One Piece: Holy Light Swordmaster

"..."

The atmosphere was oppressively tense.

A day had passed since Doflamingo had been humiliated by Tesoro's grand betrayal, losing the coveted Gold-Gold Fruit in the process.

While the Donquixote Family had managed to seize the opportunity to capture and assimilate the power of the auction's attendees, bolstering their own forces, the consequences of such actions in the underworld were dire. An auction house swallowing its clientele whole? Who would dare attend their auctions in the future?

Doflamingo needed to swiftly regain control of the situation, suppress the spread of information, and fabricate a narrative blaming the fiasco on an unidentified party that had infiltrated the auction. Yet what burned him the most was the maddening uncertainty — after an entire day, they still hadn't figured out who had attacked them.

"This is outrageous!"

Doflamingo's face darkened, his fury barely contained. The family's top executives, gathered around him, shared the same grim expressions.

The entire group had returned to base, and the events of the previous day had already circulated among them. It had been years since the Young Master had been forced to unleash his Conqueror's Haki to resolve a situation. Even more unbelievable — the Haki had failed.

Had the assailants already escaped beyond its reach? Or were they so powerful that they simply shrugged off its effects?

Regardless of the explanation, this was a grudge they couldn't let go of. The power of the Gold-Gold Fruit was too unique to remain hidden for long. Whether the thief chose to eat it or sell it, they were bound to leave a trace eventually.

"Fuffuffuffu… It seems our intelligence network has some serious flaws," Doflamingo remarked coldly.

He refrained from blaming Trebol for failing to protect the auction site. Given the circumstances, the attackers had clearly intended to annihilate everyone. Amidst the blazing inferno, Trebol had been occupied with protecting the defenseless Monet and Sugar. Even Doflamingo himself had been unable to pinpoint how the intruders bypassed his security and reached the stage.

"We've been without a 'Heart' for too long…" Doflamingo muttered, pressing a hand to his forehead, veins pulsing in frustration. "Damn that Corazon… No, Rosinante…"

"And damn that Wright…" He gritted his teeth. "Losing Vergo and… two generations of 'Heart' executives has left gaping holes in our intelligence department. Our response time and efficiency have taken a significant hit."

"You're right," Diamante said grimly, his bandaged right arm a stark reminder of their losses. "The intruders seemed disturbingly familiar with my abilities, targeting me with precision. This level of insight suggests our internal security protocols have slackened."

Doflamingo nodded slowly. After a moment of contemplation, he said, "It's time to appoint a new 'Heart'… the third 'Corazon.'"

"Monet, how's the information compilation coming along?"

"Everything is mostly sorted, Young Master," replied Monet, adjusting her glasses. Her green hair framed her composed face. "But the timeframe has been tight, so I haven't completed the analysis."

"Hmm… Impressive work, Monet." For the first time, Doflamingo smiled faintly. "Fuffuffuffu… From now on, you'll be part of the family's intelligence division, the 'Heart.' Focus on intelligence organization and analysis."

"Understood, Young Master."

"For now, prioritize finding information on a specific child…" Doflamingo leaned forward, tracing a pattern on the table with his finger.

"Trafalgar Law. Former 'Heart' member. He should be around thirteen or fourteen now. A Paramecia-type, the Op-Op Fruit user!"

At the mention of the fruit, Doflamingo's finger paused, pressing into the table and leaving a deep indentation.

Gritting his teeth, Doflamingo had no choice but to accept the reality of the Op-Op Fruit. At least it hadn't fallen into Marine hands…

Law, that brat. He still shared ties with the family, however faint.

Doflamingo scanned the faces of his executives and said, "That boy is a genius… especially now that he possesses the Op-Op Fruit. His potential is unimaginable. Even I have to admit, as the son of Flevance's greatest doctor, his compatibility with the fruit far surpasses my original plans…"

The mere thought of his original candidate — Rosinante — made him clench his jaw. He had intended for Rosinante to consume the fruit and sacrifice himself to use its ultimate ability. But the fruit demanded unparalleled medical knowledge to unlock its full potential.

When Doflamingo learned of this requirement, a strange emotion had surfaced within him. Relief? Had he truly not wanted Rosinante to eat the fruit and die? Or had he simply been glad that the fruit hadn't gone to waste?

No matter. Law was different. Unlike Rosinante, he could be molded into the perfect tool.

"Find Law. Given the circumstances at the time… Rosinante couldn't have handed him over to the Marines. That would've been sending the brat to his death."

Doflamingo chuckled darkly. "Fuffuffuffu… No, because Rosinante returned to the Marines, neither the Navy nor the World Government knows who holds the Op-Op Fruit. But I know!"

"Law was once trained as a family elite, the youngest 'Heart' member. Bringing him back into the fold, making him the third Corazon, would be perfect…"

"Law… that kid really left an impression. I almost miss him… almost," Diamante said with a sinister grin.

"Behihihi… Doffy, you think the brat will play along? Behihihi…" Trebol wheezed.

"He will… Fuffuffuffu…" Doflamingo reclined in his seat, a smirk on his lips. "That kid is just like me when I was young… He harbors a destructive desire within him."

"Once, he had no future due to Amber Lead Syndrome, so it didn't matter what he did. But now, with the Op-Op Fruit, he has nothing holding him back. To release those emotions, what better path than becoming a pirate? And in the North Blue, what place is better suited than the Donquixote Family? Fuffuffuffu…"

"Young Master is absolutely right!" Pica's high-pitched voice echoed. Whenever Pica spoke, it meant Doflamingo had already made his decision.

North Blue, Swallow Island

With the startup funds left by Wright, Law, Shachi, Penguin, and Bepo had managed to sustain themselves. Now, they were ready to purchase a ship and leave Swallow Island. Staying too long in one place risked exposure to the Donquixote Family's intelligence network.

"I want to become an exceptional doctor!" Law declared to his friends. "We've started making a name for ourselves, but it's time to move on."

"What a shame," Penguin said wistfully. "You were so close to becoming a famous doctor here. At least we picked up a thing or two from you."

"For now, let's head out of town," Law urged, gathering their belongings. "Bepo, how's your navigation training coming along? Our destination depends on you!"

"I'm doing my best!" Bepo raised a paw, his enthusiasm evident. "I can even draw maps now!"

"Yeah, but none of us can read them!" Shachi laughed, pointing at a map covered in bear paw-like marks.

"Sorry… I'm so useless…"

"...Wait, are you shutting down already? Toughen up!"

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