(T/N: I don't know why, but after chapter 74 comes 77, it's not my mistake, I checked the original Chinese site)
The String Titan lifted Moria, now back in his original form, with one hand. He turned Moria's unconscious body over, checking his physical condition.
"So he was only roasted?"
Threads of protein-like strands emerged from the String Titan's body, wrapping around Moria like a mummy. Then, without a second thought, he tossed Moria onto his own crewmates, who were already knocked out cold.
"Thud!"
The impact caused the unconscious crewmates to groan in pain.
"Click!"
A recording Den Den Mushi captured the moment of Moria's defeat. Doflamingo, usually unfazed, looked mildly displeased as he pocketed the Den Den Mushi.
"My current mastery of Armament Haki is still lacking when it comes to internal destruction and projection."
He wasn't fully satisfied with his final attack. As he had mentioned himself, he had yet to reach the level where Haki could be projected externally. His last attack had relied purely on the combination of Armament Haki, Demon Mode, and the cheat-like skill of Seimei Kikan. By forcefully condensing all his remaining Haki into the String Titan's body, he had used it as a special conduit to unleash the accumulated force.
It looked overwhelming, but in reality, it lacked refinement. If his control had been stronger, Moria, despite his formidable physique, wouldn't have ended up just "roasted." Instead, his body would have been obliterated, just as when Doflamingo had once taken a direct hit from Big Mom's Haki-infused beam cannon.
"Mastery, accumulation, coverage, infusion... What am I still missing for internal destruction and projection?"
As Doflamingo stared at the Haki flowing over his hands...
...
On Angel Island…
Trebol removed his sunglasses, rubbing his sore eyes before returning to the monotonous task of producing mucus bombs. Once, he had chased wealth across the seas. Now, he had become wealth itself.
"Grurururu bibibibi!"
A sharp noise from within Trebol's body shattered the surrounding silence. It was the emergency call from a Den Den Mushi.
"Moshi moshi."
"Lord Trebol! We've found Roger's hideout!"
"Beh-hey-hey~ Well done, Kagasi. Have you confronted Roger directly?"
Trebol's spirits lifted—this was one of the priority tasks Doflamingo had ordered them to monitor closely.
"No, Lord Trebol. My wife, Liya, handled all contact."
"Good. From now on, you are to stay away from that sea. Let others who are unaware of the situation handle it. You just need to track Roger's movements through their eyes."
Strong individuals always had an acute sense for hostility. And Roger possessed the ability to hear the Voice of All Things. A power that allowed him to hear even the whispers of stone—perceiving malicious intent was effortless for him.
Doflamingo had anticipated this and devised a countermeasure: only allow people without hostility to approach Roger.
"Click!"
After hanging up, Trebol tried to contact Doflamingo.
"Beep… Beep…"
The Den Den Mushi signaled a failed connection.
"Looks like Doffy is still in the waters near Raijin Island. I wonder when he'll return. I never expected him to actually form an alliance with that monster, Big Mom."
...
The skies over Raijin Island were perpetually dark, making it impossible to tell day from night.
The once-ashen land along the shore had returned to its original state. Moria and his crew were piled together like the grave goods of a fallen pharaoh.
Time passed.
Not far away, Doflamingo observed the faint glow forming over his hands, his expression one of satisfaction. He was on the verge of reaching the realm of Haki projection.
Suddenly—
Moria, who had been lying motionless, snapped his eyes open!
"Doflamingo!!!"
His furious roar shook the heavens, only to be answered by the rumbling thunder above.
His crew—where were they?! Recalling the last thing he had seen before blacking out, Moria ignored the searing pain in his body.
Bloodshot eyes darted around, desperately searching for his subordinates. Behind him, his crewmates were wrapped tightly in bandages, huddled together. He hurriedly stretched out his trembling, bloated hands, feeling for their breathing.
They were still alive! They had been spared!
Moria let out a long exhale, relieved beyond words. Only then did he realize that he, too, was bound in the same ribbon-like bandages.
And with that realization came the truth of his situation.
He had lost.
Completely.
Utterly.
Without even the chance to fight back.
Then, where was Doflamingo—?
"Fuffuffuffuffu. You're lively for someone with such injuries. Tell me, Moria, are you a half-blood between the Oni and humans? Or between the Oni and Fishmen?"
Doflamingo hovered in the air, looking down at Moria with admiration.
Even in the perpetual darkness of Raijin Island, Doflamingo could sense time's passage. Moria hadn't been unconscious for more than twenty-four hours.
If Moria's recovery rate was already this impressive, then Kaido, the so-called "Strongest Creature," must be on an entirely different level.
"I don't know. But… thank you, Doflamingo… for sparing my crew."
Moria locked eyes with the man above, his expression solemn.
"No problem. As agreed, you and your crew now belong to me."
Doflamingo grinned down at him with amusement.
"Gekko Moria, bear the name of Donquixote and sail the seas under my flag!"
Moria: "..."
A complicated emotion swirled inside him.
For years, he had used this very method to subjugate others.
And today, karma had come full circle.
But why was it so damn hard to accept when he was the one on the receiving end?
"You seem to have trouble deciding. Let me help. Enel!"
Doflamingo raised an eyebrow, unsurprised by Moria's resistance. If Moria had submitted too easily, it would have been a sign of hidden rebellion—like what happened with Killer and Kid in the future.
"Young Master! I'm here!"
Enel emerged from the surging lightning.
"Help them wake up."
Moria's heart sank as Doflamingo pointed at his unconscious crew.
"No!!!"
"Bzzzzzt!!!"
"Aaaaaghhh!!!"
With a series of agonizing screams, Moria's crewmates jolted awake, electricity coursing through their bodies.
Surrounded by crackling lightning, they turned their terrified gazes toward their captain.
They were defeated.
"Enel, remember what you learned in Caesar's lab."
"Faraday Cage."
Enel nodded, encasing the pirates in electrified cages.
A giant white hand emerged from the ground behind Moria, gripping his head and forcing him to watch.
"Moria, losers have everything taken from them. That is the law of the sea."
As Moria struggled in vain, Doflamingo's voice grew ever more dangerous.
"Watch closely. This is happening because of your incompetence. You will lose every single one of them."
Moria, pinned to the ground, met the terrified gazes of his crew.
Some held onto hope.
Some pleaded.
Some believed.
Some despaired.
"Goodbye, Captain."
"Moria, I was forced onto this ship, but I truly enjoyed our journey."
"We won't die!"
"Fight like a man, Captain!"
Tears fell as they huddled together, embracing their fragile reality.
"Damn it… We just got to the New World! We haven't even seen the other islands yet!"
"Captain, sing for us one last time."
"Yo ho ho ho, yo ho ho ho…"
Moria trembled as he heard the song, his vision blurring with tears.
"No… Please, no…!"
He thrashed against his restraints, reopening his wounds as blood seeped through the bandages.
Yet the hand atop his head was like a mountain, crushing him into the dirt.
He could only wriggle like a worm in the soil.
"Choose, Moria."
"Life or Death."
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+255 chapters on p@treon/tambeerg