NOVEL WEB Chapter 88: Chapter 88: Mutual Benefits?
Doflamingo's current power came not only from his strength, but also from the vast network of influence he cultivated.
Building connections was essential.
With that thought in mind, Doflamingo exited the palace. As the self-proclaimed king of Dressrosa, he ruled with absolute authority. Anyone who defied him was turned into a tool, swallowed up by his underground factory, destined to live as his puppets.
"Hehe… I don't know what kind of man you really are," Doflamingo muttered with amusement. "You've killed three Celestial Dragons. Though I am one myself, I can't say I hold them in high regard. Besides, you didn't know I was once a Celestial Dragon, did you?"
Even among the Celestial Dragons, Doflamingo was an outlier—a king among spoiled fools raised in the Holy Land of Mariejois.
He strutted out of the palace with his usual swagger.
Vane had just finished eating and stepped out of a restaurant.
Night had already fallen on Dressrosa. The moon was hidden behind thick clouds, and the stars were sparse.
"Doflamingo?" Vane murmured.
Despite the hour, the streets of Dressrosa still bustled with life. But when Doflamingo appeared, people instinctively cleared a path, bowing or retreating to the sides. As the ruler of the island, his presence demanded respect—or fear.
Vane noticed the man walking toward him, smiling as he approached.
That wild, toothy grin—it was the same one he wore for everyone. It only changed when he faced monsters like Kaido.
"Greetings, Fire Sword Vane," Doflamingo said smoothly. "I didn't expect you to visit Dressrosa after entering the New World."
He stopped about a meter in front of Vane and extended a hand, an offer of diplomacy.
It was surprisingly polite.
"Doflamingo," Vane replied in a flat tone, neither friendly nor cold, and accepted the handshake.
"Hey… isn't that the Fire Sword Vane?"
"Tch… he's really here, in Dressrosa…"
"They say even Whitebeard would've been wary of him…"
"Rumor is he's got two Devil Fruits. No one knows how he's still alive…"
"The Navy's already on edge. They're saying he might be the next Emperor…"
The crowd erupted in murmurs, their voices filled with awe and fear.
Vane frowned slightly—he never liked being the center of attention. Doflamingo, skilled at reading people, noticed immediately.
A wave of intense [Conqueror's Haki] exploded from Doflamingo, flooding the area. Vane smirked as their clothes and hair fluttered in the invisible pressure. The buildings held firm, but every bystander dropped unconscious, unable to withstand the force. When the last fell, Doflamingo ceased his release.
"Ahh, that's better," he said with a chuckle.
The street was silent now. Even those who remained standing were stunned, paralyzed by fear.
"So, what do you want?" Vane asked, withdrawing his hand.
"Simple. I want to be your friend," Doflamingo said, grinning. "A great pirate like you is always welcome in Dressrosa."
"To be friends?" Vane raised a brow.
"Exactly."
But Vane knew any friendship with Doflamingo was rooted in mutual benefit.
Ten minutes later, Vane sat across from him in a luxurious reception hall within the palace. They were separated by a round table, two meters apart.
"To be honest, I'm still shocked," Doflamingo admitted. "No one in this world would expect someone to wield two Devil Fruit abilities."
A maid entered and placed wine and rare New World fruits on the table in front of Vane.
The maid was Baby 5, the woman with the Weapon-Weapon Fruit. Unfortunately, her thinking hadn't yet outgrown conventional limits, and her fruit potential was far from fully realized.
"You could think of me as... an alien," Vane said calmly after sipping the wine. "My body's structure is different from that of ordinary people."
Blackbeard had been able to handle two fruits for the same reason—an unusual body.
Vane only possessed the [Shock Fruit], and even that had no side effects. His freezing power didn't come from a Devil Fruit at all—it came from the Ice Teigu's Gear. It only appeared to be a fruit ability to those who didn't understand.
And no one yet knew that his powers would only continue to grow.
"Different body structure, huh?" Doflamingo repeated, intrigued.
"You've heard of Vegapunk, haven't you? The scientist said to be five hundred years ahead of our time? Try him. Maybe he can reconstruct your body and allow you to handle a second Devil Fruit."
Doflamingo burst into laughter.
He knew Vane was bluffing. Even if such a thing were possible, he wouldn't risk it. His String-String Fruit had already awakened, and he had no desire for more.
Still, as he looked at the young man before him, he couldn't treat him like a boy. Not anymore. He was a rising force—a man destined to shake this era.
"I heard the incident at Sabaody," Doflamingo said, leaning forward. "A large portion of the island was shattered, and even the sea froze. That ice still hasn't melted."
He was genuinely impressed.
The photos his men took of the island showed the devastating aftermath. It was clear the battle had been fierce, and the power terrifying.
He hadn't possessed that kind of strength at Vane's age. Not even close.
But this world was never short on monsters.
Charlotte Linlin had awakened both [Conqueror's Haki] and Armament Haki at the age of five. She had once flattened an entire squad of giants.
Some people were simply born to rule.
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