Inside the storage warehouse stacked with ripe fruit, Eli Winters dragged in two captives Trebol and Bellamy and dropped them unceremoniously onto the cold floor. With a casual flick of his hand, he sealed the surrounding space, trapping them like insects in glass.
Bellamy had already regained consciousness. His face twisted with rage and fear as he stared up at Eli. "Who the hell are you?" he demanded. "Do you even know what you've done? Crossing the Donquixote Family means death! If you know what's good for you, release us right now. Otherwise, Doflamingo himself will make you regret ever being born!"
Eli ignored his bluster. "Do you know how your father died?" he asked calmly, his tone quiet but cutting.
Bellamy's eyes burned with fury. "Don't you dare mention that worthless fool! All talk, no action! He was nothing but garbage!"
Eli shook his head, his expression unreadable. There was no point in arguing with someone like Bellamy a man who slaughtered innocents just to join Doflamingo's crew. Redemption wasn't in his nature. Eli's ship had no room for men without dreams or decency. This wasn't a reform camp for lost delinquents.
Without another word, Eli drove his fist into Bellamy's chest. The impact was silent yet devastating; his heart burst like glass under pressure. Bellamy's body collapsed lifelessly, eyes wide in disbelief. A strange shimmer of energy escaped from his corpse, swirling briefly before seeping into one of the fruits stacked nearby. Eli smiled faintly.
"The Spring-Spring Fruit, huh? Not bad."
He turned to Trebol. "You can stop pretending now. I know you're awake. You can't escape from here anyway."
Trebol slowly opened his eyes, his oily face twitching with discomfort. "You've got some nerve," he rasped. "Stripping Devil Fruits from corpses that's no small feat."
Eli smirked. "Just a basic skill. Now tell me, what's Doflamingo doing in the Kingdom of Nordis?"
Trebol sneered. "You think I'd tell you that?"
Eli shrugged. "Doesn't matter. I was just being polite."
There was a long silence before Trebol finally spoke, trying to sound casual. "We're only here for business. The Donquixote Family buys a lot of ore from Nordis every year."
"Oh? And the land crisis in Nordis was that your doing?" Eli asked, eyes narrowing.
Trebol stiffened, though he tried to mask it. "Of course not."
Eli sighed softly. "Then you've outlived your usefulness."
Panic flared in Trebol's eyes. "Wait! Please hear me out!" he shouted, desperation cracking his voice. "We don't have to be enemies! If you let me live, our family can reward you handsomely. Money, influence whatever you desire! We could even work together. Our network reaches every corner of the seas. We can help you find anyone with rare abilities. You could take their fruits for yourself! Think of it unlimited power, endless wealth. Isn't that worth more than killing me?"
Eli chuckled, shaking his head. "You really do talk well. But you've got me wrong. Wealth and power mean nothing to me. We're travelers, chasing freedom not slaves to greed. So, no. You can die now."
Trebol's composure broke. "Wait don't you fear Doflamingo's revenge?"
Eli's eyes hardened. "You misunderstand. To me, there's no difference between you and him. He's just a stronger insect, that's all."
Before Trebol could respond, Eli struck again. Another heart shattered. Another life extinguished. Moments later, a second Devil Fruit formed among the fruits.
Eli's mood brightened instantly. Two new fruits in one day it had been a good morning.
Far away in the North Blue, the bustling port city of Spydamiles thrummed with life. Ships docked and departed in endless rhythm, the air thick with the scent of salt and fish. But inside the Donquixote Family's local stronghold, the atmosphere was far from lively.
Donquixote Doflamingo sat in a high-backed chair, draped in opulent velvet, his expression dark as a stormfront. In his gloved hand, a Vivre Card Trebol's life card was burning away to ash. The faint crackle of fire sounded almost like a whisper of death. As the last ember faded, his eyes filled with an old, forgotten fury.
He hadn't felt this angry since leaving that wretched, decaying city of his childhood.
Trebol his oldest ally, his confidant was dead. Killed during a routine business trip. It was an insult beyond forgiveness.
"Diamante," Doflamingo said coldly.
A few minutes later, a towering man entered a warrior over five meters tall, wearing a red cloak, a plumed hat, and warpaint across his face. He knelt before Doflamingo, voice deep and respectful. "Young master."
"Trebol is dead," Doflamingo said flatly.
Diamante's eyes widened. "What? Who could have who dared to kill Trebol?"
Doflamingo's sharp features twisted into a cruel sneer. His eyes gleamed like a predator's. "Whoever it was will pay. No one kills a member of the Donquixote Family without bleeding for it."
His voice echoed through the hall, each word dripping with venom. "Prepare everyone. The world will remember what happens to those who cross us."
Diamante bowed low. "Understood, young master. I'll rally the entire family. We'll make an example of them all." With that, he hurried out, leaving Doflamingo's imposing figure standing like a mountain, radiating unshakable menace.
Meanwhile, Eli was blissfully unaware that Doflamingo's wrath was already on its way. He sat contentedly aboard the Voyager, enjoying a meal Chiyo Mochizuki had prepared. Between bites, he mulled over the situation in the Kingdom of Nordis. The more he thought about it, the clearer it became Doflamingo's hand was behind the kingdom's dying lands. Perhaps even the king himself was under his control, much like in Dressrosa. Still, he needed to meet the monarch in person before confirming his suspicions.
His thoughts were interrupted by a sudden commotion outside. Soldiers hundreds of them marched from the city walls, surrounding the Voyager on all sides. Their rifles and cannons gleamed under the sun, and at their head stood a burly commander nearly three meters tall.
He raised his voice. "Criminals! You're surrounded! Surrender now and face the judgment of the Donquixote Family!"
Eli sighed. "Took them long enough." He glanced lazily toward Big Pan and the others. "I figured they'd show up before dessert."
When Eli didn't respond further, the commander gritted his teeth and gave the order to fire. Cannons roared, shaking the harbor but none of the shells reached their mark. Eli's crew intercepted every blast with effortless precision. Big Pan charged into the ranks of soldiers, his massive fists swinging like hammers. Within minutes, the battlefield fell silent. The soldiers were defeated but alive.
Big Pan dragged the captured commander before Eli. The man trembled but tried to stand tall. "My name is Karl Bright," he said hoarsely.
"Who sent you?" Eli asked.
"The king… King Kimi," Karl replied after a long pause. His voice carried resignation rather than defiance.
Eli raised an eyebrow. "You gave up your king's name awfully fast."
Karl gave a bitter laugh. "Let's be honest I never stood a chance. If Trebol himself couldn't survive you, what hope did I have? The king sent us knowing we'd die. It was just a show for Doflamingo."
Eli studied him for a moment, then nodded. "You're smarter than you look. Tell me about the king and Doflamingo."
Karl hesitated, then sighed. "Doflamingo came to Nordis three years ago. He broke our army in a single day. Forced us to turn our weapons on each other until half of us were dead. Then he met privately with the king. After that, strange ores began appearing in our land and the soil became barren. The kingdom was forced to mine for him in exchange for food."
"And the leftover ore?" Eli asked.
"The king trades it for other goods," Karl admitted. "But yes, Doflamingo caused all of this. His man, Serka, has the Stone-Stone Fruit. He turned fertile land into mineral deposits."
Eli's eyes darkened. "So that's his game."
He waved a hand dismissively. "Go. Take your men and leave."
Karl stared in disbelief. "You're letting us go?"
"I'm not a murderer," Eli said simply.
Karl didn't argue. He bowed deeply before retreating with his troops.
As Eli watched them leave, he thought aloud, "Doflamingo won't let this go. He's probably already on his way here. Perfect. My crew could use the experience."
Later that night, Karl returned to the palace. King Kimi awaited him, seated on a high throne.
"Did you tell him everything?" the king asked calmly.
"Yes, Your Majesty," Karl replied. "But… I fear Eli Winters might not survive Doflamingo's wrath."
The king sighed heavily. "Don't worry. As long as we're still useful, Doflamingo won't destroy us. And if Eli manages to wound him, even a little, it might be our chance to break free."
Karl knelt. "I swear loyalty to you, my king."
The king turned toward the window, watching the drifting white clouds outside. His voice dropped to a whisper. "Then let's pray that Eli Winters can do what we cannot defeat Doflamingo."
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