One Piece: Crown of Darkness

"Where did this kid come from?"

"Smoothie actually convinced Mama to see him?"

"Huh? Hey, don't you guys think... Smoothie's been acting weird since she got back?"

"What's weird? Let's just think about whether this brat is spouting nonsense. Help us? He doesn't look like he has that kind of ability!"

"What if Mama gets upset? That'd be terrible, boohoohoo~"

"..."

The moment Doflamingo stepped onto the singing ship, his ears were filled with all sorts of chatter, of doubt, surprise, or worry. In short, there was no positive emotion. He also saw all kinds of strange people. Frankly, he felt as if he were in a zoo.

"Fufufufu~ Hey, hey! Everyone, don't look at your friend, especially one who brings gifts, with such unfriendly eyes." Doflamingo was perfectly at ease, laughing heartily, not shying away from eye contact with anyone. "But I must apologize beforehand. It was a long journey, and the weather was hot, so the gifts I brought you aren't fresh fruits and vegetables. Only cigarettes, fine wine, and large pieces of dried meat. And don't worry, little ones, there are candies and toys for you too~ Go get them! I came alone, so I couldn't carry too much."

"Really? Really?"

"Hehehe~ The new oniisan is so nice!"

"Thank you!"

"..."

Children are always simple. No matter what kind of people they become later, at this stage, they can't resist sweet candies and exquisite toys. They formed groups of three or five, crossing the plank connecting the two ships, cheering and running towards Doflamingo's ship to find their heart's desires.

With such a simple gesture, Doflamingo at least gained some goodwill. No one came forward to cause trouble.

"If possible, would someone lend a hand and bring over the gifts I intend for Big Mom alone? Fufufufu~" Doflamingo placed one hand on his chest, bowing slightly, acting quite the gentleman (or rather, putting on a show).

Suddenly.

Thump! Thump! Thump!

Heavy footsteps made the deck tremble.

From within the wide cabin door, a colossal beast emerged from the shadows. Tens of meters tall, stout and bloated, it exuded immense pressure. Its pink, mane-like hair was disheveled, and especially its bloodshot round eyes and drooling maw gave off an aggressive, man-eating aura.

This was Big Mom, Charlotte Linlin, the only female great pirate who firmly held a position in the upper echelons of the pirate world. Even in the New World, her overwhelming strength and unreasonable, self-centered behavior made her one of the most dangerous, terrifying, and savage monsters.

"Mamamama~ Enough of the flattery, little brat. What exactly do you want?"

Her demeanor suddenly changed. Charlotte Linlin sat cross-legged on the floor, devouring fruit with gusto. Accompanying her were the cartoon, human-faced sun and clouds, and the living skull on her hat, all grinning and echoing in unison, "What do you want? What do you want?" It was like the ugliest, strongest, and worst-behaved brat in kindergarten.

"Won't you at least look at my gifts first? Fufufufu~ I guarantee you'll be satisfied," Doflamingo said, spreading his hands with a smile.

Charlotte Linlin leaned forward, her demeanor shifting again, threateningly. "What if Mama isn't satisfied?"

"No, you'll definitely be satisfied!" Doflamingo declared confidently.

"This bastard's got guts."

"Indeed, indeed~"

"..."

Whispers spread through the crowd.

Facing Big Mom directly aside, the Big Mom Pirates' un-deployed officers, crew members, and even those inexplicably personified creatures, numbering in the hundreds or thousands, had surrounded Doflamingo in layers.

Any ordinary person encountering such a situation would likely have their legs turn to jelly, but Doflamingo remained at ease, chatting and laughing, completely unaffected, earning him admiration.

"Move aside!"

"Make way!"

"..."

Outside the crowd, a commotion arose as a team of sailors carried over a dozen boxes of various sizes.

"Whoosh~" Doflamingo personally opened the first box. Inside were people, bound and gagged, tears streaming down their faces. They wore chef's attire. "I apologize that my gifts don't include desserts, but it's better to give a fisherman a net and the method to fish than to give him a mermaid—these are some of the most uniquely styled pastry chefs from the South Blue. Please accept them!"

"Mamamama~ What a charming little brat!" Charlotte Linlin's face instantly lit up, eagerly demanding like an insatiable brat, "What else? What else?"

"A zebra unicorn!"

"An extra-long dachshund from Long Ring Long Land, though that's probably quite common."

"I paid a hefty price for this one, fufufufu~ A fish-man and longarm-tribe hybrid!"

"..."

Doflamingo patiently showcased the gifts, until the last three boxes.

"The most interesting one is him," Doflamingo unveiled a box clearly several sizes larger than the others. "I thought he was from the Giant race."

An iron cage, bound with shackles and chains... held a massive human head. At first glance, yes! But in reality, he was a young man with a giant's head, his body relatively miniature. His large, teardrop-shaped face and a waterfall of long hair were tied with a bow, symbolizing a gift.

"Uunu, that's his name."

"Fufufufu~"