Chapter 261: The Golden Fruit is Here!?

In the New World, within the royal palace of Dressrosa, Doflamingo lounged in the courtyard.

Originally, Dressrosa's palace had been rather modest. The country itself had been impoverished, and while the Riku royal family had no great leadership skills, they had genuinely cared for their people. Naturally, this meant they hadn't spent resources on building extravagant palaces.

But ever since Doflamingo seized power and declared himself king, Dressrosa's national strength had surged.

For one, the country now had a formidable pirate force under Doflamingo's banner. With his status as one of the Seven Warlords of the Sea and his infamous reputation, no pirate dared to challenge his rule.

With external threats under control, Dressrosa's internal development progressed rapidly. Doflamingo was an ambitious man, well-connected to both Claudius and the underworld, allowing him to expand his influence with confidence.

Toy factories sprang up across the nation, capitalizing on Sugar's Devil Fruit ability. Dressrosa became known as the "Land of Toys," a country with a distinct and vibrant culture. He even constructed the Corrida Colosseum, preserving the kingdom's tradition of combat and boosting its tourism industry.

But these were just the public-facing businesses.

Behind the scenes, Dressrosa saw the rise of numerous factories and ports. Unlike in the past, Doflamingo no longer needed to operate in the shadows. Now, his dealings were out in the open.

At the ports, all sorts of smuggled goods arrived from the underworld. Through his legitimate identity as Dressrosa's ruler, he laundered these goods and sold them openly, legitimizing what was once illicit trade.

With growing industries and expanding trade, the demand for workers soared. These jobs provided stable incomes, enriching many ordinary citizens.

The money flowing through Dressrosa didn't just stay within its industries. Pirates under Doflamingo's command spent lavishly, their wealth stimulating local businesses. Restaurants, shops, and entertainment venues flourished, benefiting from the steady economy and the influx of tourists.

As a result, despite Doflamingo being a pirate, his approval rating in Dressrosa remained exceptionally high.

Of course, dissenters had existed in the early days. But those who opposed him had been turned into toys, erased from history.

Now, however, Doflamingo had eased his grip. A complete stranglehold on speech could backfire, and he understood the importance of maintaining the illusion of freedom.

All things considered, while Doflamingo's rise had caused turmoil in the surrounding nations, Dressrosa itself had thrived under his rule.

And as far as he was concerned, what happened to other countries was none of his concern.

With wealth no longer an issue, Dressrosa's palace had been transformed into a lavish estate.

A massive swimming pool had been built in the courtyard, and today, a party was in full swing.

High-ranking officers of the Donquixote Family mingled, drinking, gambling, and enjoying themselves. Scantily clad women in bikinis swam in the pool, laughter and music filling the air. An endless array of gourmet food and fine wine completed the scene—this was paradise.

Doflamingo sat on a poolside sofa, swirling a glass of red wine in his hand. His signature orange sunglasses concealed his eyes, and a smirk played at his lips.

Beside him sat a thin, pale young boy with dark circles under his eyes. He wore a fluffy spotted hat, a serious expression on his face.

Trafalgar Law.

The boy was speaking to Doflamingo in a cold tone.

"The power of Haki… Shouldn't you be teaching me by now?"

Doflamingo chuckled, still swirling his wine. "Fufufufu… Why the sudden interest in Haki?"

Years ago, on Minion Island, Rosinante had entrusted Law to Doflamingo in a final, desperate act.

Since Doflamingo had never undergone a full descent into darkness in this timeline, things had played out differently.

Although he had ultimately killed Rosinante, Law did not harbor the same burning hatred for him as he once might have.

He understood the circumstances behind what had happened.

Now, what Law truly despised was not Doflamingo, but the World Government, the behemoth that had destroyed his homeland, slaughtered his family, and driven Corazon to his death.

Doflamingo himself had undergone subtle changes due to the Minion Island incident.

For one, he no longer pursued the immortality offered by the Ope-Ope Fruit with single-minded obsession. He suspected that his cousin, Claudius, had other means of achieving such a goal.

Additionally, he had made a promise to Rosinante, to give Law the time and freedom to see the world.

Doflamingo had always liked the boy. Law reminded him of himself: a child shaped by hatred, scornful of the world, with his sights set on the World Government as a common enemy.

On some level, he had even come to see Law as a younger brother.

Moreover, Rosinante's final act had left a lingering impact on him. Part of Doflamingo's care for Law now stemmed from a twisted sense of honoring his late brother's wishes.

Law was fifteen now—no longer a child. He had already consumed the Ope-Ope Fruit and spent years studying medicine under Doflamingo's tutelage, serving as the crew's doctor.

But recently, he had started taking an interest in his own combat ability.

And now, here he was, asking about Haki.

"Medicine alone won't save me," Law muttered. "I need to get stronger."

At that moment, Monet, the snow woman, chimed in with a teasing smile.

"Young Master, I saw Law get beaten up by Baby-5 this morning."

Law, who had been maintaining a cold, indifferent demeanor, suddenly looked a bit flustered.

"I wasn't beaten," he insisted. "She's a girl, so I went easy on her."

Doflamingo burst into laughter.

"Fufufufu! Is that so?"

So that was it.

The boy had realized he couldn't even beat Baby-5, and his pride couldn't take it. That's why he had suddenly become interested in training.

Though amused, Doflamingo didn't refuse. He turned to Monet and said, "Have Diamante train him. Let him learn whatever he wants."

"Yes, Young Master," Monet replied with a smile.

At that moment, Gladius approached, his hair standing in its usual explosive spikes.

"Young Master," he said quietly. "We've made a big score."

Doflamingo raised an eyebrow, turning toward his subordinate. "Oh? And what might that be?"

"The hunter recommended by Lord Tesoro led us straight to the Gold Gold Fruit," Gladius reported.

Doflamingo sat up abruptly. Then, a wide grin spread across his face as he let out a low chuckle.

"Fufufufufu… After all these years, we finally have it?"

"It's already being transported to Dressrosa in secret," Gladius confirmed. "How should we handle it?"

"Contact Tesoro," Doflamingo ordered. "Tell him to come pick it up in person. No mistakes can be allowed with this. I want to watch him eat that fruit with my own eyes."

"Yes, Young Master."

Just then, a commotion erupted near the courtyard entrance.

A young woman stormed in, a cigarette dangling from her lips and a musket in her hands.

Her face was red with fury.

As soon as she spotted Doflamingo, she screamed, "Doflamingo! You killed my boyfriend again! I'm gonna kill you!"

Still leaning against Doflamingo's shoulder, Monet chuckled. "She's at it again, Young Master."

Doflamingo let out a weary sigh.

"Oh?" he murmured, utterly unfazed.

It seemed Baby-5's usual antics were starting up once more.

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