chapter 20 : new marine

After the death of Duke Normal Dale, none of his sons could inherit his career. Without the support of this pivotal figure, the black market of the Kingdom of Fagu soon descended into chaos and became depressed.

However, Doflamingo inherited the legacy of Duke Normal Dale, and his status in the underworld significantly rose, bringing him more business and resources.

The former partners of Duke Normal Dale were all contacted by him, and they were indifferent to the Duke's demise.

After all, in the dark world, loyalties are few and far between. As long as Doflamingo could replace Duke Normal Dale without impacting their business, they had no objections.

Of course, even if they had objections, it wouldn't have mattered!

What surprised Doflamingo was that Duke Normal Dale had a wide network, including partners within the Navy Headquarters.

But now, this partner belonged to Doflamingo. He didn't know the identity of this person, as the latter preferred to remain anonymous. In the underworld, he was known as "Sea Eagle."

However, this secrecy didn't stop Doflamingo from extracting valuable information from him, such as the identity of the next commander of the Twelfth Division of the North Sea.

Sea Eagle revealed, "The next commander of the Twelfth Division of the North Sea? I'm aware of this. It is said that the previous commander had an accident while pursuing pirates, leading to the entire division's annihilation.

The Navy Headquarters is treating this matter with utmost seriousness, hence they're sending elites from the headquarters to take over."

Doflamingo inquired further, "Elites from the Navy Headquarters?"

Sea Eagle confirmed, "Yes! But I don't have detailed information."

Doflamingo, showing a hint of annoyance, requested, "Can you find out more for me? The usual way."

Sea Eagle chuckled, "Okay, I'll see what I can do."

After hanging up, Doflamingo sneered at Sea Eagle's greed.

But that was of little concern to him; Doflamingo preferred to be in command.

Soon after, Sea Eagle provided the information about the new naval commander for the 12th Division of the North Sea.

Vice Admiral Doberman, formerly a lieutenant colonel at Navy Headquarters and known for his service along the Grand Line, had been promoted to colonel after demonstrating exceptional prowess in pirate suppression.

Due to the mysterious annihilation of the Twelfth Division, Navy Headquarters reassigned him to investigate the catastrophe and potentially rejuvenate the division's effectiveness.

Doberman, known for his stern and uncompromising approach to piracy, advocates for 'absolute justice' and does not hesitate to sacrifice civilians if it means capturing pirates.

Upon hearing Sea Eagle's report, Doflamingo's irritation was palpable. He muttered to himself with a cold glint in his eye, "Doberman, huh? He's destined to be a vice admiral, and now he's a colonel?"

Doflamingo was already familiar with Doberman's reputation and knew he couldn't be swayed.

Preparing for future confrontations was necessary.

"Diamante!"

Doflamingo summoned Diamante to inquire about the status of the Evil Bone Pirates.

Diamante reassured him, "Everything's under control, Doflamingo. Is there an issue?"

Doflamingo replied, "Our Twelfth Branch is about to receive a formidable new commander."

Diamante, undisturbed, stated, "The Twelfth Division? Don't worry. We've secured loyalty from its mid-level officers. If the new commander knows what's good for him, he'll fall in line. Otherwise... well, let's just say he won't be able to command respect from his subordinates."

Doflamingo warned, "Don't underestimate him. This new commander is not one to be trifled with. If he suspects disloyalty, he won't hesitate to act decisively."

Diamante frowned, "That complicates things. While we've influenced the mid-level officers, a strict commander could undermine our control."

Doflamingo, tapping his fingers thoughtfully, mused, "I need to think this through..."

More than ten days later, a naval vessel from the Twelfth Division of the North Sea made its way towards the Kingdom of Fagu in West Blue.

Despite the officers' reluctance to confront Vice Admiral Doberman directly, they covertly informed Diamante of his arrival.

Upon Doberman's arrival at the port of the Kingdom of Fagu in West Blue, Diamante and his team had meticulously concealed all illicit activities.

Greeting Doberman, Diamante was met with a stern introduction, "I am Vice Admiral Doberman, the new commander of the Twelfth Division. I'm here to investigate the circumstances surrounding Colonel Showa Fan's demise and that of his men."

Diamante responded, "Ah, so that's your purpose. The pirates pursued by Colonel Showa Fan were the Evil Bone Pirates. Their captain, Evil Bones, possessed a Devil Fruit that allowed him to manipulate others' actions, possibly the Puppet-Puppet Fruit."

Doberman pondered, "The Evil Bone Pirates' captain was known for his modest bounty. How was it unknown that he possessed a Devil Fruit ability?"

Diamante shrugged, "Who knows? He might have acquired the fruit shortly before arriving here. The Navy can't track every move of every pirate, can they?"

Doberman inquired further, "And how do you know he was a Devil Fruit user?"

Diamante answered nonchalantly, "Because I fought him. After they overpowered Colonel Showa Fan and his crew, we couldn't just stand by. The Evil Bones Pirates were dealt with accordingly."

Pointing towards a nearby pillar, Diamante showcased the Evil Bone Pirates' flag and the crewmembers, sun-drying as if to prove his point.

Doberman, with a heavy expression and lacking concrete evidence, pressed Diamante, "So, the Evil Bone Pirates overcame Colonel Showa Fan but were defeated by you?"

Diamante, visibly annoyed and ready to defend his prowess, retorted, "If you doubt me, we can settle this through a duel."

Vice Admiral Doberman, assessing Diamante, agreed, "Very well, let's spar. But be warned, I won't hold back."

Diamante, harboring resentment towards Doberman, seized the opportunity to demonstrate his strength, fully aware of the stakes involved.