Capítulo 303: Chapter 303: The Clown
(T/N: There is now a p.atreon for this work, and any new work I add will be dropped there first. check it out for an early release of up to 30 chapters edited smoothly. https://www.p.atreon.com/INeedRest)
****************
Doflamingo was in a foul mood.
His latest endeavor had proven to be a wasted effort—not only had he returned empty-handed regarding the Op-Op Fruit, but he'd also been insulted by someone he didn't even know the identity of.
Most importantly, that guy knew those secrets about him...
Despite his powerful network of contacts, Doflamingo's investigation yielded no leads on the perpetrator, only an inkling that Kakuzu, a figure from the East Blue, was somehow connected.
As for the mastermind behind it all? Doflamingo had nothing but questions piling up.
Still, he wasn't one to back down from a challenge.
The other party had thrown down a gauntlet, and he wasn't about to shy away from confronting whoever was responsible.
Being a Warlord of the Sea allowed him the freedom to cross the Red Line and return swiftly to Dressrosa.
But something felt off upon his arrival.
The streets of Dressrosa were lively as always, teeming with tourists and locals alike in the so-called "land of love, passion, and toys."
Yet a strange silence blanketed his palace grounds, an unsettling quiet in place of the usual fanfare.
His family cadres—those ever-loyal pillars of his rule—should have come out to greet him the moment he returned.
Today, though, not a single one was in sight.
With an unease prickling at his spine, Doflamingo used his String-String Fruit powers, gliding back to the palace along a silk thread that stretched into the clouds.
As he entered, his unease morphed into white-hot fury.
"Diamante! Trebol!" he shouted, his voice echoing through the halls.
The throne room was a gruesome sight.
His four main executives lay strewn around the throne like discarded puppets, their dried blood staining the marble floor.
"Who the hell are you?!"
Doflamingo's gaze fell upon a long-haired man seated casually on his throne, dressed in red armor.
The man in question was looking at him with a smirk.
"Did they call you the Joker or the… Clown? Ah, doesn't matter anyway, but it sure took you long enough to come back," the man said, mockery dripping from his voice.
The man was none other than Uchiha Madara, the legendary shinobi who had carved his name into history.
Madara's patience had long since worn thin; he'd arrived in Dressrosa three days earlier, only to be kept waiting.
To maintain the impact of his ambush, he'd kept Doflamingo's cadres subdued, ensuring they stayed unconscious each time they stirred awake.
In regular terms, he kept beating the shit out of them until Doflamingo returned.
Credit to the guy in question, his expression quickly calmed down, and he turned serious as he looked at Madara.
"Are you the one behind Kakuzu?" Doflamingo asked, masking his alarm behind a mask of rage.
Madara's lips twisted in disdain.
"You think a God would acknowledge an insect like you over something like that? Hardly. You're just a sideshow, and I was merely passing by., so I might as well take care of this matter,"
Doflamingo's outrage spiked, but the venom in Madara's voice pierced through, lacerating his pride.
"Remember this name: Uchiha Madara. It will haunt you from this day forth."
As Madara stood up, Doflamingo's mind was racing.
He noticed something.
"Uchiha? Are you connected to Uchiha Sasuke?" Doflamingo asked, cautious but also intrigued.
His reach in the underworld extended far and wide, and though the World Government kept a tight lid on it, rumors had leaked about a certain Uchiha Sasuke severely wounding the Marine Admiral Aokiji.
Madara's gaze softened into a smirk.
"So, the Uchiha clan's reputation has reached these seas. It appears that the kid is doing well."
Doflamingo forced a laugh.
"Fufufu, how terrifying. An elder of the Uchiha family…"
Doflamingo's words turned a bit panicked.
Sasuke could already injure an admiral, this guy looks much older and took care of his cadres, so, he was definitely as strong if not stronger…
'I need to fix this…'
He took a deep breath and smiled.
"I was in the wrong this time, but I'll admit my mistake and even offer you a gift. Money, weapons, Seastone, Devil Fruits—name your price."
His voice was laced with a blend of fear and diplomacy.
The Uchiha name and the overwhelming aura Madara projected were enough to make even Doflamingo back down, calculating his best odds of survival.
'Not to mention, this scary guy said a God would not care about an ant… which means the guy I provoked is even stronger than this guy and Sasuke…'
That was certainly something in need of urgent fixing.
Madara's eyes narrowed, his tone dripping with contempt.
"Do you think your wealth or your pathetic trinkets are of any worth to me? If you want to keep breathing, stand down and surrender all that you own. Including your soul"
Doflamingo's grin stretched wide.
"Fufufu, do you think I'm a slave? Even Kaido wouldn't dare command that much from me!"
His body crouched in a seemingly submissive stance, but at the final instant, his hands flew forward, unleashing his attack.
"Five Color Strings!"
Ten nearly invisible threads shot from his fingers as he used both hands and sliced through the air with enough sharpness to cleave steel.
Madara remained seated, however, his Susanoo materializing around him like a spectral shield.
The translucent blue skeleton blocked the assault effortlessly.
In a flash, Madara was in front of Doflamingo, their forearms colliding with bone-crushing force.
Boom!
Redish-black Lighting crackled as the two met.
The entire palace shook, a shockwave rippling through the air as Doflamingo was blasted backward, blood spraying from his mouth.
"Conqueror's Haki! Who is this… monster?!"
His mind reeled.
Only those of the Four Emperors' strength could wield Conqueror's Haki at this level.
Doflamingo now confirmed that Uchiha Madara was at least as dangerous as Sasuke.
Before he could regain his bearings, Madara appeared beside him, delivering a crushing blow that drove him into the ground, splintering the stone floor beneath them.
"I overestimated you," Madara said in disgust.
"If you're one of the highest powers here, then being here is gonna be more disappointing than I thought."
He was certainly annoyed, after all, he had been excited to come for so long…
Doflamingo wiped his mouth from the blood, defiance flaring in his eyes.
"Don't underestimate me. I, too, am a man with the will of a king!"
"Leg Shave String!" White threads burst from the ground behind Madara, closing in from a blind spot for him.
Doflamingo's Conqueror's Haki also surged with renewed force.
Madara snorted. There was also some anger in his eyes.
"Tsk"
"A king? You're nothing but a clown with delusions."
He reached back, his Susanoo's arm was cloaked in the black energy of Armament Haki, and it tore through the threads as if they were nothing.
Another pulse of his Conqueror's Haki burst forth, overpowering Doflamingo's with ease, sending ripples of thunder and lightning across the sky.
As Doflamingo watched in horror, his Haki was forced back into his body, quelled by Madara's sheer dominance.
Madara's gaze bore down on him, his expression one of utter contempt.
"Now," he intoned, his voice as sharp as a blade.
"Tell me, Doflamingo… what kind of king are you?"
Capítulo 304: Chapter 304: Surrender
(T/N: There is now a p.atreon for this work, and any new work I add will be dropped there first. check it out for an early release of up to 30 chapters edited smoothly. https://www.p.atreon.com/INeedRest)
****************
Since a certain incident long ago, Uchiha Madara had developed an unusual sensitivity. (Cough, black Zetsu, cough)
Anyone attempting to sneak up behind him triggered an almost allergic reaction from him.
It was now an instinctive reaction from him, a hardened reflex from countless battles.
When Doflamingo attempted to attack him from behind with his threads, it unearthed memories that were best left forgotten.
'Tsk, bastard!'
If it weren't for Colt's clear instructions, Madara might have already ended the man without hesitation.
Doflamingo now lay sprawled on the ground, staring up at the vast, cloudless sky above him.
His arrogance was shattered; the usual grin had long since faded from his face.
Even if he pushed his Devil Fruit powers to their fullest, it wouldn't have changed the outcome.
For years, he had taken pride in his Shichibukai status, and relished his alliance with Kaido.
It had been enough to make even the Four Emperors acknowledge him in their own ways.
Yet today, that confidence felt like an illusion, ruthlessly torn apart by Madara's overwhelming power.
'From the perspective of the strong, I'm indeed nothing but a clown'
'Perhaps even Kaido sees me as nothing more than that,' he thought, a bitter smile crossing his lips.
The realization stung, but it was undeniable.
A flicker of defiance remained in him, though, and he spoke up, voice low but clear.
"I have one request," Doflamingo began, his tone carrying a thread of resignation.
"Kill me if you must, but spare my family. They're no threat to you. Plus, they had nothing to do with what I had done"
Madara's eyes narrowed slightly, a glimmer of something indecipherable in his gaze.
"Interesting… a shred of responsibility." It was rare for Madara to offer even the faintest hint of praise, but his voice was as cold as ever.
"But unfortunately for you, as long as you are an enemy, you're in no position to negotiate." He took a step closer, his shadow looming over Doflamingo.
"Surrender, and I may grant you a chance—to serve us."
Doflamingo's face registered a flash of surprise, his heart pounding.
"You're… not going to kill me?" he asked, unable to keep the curiosity from his tone.
Madara's gaze didn't waver.
"No. Someone else has made that decision. And now you have a glimmer of a chance,"
For the first time since his defeat, Doflamingo felt a hint of hope reignite.
"Is it that person who was on the den-den mushi? I don't understand. Your strength rivals the Four Emperors. Why would you submit to anyone? I can feel your Haki…"
Haki was about willpower, and Madara clearly had that aura of conquest, how could he serve under anyone then?
"Silence!" Madara's voice was sharp, cutting through the air like a blade.
"I, Uchiha Madara, have never had to explain myself to anyone. Why would I explain anything to you, now?" His stare hardened, brimming with power.
"You have only one option: fulfill the tasks I assign, or I'll send you to the Pure Land along with your family."
Doflamingo's expression grew grim.
His mind raced, absorbing the gravity of the situation.
Was this the price for daring to oppose Madara, even briefly?
His thoughts lingered on Kaido.
Had he not once been a pawn, a mere tool for Kaido's ambitions?
Becoming a puppet for Madara's interests didn't seem so different…
Reluctantly, he nodded, murmuring his agreement.
"I agree…"
With that simple word, the lives of the Donquixote Family were spared.
Though every member was badly injured, their survival was certain under Madara's command. Given enough time, they would recover.
"Good. You'll have tasks soon enough," Madara said, giving Doflamingo a final, pointed look before he turned to leave.
The apology banquet Doflamingo had prepared for Madara went unused and he only needed to agree it seemed.
Without sparing a glance, Madara departed, his next move already clear.
With the Donquixote Family's intelligence network at his disposal, he acquired the information he needed and left without hesitation.
The brief skirmish with Doflamingo had barely scratched the surface of his interest; only the Sasuke matter lingered in his mind.
Watching Madara's figure vanish in the distance, Doflamingo laughed bitterly to himself.
"Fufufu… I wonder who's really pulling the strings behind him," he muttered, eyeing the ruins of his palace.
His defeat was complete, yet he couldn't help feeling a strange thrill.
Power of that caliber… it was frightening but undeniably captivating.
A while later, his cadres woke up.
"Doffy, are we really going to do things for them?" Diamante asked cautiously.
He'd sensed the lethal danger surrounding Madara and his hidden boss; any misstep could spell doom for the entire Donquixote Family.
"Do we really have a choice?" Doflamingo replied with a strained smile.
"Besides, it's not every day that we get the chance to get acquainted with a power on this level. In the coming chaotic times, that's the only way to secure our place."
The faint sound of a den-den mushi echoed, breaking the moment's silence.
Doflamingo raised an eyebrow and answered with his usual confidence.
"Well, well… what an unexpected guest, Fleet Admiral Sengoku."
****
At Marineford, Sengoku put down the receiver, his face grim.
The Marines had always kept close tabs on Doflamingo, knowing he was one of the most volatile Shichibukais.
When the reports of his clash with Madara came in, they couldn't ignore it.
Sengoku had hoped that Doflamingo would provide some information, though he wasn't expecting to hear much.
But Doflamingo's words confirmed Madara's overwhelming power, as it was enough to bring Doflamingo to his knees.
One thing stood out from their conversation—the name "Uchiha."
It struck a nerve, raising more questions about Madara's possible connection to Sasuke.
Seeking clarification, Sengoku placed a call to Naruto himself.
"Naruto, do you know Uchiha Madara?"
A crackle of static preceded Naruto's reply.
"Sorry, Grandpa Marshal, I was chasing a pirate. Uchiha Madara? He's… also from the Uchiha clan and can be considered Sasuke's elder and their relationship is complicated, to say the least."
Sengoku frowned, sensing that there was more to the story, but Naruto's tone suggested that he wouldn't give any further details.
"Is that so? I see," he murmured, though his thoughts were far from settled.
Uchiha… Uzumaki…
Just where did this Konoha Village emerge from?
The Marines' intelligence had attempted to locate this mysterious "Konoha Village," but no one had managed to find even a trace of it.
The village was as elusive as Laughtale itself, wrapped in layers of secrecy.
After some thought, Sengoku decided against placing a bounty on Madara; after all, he hadn't committed any acts of piracy.
However, Madara's name was quietly added to the Marine's watch list.
The potential threat that he posed was undeniable.
If he and Sasuke were to combine forces, their strength could potentially rival any of the Four Emperors.
"What's going on in these seas?" Sengoku muttered, a sense of foreboding creeping into his voice.
****
In the days that followed, rumors of Madara's encounter with Doflamingo spread like wildfire.
Despite the Marines' efforts to keep the information under wraps, the intelligence broker Morgans caught wind of the story and wasted no time publishing it.
Madara's name then resonated across the seas, carrying an aura of fear and mystery.
Status de energia semanal
200+ Ranking de
Poder 
98 Pedra de
Poder Você também pode gostar
Comentário de parágrafo