Ashen, Enel, and Yamato made their way towards the Royal Palace, accompanied by Delinger and Machvise, two of Doflamingo's men who emerged to guide them by his orders.
After a brief journey, they arrived at the palace, swiftly ushered into a grand hall where Doflamingo awaited their presence.
"You brought the little thing with you?" Ashen asked Enel.
"Yeap, it's right here!" Enel responded as took out a wooden baseball bat wrapped in barbed wire.
"Good...We might need it in case things don't go as planned"
Ashen proceeded to walked into the hall after that.
"Doflamingo! Or should I call you Joker, I see that you got yourself comfortable in this island" Ashen said while casually walking in like he owns the place.
"'Demon of The Sea' Ashen, to whom we own this pleasure?" Doflamingo said with his distinct grin. He was surrounded by his officers, Trebol, Diamante and Pica and a few more prominent figures like Giolla, Law G, Buffalo, Baby 5 and some more.
"Your mom" Ashen casually replied, when Doflamingo heard that his forehead veins instantly bulged in anger "Relax, just kidding...I thought you could take a joke, anyway I'm here to do business"
"Business?" He questioned.
"Yeah, I heard about your SMILE business, making artificial Devil Fruits and I'm interested to buy those" Ashen said as he took a seat.
"You're little late to the party Demon, someone else already made a deal with us, and we already started shipping the product to them" Doflamingo stated.
"And who that be? Kaido?...Are you trying to tell me that lizard is monopolizing the SMILE fruit trade?" Ashen asked, a little pissed at Doflamingo's attitude "Look I'm going to be honest with you, I'm not leaving until I get half of that shit…now I'm being reasonable here since I could've said give me all of your shit, but no I'm still leaving you a room to compromise, so what's it gonna be?...I'll buy also some weapons from you"
"Like I said it won't be possible to do that we alre--"
"I don't give a shit. I think I have already made my point clear?" Ashen said interrupting him in the middle of his sentence "Now, if you don't know how serious I am about this, I can show…how SERIOUS I am, and I don't think you gonna like it, so I suggest you give me the answer I want to hear right now"
"If I can't have it, then no one will. I'll burn you the fuck up along with your factory, do you understand?"
From Doflamingo's point of view, if Kaido finds out that he starting to sell the SMILE fruits to someone other than him, he would be pissed and most likely take some drastic measures considering his personality. But, if he doesn't accept Ashen's offer, it is as though he sentences himself to a death penalty.
He's in an unenviable situation right now.
"Like Doffy said if Kaido finds out he--" Without giving Trebol the chance to finish his sentence, Ashen immediately took out his sword and sent a swift sword slash, cutting Trebol's entire left arm.
"AGHHHH!!! MY ARM!!!" Trebol screamed in pain as he rolled on the floor, drowning on his blood. Even Doflamingo was shocked, and he instantly became furious. Just as he was going to jumped at Ashen, Enel quickly used his high speed to close the distance in an instant and pinned him on the ground.
"You disgusting shit, every time I glance at your ugly face, It makes me wanna take my boot and shove it so far up your ass…don't you see that we're having a fucking conversation right here?" Ashen said while glaring at Trebol, before he used his Conqueror's Haki around the hall, just enough to make everyone kneel, some of them even passed out foaming at the mouth.
"Say one more word and your head will be the thing rolling on the ground next time" Ashen said before turning his attention to Doflamingo who looked at him in hostility.
"What was that for?!" Doflamingo asked in anger before Ashen pointed his sword at his neck.
"What do you think is gonna happen if you kill me right here?" Doflamingo asked with a wicked smile "He he he! You think the navy and Kaido are gonna sit still--"
"Fuck the navy, fuck Kaido and fuck you too" Ashen said, then he continued his voice dripping with disdain "You think the navy will give a fuck about a celestial brat that happened to be one of the Seven Dogs of The Sea? They will get rid of you the moment they deem you useless…like a dog"
"You know, the only reason that the other Yonko didn't come here and say the same shit to you is because they are afraid…" Ashen said while walking around and swinging his sword "They are either afraid of Kaido, or afraid to start a war with him and be left weakened after that…"
"…But you see, the problem here is that I'm not afraid…Not from Kaido, not from the navy, matter of fact I'll fuck with the Yonko, they are nothing compared to me" Ashen declared as he crouched at Doflamingo's level "and neither are you"
Doflamingo didn't respond, he sat calmly in his place before he suddenly took his chance when Ashen wasn't looking at him and proceeded to escape Enel's grasp and attacked him.
"You always need to use power to make people understand" Ashen muttered to himself, he already foresaw this using his future vision.
Ashen quickly disappeared and reappeared behind him, grabbing his head and smashing it into the ground. Doflamingo was very surprised as he couldn't feel anything using his Observation Haki, like it was disabled, Ashen could've killed him in that moment if he wanted to but he didn't.
"Bad move heavenly demon" Yamato and Enel quickly grabbed him and got him on his knees again.
"Are you going to kill me now?" He asked, his face covered in blood but his smile not fading from his face.
"Doffy!!" Trebol screamed at his direction, while trying to get up and go for his rescue.
"Nah…" Ashen put his sword to its sheath, and grabbed the wooden bat from Enel, and then approached the unconscious Giolla "You see this? This is Lucille…and she is awesome! I always use it to punish naughty little boys like you, or to make my point if they are too stupid to understand it"
"What are you doing?"
"I'm just going to beat the fuck out of one of your subordinates, that's all!" Ashen said in jovial manner, before he grasped the wooden bat with two hands and swung it down at Giolla's head.
"Wait--!!!"
*BANG* Ashen proceeded to smash Giolla's head.
"Stop it!!"
*BANG*
*BANG*
*BANG*
*BANG*
Everyone look shocked at the scene, Ashen's bat was all bloody while Giolla's brain was scattered across the floor. Doflamingo looked extremely furious but there wasn't anything he could do.
"Phew…now do we have a deal, or should I explain more?"
"…" There was a moment of silence before a loud laughter could be heard across the hall.
"FuffuFuffu…Hmhehe he he he hahaha!...now I understand why they call you a Demon" Doflamingo laughed manically, understanding his situation before he finally responded "Yokarou, I'll do as you say"
"We have a deal then!" Ashen said with a grin as he extended his hand to Doflamingo, the latter took his hand and got on his feet "I got to say, that's a pretty badass laugh you got there…"
"We're business partners now Joker, my men will come here every week to collect my stuff and give you your payment…and don't worry about Kaido, or anyone else for that matter, I will kill anyone who tries to sabotage our business, alright?" Ashen said as he put his arm on Doflamingo's shoulder reassuring him before he gestured to Enel and Yamato to release him.
Gradually, one by one, those who had lost consciousness under the influence of Ashen's Haki began to regain their senses, their expressions transforming into a mixture of shock and horror as they beheld the sight of Giolla's lifeless body.
Ashen looked at them with wicked grin "What's with this atmosphere? Everyone looks grumpy…we are pirates for fuck sake, loosen up a little!" he said, then he added "Anyway, see you next week partner!"
Ashen said as he slowly walked away while singing a sea shanty and banging his wooden bat on the ground with the rhythm.
"My mother told me
Someday I would buy
Galleys with good oars
Sail to distant shores
Stand up on the prow
Noble barque I steer
Steady course to the haven
Hew many foe-men
Hew many foe-men "
"…"
"…"
"Damn it!--*CRASH*" Doflamingo cursed from anger as he proceeded to smash a wooden chair near him.