PIRATES: I WORK IN NAVY FROM NINE TO FIVE

At the same time, inside the royal palace of Dressrosa—

Donquixote Doflamingo, draped in his iconic pink flamingo coat, reclined lazily upon his throne, grinning wickedly as he crushed the fax transmitted from the Den Den Mushi.

"Young Master, has that arrogant Marine finally arrived?"

Diamante, clad in a flowing crimson cape, was the first to laugh with menace.

As one of the highest-ranking officers of the Donquixote Family, Diamante was intimately familiar with the scope of Doflamingo's latest chess move.

Summoning the newly appointed Marine Admiral was merely the first step in a far more elaborate scheme.

"Heh… He's arrived, alright," Doflamingo chuckled, then turned toward the window where a woman stood silently."Viola, you see him?"

As the wielder of the Glimpse-Glimpse Fruit, Viola possessed the terrifying ability to observe everything within a 4,000-kilometer radius—

Including the power to see through objects and even into people's hearts.

It was that twisted, god-like ability that had once compelled Doflamingo to spare her life, despite her being a remnant of the fallen Riku Dynasty.

"He's here, Young Master," Viola reported quickly. "The Marines have deployed a massive battleship. I can see the Admiral on board."

But as she said it, her pupils contracted slightly, a faint flicker of shock flashing in her eyes.

She quickly buried that reaction.

With her ability to peer into others' thoughts, hiding her own emotions came second nature.

"Viola… what did you see just now?" Doflamingo asked suddenly.

Viola stiffened.

She hadn't expected him to ask that—not at this exact moment.

Still, she recovered quickly.

"Young Master, the ship is too far. I couldn't penetrate it fully. Nothing unusual… just the Admiral."

Then she added casually, "Oh, and I saw two encrypted numbers that Vergo managed to send back. The decryption was just completed. A little surprising, actually…"

"They were the characters: 'Behave Yourself.'"

"Vergo finally sent something back?" Doflamingo's brows lifted. Then, his smile widened into a cruel arc.

"I thought the Marines had sniffed him out after that mess and he'd disappeared for good."

"But to think… he resurfaced at such a critical moment."

He rose from the throne, striding toward the great palace doors.

Bathed in sunlight, his expression turned downright sadistic.

"'Behave Yourself,' huh?"

"Vergo's telling me the Marine Admiral has been ordered to play nice?"

"Looks like the Marine Headquarters really overreached by declaring war on two Emperors at once."

"They're already scrambling to make amends—sending an Admiral flying across the seas to beg for help like a lapdog."

"Well… good."

"It's time he learns exactly what it means to cross Donquixote Doflamingo."

"Come—let's go watch that arrogant brat squirm."

"And inform our guest… if needed, I want him out in the open to help me hold court."

With those words, Doflamingo leapt into the sky, his coat billowing behind him like a flaming storm cloud.

The Donquixote officers, Trebol and others, followed swiftly after.

Only Viola lingered a moment, her expression flickering—then gritted her teeth and gave chase.

Three Hours Later — Dressrosa Harbor

At the bustling harbor of Dressrosa, the entire Donquixote Family had assembled.

From high-ranking executives to low-tier thugs—

Every last man had been summoned by Doflamingo to bear witness.

Since becoming a Shichibukai, Doflamingo had not only seized the crown of Dressrosa but also forged powerful ties with Kaido of the Beasts.

From conducting black market research to controlling underground arms trades, he had earned the moniker: King of the Underworld.

To him, the title of Warlord no longer meant anything.

In his mind, only the Four Emperors stood above him—and everyone else was beneath his feet.

But then came Luo Yu.

A wild card.

A rising force that had dealt him blow after blow, shaming him before the world and crippling his top officer Pica.

Doflamingo's reputation had been trampled, and with it, his grip on his crew had wavered.

Now, with the Navy desperate and on its knees—

This was his moment to reclaim face.

To show his subordinates exactly who still ruled this ocean.

"Kyros, what's going on here?"

Hidden behind rocky outcroppings at the edge of the harbor, Rebecca, dressed in her skimpy gold gladiator armor, her pink hair shimmering in the sun, looked toward the crowd with growing unease.

"Why is Doflamingo gathering so many people?"

"And… isn't that someone he's been keeping hidden until now? What's he planning?"

Beside her, the toy soldier with one leg—Kyros—grimaced.

"Word is… the Marines have declared war on two Emperors at once."

"To that end, they're forcibly drafting the Shichibukai to help."

"Doflamingo sees this as an opportunity—to humiliate the new Marine Admiral sent to recruit him."

"That's why he gathered his forces. So they can all… enjoy the show."

"Wait! You mean the one who crushed Pica? Who blew Doflamingo away back at Marineford?"

Rebecca's face paled.

"Kyros! You said he was the only one who doesn't play by the rules—someone who might actually help us!"

"But now… he's walking into a trap. With all of Doflamingo's men watching?"

"And that person he's hiding… this won't just be a public insult. He's planning something much worse, isn't he?"

Rebecca trembled.

As the last royal heir of the Riku Dynasty, she no longer remembered Kyros was her father—

But she still carried the will to restore their kingdom.

Yet no matter how determined she was—

The Donquixote Family was simply too powerful.

And just when Luo Yu's bold actions had given her a glimmer of hope…

This situation now looked like it would crush it completely.

Kyros clenched his toy-sized musket tight, his expression heavy.

"I don't know what's going to happen… but we can't let that Admiral die here."

"As long as he lives, we still have a chance."

"Young Master! The Marine ship is arriving!" Trebol suddenly called out.

Thousands—perhaps tens of thousands—of Donquixote soldiers roared in excitement.

After all, how many could claim to have a Marine Admiral personally come and plead for their cooperation?

Across the entire sea…

Only Doflamingo could command such spectacle.

If that wasn't worth cheering for—

What was?