"Do you know who's after me?"
Law looked coldly at Chris and said mockingly, "Ever heard of Donquixote Doflamingo? One of the Seven Warlords of the Sea."
"You think you can take him on? Don't be ridiculous."
Upon hearing that, everyone was stunned.
They hadn't expected this guy to be pursued by such a big shot.
The Seven Warlords—what a terrifying existence!
"Isn't that exactly Captain Chris's target?" Betty exhaled a puff of smoke, her tone calm.
"How convenient… we ran into an opponent so soon."
Sweetheart Queen shook her head, frowning slightly in disagreement.
"It can't be him. Did you forget? In Chris's plan, the target was Crocodile."
"With how Chris operates, there's no way he would change a pre-arranged plan."
Burgess looked at Chris, raised both arms and laughed heartily.
"Captain, why not just change the plan and take down Doflamingo instead? That'd make us the next Warlord—Wehahaha!"
Lafitte stood his cane upright in front of him, speaking like a gentleman.
"I've heard from the captain that the strongest among the Seven Warlords is the swordsman Dracule Mihawk."
"As for Doflamingo, he ranks second or third."
"After all, he possesses Conqueror's Haki!"
Doc Q looked at the two men, his smile eerie. "How about we tell the captain not to interfere, and let you guys take a shot at him first? That'd be fun, no?"
At this point, Chris calmly looked at Law, both hands in his pockets, and said:
"Then let's make a bet."
"If I can save you, you'll join us. If I can't—just pretend I never said anything."
Bepo's eyes lit up, visibly excited. He urged quickly:
"Captain, let's agree to it. Doflamingo is way too powerful!"
Law didn't say anything. His gaze stayed cold as he weighed the pros and cons.
Just then, a familiar, arrogant voice rang out.
"Fufufufufufu…"
Doflamingo swaggered in with his iconic pigeon-toed walk, looking extremely arrogant.
"What a crowd of little brats we have here. Things are getting lively."
"It's been a while since I've killed anyone—today I'll go all out!"
Looking at Law, Doflamingo grinned widely.
"My dear Law, with so many people to keep you company in death, you must be thrilled. Fufufufufufu…"
Sweetheart Queen looked at the flamboyant figure, her pretty face filled with curiosity.
"So that's one of the Seven Warlords of the Sea. He really does look domineering."
Betty puffed out smoke again and said lightly:
"No wonder the World Government recognizes him as a pirate—so arrogant and reckless."
Perona tilted her head, full of interest.
"The way this guy walks… it's my first time seeing something like that. So flashy!"
Burgess shrugged and commented, "So this is what a Warlord is like—he even walks like a boss."
Lafitte twirled his cane and smiled faintly.
"He's strong, no doubt—definitely one of the top Warlords."
At that moment, Law nodded, his voice cold.
"Fine. I'll take your bet."
"If you truly have that kind of power, then I will join."
"Mm-hmm~~"
Bepo was overjoyed, smiling from ear to ear.
Chris gave Law a calm look and said:
"Let me give you a heads-up."
"If you try to sneak away while I'm fighting Doflamingo…"
"…and I catch you…"
"I'll kill you."
After saying that, he walked forward, stepping right in front of Doflamingo.
Hearing Chris's words, Law frowned, immediately feeling conflicted.
Originally, he planned to use Chris as a distraction to escape during the fight.
But now that his plan was seen through, things got tricky.
"I'd suggest you not try running."
Baccarat brushed her hair back and said gently, "Chris always follows through on his words. If you run, things will get ugly."
"Even if we beg for you, he won't listen."
Sweetheart Queen nodded in agreement.
"Big Sis Baccarat is right. Best not even think about it—it'll get dangerous."
Betty puffed another ring of smoke. "From the moment we landed, it was already decided—you'd become one of us."
Doc Q looked at Burgess and Lafitte, smiling eerily.
"You two aren't going to help out? This is a great opportunity."
"Usually we can't even find a Warlord to fight."
Burgess glared at him. "Quit talking nonsense!"
"That guy's not just any Warlord. You want us to go up there and die? Idiot—!"
Lafitte adjusted his top hat and replied politely:
"Although I'd love to test Doflamingo's strength… my life is still precious. Better not get reckless."
At that moment, a breeze blew, leaves rustled, and the grass swayed gently.
Doflamingo, hands still in his pockets, grinned and said:
"Hey brat, what's your name?"
"I'm suddenly curious about you. Join my family, and you might become an officer."
"You should know, the Donquixote Family is the largest in the world. Being part of it is the greatest honor."
Doflamingo laughed wildly and continued:
"Well? Tempted yet? Fufufufufufu…"
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T/N:
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