Doflamingo licked the corner of his lips, a sinister smile spreading across his face.
"Judge, you wouldn't want the Germa Kingdom, once ruling the North Blue for sixty-six days, to completely disappear into obscurity, would you?"
For Vinsmoke Judge, the revival of Germa was his life's mission—giving up was never an option.
Though he despised concepts like "sympathy" and "mercy," believing they made people weak and useless, his actions on Whole Cake Island had already proven that, deep down, he was precisely what he hated the most.
Realizing the predicament he was in, Judge suddenly found his once-proud royal status and kingly demeanor utterly meaningless.
And Doflamingo had a point—he was the last surviving member of the Vinsmoke lineage. If he died, all the ambitions of the Germa Kingdom would die with him.
With this in mind, Judge gritted his teeth, ignoring the pain, and forced an awkward, submissive smile.
"Doflamingo, what do you need me to do?"
Doflamingo's gaze lingered on Judge's bloodied face, his expression amused as he sized him up. Watching Judge's growing unease and fear, Doflamingo finally gave a satisfied nod and grinned.
"Fufufu... not bad. Looks like you've finally learned some respect. As a reward, the name of Germa 66 will once again echo across the North Blue tomorrow. Now, tell me where Punk Hazard is—and about your cloning technology."
"Allow me to administer some basic treatment first. The location of Punk Hazard is..."
...
Ten Days Later
Red Line, Holy Land Mary Geoise
"The Golden Lion was wounded. That should keep him quiet for a while. These remnants of the Rocks Pirates are still so active… That man with Kaido, the so-called 'King of the Wildfire'—he's a Lunarian from Punk Hazard, isn't he?"
"We should have locked them all in Impel Down back then. What's the progress on Vegapunk and Caesar's weapons?"
"Caesar wants the Gas-Gas Fruit. His 'Nation of Death' project requires it. As for Vegapunk, he's only presented a prototype for the Pacifista project. Here's a letter from the remnants of the Beaudice royal family—how should we handle it?"
"Just give it to them. Is Vegapunk still under protection? And who's leading the security force? I heard Judge, a fugitive from the MADS research team, had the audacity to seize the Beaudice Four Kingdoms."
"It seems Germa 66 hasn't given up on their dream of revival. Give them a warning—tell CP0 to expel Judge from Beaudice. Germa 66 is not allowed to possess land."
"Support the remaining royal family members. Exempt them from the Heavenly Tribute for ten years."
"Vegapunk's protection force is being led by Dragon. The name sounds familiar… Isn't he Garp's son? I propose we replace him."
"Agreed."
"And what about the two surviving bloodlines of the Homing family from the North Blue and the God Valley survivor?"
"…Let them be for now."
...
Elsewhere—Germa Kingdom, Aboard the Massive Ship
Doflamingo took a newspaper from a News Coo, admiring the headlines and his own photographic skills. He was sure Judge would be pleased.
Diamante had resumed his work in the arms trade—and in the "family reunion business." Or rather, the business of abduction.
Trebol and Rosinante had returned to territory to oversee operations.
With their main base's factories generating a steady stream of cash, security was still necessary. He didn't feel comfortable leaving Jora in charge alone.
As for the two surviving royal heirs, Doflamingo was "educating" them using his Observation Haki, ensuring their loyalty through careful mental conditioning.
A royal heir's value lay in legitimacy.
And the Germa Kingdom, which had once unified the North Blue for sixty-six days, remained a potential threat to the World Government. There was no way they would allow Germa to hold territory indefinitely—Judge's expulsion was inevitable.
When that time came, Beaudice' Four Kingdoms—oh wait, those four kingdoms no longer existed. The land itself, whether used as an experimental site for Judge or repurposed as a Donquixote Family weapons factory, was his to do with as he pleased.
To protect his business partners, Doflamingo decided to remain for a while—at least until Judge could move freely again.
As for the two searching for the "Zenith of the West," they had been missing for ten days, but since Lao G and his companion had survived the New World before, and their Vivre Cards showed no change, Doflamingo wasn't too worried.
Ten days ago, Judge had provided the location of Punk Hazard, claiming he would die without medical treatment. He had been in a coma ever since, recovering in a cultivation chamber beneath the massive castle.
Doflamingo knew Judge was stalling, fearing that revealing all his knowledge would lead to his death, but he didn't care. What mattered was the end result.
With Punk Hazard's location in hand, Caesar and the first artificial Devil Fruit were practically his already.
Sensing Judge's awakening with his Observation Haki, Doflamingo grabbed the fresh newspaper and made his way to the underground chamber of the palace.
Judge, removing his bandages, looked up just as Doflamingo tossed the newspaper onto the floor, his voice dripping with mock admiration.
"Fufufu… 'New King of Germa, Vinsmoke Judge, Strikes Down Four Rivals in a Single Day! Germa 66's Evil Rule Returns to the North Blue!' Truly magnificent."
Judge's expression froze at the headline.
Seeing the bold, oversized font at the top of the page, a look of joy flickered across his face—only to turn into an immediate scowl when his gaze shifted to the images below.
Doflamingo had deliberately taken pictures from an angle that made Judge look small and ridiculous.
'So this is what they mean when they say joy comes at another's expense…'
Watching Judge's emotions shift from confusion to exhilaration, then to disappointment, Doflamingo laughed even harder.
"Don't get caught up in fleeting victories, Judge. Let's talk about your brilliant future—your cloning technology and the progress on your Lineage Factor research."
"The cloning process is based on research conducted by me, Vegapunk, Caesar, and Queen. We select the strongest soldiers, clone them, and—"
...
"What's the current cost per clone?"
"One million Belly."
'That expensive? No wonder this fool spent over twenty years as a mercenary and still couldn't amass a million-man army. At this cost, clones aren't cost-effective for me… Wait…'
Doflamingo continued his questioning.
"I don't need soldiers—I need workers. If we disregard combat potential and clone regular civilians instead, can we lower costs and accelerate the process?"
"That… should be possible."
'Then my labor force project still has hope. Perfect.'
...
"Prepare to leave Beaudice. The World Government's enforcers should be on their way. Visit the royal families on this list and spread the name of Germa 66. While you're at it, clear out the trash that's occupying valuable territory. If the opportunity arises, I'll ensure you get a piece of Beaudice' land."
...
Back on his throne, Doflamingo fell into deep thought.
After discussing Lineage Factors with Judge, he found himself somewhat disappointed.
Lineage Factors were essentially the genetic blueprint of all life in this world. If mastered completely, one could practically play god.
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+100 chapters on p@treon/tambeerg