One Piece: Crown of Darkness

"Thump, thump-thump~ thump, thump-thump-thump~"

Fingers tapped rhythmically, then sporadically, then without any rhythm at all, a mindless drumming.

Doflamingo's brow would occasionally furrow deeply, then his lips would curl into a silent smile, his expression shifting capriciously.

"Young Master?" Giolla put away the Den Den Mushi and tentatively called out.

Doflamingo covered his forehead with his hand. "Fufufufu~" He laughed nervously for a long time, sending shivers down Giolla's spine. Then he abruptly stopped, as if nothing had happened, and instructed, "Giolla, notify Trebol and Diamante. I don't care what methods they use, but before I wake up tomorrow, the underground forces of the 'City of Sin' must be unified!"

"Yes... yes!" Giolla paused, then replied with greater resolve.

Doflamingo walked straight into his bedroom, meticulously washed up, changed into his pajamas, and lay down on the bed.

Rumble!!!

The oppressive night sky had finally gathered enough dark clouds. A dazzling streak of lightning flashed, illuminating Doflamingo's sinister face, like a venomous snake lurking in the shadows.

"Big Mom..."

"Fufufufu~"

"..."

The next day.

The rain had cleared, and everything seemed fresh.

Doflamingo, as usual, spent time exercising with Vergo and Pica before breakfast, sweating profusely until Giolla had the meal ready. After eating, he would resume, repeating this cycle of intense, monotonous training, with only meals and sleep as breaks.

"Nyeh, nyehh~ Doffy, Doffy? We've already taken care of everything, just as you requested," Trebol reported, kneeling beside Doflamingo, not without a hint of flattery.

Doflamingo was doing handstand push-ups, with an absurdly large barbell balanced on his feet. "As I requested? I requested it to be done before I woke up... you were slow..." He turned his head and said, "Trebol, Diamante, I can forgive you this time, and even next time. But! There won't be a third time."

"Nyeh, nyehh~ That's too strict, Doffy," Trebol chuckled dryly.

Doflamingo scoffed. "Or are you too lazy? If you worked as hard as I, Vergo, and Pica do, you'd definitely have more strength than this and could unify Arinland's underground forces before I woke up, wouldn't you?"

Trebol couldn't retort.

"Peclo." Doflamingo called out.

Peclo had also come along, carefully standing closer, leaning in to listen.

"First, help me raise 100 million Berries. Count it as part of my rightful share," Doflamingo said, a smile blooming on his face. "Giolla. Has my 'friend's' bank account number been sent over yet?"

Giolla chuckled. "Oh~ hohohoho~ He's quite impatient, isn't he? It was sent last night."

"O-o-o-one hundred million Berries?! Nyeh, nyehh..." Trebol's excited slime flew everywhere, his greedy heart aching at the thought of parting with the money.

Diamante also subtly probed, "Doffy? That friend of yours is..."

"You'll transfer it to him at the bank in a bit, Giolla," Doflamingo completely ignored Trebol and Diamante. He pushed himself up with both hands, flipped over, and smoothly caught the enormous barbell he had kicked into the air. He then said, "Peclo, what's the monthly net profit of the unified 'City of Sin'?"

Peclo calculated. "Gugigigugi~ Around 20 million Berries."

"So, you're telling me I just squandered nearly a year's worth of my share?" Doflamingo put down the massive barbell. "What are these incomes from?"

Peclo ticked off on his fingers: "Intermediation, assassinations, organ trafficking..."

Peclo listed a long string of items, and Doflamingo waved his hand. "Wait, why are all these incomes from illicit businesses?"

"We can't afford to provoke the financial magnates who operate legitimate businesses. They have the capability to expand their businesses globally, which demonstrates their power. They are entrenched here because this isn't a country, so there's no need to pay taxes, Gugigigugi~ So Arinland truly is two worlds, black and white worlds that don't intersect," Peclo explained.

"Looks like I have another reason for an adventure," Doflamingo muttered inexplicably, then said playfully, "What if... what if 'Big Mom' were to reach out to them for money?"

"'Big Mom'?!" Peclo's mouth widened significantly. He thought hard, then said, "They'd have to give it to her. They can't afford to provoke a monster of 'Big Mom's' caliber either."

Doflamingo nodded. "Good. For now, keep an eye out for transactions involving rare races and exotic animals, and also kidnap a few master pastry chefs and famous architectural designers."