Chapter 15: White Dove

The terrifying aura intensified throughout Whiskey Peak. Those lacking in strength and willpower gradually lost their ability to resist under the pressure of the Conqueror's Haki.

"Ne ne, Doffy's angry," Trebol stated, a touch of awe in his voice.

Diamante, witnessing this scene that resembled a natural disaster, felt his admiration for Doflamingo deepen with each passing moment. "Yeah, Doffy's a little pissed. The Marines really underestimated him."

In the distance, the two bounty hunters struggled desperately under the weight of the Haki, doing everything they could to avoid passing out. They resorted to self-harm, drawing blood in their frantic efforts, a truly pathetic sight. They knew that if they didn't fight now, they'd become nothing more than fish on a chopping block, to be manipulated at will.

Was this the struggle of the weak? A useless struggle, no matter how hard they fought, they couldn't break free. They were like a tiny boat on a raging sea, about to be swallowed whole at any moment. Indeed, the weak couldn't even choose how they died. Weakness was a tragedy, a desperate cry, a brave resistance against the oppression of the strong, yet still ignored by the strong. No matter how hard they struggled, a clown was still a clown, never able to take center stage.

Doflamingo stood in place, his laughter arrogant and unrestrained, the Conqueror's Haki intensifying. The darkened port was ravaged. After a long while, the violent aura gradually subsided, as if its master's emotions had been fully vented. Doflamingo, looking at the two figures sprawled on the ground in the distance, slowly walked towards them. "If you're not dead, get my supplies ready immediately. Remember, you only have half an hour. My patience is limited."

"Y-yes, yes! We will fulfill your needs with all our might!" the two, gasping for breath, exchanged a look and replied respectfully. Relief and the joy of surviving washed over them.

Doflamingo didn't care what these two were thinking. If they weren't slightly useful, he wouldn't have minded choosing their method of death for them. After all, for the weak, there was no right to choose.

Wendell and Ryder hurriedly and respectfully excused themselves, rushing towards the town. They only had half an hour, a tight timeframe. If they failed to complete their task, Doflamingo would likely not spare them. This time, they were lucky; the Marines had taken the brunt of it. They were just insignificant little figures. The moment Doflamingo unleashed his aura, they realized how weak they truly were, like ants, insignificant in the eyes of the strong.

Doflamingo and his crew remained where they were, resting and awaiting the results of the two bounty hunters' efforts.

Half an hour later, the quiet street became lively again. Ryder and Wendell had gone all out this time. To save their lives and satisfy Doflamingo, they'd been extremely diligent. Over a dozen large carts, fully loaded with alcohol and food, practically emptying the town, were making their way towards the pirate ship at the harbor.

Ignoring their injuries, the two personally helped load and unload the goods. Although they didn't communicate verbally, their silent actions revealed their intentions: to send this plague away as quickly as possible, to wherever he pleased, as long as it was far away. Thanks to their hard work, the ship's food reserves were quickly replenished.

"Sir, the food has all been loaded. You see, can we..." Ryder and Wendell cautiously inquired of Doflamingo.

"You've done well. But your lives aren't worth this little."

"Ah, whatever you need, sir, we will do it, even if it means going through fire and water!" The two immediately knelt before Doflamingo. After all, compared to death, what was dignity worth? Survival was paramount.

"Fuffuffuffu! I want to collaborate with you. You want to go further, don't you? Staying in this little place all day, there's no future in that. Collaborate with me, and power, treasure, beautiful women… anything you desire, you can have it."

"Th-that's very kind of you, sir, but we know our limits. How could we possibly collaborate with you?" The two seemed unmoved.

Diamante couldn't tolerate anyone questioning his Young Master. He would unconditionally follow any order from the Young Master, and he wouldn't allow anyone to disobey. He aggressively shouted at the two, "Hey! Our Young Master is showing you respect by offering to collaborate! You dare to be so ungrateful, hesitating and making excuses? Do you not take us seriously?"

Doflamingo raised a hand, interrupting Diamante's questioning, and spoke clearly.

"I don't need you to be incredibly strong. I just need you to expand your teams. I will provide you with funds and support. All you need to do is spread your people throughout the entire Grand Line, connecting every part of it. Every country must have our people. Your job is to bury yourselves deep, hidden behind the scenes. I don't care what your identities are, and I won't restrict you. I only need you to provide a little assistance when I require it. I want you to be my eyes, to watch the world for the King."

"This life of risking your necks… it's not easy, is it? Every day it's either you die or I die, with no guarantee of safety. Aren't you tired of it? I know you all want to live, to live better. But is this precarious life truly what you desire? Come, accept my proposal, seize your own future. Your future will be full of light. Power, treasure, beautiful women… you can have it all. Otherwise, who knows who will collect your corpses in the future? Think about your futures, think about the brothers behind you. Do you want to continue living such a mediocre life? If you encounter any unsolvable problems, I will also help you resolve them in secret. We are on the same side, after all. You help me, and I will help you." Doflamingo's words were filled with a seductive magic, piercing deep into their hearts.

Doflamingo's enchanting words deeply shocked the two. Indeed, no one wanted to live a mediocre life; everyone wanted a grand, splendid life.

This was a great opportunity. Whether they could seize it was up to them. Doflamingo was merely making a casual move out of interest.

The quiet air was filled with a serious atmosphere. Wendell and Ryder knew they had no choice. They were smart men; otherwise, they would have been corpses long ago. Moreover, Doflamingo's words had truly moved them. After a moment of contemplation, they made the most important decision of their lives. Whether it was a blessing or a curse remained to be seen.

"We are willing."

It was no surprise to Doflamingo. They were smart men and made the right choice.

"Fuffuffuffu! From now on, your organization will be called White Dove. The peace doves that bring peace and dawn to the world - White Dove. This is our Den Den Mushi. Trebol, you will be in contact with them from now on."

He handed the Den Den Mushi he carried to the two, who carefully accepted it.

"Ne ne, remember to stay in touch," Trebol said to the two, two lines of snot dangling from his nose, a goofy grin on his face.

Trebol's appearance was indeed disgusting, but the two didn't dare show any sign of it. Besides, one shouldn't hit a smiling face. They could only offer polite words. "Yes, we will rely on your care in the future, Trebol-sama."

With the business concluded, Doflamingo and his family officially set sail. Watching the departing Donquixote Pirates, the two finally relaxed, the weight lifted from their hearts. They had survived.

"Good guy, do you trust him? His ambitions are not small."

"Yeah, it's not easy to be King. But I want to bet on this. I trust him."

"Hahaha, is that so? I trust him too."

The two exchanged a smile, their laughter echoing across Whiskey Peak.

Meanwhile, on the departing ship of the Donquixote Pirates...

"Doffy, do you really trust them?" Diamante asked anxiously. He hadn't dared to question Doflamingo earlier, but now he voiced his doubts.

"No, no, no. I don't trust them. I trust myself. As long as my strength grows and my reputation spreads, they will have no choice but to work for me obediently, daring not to harbor any disloyal thoughts. Besides, how could I possibly collaborate with them? They are merely my pawns. The weak… how can they be on equal footing with me?"

"Ne ne, Doffy, you really haven't changed a bit."