After the tumultuous events in Mary Geoise, Doffy threw himself into training with an almost manic intensity. He understood that strength was the ultimate power that would pave his path to ruling the world. Even Vergo, who usually followed Doffy's lead, began training more vigorously. While Vergo possessed a rare talent for taining Haki, Doffy's determination made up for any difference in raw talent.
I noticed a subtle shift in the way Diamante and Vergo treated me. It was as if my position had been elevated in their eyes, perhaps due to the resilience I showed during our ordeal.
During our journey back, Diamante took a deliberately longer route to potentially throw off any pursuers. Although I knew that the World Government could easily track us if they truly wished, I hoped they deemed us insignificant, just two defeated children in their grand scheme. My hopes were realized as we arrived at Down's Island without incident after a month-long voyage.
As the caravel docked on the new island in North Blue, we were greeted by Trebol and young Pica, eagerly awaiting our arrival. It was a relief to see familiar faces, especially those we could trust implicitly.
As Doffy and I made our way to our new dwelling within the scrapyard, followed by our group, we stumbled upon a shabby-looking house that would serve as our home. As we settled in, Trebol shared the tragic news of Homing's suicide. He had taken it upon himself to provide our father with a decent burial. Doffy remained stoic at the news, but I felt grateful for Trebol's gesture. Despite everything, Homing was still our father, and holding on to hatred for a deceased man served no purpose.
"Doffy, your decision to leave the last town was wise. The entire island was swarming with government agents after we departed. It seems you two caused quite a stir back in Mary Geoise," Trebol remarked as we gathered to discuss our future plans.
"Well, let's forget about them for the time being. They'll calm down soon enough. Rosinante, do you have any plans regarding our future?" Doffy waved off Trebol's praise and turned to me for my opinion. Unlike the original canon, Doffy had matured early, and this would greatly impact the future world.
"Yes, Doffy. For the time being, I suggest we lay low and focus on training while simultaneously building ourselves a power base. If you want to rule the world, we'll need strength, status, power, connections, and wealth. We can't afford to lack any of them. They'll be the foundation of our future empire," I explained, drawing from my knowledge of a world ruled by those in power.
"Hehehe, Rosinante is right, Doffy. As we are now, even going to the nearby island would be dangerous; even in the first half of the Grand Line, we will not survive. We should start with North Blue. We do have a few connections in the underground," Trebol supported my words. The trio chose Doffy for his potential, and his recent changes since returning from Mary Geoise only increased their confidence in him. Learning about my supposed actions from Diamante had made them accept me more warmly than before.
"In that case, we have a lot of options. We could get involved in weapon trading, smuggling, or even slave trading..." Trebol began, but Doffy's Conqueror's Haki flared out involuntarily. His emotions were running rampant.
"We will never get involved in slavery—not today, not tomorrow, never ever in the future. Anyone from our family who involves themselves in slavery, I will personally rip their heads off. Is that understood?… Anything else is fine," Doffy seethed with rage at Trebol's mention of slavery. My torment and humiliation at the hands of the Celestial Dragons had left a deep scar on Doffy's heart. I understood Doffy; neither of us were saints, but his helplessness made him instinctively repulsive toward slavery, one of the major businesses of the Underworld.
"Doffy, I understand the situation, but human trafficking is one of the most profitable businesses that could help us propel our power in the short term. I'm sure Rosinante will understand too," Trebol turned to me, seeking my support.
I had no aversion to carrying the slave mark, unlike others. What was the worst that could happen? People might try to capture me, thinking I was an escaped slave. But I was resolved to cut down anyone who tried that in the future, so I had no issues with involving ourselves in slavery. However, I also had to ensure that we didn't repeat the mistakes of the World Government.
However, before I could start, Doffy raised his arms to stop me. "That was my order. I don't like people questioning my decisions, and that includes you, little brother. I hope you guys remember this in the future," Doffy declared majestically. We could vaguely see the shadow of the king in the making, and a smile unknowingly crept onto my face as my brother stepped up and lived up to his role.
"Trebol, I know we might have difficulty, but don't worry. Even without involving ourselves in slavery, we will eventually come out on top. Rosinante, show them." Doffy turned to me with a wide grin, and after his words, I walked in to bring back a large sketchbook that was as tall as me and dropped it on the table.
For the past month while we were on the caravel, I had dedicated most of my time between my training and this large sketchbook. Only Doffy and I knew what the book contained; even Diamante and Vergo were not allowed to take a peek under Doffy's strict instructions. Now that the large sketchbook lay before them, they were curious.
Trebol was the one who first moved to flip the book, and the first page had a detailed sketch of a firearm. The design was way ahead of the current mainstream weapons used in this world. In my previous life, I was a gun enthusiast, and I had even mastered myself in the field of gunsmithing. Redesigning the guns to fit into this new world was an easy task for me, and Doffy did not ask many questions when I introduced him to these weapon designs because he believed in me with all his heart.
As Trebol flipped through the pages, more and more detailed designs of different weapons were sketched. Diamante and Pica were practically standing on their toes to get a better look at the futuristic weapons.
I knew that these weapons might not have much of an impact in a world where things like Devil Fruit and Haki existed, but still, they would give the Donquixote family a complete monopoly in the field of firearms once we could establish a stable supply source.
"Doffy, this... why would you share such important things with us? We have barely known each other for a month or two. In this world, people would stab you in the back for much less." Trebol, although delighted, expressed his concern about the trust Doffy had placed in them.
"Do you guys have any intention to betray me?" Doffy narrowed his eyes towards the trio, probing their intentions.
"No, no, Doffy, that wasn't what he meant. He just... never mind, let's talk about this. Is this what you were working on during this past month, Rosinante?" Diamante quickly intervened, defending Trebol's words. He realized that Doffy wouldn't have shared such information if he didn't trust them, so he turned to me for confirmation, to which I simply nodded. "Well, if we have this, then you're right, Doffy. We can revolutionize firearms and have a monopoly on this business in the underground. But first, we'll need a place where we can build a stable base." Trebol collected himself quickly and added his comment regarding our upcoming idea of establishing a foundation.
Doffy picked up a tattered map of North Blue and rolled it open, pointing at a certain island. "This is Spider Miles, a port town. However, what many fail to notice is what a treasure trove it is. It's the largest waste processing island, especially when it comes to metal and other related items. Establishing a weapon factory is no easy task. We'll need a lot of metal for guns and ammunition, and this place can be the best start that we can get. Eventually, we can expand from there. For the time being, we should first try taking control of Down Island and then move onto Spider Miles," Doffy explained, having discussed this plan with me earlier. After learning about all the islands and places in North Blue, we came up with the most strategically sound plan.
"And just so you guys know, we have found a crude way to train Observation Haki. So both of you will start training from today, and both of you will help me build a base," Doffy pointed at Trebol and Pica, while Diamante visibly flinched because he knew what kind of crude method Doffy was referring to.
"As for you, Diamante, you will accompany my brother to East Blue. We have the location of a certain Logia-type Devil Fruit, and it's your duty to retrieve it. And remember, now that you are my family, I will provide you with the best, so do not rush to eat Devil Fruits. With the information that I have at hand, in the future, we will have quite a few rare Devil Fruits. As for the string Fruit, we will find someone worthy of it; don't worry," Doffy explained.
Our first target was the flame fruit (Mera Mera no Mi). Although I realized this might be an alternate universe and everything has changed since I came into this world, my gut instinct told me to check out these locations because, if I was right, our family would come into possession of quite a few rare Devil Fruits, especially the Logia types and Mythical Zoans.
When I shared the information about Devil Fruits earlier, Doffy never once questioned the source of the information; he simply chose to believe my words resolutely. I knew that going after the Lightning Fruit (Goro Goro no Mi) was not feasible with our current standards because the only way to reach Sky Island was either through the Knock-Up Stream or the Summit of the High West. So, I had only shared most of these details with Doffy, and for the time being, I would only trust him with these specifics.
As the days passed, we grew more accustomed to our new life on Downs Island. While I had initially planned to journey to Sixis Island, I wasn't in a hurry. My priority was to first secure control over the entirety of Downs Island before venturing out to procure the Flame Fruit. I knew that the fruit wasn't going anywhere, so I prioritized securing our home base first.
During this time, I developed a keen interest in swordsmanship. Diamante personally took me under his wing, training me in the basics of swordsmanship. He was pleasantly surprised at how quickly I absorbed his teachings and began to boast about my progress to Doffy. However, Doffy didn't show much interest in swords, so Diamante intensified my training, pushing me to my limits every time we practiced.
"Today, we'll focus on the basics," Diamante began, his voice carrying authority. "Footwork, balance, and precision are the foundation of swordsmanship. Master these, and you'll be one step closer to becoming a formidable swordsman."
I nodded in understanding, my eyes fixed on Diamante as he demonstrated the proper stance. His movements were fluid, and each step was deliberate and purposeful. With measured breaths, I mirrored his stance, feeling the muscles in my legs tense as I adjusted my position.
"Good," Diamante praised, his voice encouraging. "Now, let's start with some simple strikes."
He guided me through a series of basic strikes, emphasizing the importance of timing and control. With each swing of the blade, I focused on maintaining balance and precision, the rhythm of our movements echoing across the training ground.