Chapter 210: This Is No Mere Vice-Captain!

To be honest, Doflamingo never really considered the vice-captain of the Dias Barrels Pirates worth his time. He thought that once he found the man, acquiring the "Ope Ope no Mi" (Op-Op Fruit) would be a simple task.

However, just as Doflamingo assumed that this nobody of a pirate would scream in agony after losing an arm, something unexpected happened.

As Doflamingo's "Overheat" string cut effortlessly through the ground, on a direct path to sever his opponent's arm, the vice-captain suddenly intercepted the attack with a long sword, holding the string back with all his might.

At the same moment, the vice-captain, who had previously appeared frightened and unremarkable, lifted his head slightly, smirking as he looked up at Doflamingo hovering in the air.

Sparks flew in the air as Doflamingo's "Overheat" collided with the blade of the vice-captain's sword.

But this clash didn't last long. To Doflamingo's shock, the string of his attack was sliced clean through by a single strike from the sword.

This one exchange was enough to convince Doflamingo that the man standing before him wasn't the real vice-captain of the Dias Barrels Pirates. Dias Barrels himself wasn't much of a fighter; Doflamingo could likely defeat him in just three moves.

But this so-called "vice-captain" could cut through Doflamingo's string attack with a single blow. This kind of strength was far beyond that of an average swordsman.

A vice-captain stronger than the captain? And one who was unknown, without a bounty or any reputation? Who would believe that nonsense?

"Alright, you caught me—I'm not really the vice-captain of the Dias Barrels Pirates. But I do have the Ope Ope no Mi. Don't you want it, Joker?" Wood said, dropping the pretense as he discarded his disguise and returned to his true form.

Doflamingo's eyes widened as he recognized the man before him. His expression turned from confusion to understanding.

"So it's you, the Marine traitor, Wood! I didn't expect Dias Barrels to have connections with someone like you. Now I understand why he's been acting so strangely lately—it was all your doing!"

Doflamingo couldn't help but recognize Wood. As a prominent figure in the underworld, Doflamingo had his ear to the ground for any significant developments across the seas.

Wood's name had been circulating widely in the underworld lately, especially after he betrayed the Marines and made a name for himself as a rogue. Doflamingo knew that with his billion-Berry bounty, Wood had caught the attention of many powerful figures who were eager to bring him into their ranks.

It didn't surprise Doflamingo that Wood knew about the Ope Ope no Mi. After all, anyone involved in the underworld would have heard rumors about it. What puzzled Doflamingo was why Wood would dare to get involved, knowing that Doflamingo had already set his sights on the fruit.

"A billion-Berry bounty sounds impressive," Doflamingo sneered, "but did you really think you could lure me here and take me down? Don't forget, a bounty doesn't equate to strength. I've been a pirate since I was ten years old, and now I'm twenty-five. Compared to my experience, you're just a rookie."

Doflamingo's voice was cold as he continued, "That Devil Fruit you're holding isn't something you can handle. If you hand it over now, I might let you walk away, out of respect for how much you've annoyed the World Government."

Of course, Doflamingo wasn't being merciful out of the kindness of his heart. His real concern was that Wood might destroy the Ope Ope no Mi in a desperate move.

If Wood handed over the fruit, Doflamingo would indeed spare him—but only because Wood was a more valuable scapegoat than Dias Barrels ever could be. After all, a billion-Berry pirate who had crossed the World Government and CP0 multiple times would be a perfect fall guy for stealing the fruit and disrupting the deal.

As for Dias Barrels? Now that Doflamingo had found the Ope Ope no Mi, the man had outlived his usefulness. There was no reason to keep him around.

Seeing Doflamingo draw closer, one hand gripping Dias Barrels by the throat while the other hand extended razor-sharp strings toward him, Dias Barrels panicked and began to beg Wood for help.

But before Wood could make a move, Doflamingo had already slit Dias Barrels' throat with his strings, watching coldly as the man struggled and then died in his grasp.

Wood hadn't wanted to let Dias Barrels die—at least not out of any sense of loyalty. The truth was that once Doflamingo had him in his grasp, there was nothing Wood could do to save him. Doflamingo wasn't someone to be underestimated, and approaching him recklessly would have been dangerous.

Besides, in Wood's eyes, Dias Barrels had only himself to blame for his fate. According to the original plan, Dias Barrels was supposed to hand over an empty chest to the World Government, spark a conflict, and then escape in the ensuing chaos.

But the man's ambition had far exceeded his abilities. When he saw Doflamingo's family clashing with the World Government, he thought he could swoop in and take the five billion Berries for himself.

He had overestimated his strength and underestimated Doflamingo's. The result was inevitable—after just a few exchanges, Doflamingo easily captured him.

Dias Barrels hadn't managed to get the five billion Berries, and now he had lost his life as well.

Watching Dias Barrels die, Wood felt nothing. After all, they weren't really allies, and with Dias Barrels gone, Wood wouldn't have to split the money. There was nothing wrong with that.

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P/S: If you are interested, you can read up to chapter 330+ at p@treon.com/Betek and change @ to a