[send powerstones for bonus chapters today] West Blue, Virlik Island.
the Flamingo was docked in the island’s harbor.
Doflamingo looked slightly different from usual today.
He still wore a black suit beneath his extravagant pink feather coat, but now he carried a black parasol, holding it above his head to block the fierce sunlight beating down on the docks.
Strangely enough, the parasol only made him appear more composed and elegant.
“So the Capone Family has no interest in working with a group of North Blue upstarts like us?” Doflamingo walked along the harbor with the parasol in one hand and a Den Den Mushi in the other, an amused smile curling across his face.
Only Vergo and Gladius accompanied him.
He had not brought many senior officers on this journey to the West Blue.
They had stopped at Virlik Island primarily to replenish supplies.
Long-distance voyages were always like this—periods of sailing broken by repeated stops at ports.
While the crew purchased provisions, Doflamingo decided to visit a local tavern for a drink.
As he was leaving the ship, however, he received a call from the subordinate he had sent to approach the Capone Family during his stay on Ohara.
Doflamingo had hoped to use the Capone Family’s weapons-production network to establish an arms market in the North Blue, further expanding the Donquixote Family’s influence and sources of income.
In theory, the arrangement would have benefited both sides.
Unfortunately, the report was disappointing.
The Capone Family did not consider the Donquixote Family important enough to entertain.
They had refused even to meet Doflamingo’s representative, making any discussion of cooperation impossible.
“Boss, should I try approaching them again?” the subordinate asked hesitantly through the Den Den Mushi.
“Fuffuffuffu… No need.” Doflamingo showed no anger.
“Put that plan aside for now.
I’ve recently found another possibility.” Being dismissed so casually did not offend him.
The Capone Family had controlled part of the West Blue underworld for centuries.
It currently stood among the region’s Five Families and was arguably the strongest of them.
It was perfectly reasonable for such an established criminal dynasty to look down on the Donquixote Family, which had existed for only seven or eight years.
Doflamingo did not yet control the entire North Blue.
His influence certainly did not extend far enough into the West Blue to force the Capones to respect him.
Besides, seeking cooperation with them had been an idea he conceived only while traveling toward Ohara.
If it succeeded, excellent.
If it failed, he had lost nothing important.
Doflamingo ended the call.
“It appears that plan is finished,” Vergo remarked.
“No.” Doflamingo shook his head calmly.
“As I just said, I have a new plan.” He glanced toward Vergo.
“Guess who contacted me this morning.” “Who?” Vergo asked with interest.
By then, they had reached the entrance of the town’s tavern.
Doflamingo looked up at the enormous building instead of answering.
“I was wondering about this earlier.
Is every building on this island built on such a ridiculous scale?” They had passed several enormous structures on their way through town.
Some of the doors alone stood twenty or thirty meters high.
A slightly drunk customer leaving the tavern overheard him and laughed.
“That question tells me you don’t know much about Virlik Island.” Gladius’s head immediately began to swell.
How dare this stranger speak so casually to Doflamingo?
Before the boy could lose his temper, Doflamingo lightly tapped him on the head.
“You’re right,” Doflamingo told the man with a smile.
“This is my first visit to both the West Blue and Virlik Island.” “Hahaha!
Nothing to be embarrassed about.
Almost every first-time visitor asks the same question.” The customer seemed eager to explain.
“The reason our buildings are so large goes back more than a century.” “Over a hundred years ago, the Giant Warrior Pirates from Elbaf stayed here for nearly twenty years.” “Apparently, they had accepted some kind of contract in the West Blue, though no one today knows the details.” “Since giants were living here, the island began enlarging its buildings to accommodate them.” “After twenty years, the architecture had become part of the island’s identity, so people simply continued building that way.” Doflamingo nodded in understanding.
The structures had originally been designed for giants, then gradually became a local tradition.
The customer continued enthusiastically.
“Because of our buildings and our history of welcoming giants, members of their race still visit occasionally.” “You’re in luck today.
There’s a giant drinking inside right now.” “Go take a look.” Doflamingo had seen giants before.
In fact, he had encountered quite a few during his childhood in Mary Geoise.
Many Celestial Dragons enjoyed keeping giants as slaves.
If his memories were correct, his own household had once possessed one.
After Doflamingo grew bored of him, the giant had been given to his cousin, Donquixote Claudius.
After thanking the helpful drinker, Doflamingo closed his parasol and entered the enormous tavern with Vergo and Gladius.
The man had spoken the truth.
At the center of the room stood an enormous table.
Even Doflamingo, who was nearly three meters tall, looked small beside it.
A young giant sat alone there, drinking.
Even while seated, he stood more than ten meters high.
A shield and longsword rested beside him, and a warrior’s helmet covered his head.
Judging by his equipment, he was probably a mercenary.
Elbaf was known as the world’s strongest nation.
Although it was not affiliated with the World Government, it possessed enormous international influence.
Even the World Government had repeatedly sought friendly relations with the land of giants.
That influence came from military power.
According to the common belief of this world, an ordinary adult giant could possess strength comparable to a capable Marine vice admiral.
A vice admiral might appear unimpressive when thrown into battles involving the world’s strongest monsters, but that rank represented tremendous power under normal circumstances.
A few such fighters could decide a regional war.
Thousands would overwhelm nearly any nation or organization.
Most powers could never assemble such a force.
Elbaf potentially could.
That was the advantage of the giants as a race.
Unsurprisingly, Elbaf’s culture placed enormous value on combat.
Its people had built one of the world’s greatest nations through martial strength, and many giants naturally chose professions centered on fighting.
Some joined the Marines.
Others became pirates.
Still others worked as mercenaries.
Whatever path they chose, giants were always highly sought after.
Doflamingo glanced at the warrior.
The giant looked strangely familiar, but Doflamingo could not immediately remember where he had seen him before.
It did not matter.
He had not come here looking for a giant.
Doflamingo, Vergo, and Gladius selected an empty table and sat down.
“Returning to what we were discussing,” Doflamingo said, looking at Vergo, “Judge contacted me personally this morning.” “Judge?” Vergo looked surprised.
“Vinsmoke Judge of Germa?” “That’s right.” Doflamingo’s smile widened.
The head of the Vinsmoke Family, one of the North Blue’s most influential figures, had reached out to him first.