North Blue, an unnamed island.
"Boom!" A huge sound echoed, and a large crater suddenly appeared in the distance. Lying inside was a large man, dressed in a fur-trimmed hat, two face markings, and a red cloak, resembling a tribal native. He looked rather pathetic.
"Cough, cough... Doffy, you're really getting more and more monstrous," Diamante said, climbing out of the crater, a hint of relief in his voice.
"Fuffuffuffu, Diamante, you've been slacking off lately. You're getting weaker," Doflamingo said, tightly gripping his right wrist with his left hand, veins bulging on his forehead, his tone unfriendly.
"Doffy, no way! It's you who's too monstrous, too strong! How could I possibly compare to you? We've all been left in the dust by your efforts these past four years. Only Vergo can barely keep up," Diamante said cautiously.
Four years. Time had flown by. Since awakening his Conqueror's Haki, Doflamingo had grown into a dashing young man. His height of 305cm would have made him a giant in his previous life, but in the world of One Piece, it was unremarkable.
With his flamboyant blond hair, sunglasses, white shirt, and cropped pants, Doflamingo stood there, his physique lean and his abs clearly defined. He could definitely be considered one of the handsome men of the One Piece world. Coupled with his rebellious and arrogant demeanor, and the aura of a king, he truly lived up to the reputation of a beloved villain. It was a pity he was missing that flamboyant pink feather coat; otherwise, he'd be a perfect replica of the Doflamingo from the original story.
"Fuffuffuffu!" His laughter cut off Diamante's flattery. Doflamingo knew what kind of person Diamante was – fiercely loyal – and he didn't want to criticize him further. Who doesn't enjoy being praised? Who doesn't want a sycophant? Male or female, it didn't matter, as long as they were his sycophant. Readers, you agree, right?
Four years ago, the island massacre, the game of hell, had yielded many fragmented souls, making Doflamingo feel a surge in his spiritual power. For the following week, he'd almost lost control of his body. Over time, Doflamingo gradually understood the true nature of his "golden finger": harvesting souls to increase his soul power. As his soul grew, his spiritual power naturally increased rapidly, allowing him to gain a deeper understanding and control of his body, unlocking the human body's hidden potential. It was like the Daoist concept of cultivating both the body and the spirit, continuously increasing his strength.
Doflamingo, understanding his cheat, was overjoyed. He immediately began hunting pirates with Trebol and the others, both to train and improve his strength, and to experiment with his soul-harvesting abilities. However, everything has its rules, and such an overpowered ability couldn't be without limitations. Weaklings didn't even have the qualifications to be used as nutrients by Doflamingo. Only those with slightly stronger power could retain a sliver of their soul to be absorbed. Souls were intangible and invisible, which initially frustrated Doflamingo. He was puzzled as to why the residual souls of those weak commoners could be absorbed.
After much deliberation, Doflamingo concluded that the strong resentment of those commoners allowed their souls to linger longer. This was truly something that matched Doflamingo's nature. With this, Doflamingo's path to kingship would be even more secure.
Having figured this out, Doflamingo understood that the growth of the soul was rare and precious. Weaklings were useless, especially the souls of the strong; they were like perfect tonics, incredibly nourishing. Thinking about the soon-to-be-dead Pirate King, Gol D. Roger, and Whitebeard and Ace at the Summit War, their souls were truly tempting.
The execution of Pirate King Roger, the Summit War… he would definitely have to participate in those events.
"Fuffuffuffu, alright, Diamante, any recent news?" Doflamingo asked, his back to Diamante.
Diamante patted the dust off his clothes and said excitedly, "Doffy, the hottest topic on the seas right now is the battle between Golden Lion Shiki and Roger. They clashed in the Edd War sea. The Golden Lion's Grand Fleet, with its overwhelming strength, was actually defeated by Roger. Shiki's whereabouts are now unknown, and Roger achieved a complete victory."
"Fuffuffuffu, such an exciting battle, and I'm wasting my time here. The time has come. It's time to make our family's name known. How can such a beautiful sea be without me, Doflamingo?" Doflamingo spread his arms as if to embrace the entire sea, laughing.
"Ne-ne, Doffy, we've been waiting impatiently," Trebol interjected, hearing Doflamingo's words.
"Gather the family members. We're heading to Jaya Island!"
Doflamingo had already made his calculations. Only by obtaining that divine fruit could he ensure a smooth path forward. Although his current strength was considerable, he could only barely handle a second or third-rate Vice-Admiral. Against those monsters, he was powerless. That feeling of helplessness, Doflamingo didn't want to experience it a second time. No matter what, he had to get his hands on the Rumble-Rumble Fruit.
Other fruits either had owners or hadn't appeared yet. Only the Rumble-Rumble Fruit's timing and compatibility matched his needs. At this time, Enel should not have eaten the fruit yet. He would also rescue Enel, who was trapped in a quagmire of suffering, adding another member to the family. Then, he'd take control of Skypiea and make it his base of operations. With that foundation laid, his grand ambition could be realized.
A few days before Doflamingo set out with his family members for Jaya Island, in the Edd War sea, an unprecedented battle was unfolding.
Two pirate crews at the pinnacle of the pirate world, the Flying Pirates and the Roger Pirates, had met and engaged in battle.
The Golden Jackson, surrounded by numerous Golden Lion pirate ships, looked isolated and helpless.
On board, Buggy the Clown was terrified. He stammered, "Captain Roger, life is the most important thing!" He covered his head with his hands, shaking it desperately. "Maybe we should just surrender to the Golden Lion."
"Hey, Buggy, you can't die even if you're cut, so what's the problem?" Shanks, wearing a straw hat, said with a smile, trying to comfort him.
"What do you know? I have many weaknesses, you idiot!" Buggy shouted at Shanks, his entire face covered in sweat, his nose running from fear.
Just then, Buggy noticed the ship's doctor behind him.
"Right, Crocus-san, how is the captain's condition?" He ran to Crocus and looked at him. "He's not fit to fight, is he? As a doctor, go and stop him."
"Unfortunately, he's in top condition right now," Crocus said with a smile, knowing Buggy's intentions, and waved the weapon in his hand.
Seeing this, Buggy, unable to persuade Doctor Crocus, ran to Rayleigh, hoping to get some comfort from him.
"Rayleigh-san!" Buggy shouted. A hand reached out and grabbed the white ball on Buggy's hat, preventing him from moving forward.
"Give it up. We've been with Roger for so long, and we've never been able to persuade him," Scopper Gaban said, smiling at Buggy.
"No way..." Buggy cried out in despair.
On the Golden Jackson, Roger stood at the bow.
Looking at Roger's back, "You have to believe in the Golden Jackson, built by Tom. Roger doesn't have much time left."
The sky was gloomy, covered in dark clouds. A storm was about to arrive. In the face of nature, everyone felt small.
Opposite the Golden Jackson, on a pirate ship with a huge golden lion head at the bow, stood their admiral, the Flying Lion, Shiki. He had a cigarette in his mouth and a thick mane of golden hair, wild and domineering.
"How many times have I said this, Roger? Although we had our share of grudges in our youth, let's forget about them," Shiki said with a smile, pointing forward.
"With the location of the world-destroying weapon that you know, and the military strength I've gathered, plus the perfect plan I've spent years constructing, we can immediately rule this world."
Shiki spread his arms and laughed, releasing a powerful aura that could swallow everything. "Become my right-hand man, Roger." He extended his hand towards Roger.
"I'm not interested in ruling, Shiki," Roger said with a smile, looking at Shiki. Without a doubt, he refused Shiki's offer. "If I can't do what I want, what's the point of being a pirate?"
"No matter how much pressure you put on me, Golden Lion, I refuse your offer." Roger laughed. Facing the massive Flying Pirate Armada, the Golden Jackson was surrounded. The sea was turbulent, and hundreds of pirate ships blocked all escape routes for the Roger Pirates.
Without a trace of fear, Roger's companions all stood behind him, showing no fear, even in the face of tens of thousands of enemies.
"Stop talking, Captain. Do you know how many ships the enemy has?" Buggy pulled Roger's hand and screamed.
"So, your answer is that I should kill you right here, right?" Hearing Roger's words, Shiki's face darkened. For someone as proud as Shiki, he'd already given Roger a lot of face, yet he was still rejected. Although Shiki had somewhat expected it.
"It means I'll crush all of you," Roger said with a smile. Facing Shiki's encirclement, he was prepared to fight to the death. The next moment, the ship's main cannon fired, and a cannonball shot towards Shiki's direction, hitting a pirate ship to the right of Shiki's ship, firing the first shot of the great battle.
With that, the battle between the two legendary pirate crews officially reached its climax.