"If you touch Sugar's hand, you'll be turned into a toy!!!"
"No, Ozz-sama, you mustn't!!!"
Even Doflamingo broke into a cold sweat.
All around, jaws dropped in horror as Ozz calmly smiled and let the little girl's hand touch his.
The next instant
A strange puff of smoke rose as their hands met.
Bang!
Ozz's tall figure vanished. In his place, sitting on the main throne, was a half-meter tall puppet doll of the Black Emperor himself!
The scene shocked everyone to their core. Not just the Donquixote officers, even Doflamingo leapt to his feet, cold sweat pouring as his mouth hung open in disbelief.
"Wh-what's happening?! Ozz-sama's been turned into a toy!!!"
"What do we do, Doffy?!"
But Doflamingo was too stunned to answer. His jaw clenched, veins bulging on his forehead.
"You've got to be kidding me?!"
Some reacted faster. Pica instantly grabbed Sugar in his massive hand, his shrill voice breaking the tension.
"At this point, we've got no choice but to knock her out!!!"
"Yeah, that's the only way!!"
The panicked officers all nodded desperately.
Just as Pica raised his free hand either to pull a face to frighten her or put a blade to her neck another gloved hand clamped down over his.
Doflamingo's face was dark as he tugged Pica's arm aside with invisible threads. Cradling Sugar protectively, he glared at his subordinates.
"I've lost my head for a moment… but you idiots are even worse!!!"
The officers froze.
They had never seen their young master protect anyone like this. For a chilling moment, one thought struck them all at once:
Could it be… Doffy was planning to kill the Black Emperor this way?
But instinct screamed otherwise.
If something ever happened to Sugar, if her power faltered even for a day, the Donquixote Family no, the entire kingdom of Dressrosa would be obliterated by Ozz's wrath. His strength could reduce their world to ash, and they would have no way to resist.
And even if they could somehow suppress Ozz forever, without his protection, could they really hold on to their territory and power?
The thought alone was enough to crush their bravado.
Before they could speak further, Gladius interrupted, one of the rare sharp-minded members of the family. He had seen the truth before Doflamingo himself.
"Stop. All of you. Ozz-sama hasn't been turned into a toy at all."
His words froze the officers in place.
"You know Sugar's ability. If Ozz-sama really had been transformed, you wouldn't even remember he existed in the first place!"
The realization hit like lightning.
Of course!
The Hobby-Hobby Fruit erased memories of its victims. And yet every one of them still remembered Ozz clearly.
Which meant…
Their gazes shifted back to the throne.
The emperor puppet slumped against the seat, its head lolling sideways, limp and lifeless completely unlike the animated toys roaming Dressrosa.
Doflamingo pressed a hand to his forehead, exhaling sharply.
So that was it. Ozz had left to "play" on his own. Entirely outside his plans.
All they could do was pray he wasn't causing trouble elsewhere.
…
"Hey!!! Who the hell are you? I'll kill you!!!"
A boy in a white spotted hat stood on edge, clutching a short blade. His eyes burned with suspicion as he glared at the tall stranger who had appeared before him.
Dressrosa. Royal Palace plateau.
Having no interest in playing Doflamingo's loyalty games, Ozz had wandered off on his own. He hadn't expected to stumble across such an interesting little figure.
The boy's face bore white patches, twisted in anger.
Law.
And from Law's point of view, some unfamiliar intruder had just strolled into the palace grounds as if he owned the place. His hostility flared instantly.
Not every Donquixote member had gone to greet Ozz.
Law had been left behind too rebellious, too unpredictable, the officers had worried he might offend Ozz. And Rosinante Corazon was excluded as well, in case his clumsy antics ruined the carefully staged reception.
"Oi, brat. What's your name?"
Ozz asked casually, though he already knew the answer.
But the boy, hardened by trauma and Doflamingo's twisted lessons, felt only hate.
Swish!
Without hesitation, Law lunged, blade flashing.
Of course, he never came close.
Ozz tilted his head, amused, watching the boy snarl with reckless fury.
It was uncanny. He really was like a young Doflamingo burning with rage, desperate to destroy the world, a pure seed of rebellion.
Another swing. Another miss. Law stumbled, nearly tripping over himself.
He spun, searching wildly only to see the stranger already reclining far away, sprawled in a lounge chair by the poolside.
It was Doflamingo's usual spot.
Law's blood boiled. He was being mocked!
"You can tell, can't you? The gap between us," Ozz said lazily, plucking a grape from a bowl and popping it into his mouth.
Law roared and charged again.
This time Ozz raised one hand, curling his fingers, index finger pointing skyward. His voice was calm, almost amused.
"Beasts who lose reason are even easier to handle than ants."
The moment his fingertip flicked upward, Law's world twisted.
Suddenly he was back in the exact spot where he'd nearly stumbled earlier.
He rushed forward again and once more found himself snapped back to the same place. Again. And again.
"What…?!"
Law's breath caught. His body was being rewound, pulled back like a puppet on strings.
"Teleportation…" he whispered.
Ozz's grin widened.
"Baton."
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