The vast, boundless ocean stretched out before them, a lone pirate ship sailing upon its turbulent waves. It seemed as though it could be swallowed by the sea at any moment.
A Jolly Roger, featuring a grinning face struck through with a prohibition symbol, fluttered in the wind. This flag was utterly baffling – no classic skull and crossbones, no sense of terror; instead, it seemed almost comical. But this was the emblem of the Donquixote Pirates, the soon-to-be world-renowned crew – the symbol of the terrifying North Blue overlord, the underworld emperor, the Warlord Heavenly Yaksha, Doflamingo, as depicted in the original story.
This ship carried Doflamingo and his crew, freshly departed and bound for Jaya Island.
The past month had not been wasted. Doflamingo had spent it immersed in training, without a single moment of slacking. It was precisely because he knew he was still weak that he dared not relax. The sea was teeming with monsters, and what's more, there was this world's true protagonist, Monkey D. Luffy. One wrong move and he could end up capsized in a ditch – something Doflamingo would absolutely not allow.
Doflamingo, engrossed in his rigorous training, paid no attention to external affairs. He entrusted all other matters to Trebol, knowing that only his own growing strength was fundamental. Only true strength allows for the constant pursuit of greater power. The weak always abandon their goals due to the hardships faced, finding excuse to comfort to their fragile hearts, hoping that they will be capable of living on relying on a stronger.
In Doflamingo's view, true strength wasn't merely about possessing overwhelming power. It was about those who, despite facing hardship and self-awareness of their situation, refused to give up, tirelessly drawing nourishment from their pain and ultimately achieving success.
Because only those people truly understood how precious life was. What did pain matter? If there was no hope, then they would create it themselves – steal it, seize it, by any means necessary. Loss of dignity? Being a despicable villain or a hypocrite? So what? In this rotten world, anything was possible. Only by gaining strength could one overturn the tables, live as a person, and reclaim that pathetic thing called dignity. Otherwise, it was all an empty shell, easily trampled upon.
Indeed, strength was everything. Because weakness was the original sin.
Effort would not betray you. Pain was temporary. It didn't matter how much he suffered now; it was all nourishment for his growth, and it would pay off in the future. Improving his strength was what truly mattered.
Having gone through four years of training, Doflamingo hadn't slackened one bit. During this month, he underwent his daily routine of being whipped by Pica, leaving his body covered in wounds.
There were no agonizing cries during the whipping. Doflamingo gritted his teeth and endured, persevering through it all. As the saying went, if you wanted to learn how to fight, you had to learn how to take a beating. Even Trebol and the others found it cruel, advising Doflamingo to stop torturing himself, that there were other ways to become stronger.
But Doflamingo refuted them all. He deeply understood that his body was his foundation. Especially since his body was still too small and weak to awaken Armament Haki, this kind of physical tempering was crucial. Therefore, not only did he not feel pain, but he relished the process of self-inflicted torment, constantly honing his physique.
One had to consider the future Emperors, Kaido and Big Mom – both monsters. Their physical gifts, whether it was Big Mom's "Iron Balloon" or Kaido's ability to shrug off Luffy's Gear Four attacks without a scratch, made Doflamingo incredibly envious.
A strong body was the foundation of everything, as the crude saying went. Over the years, Doflamingo had been extremely dedicated to physical training, but his body hadn't fully matured. Although he didn't possess an Animal-type Devil Fruit like Kaido, granting him such monstrous near-immortality, Doflamingo knew he had his own advantages. The human body was a treasure trove, waiting to be excavated. He believed it wouldn't disappoint him. Moreover, the Navy's Life Return technique was practically tailor-made for him. From the moment he understood his cheat's use, Doflamingo had set his sights on the Navy's secrets.
Who wouldn't want good things? Doflamingo had initially dismissed the idea of having Vergo infiltrate the Navy like in the original story. After all, his cheap younger brother already knew of Vergo's existence and had joined the Navy. Sending Vergo in now might just result in him spending twenty-odd years in Impel Down – an outcome Doflamingo couldn't accept. He'd wait until the Donquixote Pirates had made a name for themselves, then see what his cheap younger brother was up to. Still, sending spies into the Navy was essential. It would be fun to stir up some trouble for them!
There was no rush. As a small fry who hadn't even awakened Armament Haki, he was eager for Life Return but hadn't lost his head. He'd get his hands on it eventually. Doflamingo was as steady as an old dog, his ambitions far-reaching.
During this month, Doflamingo had accepted the former gang leader, Kapac Usman, into his crew, tasking him with handling the preparations for their voyage. Although his strength was lacking, his willpower was admirable, and he had potential.
To be honest, Doflamingo didn't think much of his counterpart from the original story. "North Blue overlord" sounded impressive, but it was just a gathering of the weak. Wasting years in the North Blue, playing pirate games with a bunch of kids playing house… how laughable. The original Doflamingo must have deeply understood the gap between himself and those monsters of the Grand Line, forcing him to protect himself, becoming an evil leader who straddled the line between the official and the underground, wielding both authority and influence. He had privileges and background, as well as a dark power base, seemingly glorious, but in reality, he was also a pitiful creature.
Because his fate wasn't in his own hands. He was merely a pawn for both sides. How tragic.
How ridiculous! Did the original Doflamingo not want to seize fate by the throat? Did he not want change? Of course, he did! He dreamed of destroying the Celestial Dragons, destroying his fear of Kaido, destroying everything that dared to oppose him. But he knew he lacked the strength. Surrounded by a bunch of small fries who hailed him as king, Doflamingo was arrogant yet rebellious. Without a powerful Devil Fruit, he had developed the trash String-String Fruit to the point of Awakening. He had the talent, but he had lost the qualification to become a top-tier powerhouse. It wasn't the Devil Fruit's fault; it was more that his childhood experiences had made Doflamingo afraid of losing. Afraid of losing everything he had. He was afraid to recall his childhood experiences. Though a king, his heart as a strong man was not firm. He relied more on others to resist the government, with a hint of living day by day. Doflamingo seemed more like a schemer than a powerhouse.
This was Doflamingo's speculation about his original self. It was quite frustrating wasn't it? To experience despair without seeing hope, relying on oneself to fight against this world was ultimately too insignificant.
Although the North Blue was considered the strongest of the four seas, Doflamingo truly looked down on those pirate crews who lingered there, trash who dared not take another step, shrinking back and playing at being local tyrants. Better to be the tail of a phoenix than the head of a chicken. If they didn't even have the courage to enter the Grand Line, they should just go home and suckle their mothers. Appropriate forbearance was necessary, but too much forbearance might make one forget one's passion, becoming complacent and unwilling to change, forgetting one's dreams, content with merely existing. There were far too many examples of this.
"No matter what, I'm going to shake this world to its core. The passion in my heart cannot be allowed to cool. What the original me couldn't achieve, I will achieve, and I will add his share to my own efforts," Doflamingo thought to himself.
The time had come. Doflamingo's calm heart finally ignited. The day of departure had finally arrived.
The first step of the Donquixote Pirates was finally about to be taken.
"Fuffuffuffu, you lot! Today, the Donquixote Pirates officially set sail!"