Chapter 22 - Leaving the 'Family'

•×•×•×•

•

•

•

It's been about a half year since Corazon had gone with Law to find a way to cure him.

One night, in a cabin of the Donquixote Pirate's ship, Numancia Flamengo, Lepus who hasn't sleep was thinking.

'Brisa has already obtained the Buki Buki no Mi. Both of us have also gained enough fighting techniques and experience. .... I think it's time to go.'

After decided that, Lepus then acted right away.

He carried Brisa who was sleeping soundly, opened a space tear to get inside the gap and closed it and disappeared from the ship's cabin.

Before he disappeared, he left a slip of paper on the table. The message was,

[ We're leaving. Thanks for everything so far. Goodbye~. -L- ]

•

•

•

During this half year, Corazon who brought Law to find a way to cure him and had visited various hospitals in North Blue got no satisfactory results. Corazon And Law, both began to despair.

One night, Corazon secretly weeps over Law's misfortune.

And Law, who realized Corazon's concern for him, began to change his view of Corazon. Law began to respect and admire Corazon more.

On a morning....

*purupurupuru *purupurupuru...

"Oi, Cora-san! Cora-san, wake up!"

Law called out to wake Corazon who was still sleeping.

"Mmm...."

Then Corazon woke up, and the first thing he did was he looked startled with his mouth hanging open.

"Gaa.....!?"

"What's with that look of yours!?"

"You.... You call me 'Cora-san'?"

"Hurry up and pick up the Den-Den Mushi, idiot!"

Corazon then picked up the call from Den-Den Mushi.

*kachak

"Corazon, it's me."

Corazon was quite surprised to learn that it was Doflamingo who contacted him.

Doflamingo called to let them know that they found a way to heal Law.

They got intel about the Ope Ope no Mi. So, Doflamingo told Corazon and Law to regroup with the crew.

Simply put, Ope Ope no Mi is a devil fruit which gave the eater an ability to make some kind of domain/space which the user could do operation/surgery-like acts to anything inside of it. Because of this quite omnipotent ability, the Ope Ope no Mi also called as the "Ultimate Devil Fruit".

"After getting the fruit, because of the speciality of this fruit, I want my trusted person to eat it. That is you, Corazon! That way you can cure Law's illness."

"...."

Corazon was silent.

While the Ope Ope no Mi is very special, Corazon certainly can't eat it! He has already ate the Nagi Nagi no Mi, so he will die if he eat a devil fruit again!

Doflamingo then spoke again.

"Another thing.... Lepus and Brisa disappeared. We haven't found any trace of them.... That's all."

Doflamingo then hung up the call.

*kachak

"....!!!"

Rosinante is shocked to hear from Doflamingo that Lepus and Brisa are missing!

•

•

•

On the Numancia Flamengo ship....

Doflamingo who had just finished contacting Corazon asked the other three executives who were sitting drinking wine together.

"So what do you think?"

"???"

Trebol, Diamante, and Pica were a little confused by Doflamingo's question.

"You remember how Tsuru from Marine HQ was able to quickly track us down before? But Marine hasn't shown up for the past six months. Six months while Corazon isn't around."

Pica frowned and then asked.

".... You mean he's been leaking information to the Marine all along?"

"Uhahaha! Maybe it's just a coincidence!"

Diamante responded casually.

"I hope so. Besides... I don't want to suspect my own brother."

Trebol then spoke.

"Nnn.... Corazon is getting suspicious. Lepus and Brisa suddenly left and disappeared. Troublesome. Behehehe."

"Any information about those two?"

"Not yet."

"...."

•

•

•

•×•×•×•