บท 16: When Everything Goes Wrong (I)

Having a starting bounty of 25 million was not a bad start. Given we were trying to stay under the radar, it made sense. Law got 30 million, of course—he was the captain. We should probably throw a party or something. As I mulled over potential themes, I glanced at our captain.

He looked like he'd seen a ghost, his face drained of all color. He wasn't just shocked—he was terrified.

Why would he be scared? Getting a bounty is like a rite of passage for pirates. Then it hit me.

Doflamingo.

Shit, shit, shit! I've been having so much fun recently that I forgot about the person who can fuck us up in every way possible. This was a man that can even keep the World Government in check. How could I forget the main reason why Law used the submarine in the first place? And to top it all off, the name 'Surgeon of Death' literally screams Ope-Ope-no-Mi. There was no way Joker wouldn't know about us now.

We have become stronger in the last year. But we can literally do nothing in front of those monsters in Doflamingo's family. His reach was everywhere, and Vergo had likely already informed him about Law. He'd know soon enough, if he didn't already, and when he did, he'd come after us. Law had betrayed him. And Doflamingo kills his traitors personally.

If he caught wind of us, we'd all be ripped to shreds before we even knew it.

Still, I tried to keep my face calm. Law hadn't told me anything about Doflamingo yet, and I really didn't want to have that 'past life' conversation with him—not now, and maybe not ever.

So, I asked, "What's wrong? Why do you look like you've just seen a ghost?"

He looked at me, doubt clouding his eyes. He glanced at Bepo, who simply nodded and said, "It's time. He deserves to know."

Then Law told me everything. From his childhood in Flevence, his parents and sister, the Amber Lead Disease, the extermination squad that wiped out his people. How he survived by hiding under a pile of corpses. His desire to destroy the world. Doflamingo taking him in. His bond with Rosinate, and till the moment Doflamingo murdered him.

By the time Law finished, the sky had turned crimson, the sun sinking beneath the horizon. The only sound in the tent was Bepo's soft sobbing. Law just sat there, his face emotionless, yet his eyes told a different story. They were full of so many feelings that I couldn't even begin to unravel what he was going through. After all, I didn't even know what I was feeling.

I knew this story; I've watched it before. I should be able to keep my composure. I should be able to remain calm. And yet why does my heart ache so much? Why is my mind filled with this insane amount of rage? And why are there tears in my eyes?

I keep telling myself that 'you knew about his story. Now, stop being such a crybaby.' But I knew that's not what this is.

The Trafalgar D. Water Law sitting in front of me wasn't some character from a show. He was real. I'd fought beside him, laughed with him, and partied with him. He was my rival. But more than anything, he was my friend. Maybe even the best friend I'd ever had.

And when someone hurts your friend, then you hurt them back. You hurt them so bad, that they can't even think about hurting anyone ever again.

Doflamingo needs to die, period. He doesn't deserve Impel Down. He deserves death. I'll make sure of it.

But I'm getting way ahead of myself. For now, our priority was survival. The Heavenly Yaksha is a master puppeteer. He is a sadistic maniac who loves to play with his prey. If we got anywhere near his strings, we'd be nothing but playthings for his amusement.

So, I looked at Bepo,

"Bepo, do you have a Log Pose?"

"Yes, I've got one."

"Law, you know what needs to be done, right? We need to go to Paradise. If what you said is true, then Doflamingo must have a method to safely travel through the Calm Belt. He's one of the warlords of the sea for nothing."

Law's eyes cleared. The emotional turmoil vanished, replaced by the cool, calculating expression of the Surgeon of Death.

"Yes. We need to leave within tomorrow. Doflamingo has a spy amongst navy officers. But if we can make it to the Grand Line, we'll buy ourselves some time. Bepo, get the crew to pack up. Tell Shachi and Penguin to stock up on rations. They can use two-thirds of the emergency funds. We leave at dawn."

"Yes, captain. It will be done."

"You go ahead. I need to talk with Z."

I raised an eyebrow at that. What does he want to talk about now?

After Bepo left us, Law started speaking to me while looking down.

"Look, this Doflamingo business is not yours to deal with. It's my problem...."

I could see where he was going with this. He's going to give a speech, isn't he? He's going to give the 'get out before you get hurt speech'. Are you kidding with me right now!

Seriously, dude! Don't be such a cliché!

"Shut the fuck up, Law!"

Law blinked in surprise, "Huh?"

"I don't want to hear a fucking speech about how I should leave before I get hurt. Blah! Blah! Blah!" I said, waving my hand dismissively. "I'm your friend, dammit! If someone's got a problem with you, then they've got a problem with me!"

I declared it loud and clear.

Then it hit me. I just said something Luffy would say, didn't I? I cringed inwardly.

Oh my god! We were both such clichés!