Chapter 214: A Target on the Brink of Death

Doflamingo had long been aware of Corazon's constant search for a cure for Law. However, he found it curious. Corazon, known within the Donquixote Family for his disdain for children, would often scare them off for fun. (Though, in truth, he did this to keep kids away from the Donquixote Family.)

But when it came to Trafalgar Law, the child-hating Corazon exhibited an unusual level of concern. This anomaly had always made Doflamingo suspicious of his brother.

Yet, because Corazon was not only a high-ranking officer in the family but also his brother, Doflamingo had hesitated to act, preferring to wait until he had more information.

However, the scene unfolding before his eyes now made everything painfully clear. All the inconsistencies, the unexplained events—they all made sense now.

The plan to betray Barrels, initially known only to the top officers of the Donquixote Family—namely, Spade, Heart, Club, and Diamond—had somehow been leaked. How had Barrels suddenly gotten smarter? How had the Marine traitor Wood become so aware of their plan? The truth was evident: there was a traitor in their midst!

In hindsight, Doflamingo realized that his presence here was all because of Corazon's tip-off.

Earlier, Doflamingo had believed that the only reason Corazon had returned alive after encountering Wood was that the traitor had deliberately spared him, perhaps to lure Doflamingo into a trap.

After all, considering the strength Wood had displayed, it was hard to believe that Corazon could have discovered Wood without Wood noticing him first. And if Wood had noticed him, how had someone as relatively weak as Corazon managed to escape and deliver the message?

Now, it was all clear to Doflamingo: this wasn't a case of Wood letting Corazon go. Corazon and Wood had been working together from the start!

"Good, good, good! Rosinante, I never imagined you could hide so well, and that you'd have the audacity to plot against me!" Doflamingo seethed.

Corazon's Calm-Calm Fruit allowed him to create soundproof barriers, rendering all noise nonexistent and his movements completely silent. Even strong opponents, if not paying close attention, would struggle to detect him.

Corazon's plan had been going smoothly. He intended to use his Devil Fruit powers to secretly feed Law the Op-Op Fruit, then hide him away on a remote island.

Corazon could easily claim that Trafalgar Law had died from Amber Lead Syndrome, and since his cover wasn't blown, he could continue his undercover mission within the Donquixote Family, serving justice.

But fate often has a cruel sense of humor. Although Corazon and Law had succeeded in getting their hands on the Op-Op Fruit and were just about to make their escape, Doflamingo—sent flying by one of Wood's kicks—had landed right beside them by sheer coincidence.

The Calm-Calm Fruit could silence noise, but it didn't grant invisibility. When Doflamingo's furious gaze locked onto Corazon's, it was clear that they had been exposed.

As he stared into Doflamingo's shattered sunglasses and saw the veins bulging on his forehead, Corazon felt as if he were facing the same demon who had murdered their father all those years ago. His body began to tremble uncontrollably.

Yet despite his fear, Corazon did not flee. Instead, he resolutely positioned himself between Doflamingo and Law, forcefully shoving the Op-Op Fruit into Law's mouth.

"Bleh! This tastes awful..." Law gagged. The Op-Op Fruit, like all Devil Fruits, possessed incredible power, but its taste was notoriously terrible. For someone eating a Devil Fruit for the first time, Law found the experience revolting.

Seeing the prized Devil Fruit he had been after consumed by a mere child, Doflamingo flew into a rage.

Corazon's betrayal and the loss of the Op-Op Fruit—either event alone would have been enough to send Doflamingo into a fury. Together, they ignited an unprecedented wrath within him.

"Rosinante," Doflamingo hissed, "it seems you've forgotten what I did fifteen years ago. Well, I don't mind refreshing your memory."

Perhaps driven by his seething anger, Doflamingo's fury seemed to cool, replaced by a sinister grin as he began to laugh, the sound echoing, "Fufufufufu."

At the mention of fifteen years ago, Corazon's expression darkened with hatred. He knew exactly what Doflamingo was referring to—an event that had haunted him for his entire life.

Fifteen years ago, Doflamingo, his own brother, had coldly murdered their father right before his eyes.

Not only that, but he had severed their father's head and brought it to Mariejois in a futile attempt to regain his status as a World Noble.

It was from that day forward that Corazon had come to see Doflamingo as a true demon.

"So, you plan to kill me just like you killed our father? I suppose that wouldn't weigh on your conscience at all. It looks like you can't beat that Marine traitor Wood, though. Too bad I won't be around to see you, a demon, dragged down to hell.

"Well, at this point, I guess I don't have any other regrets."

Doflamingo's face twisted in surprise at Corazon's words, realizing how thoroughly he had been deceived. His shock quickly turned into blind rage as he charged at Corazon.

Seeing Doflamingo's furious advance, Corazon shouted for Law to run and then, without hesitation, rushed to meet Doflamingo head-on.

Corazon knew he wasn't a match for Doflamingo. But to buy Law enough time to escape, he had no other choice.

Wood's kick had sent Doflamingo flying quite a distance. Even if Wood noticed what was happening and tried to intervene, it would still take him a few moments to arrive.

But for someone as powerful as Doflamingo, killing both Corazon and Law would take only the blink of an eye.

If it were just him and Law, no matter how selflessly Corazon fought to hold Doflamingo off, Law wouldn't be able to escape Doflamingo's clutches.

However, Corazon knew that now that Law had eaten the Op-Op Fruit, which was worth five billion Berries, Wood, as a Marine, would not stand by and let Doflamingo kill or abduct him.

The Calm-Calm Fruit offered little in the way of combat power. Corazon, who had been saved by Sengoku as a child, had received some training, but his mediocre talent meant that his strength was only enough to deal with weaklings. He was no match for Doflamingo, not even for a single round.

As Doflamingo's razor-sharp threads drew closer, ready to tear Corazon apart, the rune symbols on Wood's chest suddenly began to glow...

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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