21: “Fuffuffuffu… Welcome back, Nico Olvia.” Doflamingo greeted her with a dark smile as she approached.
Olvia made no attempt to hide her disgust.
She stopped several steps away and raised the Devil Fruit in her hand.
“Donquixote Doflamingo, when are you leaving Ohara?” “When would you like me to leave?” Doflamingo asked, lifting an eyebrow.
“Now.
Immediately.
Ohara does not welcome people like you.” Doflamingo showed no concern over her tone.
A powerful man could afford to overlook disrespect from someone weaker.
Besides, the sight of the Devil Fruit in Olvia’s hand had put him in an exceptionally good mood.
“Very well.” He turned toward Vergo.
“Are the supplies ready?” “Everything was prepared in advance,” Vergo replied.
“We can sail whenever you give the order.” “Then have everyone board the ship.
We’ll respect Olvia’s wishes and leave immediately.” Doflamingo had no remaining reason to stay on Ohara.
He had already obtained Ohara’s most complete Devil Fruit Encyclopedia and the advanced Haki material he wanted.
The fruit was the final item.
Now that it had arrived, what was he supposed to do here—earn a degree in archaeology?
Ohara would destroy itself in a few years anyway.
Any qualification issued by the island would have a remarkably short period of validity.
Members of the Donquixote Family began boarding the Flamingo, while the crew raised the anchor and prepared the ship for departure.
Olvia quietly released a breath.
Doflamingo might be unreasonable, but perhaps he valued his agreements after all.
She had heard that he controlled the largest smuggling operation in the North Blue.
Someone involved in that kind of business might genuinely care about maintaining a reputation for honoring deals.
For Ohara, that would be fortunate.
What she did not understand was that Doflamingo’s honesty depended entirely on whom he was dealing with.
He kept his word when the other party possessed enough power or value to make betrayal inconvenient.
Ohara did not qualify.
The island had simply given him everything he wanted.
There was currently nothing left worth extorting from it.
“This is the Devil Fruit you requested,” Olvia said.
“Based on its description in the encyclopedia, it does appear to be the legendary Mythical Zoan, Model: Vampire.” “There was also something hidden in Sleeping Ancient Town concerning—” Doflamingo took the fruit directly from her hand.
“That’s enough.” He waved dismissively.
“I have no interest in whatever history was buried there.” “The Devil Fruit has been delivered, so our transaction is complete.” “Farewell.” Without another word, he walked past her toward the Flamingo.
He had waited more than half a year for this fruit.
All he wanted now was to get aboard, eat it, and discover what kind of power a Mythical Zoan could give him.
He had no patience for another lecture about ancient history.
Olvia turned and watched him leave without the slightest hesitation.
Was that truly it?
A moment later, she recovered.
It did not matter.
The sooner Doflamingo left, the sooner Ohara could breathe freely again.
The sails rose, and the Flamingo soon departed from Ohara’s harbor.
Inside one of the cabins, Doflamingo sat on a sofa, repeatedly turning the Mythical Zoan Devil Fruit in his hands.
He could not suppress the smile on his face.
“So this is the power you’ve been pursuing all this time?” Vergo asked from a nearby seat.
“That’s right.” Doflamingo studied the fruit’s strange patterns.
“This Devil Fruit will open the path toward the highest level of power in the world.” “Now that it’s finally in my hands, I have to admit—I’m excited.” “You’re certain you want to eat it?” Vergo asked.
“Completely.” Doflamingo did not hesitate.
“I considered searching for the Rumble-Rumble Fruit instead, but a power in my hand is worth more than one I may never find.” “And a Mythical Zoan may prove even stronger.” Giving the fruit to Vergo would not have been a terrible choice.
Vergo’s fighting style was well suited to Zoan abilities, and a Mythical Zoan possessed an extraordinarily high ceiling.
The fruit would also almost certainly grant flight.
It was still a Bat-Bat Fruit, after all.
If Vergo consumed it, Doflamingo could send him to the sky islands to search for the Rumble-Rumble Fruit and bring it back.
But there was no guarantee that the Rumble-Rumble Fruit had already appeared on a sky island.
Doflamingo might waste years waiting for something that was not there.
The Bat-Bat Fruit, Model: Vampire was already in his hands, and it was not necessarily inferior to the Rumble-Rumble Fruit.
There was no reason to gamble.
“Before you eat it,” Vergo said after a moment, “do you want to go swimming one last time?” “Once you become a Devil Fruit user, you’ll never be able to swim again.” Doflamingo paused before shaking his head.
“No need.” “I enjoy poolside parties.
Swimming itself has never interested me.” Despite being only seventeen and not yet eighteen, Doflamingo had never been shy about enjoying luxury.
Back at the Family’s base in the North Blue, he frequently hosted extravagant parties attended by models, actresses, and other beautiful guests.
Vergo chose not to argue.
He sat back and waited for Doflamingo to become a Devil Fruit user.
Doflamingo continued examining the fruit from every angle without taking a bite.
Eventually, even Vergo became impatient.
“Doffy, what are you waiting for?” Doflamingo cleared his throat awkwardly.
“There’s no changing your mind after eating one of these.” “This is something a person experiences only once in a lifetime.” “I was considering whether I should say something memorable first.” Vergo looked both amused and helpless.
“What exactly do you want to say?” Doflamingo stared solemnly at the fruit.
“I’ve learned something important during my brief life, Vergo.” Vergo stared at him.
Brief life?
Why was he speaking as though he were about to die?
Doflamingo suddenly raised the Devil Fruit above his head.
“The human body has limits.” His grin widened.
“So I’ve decided to leave those limits behind!” He sank his teeth into the fruit.
An indescribably revolting flavor flooded his mouth.
Doflamingo’s eyes immediately began to water.
The worst period of his life had been the time when he and Rosinante searched through garbage for scraps of spoiled food.
He had believed nothing could taste worse than that.
He had been wrong.
The Devil Fruit tasted even more disgusting than the rotten refuse he remembered.
Only the first bite was required for its power to take effect.
Doflamingo knew that.
Even so, he refused to risk leaving anything incomplete.
Suppressing his nausea and swallowing back tears, he forced himself to eat the entire fruit.