One Piece: King of the World

Chapter 15: Doflamingo is Down!

Chapter 15: Chapter 15: Doflamingo is Down!

In the days leading up to Doflamingo's departure, Claudius had eased up on some of his strict routines. After all, once Doflamingo left, it was likely that their paths would diverge in ways that would be difficult to reconcile. Claudius couldn't help but feel a bit sentimental about it.

So, in the days that followed, whenever Doflamingo came to him, Claudius would accompany him, going out together as they had when they were younger.

It was early in 1491 of the Sea Circle Calendar, and Mariejois still enjoyed a mild climate. The weather that day was particularly pleasant ideal for travel.

At the port of Mariejois, several Celestial Dragons had gathered, Claudius among them. This wasn't some grand ceremony; the Donquixote family's Homing and his kin were preparing to leave Mariejois, renouncing their Celestial Dragon status to live as ordinary mortals in North Blue.

Homing was smiling, standing amidst an assortment of luggage that suggested he was more than ready for this transition. His two sons, Doflamingo and Rosinante, stood at either side of him, while his wife a quiet woman with a gentle smile stood behind, silently supporting her husband.

"Homing, are you absolutely sure about this?" an elderly Celestial Dragon, whose family Claudius couldn't quite place, asked Homing with visible irritation.

"I've thought long and hard about it, and yes, I'm sure," Homing replied with a calm smile.

"I have no idea what's going through your head! You're disgracing the Celestial Dragons! Why abandon our godly status to live like those lowly commoners?" the elder fumed, clearly upset.

But Homing remained composed. "What are you talking about? We're humans too, aren't we?"

The surrounding Celestial Dragons looked uncomfortable at this statement, their expressions twisting in displeasure.

"Homing, how dare you insult our bloodline? We're the descendants of the Creator, gods! We are not the same as those pitiful, filthy mortals!" the elder retorted furiously.

"I see no difference between us and them. Being a Celestial Dragon is just a title; at the core, we're all the same," Homing responded calmly, still smiling.

The elder's face turned an angry shade of red. "Fine, then! If you're so determined to go, so be it. But remember, once you leave Mariejois, you'll be stripped of your Celestial Dragon status. Don't come crawling back later!"

"I won't regret it," Homing said firmly.

"I will," Claudius replied with a smile. After a brief pause, he added softly, "And if you run into any trouble, find a way to reach out to me. I'll do whatever I can to help."

Doflamingo grinned, clearly appreciative of the gesture, and the two of them continued chatting for a while about trivial matters like the slaves Doflamingo had given Claudius the previous day.

Claudius had kept the two mermaids for himself, but the other slaves, which he found completely useless, had been sold off.

After some time, Homing exchanged a few words with the current Donquixote family head, Lancelot, and it was clear that the final farewells were being made.

Despite Homing's decision to renounce his Celestial Dragon status, Lancelot treated him with respect during this last moment, waving his hand generously to command the guards to ready a large ship to transport Huo Minggu and his family from Mariejois.

Watching them depart, Claudius couldn't help but wonder if Lancelot's actions were motivated by genuine goodwill or something more calculated. After all, the reason Doflamingo's family would face such misery in the future was largely due to their exposure as former Celestial Dragons, which had incited the anger of the common folk.

Was Lancelot being kind, or was this part of a subtle plan to betray them? It was hard to say.

In any case, it didn't really matter. Claudius had no intention of becoming enemies with Lancelot. If this was a scheme, he would simply be wary in future dealings with him.

As the ship sailed off into the distance, the other Celestial Dragons gradually dispersed. Some of them glanced at Claudius with odd expressions.

After all, Claudius had barely been seen in public over the past few months. While they had heard rumors about him acting strangely, their last impression of him had been that of an overweight, lazy fool.

Now, they were surprised to see how much he had changed. He looked taller, more refined, and his once soft, childish features had sharpened into something more mature. He no longer resembled the waste they remembered.

"Not bad. Maybe there's potential there. A future marriage prospect, perhaps?" some of the Celestial Dragons mused.

Though the Donquixote family had produced a few oddballs over the years, Claudius still bore the pure Celestial Dragon bloodline. Moreover, with his family's standing and the potential he now seemed to show, marriage might not be a bad idea.

But Claudius couldn't care less about their thoughts. Once Doflamingo had sailed away, he waved his hand and returned home. Now that Doflamingo's "distractions" were gone, Claudius could finally focus on his plans without interruption. Starting today, he could get back to fully concentrating on his own growth and preparations for the future.