The natural system started off strong, but the navy finally reached its peak!

"This is the level of vision you should have."

As soon as he finished speaking, the entire first floor of the stronghold became as silent as a tomb.

All the Don Quixote family executives were terrified and dared not even breathe.

Crocodile stood rooted to the spot, his face ashen, not daring to move.

He finally understood that the man before him was far more terrifying, far more... lawless than he remembered!

Doflamingo knelt on the ground, breathing heavily, his sunglasses slipping slightly as he looked down.

His eyes revealed a mixture of shock, humiliation, anger, and a hint of... indescribable fear.

He got it.

From the very beginning, the other party did not treat him as an equal in dialogue.

The so-called "not being able to make eye contact" is because from the very beginning, in the other person's eyes, you were only fit to kneel down and speak!

Chapter 303 Unbelievable

The humiliating scene of Doflamingo being forced to kneel on the ground without any resistance.

In an instant, like a red-hot iron, it severely burned the eyes and hearts of all the Don Quixote family officials!

To outsiders, the Donquixote Family may seem like a bunch of villains, but they have a strong sense of unity and an almost blind loyalty and love for Doflamingo.

Doflamingo treats them as family, giving them power and status, and they have long regarded their young master's dignity as their own life!

"Dover!!!"

"Damn it! Let go of the young master!"

Two roars erupted almost simultaneously!

Tall and imposing, wearing a red cloak and dressed like a tribal chief, Diamanti roared as he swung his rapier, the "Snake Sword," its blade twisting like a venomous snake as it thrust towards Gern!

Meanwhile, a sharp, piercing roar came from within the wall. Pica, the user of the Stone-Stone Fruit, manipulated the bricks on the ground, instantly forming a giant rock fist, which slammed towards Guern!

However, their attacks didn't even get within three meters of Gern!

A highly refined, ghostly, dark green slash struck first, even though it was launched later!

"Shh! Shh!"

There was no earth-shattering noise, only two dull thuds!

Diamanti felt an irresistible force slam into his chest, causing him to cough up a mouthful of blood, fly backward, and crash heavily into the wall in the distance, where he became embedded and immediately lost consciousness!

Pica's enormous rock fist was shattered the moment it made contact with the strike!

The slash, still powerful, struck Pica's chest, which was hidden in the rock, with equal precision!

"Aaaaah!" Pika's piercing scream abruptly stopped. He too coughed up blood and flew backward like a kite with a broken string.

It crashed violently into a wall, was buried under the rubble, and its fate is unknown!

The whole process happened in the blink of an eye!

Only after the two were instantly killed did the other cadres who were about to rush forward, such as Señor Pique and Jora, suddenly stop in their tracks and look in horror at the source of the attack.

Hawkeye Mihawk had somehow stood up, and his massive black sword "Night" was unsheathed and held horizontally at his side.

He didn't even glance at the two people who had been knocked away; his sharp, eagle-like yellow eyes...

He merely swept his gaze coldly over the remaining Don Quixote officers, his tone flat and emotionless, yet carrying a chilling intent that could freeze one to the bone.

With a slight flick of his wrist, the blade of the black sword "Night" gleamed with a chilling light in the dim light.

"Next strike..." Hawkeye's voice remained calm, yet it sent chills down the spines of everyone who heard it. "I won't be using the back of the blade again."

The chilling killing intent spread like a tangible force, instantly extinguishing all the passion and anger of Don Quixote's subordinates, leaving only bone-chilling cold and fear.

No one dares to ignore the warning from the world's greatest swordsman!

But... compared to the pure fear stemming from the disparity in strength among the other members of the Don Quixote family...

At this moment, Doflamingo, who was kneeling on the ground, and Crocodile, who was standing aside and dared not make a move, were filled with shock and horror like a tidal wave!

Diamanti and Pica were instantly killed, which certainly demonstrated Hawkeye Mihawk's terrifying strength.

But what shocked them even more was Hawkeye's motives and stance in taking action!

He wasn't doing it to protect himself, nor because he was provoked, but because... those two were trying to attack Gern!

He's defending Gern!

Furthermore, his chilling warning after he made his move wasn't just for the remaining Don Quixote subordinates, but also for them—Doflamingo and Crocodile!

He was clearly drawing a line—no one was allowed to disturb Gern!

The world's greatest swordsman, a man who always went his own way, was arrogant and wouldn't necessarily give face to anyone.

This symbolizes the pinnacle of swordsmanship, the free and unrestrained "Hawkeye" Mihawk...

He actually...

He actually...

An incredible, yet the only explanation, thought exploded in Doflamingo and Crocodile's minds simultaneously, almost taking their breath away!

The world's greatest swordsman has joined...

The thought lingered like a spell.

The next second, their gazes, uncontrollably filled with disbelief and horror, suddenly focused on the man who was still looking down at Doflamingo, as if he had everything under control.

It felt as if a voice inside was screaming wildly and in unison:

"This man has subordinates?!"

"He actually recruited 'Hawkeye' Mihawk to his team?!"

This was even more shocking and mind-blowing to them than Gern's sudden appearance in the North Sea!

Subduing a battle maniac like Barrett could perhaps be explained by overwhelming him with strength, but Hawkeye Mihawk... what a proud and perfectionist character he is!

How could he possibly be content to be subservient to someone else?! What methods did Gern use?!

Or perhaps, has Gern's strength and magnanimity reached a point where even the "world's number one" is willing to follow him?

At this moment, the level of danger and terror that Gern perceived in their minds instantly soared to a new and immeasurable height!

Crocodile's cigar trembled slightly, and ash fell in a flurry.

He originally thought his plan to find ancient weapons was crazy and ambitious enough.

But compared to Gern's method of bringing the world's top experts under his command without making a sound, it's simply... a drop in the ocean!

Doflamingo knelt on the ground, the pain and humiliation in his knees seemingly temporarily overshadowed by the immense shock.

His eyes, behind his sunglasses, were wide open, staring intently at Guern's calm, expressionless face, trying to find the answer within.

And Gern seemed quite "satisfied" with the two of them's shocked and speechless expressions.

The playful smile on his lips deepened slightly, and he finally shifted his gaze slightly away from Doflamingo.

He glanced at Crocodile, who looked like he was facing a formidable enemy, before finally looking back at Doflamingo.

“Now…” Gern’s voice remained steady, yet carried an oppressive force of complete control.

"You can continue the conversation that was interrupted earlier, okay?"

Donquixote Doflamingo…'s sir'?

Chapter 304 But what good would it do if I killed you?

Doflamingo stared intently at Guern, his hands clenched into fists on the cold ground, his nails almost digging into his palms, a result of extreme humiliation and rage.

Is it humiliating?

Of course it was humiliating! When had Donquixote Doflamingo ever suffered such a disgrace?! He was forced to his knees by someone's Haki, looking up at the other person like an ant!

But what does that matter?

He was no longer the naive and foolish Celestial Dragon prince from Mary Geoise.

He understood the rules of this ocean—survival of the fittest, the victor take all—more deeply than anyone else!

Faced with an absolute power disparity, so-called dignity and pride are incredibly fragile.

The only thing he can do now, the only thing he can rely on, is to gamble!

He was betting that his status as a former Celestial Dragon would still be a shield, and that the World Government's private intention to "recruit" him would make this lawless Marine Admiral think twice and not dare to really kill him!

Thinking of this, Doflamingo suppressed his surging blood and killing intent, slightly raising his head. The bulging veins on his forehead showed that he was under immense pressure.

But he forced a distorted smile onto his face and said in as calm a tone as possible, "Fufufu... I didn't expect..."

I'm just a nobody with a bounty not even exceeding 300 million Berries.

To think that the renowned General "Tianzhen" would go to such lengths to travel from the New World to a place like the North Sea to "take care" of me! I am truly... flattered.

His words, seemingly self-deprecating, were actually a test and a reminder to Guern.

I am not important enough for you to make such a big fuss. Is there some other concern behind this?

However, Guern's reaction was completely unexpected.

Gern didn't refute, didn't explain, and didn't even change his expression. Instead, he acted as if it were perfectly natural.

With a hint of doubt, as if asking, "Is there a problem?", she directly replied, "Is it not allowed?"

Doflamingo: "???"

Doflamingo's brain went blank for a moment, and he almost choked on his own by this completely unconventional answer!

What do you mean 'no'?!

It's absurd that a Marine Admiral, the "Fifth Power" overlord of the New World, would come to the four seas to target a "small pirate"!

Damn it! This isn't a question of "whether it works" or not!

Just as Doflamingo was internally ranting about this absurd logic and didn't know how to respond,

Suddenly, as if remembering something, Gern raised his hand and slapped his forehead, his face showing an exaggerated expression of "Oh dear, how could I have forgotten about that?"

“Oh! Right! I almost forgot…” Gern leaned down, getting closer to Doflamingo, raising his voice slightly to make sure everyone around could hear, his tone carrying a feigned annoyance.

“You’re a key figure in ‘hiding your identity’ now! Without direct orders from those old guys up there, I don’t think I can just kill you.”

Upon hearing this, Doflamingo's tense nerves subconsciously relaxed slightly. It seemed that the other party still had some reservations about the World Government after all...

However, he hadn't completely let out a sigh of relief.

Gern suddenly moved his face closer, transmitting his voice through vibrations, speaking slowly and deliberately in a voice so soft it was barely audible, yet chillingly cold, that only he could hear:

"But I killed you..."

"So what can you do?"

"!!!"

Doflamingo's pupils suddenly shrank to dangerously small pinpoints! His blood seemed to freeze in that instant!

Those light, casual words were like the most vicious curse, instantly shattering all his remaining hope!

Yes... given this man's insane past of slaughtering Celestial Dragons, hunting down Roger, and confronting the World Government head-on... if he's truly determined to kill me...

The rules of the World Government? The intentions of the Five Elders?

Can those things really restrain a "natural disaster" that possesses absolute power and acts without any scruples?

Once killed, that's it.

Would the World Government really care about a former Celestial Dragon who has already "fallen"?

Would a candidate for Shichibukai who hasn't even officially taken office yet completely break ties with a Marine Admiral whose strength is comparable to that of a Yonko?

An overwhelming fear, like a cold, deep sea, instantly engulfed Doflamingo. For the first time, he felt with such clarity how close death was to him.

Without the slightest hesitation!

The moment Doflamingo sensed the substantial, unbridled killing intent emanating from Gern's nonchalant words, all his remaining hopes were utterly crushed!