Chapter 95: Plotting for Devil Fruits

The fires of war in the North Blue had subsided, and Doflamingo settled back into a period of relative calm. His days were primarily filled with self-training and spending time with Robin and Ibes. The Family's business affairs were running smoothly, managed capably by Diamante and Trebol. Minor troubles persisted, of course – under any ruler's dominion, ambitious troublemakers inevitably lurked – but as long as Doflamingo himself remained overwhelmingly strong, potential rivals could only gaze upon his power and sigh helplessly. Doflamingo rather enjoyed the leisure, delegating most administrative matters. While combat prowess might not have been Diamante and Trebol's forte, their skill in managing the Family's operations was proving immensely helpful.

A year passed swiftly. The Donquixote Family continued its rapid expansion and consolidation. Doflamingo's influence in the North Blue was now at its zenith, like the sun at midday. Countless individuals flocked to join his banner, though the Family wasn't desperate for just anyone. Most applicants were merely trying their luck, hoping they'd strike gold and be chosen.

Over the past year, Robin had grown familiar with the various members of the Family, though Doflamingo remained, by far, the person she was closest to. Doflamingo had also begun subtly implementing his long-term plans for her development. Though she was still young, it was the perfect time to build a solid foundation. His expectations for Robin were quite high. He didn't necessarily need her to reach the monstrous level of an Emperor like Big Mom, but achieving the strength of a Sweet Commander like Smoothie seemed entirely plausible. In Doflamingo's eyes, Robin possessed immense latent potential. He recalled how her strength in the original story had stagnated for years due to her life on the run, yet after just two years of focused training post-timeskip, she underwent a qualitative transformation, evolving from a 'frail' archaeologist into someone capable of contending with a powerhouse like Black Maria.

Indeed, the Robin of the original timeline was severely hampered by her fugitive existence. Survival demanded all her ingenuity; she barely had time or energy to think about training, let alone find the resources or opportunity. Her life was filled with running, betrayal, and lies. Even if she had desperately desired to become stronger, who would have taught her? Haki, while relatively common in the New World, was a rarity in the first half of the Grand Line and the four Blues. But this Robin, starting anew under Doflamingo's guidance, had the potential to surpass her original counterpart significantly. Doflamingo was confident that with his tutelage, her future strength would be substantial – at least comparable to Smoothie. That was the benchmark he set for her. Of course, he wasn't applying that pressure just yet. Some things shouldn't be rushed; going too far too soon could be counterproductive. He preferred for Robin to develop her own awareness and desire for strength.

Naturally, Doflamingo dedicated a significant portion of the past year to training – not just Robin, but the other members of his Family as well. While he privately viewed most of them as pitifully weak, essentially cannon fodder, he operated under the principle that teaching one was teaching, teaching two was also teaching – he might as well instruct them all together. Thus, what started as "Doflamingo's small class" gradually expanded into a much larger training program.

The four newest recruits – Lao G, Jora, Senor Pink, and Machvise – were particularly excited when Doflamingo began explaining the nature of Haki and methods to grow stronger faster. Who wouldn't want more power?

Doflamingo harbored no grand illusions about the rank-and-file, however. He'd consider himself fortunate if even one in a thousand managed to awaken Armament Haki. Very few individuals truly caught his eye, and unfortunately, those select few were the ones he had personally recruited.

Although Lao G was approaching fifty, in this world, fifty was still considered prime fighting age. Furthermore, with miraculous things like Devil Fruits existing, hope remained. Doflamingo didn't consider it impossible for Lao G to awaken Armament Haki. Ultimately, though, it depended entirely on their own effort and aptitude. Doflamingo provided them with the knowledge and methods; who among them could successfully grasp the opportunity and transform their fate remained to be seen.

For the most part, Doflamingo maintained a hands-off approach towards the wider Family membership. He told them how to train, but whether they actually did it was their own business. He felt he had done all he reasonably could; besides, he wasn't idle. His primary focus remained on personally guiding Robin's development and advancing his own Armament Haki towards its peak.

All in all, the past year had been rather agreeable. Training alongside Robin, helping her build the foundation for potentially awakening Haki in the future, and nurturing their unique bond… life was remarkably carefree.

While Doflamingo consolidated his power in the North Blue, the wider world hadn't stood still. In the year following the Ohara Incident, several shocking events had occurred. Shiki the Golden Lion had achieved the impossible – escaping from the great undersea prison, Impel Down, a feat no one had managed before. Though he sacrificed his legs in the process, he emerged as a living legend.

When Doflamingo received news of Shiki's escape, he felt little more than mild interest. In the eyes of his younger generation, Shiki was already a relic of a bygone era. These old geezers should just stay retired instead of coming out to embarrass themselves, Doflamingo thought dismissively. Shiki's ambition hadn't died, however. He would lie dormant, plotting his grand return twenty years later… only to have his elaborate plans shattered by some upstart rookie. Doflamingo found the eventual irony quite laughable.

Aside from Shiki, another major news story broke: the legendary pirate Patrick Redfield, known as the "Red Count," clashed with Fleet Admiral Kong. Though Redfield emerged victorious, the battle left him utterly exhausted, allowing Garp to capture him and throw him into Impel Down. With Redfield's imprisonment, most of the old guard of legendary pirates, excluding Whitebeard, had effectively exited the world stage. These events were clear harbingers of the coming New Era.

The storms brewing in the New World were of little consequence to Doflamingo at present. Even if he wished to interfere, he lacked the necessary power and influence. His current priority was clear: lie low and focus on development.

Over the past year, Doflamingo had diligently worked to re-establish and expand his underworld connections. The "White Dove" intelligence network he had set up previously was now operational, facilitating communication and tasks across various regions. His most pressing need now was acquiring Devil Fruits to bolster his crew's strength. He directed White Dove and his underworld contacts to prioritize this search. Although White Dove's presence was currently concentrated in the first half of the Grand Line, it was sufficient for his immediate needs. Ryder and Wendell, funded by the resources acquired from Sky Island, had proven capable and were putting the money to good use.

Doflamingo felt an urgent need for Devil Fruits, but he knew finding them wasn't easy. Most fruits already belonged to powerful individuals or major factions. The World Government and, by extension, the Celestial Dragons held a significant number; though the Celestial Dragons themselves didn't consume the fruits, they often fed them to their slaves for cruel amusement. Beyond these controlled stockpiles, occasionally a fruit would surface randomly, snatched up by some lucky individual.

Doflamingo mused on the irony that, in the future he knew, he would become the single largest broker of Devil Fruits. Yet, his canon self had failed to secure any truly exceptional fruits for his own core crew, effectively doing all the hard work just to benefit others.

He decided on a multi-pronged strategy. First, he ordered his subordinates to meticulously track ships known to carry tribute to the World Government – they might yield unexpected discoveries. Second, he initiated contact with various other underworld organizations, offering to purchase any Devil Fruits they might acquire. He didn't expect to obtain top-tier fruits this way; the truly good ones rarely left the grasp of the World Government.

Indeed, Doflamingo concluded, if I want powerful Devil Fruits, I need to focus my efforts on the World Government. They're the biggest, easiest mark. A smirk touched his lips. Besides, I was once a Celestial Dragon myself. Taking things from my own 'family's' house shouldn't be considered stealing, right?