In a deserted, shadowy corner off the streets of Mock Town, a black-haired woman dressed in a professional suit leaned against a wall, murmuring to herself.
"This world really is small. I didn't expect to run into that love-struck idiot I swindled back then..."
"Straw Hat Luffy, the 'Pirate Hunter' Roronoa Zoro... I wonder where that 'Sorcerer' is. Based on what the people on the street were saying, he should have made landfall on this island as well."
Carter maintained a cold, expressionless poker face—a stark contrast to the way she had laughed and joked with Sanji and the others back on the Going Merry. In the gloom of the alley, her elegant features took on a somewhat chilling, sinister edge.
"Besides, there's been an unexpected windfall..."
Thinking of the graceful, stunning figure she had spotted earlier, Carter felt more than ever that Lady Luck was smiling on her today. She truly hadn't expected to stumble upon the very woman her colleagues were searching for so desperately.
"Nico Robin."
Softly reciting the name she had heard countless times, the con artist paused, a playful smile spreading across her lips. She looked like a cat preparing to toy with its prey.
(Forget it. My mission this time is to investigate intelligence regarding the "Blood-Soaked Moon." I should leave this matter to 'Iron Jaw' to handle. Maybe if my idiot superior is in a good mood, he'll have the mercy to grant me a subsidy so I don't have to keep running scams everywhere...)
At that thought, Carter gave a bitter laugh and pulled a small Transponder Snail from her suit pocket, intending to contact her nominal "superior."
However, right at that moment...
"Meow~~~~"
A pathetic excuse for a cat's meow suddenly drifted from Carter's side. She froze for a second, then whipped her head around. It wasn't a kitten that met her eyes, but a massive dog nearly two-thirds the height of a person sitting on the ground. Its tongue lolled out as it wagged its tail, a look of dim-witted flattery on its face. It looked utterly ridiculous.
"Meow~~~~" The Husky let out another terrible meow, wagging its tail even harder.
"..."
Carter stared at the stupid dog, a vein throbbing in her forehead. After a long silence, she said slowly:
"Er-ha, I'm touched that you managed to find me on your own this time. But what I want to tell you is: while I can transform into a cat, I am not an actual cat! Even if you learn how to meow, I still can't understand you! You stupid dog!!!!"
!!!
As if it actually understood human speech, the Husky's face instantly shifted into a mask of pure bewilderment. Its exaggerated expression was so comical that Carter couldn't help but burst out laughing.
"You moronic Husky... come here. Let me see what task your master has entrusted to me this time."
Shaking her head, Carter beckoned the dog over. She then noticed that the Husky's usually glossy fur was in a disheveled state. More importantly, a faint scent of sulfur—unique to gunpowder—was wafting from its mouth, as if it had recently been caught in an explosion.
(This stupid dog... it didn't try to eat a bomb, did it?)
The thought flashed through Carter's mind, but she immediately dismissed it. No matter how much of a "derp" this Husky was, it wasn't stupid enough to go around biting bombs for no reason!
Unless...
Unless some reckless bastard had fed it a bomb...
In truth, Sherlock had already sensed the condition Doflamingo was about to propose the moment the man pulled out those bounty posters. Yet, hearing it with his own eyes still caused his pupils to contract sharply.
"Kill Luffy?"
The carefree, grinning face under a straw hat flashed through his mind. Sherlock adjusted his glasses with a calm expression. "Why him? As far as I know, there are usually no specific restrictions on the 'blood price' required to join the Seven Warlords."
"Fuffuffuffuffu... That is true. This is merely a personal suggestion of mine."
Doflamingo laughed with pure malice. "First, he is the closest pirate to you with a bounty exceeding one hundred million, making him your easiest target. But more importantly... it is because he is of the 'D'."
"D?"
Sherlock's brow furrowed slightly. He suddenly remembered that whenever Robin called Luffy by his full name, she would intentionally or unintentionally emphasize the letter "D," as if it held some profound significance.
"That's right. The 'D'."
Spreading his arms wide, a sharp glint flashed behind Doflamingo's red sunglasses. "Sherlock, you might not be aware, but those who inherit the Will of D—the 'Clan of D'—are the 'Natural Enemies of God'!"
"Even if the two of us no longer hold the status of Celestial Dragons, the blood of the Twenty Kings flowing through our veins remains unchanged..."
At this point, the Heavenly Yaksha clenched his open palm into a tight fist, his tone turning freezing cold.
"...Staying with a captain like that is nothing short of seeking your own death."
"..."
Sherlock wore an odd expression. Listening to Doflamingo's cryptic, mystical rambling, he didn't quite know how to react for a moment.
If Doflamingo's words were translated into a different style, they would sound something like: "Young man, your destiny is fundamentally at odds with that brat Luffy. Staying together will lead to a bloody catastrophe; this is a dark omen!" It was practically feudal superstition.
The Sorcerer pondered for a good while before saying quietly:
"So what you're saying is: my captain is actually my jinx, following him will lead to a bad end, and your advice to kill him was actually for my own good?"
"Exactly! That is precisely what I mean."
"I refuse," Sherlock said, his voice cutting through the air with absolute finality.
Doflamingo's expression didn't change, maintaining that same eerie, twisted smile. It seemed he wasn't at all surprised by Sherlock's rejection of his "kindness."
"Fuffuffuffuffu... You are still as headstrong as ever, Sherlock. It was the same five years ago, and it is the same now. I truly cannot understand why someone with your abilities would choose to humble himself on such a tiny ship!"
Though he was still laughing, the spiderweb of veins bulging on Doflamingo's forehead betrayed his foul mood.
"You are an intelligent man. How long do you think a reckless brat like him can survive on these seas?"
"Crocodile thought the same thing..." Sherlock retorted bluntly, effectively choking off Doflamingo's next words.
"I admit, Luffy is an incredibly headstrong captain. He is indeed my jinx, because he never listens to a single one of my plans. That part gives me quite a headache."
Thinking back to the various impulsive antics of a certain Straw Hat idiot in Alabasta, the crew's tactician gave a wry, weary shake of his head.
"However, there is one thing I am absolutely certain of..."
Sherlock stood up, sweeping the three bounty posters into his Mirror Space. He slapped a high-denomination Berri note onto the bar, then turned to look at the Heavenly Yaksha, lightly pushing up his glasses.
"Luffy is a captain who would never be the 'natural enemy' of his own comrades!"
With that, the Sorcerer strode toward the exit.
"Sherlock, there is one thing I am absolutely certain of as well..."
Doflamingo spoke up suddenly. He made no move to stop him, nor did he look back. Instead, he smilingly picked up his bottle. "You and I are actually of the same kind."
"Because... we both have a 'Demon' hidden inside us!"
Tap.
Sherlock's footsteps came to an abrupt halt. The white glare on his lenses obscured his eyes, making it impossible to read his expression.
He remained silent for a moment, but without offering any reply, he resumed his walk toward the door. As he neared the threshold, his silhouette gradually faded away, as if he had never been there at all.
In the dim bar, only a blonde man drinking alone and a poor, long-fainted female proprietor remained.
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