One Piece: Investing In Whitebeard At The Start.

Three days later, Vane and the others arrived at Dressrosa.

Dressrosa was a major country in the New World, currently under the rule of Donquixote Doflamingo.

As king of Dressrosa, Doflamingo had ruled and oppressed the nation for years. Despite being a pirate, his status as a Shichibukai granted him legal immunity. Moreover, as a descendant of the Donquixote family—former Celestial Dragons—he still enjoyed privileges associated with that bloodline, even after withdrawing from the Holy Land Mariejois.

Vane and the others had arrived on this island today.

Trailing behind them was Smoothie, wearing a pair of Sea-Prism Stone shackles. These shackles had been obtained just the day before, when a Marine warship happened to pass by. Vane had snatched two pairs of shackles from the deck without attacking the Navy, doing just enough to secure what he needed.

Thanks to the shackles, Smoothie was now much easier to restrain. While Sea-Prism Stone doesn't directly sap physical strength, it completely nullifies a Devil Fruit user's powers.

After entering Dressrosa's bustling town, Vane and his crew found a hotel and checked in.

Later, Vane stepped out alone.

Mainly to shop—something he hadn't done in a long while. Dressrosa was both prosperous and technologically advanced for the world they lived in.

As evening fell, the streets grew crowded.

At that moment, a woman caught sight of Vane.

It was Violet—a member of the Donquixote Family, codename Violet.

Once royalty herself, Violet now served Doflamingo. She possessed the powers of the Giro Giro no Mi, a Paramecia-type Devil Fruit that granted her clairvoyance and mind-reading capabilities.

At first, she thought she might be mistaken. She stared at Vane for several long seconds, analyzing his every detail.

No mistake—it was him.

The Fire Sword God—Vane.

Doflamingo had issued strict orders: if Vane was spotted anywhere near Dressrosa, the family was to report it immediately. Ever since Vane entered the New World, the Donquixote Family had kept close tabs on his movements. Dressrosa, being a major port in the second half of the Grand Line, was a likely destination. Almost every significant pirate passed through it eventually.

Fire Sword Vane, the only known person to possess two Devil Fruits. A pirate with a bounty of 1.5 billion Berries, often rumored to rival the likes of Whitebeard in sheer power. It was widely believed that he would become the fifth Emperor, joining the ranks of Shanks, Big Mom and the others.

No one could afford to ignore him.

Violet, who had merely intended to shop, turned and fled the moment she confirmed Vane's identity. Despite hating Doflamingo, she needed to alert him—Vane was in Dressrosa.

"Was someone watching me just now?"

Vane paused mid-step, feeling a strange sensation. He glanced around, but saw nothing unusual.

"Maybe I'm just overthinking it," he muttered.

Shaking off the unease, he entered a nearby restaurant. Kalifa usually handled their meals, but today he was curious to try local flavors.

—

Elsewhere in the royal palace, Doflamingo sat lounging on a sofa, legs wide apart. His eyes were fixed on the ceiling. The signature pink feathered coat hung open, his garish sunglasses and flamboyant clothes adding to his unnerving presence.

As eccentric as his attire, Doflamingo had once stolen the Celestial Tribute—a bold move that he used to blackmail the World Government into granting him the position of Shichibukai. Since then, he'd consolidated power, becoming a kind of underworld emperor.

Today, he had little to do. Kaido of the Beasts had recently asked him to investigate Vane's origins, but there wasn't much to report. His rise was sudden and mysterious. No clear records of when he acquired his Devil Fruits, who trained him, or where his power came from.

Too clean. Too concealed. Too... abnormal.

"Heh… can such strength at just fifteen years old really be called human? Might as well call him a monster—or an alien..."

Doflamingo muttered to himself, but his thoughts were interrupted when Violet burst into the room.

"Doflamingo-sama, I have urgent news."

"What is it?" Doflamingo asked with a toothy grin. His eerie smile could make children cry on sight.

"It's Vane. I just saw him in town."

"What?"

Doflamingo's grin disappeared instantly. For a fleeting moment, Violet saw a rare expression—shock and solemnity. Even a touch of fear. It was clear that Vane was a priority for Doflamingo.

The Donquixote Family had access to vast intelligence networks, both in the criminal underworld and through formal political contacts. Still, not even they could find anything useful about Vane's powers—his acquisition of two Devil Fruits, his origin, his mentor, or his motives.

Violet, who once dreamed of overthrowing Doflamingo, knew it was foolish. Behind Doflamingo stood Kaido, one of the Four Emperors.

"I just saw him in the town center. If my eyes weren't playing tricks on me, it was him. His appearance is unmistakable."

"I see. Violet, locate him. Where is he now?" Doflamingo ordered.

Violet nodded. As a user of the Giro Giro no Mi, she could extend her visual field over a wide radius. This was the very reason Doflamingo had kept her alive—he valued her abilities.

She formed a circle with her fingers around her eyes and activated her power, scanning the area she had just left.

"There," she said, "he's in the center of town. Eating in a restaurant."

Doflamingo chuckled.

"Eating, huh? That makes things easier."

His smile returned.

"It seems... we're going to have a little meeting. I think it's time we became friends—or perhaps, partners."

Because even for a man like Doflamingo, challenging Vane head-on was not a wise move.

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