?" Doflamingo suppressed the fury in his heart. If not for his fear of Gin Ichimaru standing nearby, he would already have made his move.
"Of course." Ren Kuro nodded. "But I'd advise you not to entertain any foolish thoughts."
The words sounded calm—
but they carried both warning and threat.
"Fufufufufu… this is the first time in my life I've been threatened like this, Death."
Veins bulged across Doflamingo's face.
He was only a step away from exploding.
But then—
as if sensing Doflamingo's intent, Gin Ichimaru released his Reiatsu.
BOOM—
The air shook violently.
The wind stopped.
A terrifying pressure descended from above, like invisible mountains crashing down onto everyone's shoulders.
"This power…"
Doflamingo's expression changed again and again.
He was a user of Conqueror's Haki—
yet this pressure was a hundred times more overwhelming.
Even his heart was shaken.
"Ugh…"
The three top executives all turned pale.
The suffocating pressure robbed them of breath.
They had never experienced anything this overwhelming before.
"So…" Ren Kuro lowered his voice, sounding almost like a final sentence. "You can hand over the Devil Fruits now, can't you?"
"…Take them."
Whatever dark thoughts Doflamingo had been entertaining vanished the moment he truly felt Gin's monstrous pressure.
For Diamante's sake—
he had no choice but to surrender the Devil Fruits.
The box flew through the air and landed cleanly in Ren Kuro's hands.
He opened it.
Inside—
ten Devil Fruits were neatly arranged.
A satisfied smile curved at his lips.
"Good. Looks like our transaction went smoothly."
Without another word, Ren Kuro kicked Diamante's body forward.
Doflamingo caught him steadily, his face dark.
"Hmph."
He clearly had no intention of leaving peacefully.
"What?" Ren Kuro asked calmly. "Are you planning to go back on your word?"
The moment he said that—
the pressure pressing down on everyone grew even heavier.
At the same time, Gin slowly drew his Zanpakutō.
A transaction was one thing.
Betrayal was another.
And more often than not—
transactions ended with bloodshed.
"Fufufufufu… Death," Doflamingo said, forcing his emotions back under control. "You really are even more dangerous than I imagined."
He forced a smile.
"This won't be the last time we meet."
"Is that so?" Ren Kuro said indifferently. "I'll be waiting."
In the end—
Doflamingo did not dare make a move.
Fearing Gin Ichimaru's strength, he could only leave in humiliation with his three top executives and Diamante.
The deal was over.
Ren Kuro had secured all ten Devil Fruits.
And as for who he would summon next—
he had already made up his mind.
Captain of Squad Six — Byakuya Kuchiki.
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