Chapter 117 : Let's Fight First!!

Doflamingo's gaze flickered with uncertainty. It took him a long time to steady his chaotic thoughts and regain his composure. 

He couldn't figure it out—he had only stumbled upon the 'Secret Treasure' by chance, something even most Celestial Dragons didn't know about. How could Buggy possibly know? 

Could it have been Red-Haired Shanks who told him? 

The idea flashed through Doflamingo's mind but was quickly dismissed. He knew very well that the World Government would never allow a Celestial Dragon to act as an undercover agent on the seas. 

In other words, the announcement in the newspaper about Shanks' true identity was mostly fake. 

Doflamingo speculated that Shanks might have suffered some accident during his childhood, ending up lost at sea, only to discover later that he was a Celestial Dragon. 

Shanks probably didn't know as much about Mariejois as Doflamingo himself did. It was unlikely he was the source of Buggy's information. 

Could it be... that Buggy is also a Celestial Dragon? 

The thought struck Doflamingo suddenly. He racked his brain, searching his memories of Mariejois to recall if any Celestial Dragon family had members with blue hair. 

Buggy, noticing that Doflamingo had been silent for too long, grew impatient and asked, "Doffy, can you handle this or not?" 

Buggy wasn't interested in clashing head-on with the World Government just yet. If Doflamingo couldn't resolve the issue, he'd have to find another way. 

Snapping back to reality, Doflamingo responded in a low voice, "Those five old fools—the Gorosei—have been unhappy with me for a long time. If I try to use this secret to threaten them, it might not end well." 

Doflamingo's rise to power had been, in part, thanks to the World Government's silent support—support he had secured by keeping certain secrets under wraps. 

Though he had hoped to leverage this secret for the rest of his life, he knew better than to push things too far. If the Gorosei were cornered, they wouldn't let him off lightly. 

That was why, once the Donquixote Family's operations stabilized in recent years, Doflamingo had stopped using this secret to bargain with them. 

The interests tied to Giberson's business empire were considerable, and Doflamingo was concerned that the Gorosei wouldn't compromise easily. 

Buggy, however, remained calm. "If the negotiations fall through, it's fine. We just need to buy time. Once we finish what we're doing, the World Government's opinion won't matter anymore." 

Hearing this, Doflamingo let out a relieved chuckle. "Fufufufu... If that's all you need, then there's no problem." 

"Good, then let's leave it at that. Just be careful," Buggy said, nodding. Then he added, "By the way, how's the search for the person I asked you to find?" 

Doflamingo chuckled, "Fuffuffuffu, the captain of the Breed Pirates, Breed, has been captured. Right now, he's locked up in the prison of Dressrosa along with Diamond Jozu. If you want to take him, you can come by anytime."

"Speaking of which, Breed's Devil Fruit ability is quite interesting—it lets him control others. Fuffuffuffu…"

"For now, just keep them locked up there," Buggy nodded with satisfaction before asking, "What about my crew?"

"We found them too. They're also in Dressrosa. But…" Doflamingo's expression turned puzzled. He hesitated for a moment and then asked, "Are they really your crew? I just can't help but feel that they're all... well…"

He thought hard but couldn't come up with the right word, mainly because he didn't want to offend Buggy and risk angering him.

The crew members Buggy mentioned were utterly useless—except for that woman Alvida and the lion Richie, who had some fighting strength. The rest? 

They were even weaker than Doflamingo's lowest-ranking grunts!

Weak combat ability was one thing, but when Doflamingo's men found them, they were holding a *funeral* for Buggy, looking every bit as dim-witted as they sounded.

A crew like this—with no strength, no skill, no smarts, and barely any loyalty—made it really hard for Doflamingo to associate them with a figure like Buggy. He couldn't, for the life of him, understand why Buggy was so determined to find them.

Buggy yawned lazily. "Well, they've been with me for over ten years, for better or worse. Just keep an eye on them for me for now. I'll come get them later."

Hearing this, Doflamingo didn't press further. If anything, he found it reassuring that Buggy was the sentimental type—it could work to his advantage.

Buggy then asked, "What about Festa? Have you found him?"

"No," Doflamingo shook his head. "Buena Festa—the renowned Master of Festivities from decades ago. He's the one who hosted the legendary Pirate Expo."

"But that guy has been missing for years. Even the Pirate Expo is nothing but a distant legend now, and most people assume he's dead."

"I've sent people looking for him for a long time, but we found no trace of him."

"Are you sure he's still alive?"

To carry out Buggy's instructions thoroughly, Doflamingo went all out, digging through almost eighteen generations of Festa's family history. But despite his efforts, he found no trace of the man. 

Doflamingo concluded that Festa was either stranded on some remote, isolated island—or dead. 

Buggy chuckled softly. "He's very much alive, and he's even preparing for a new Pirate Expo!" 

Although the *Stampede* event happens two years from now, Buggy was sure that Festa had already resurfaced in the seas recently. 

After all, organizing a Pirate Expo requires both time and money in massive amounts! 

Finding partners, securing sponsorships, recruiting talent, selecting a venue, building an island, and designing programs—putting everything together takes time. If Festa manages to pull it off within two years, it would already be impressive! 

"A Pirate Expo?" Doflamingo frowned slightly. "I haven't heard anything about that recently." 

Buggy replied, "He might still be in the preparation phase. You could ask the Emperors of the Underworlds if anyone's reached out to them for sponsorship." 

"This is important! We *must* find him!" 

Doflamingo nodded. "Got it. I'll get on it right away." 

Buggy gave a light hum of approval, then asked, "By the way, where's the stuff I asked for? When will it arrive?" 

Doflamingo chuckled. "Based on the timing, the people I sent should be meeting you shortly. But be warned—those two have rather... unique personalities. If they offend you, I hope you'll overlook it." 

Buggy grinned. "Don't worry. I'm not some villain. I'm not going to pick fights with kids." 

Doflamingo paused briefly, then laughed. "Fufufu! That's good to hear! But what's your plan for dealing with Festa once you find him? That guy's a stingy miser who won't part with a single beli!" 

"Plan?" Buggy shook his head. "I'm not planning to negotiate. I'll beat him up first and talk later!"