"Hueco Mundo Organization!"
Doflamingo pronounced the unfamiliar name, word by word.
With his vast network and background, it was unheard of for him not to know about a group—yet this was the first time he had encountered the name.
"Corazon, have you ever heard of such an organization?" Doflamingo asked.
Corazon's face grew grim. He shook his head, then wrote a quick reply: "I'll check on the others first."
"Go."
Doflamingo waved him off, all the while spreading his Observation Haki in case another sudden strike came.
Not long after, Corazon tracked down the children he had been most worried about—Monet, Sugar, Baby-5, Buffalo, and the newest addition to the family, Trafalgar Law.
"Thank goodness they're safe."
He breathed a silent sigh of relief. These five were among the ones Doflamingo valued most, practically raised as cadet officers within the family. Fortunately, because they were not yet full-fledged executives, their residences weren't at the center of the blast. Though a bit injured, their lives weren't in danger.
When Corazon appeared, maintaining his usual facade of the gruff, child-hating brute, the children immediately fell silent. Without a word, he left, heading off to assess the condition of the other officers.
Moments later, in front of the iron monolith, the battered remnants of the Donquixote officers gathered.
"Young master," reported Diamante, code-named 'Diamond,' his tone grave. "Giolla and Gladius are dead. Five more officers are critically wounded."
In truth, aside from Corazon, every officer—and even Doflamingo himself—had sustained some injury. Depending on distance, physique, and mastery of Armament Haki, some had suffered worse than others. Still, losing two officers outright and five more heavily injured was the most devastating blow the family had taken since its founding.
The atmosphere grew heavy with despair.
"Fufufufufu~~"
Suddenly, Doflamingo covered his face and let out a wild laugh, before his tone shifted into madness.
"Tell me—what is this Hueco Mundo Organization? And what's the meaning of the five Devil Fruits carved into that stone?"
The weight of his killing intent pressed down on everyone present. Diamante and Trebol exchanged a glance. Trebol shuffled forward, sniffled with his crooked face, and answered.
"Doffy, it ties back to one of our practices…"
"Oh?" Doflamingo tilted his head.
"In order to gather wealth faster, the family sometimes sells unwanted Devil Fruits on the black market. If the buyer doesn't consume it immediately, we send people to ambush them later, reclaiming the fruit in secret."
Trebol hesitated, then added, "In fact, that was originally your idea, Doffy."
A manic grin spread across Doflamingo's face, the sunglasses hiding his eyes unreadable.
"I'm asking—who carried out the mission this time? How did this leak? And how did they find out so fast that it was our family's doing?"
The pressure in his voice made even Trebol—who often leaned on his status as Doflamingo's old benefactor—tense up.
"I-I'm sorry, Doffy."
The air grew suffocating, but then Doflamingo suddenly chuckled, his expression easing.
"Forget it. After all, we're family, aren't we?"
"Yes, yes, exactly! We're family, the closest of family!" Trebol exhaled in relief, nodding eagerly.
Meanwhile, in a shadowed corner, a tiny window-shaped opening appeared on the forehead of Little Gold. Robin, arms crossed, activated her Flower-Flower Fruit.
A conjured eye bloomed in another corner, focusing on Lao G.
The old fighter sensed something off but had no time to react before a strange sigil spread across his forehead.
"Brujería: Amor!"
Instantly, Lao G fell under the ability's control.
As Doflamingo prepared to speak, Lao G suddenly burst into laughter.
"Such touching family bonds!"
The words were so unlike him that the officers glanced around in confusion.
"Oi, Lao G—what the hell are you doing?" asked Señor Pink, the Swim-Swim user closest to him.
But Lao G ignored him, grinning as he continued:
"Jie jie jie… But anyone who dares oppose Hueco Mundo must pay the price. Even… the Celestial Dragons are no exception!"
The words stunned the officers. Even Doflamingo stiffened behind his shades. His past as a fallen Celestial Dragon was a tightly guarded secret—known only to a handful of his top officers. Yet this "voice" had hinted at it openly.
In the next moment, a sword thrust toward Lao G's vitals.
Diamante's blade lashed out with deadly force, but Lao G dodged with surprising agility, still speaking calmly:
"That attack earlier was merely a warning."
"You have one day. That is the time granted by the Lord of Hueco Mundo. Return the five Devil Fruits, and surrender the one who murdered our outer members. Otherwise…"
"Annihilation."
The last word carried a chilling calm that made every heart falter.
Diamante, shaken but furious, pressed his assault, roaring:
"Lao G, you bastard traitor! How dare you betray the family!?"
"This is not some petty betrayal," Lao G intoned, voice eerily flat. "I am merely borrowing this old shell… to deliver the will of the Lord of Hueco Mundo."
"One day from now, give your answer. Will you accept his mercy? Or be erased from the seas altogether?"
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