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Chapter 59: The Devil's Rumblings
"You keep complaining and blaming your father, but what have you done yourself?" Darren mocked relentlessly.
The blond child, blood trickling from the corner of his mouth, grew more ferocious by the moment, while a faint smile played in Darren's half-closed eyes, becoming more intense. "Come on, let's hear it. Unleash that greatest anger and hatred within you."
Doflamingo clenched his fists and gritted his teeth. What did I do... What did I do... In a sudden outburst of fury, his eyes turned a fiery red, and he roared, "I killed my stupid father!"
As the words left his mouth, a conduit for his pent-up emotions opened, and a ferocious smile slowly crept across his face. He laughed maniacally, "You can't imagine it, can you? That feeling was truly wonderful."
"If it were not for him, I wouldn't have suffered so much. I'm not just complaining... I'm taking action... I am a born king!"
With a burning desire to prevail, his gaze fixed on Marine before him. "You should have seen how desperate he looked."
"You should have seen his wonderful expression when I pointed my gun at him!"
Doflamingo's laughter grew wilder, but tears of blood streamed down his face as he shouted, "I swear to reclaim everything that's mine!"
"I'm sick of living like I'm in hell! I'm a god born to live high in the sky, why should I endure this wretched life on earth?"
"Even as he was dying, he was apologizing. But what good does an apology do? It doesn't change anything! But once he's dead, that's different."
"So, I shot him. I cut off his head, the bloody head... I brought it back to the holy land of Mariejois. I wanted him to see with his own eyes that I had become a Celestial Dragon again and reclaimed the life that rightfully belonged to me."
Suddenly, a burst of applause cut through the silence, jarring in the darkened hall.
Doflamingo stared in astonishment at Darren, the black-haired Marine, clapping before him. "It turns out this is quite a riveting tale," Darren said, his face curled into a mocking grin.
"It really makes me feel for the stupid father, the gentle mother, and the rebellious, paranoid son... Well, let me guess, your story's happy ending has the son killing his father to prove himself and regain the life he desired?"
Doflamingo was dumbstruck, as if struck by lightning.
Darren smiled. "You're on the verge of breaking down, feeling hopeless," he noted as he squatted down, teasingly ruffling the blond child's hair. "So, did you get everything you wanted, Doflamingo? You killed your dear father and cruelly severed his head... The World Government must be thrilled with your actions, right?"
Doflamingo stood mute, unable to utter a word.
Darren's meaningful smile lingered as he moved closer, speaking softly, "You held your father's head like a trophy, triumphant upon your return. You must have felt incredibly excited and overwhelmed at that moment, right?"
"Maybe you imagined the World Government showering you with flowers, playing triumphant music, and erecting a grand stage for you... Under the world's watchful eyes, the incomparable natural king Don Quixote Doflamingo would ascend to the throne of the Celestial Dragons once more."
He struck a grandiose pose, his voice deepening, filled with an inexplicable allure.
"You wish with all your heart to climb step by step up the ladder to heaven, with everyone watching," said Darren with a voice like a cold nail, piercing the heart of the blond boy. "You wish to be adorned by the Five Elders themselves. You long to be Celestial Dragons again and live a good life."
"So you can prove your father wrong," the Colonel continued. "You can justify killing your father. You can make the guilt and self-blame from killing your father a little easier..."
With every word he spoke, Doflamingo's face grew paler.
"But none of that happened. You gambled everything, killed your father, and endured self-blame and guilt. And what did you get in return? Indifference, contempt, and mockery. No glorious comeback ceremony, no applause, no flowers, no master's life... You were so ambitious, you went to the Holy Land Mariejois with your prize, but you were driven out like a stray dog. I even heard that you knelt down on the ladder to heaven and wiped away the remnants of your bloodline."
"Enough!!!" Doflamingo suddenly roared uncontrollably, his bloodshot eyes nearly bursting from their sockets. "Say no more!"
Blue veins stood out on his forehead. His eyes burned with resentment and anger, like a flame, wanting to burn the entire world to ashes. "That's why I want to destroy this world!"
That was enough heat. It had been easier than expected; he had crumbled just like that. But that was right; he was only 12 years old. Now that the wild wolf was completely starved, it needed a hunting target.
Darren's eyes gleamed, and he smiled saying, "No, no, your direction is wrong. Think about it. Is the world at fault for the situation you find yourself in today?"
He leaned in close to Doflamingo's ear and persuaded, "You are a born king. Should a king's power only be used to vent anger on lowly commoners? Trampling on the weak is meaningless. Doflamingo, think about who made you fall into this situation. Was it your father? Maybe, but he's dead. Was it the civilians who tortured you? They are dead too. Think about it, who really made you kneel on the ground like a lost dog, and come to a place like the North Blue? If you could take your revenge, who would make you the happiest? Imagine making some people kneel before you begging for mercy. Who would you choose?"
Darren's voice resonated with a tempting darkness, like a devil from hell.
Doflamingo was frozen. His blood-red pupils shook violently, and his expression was ever-changing.
Darren gave him the final blow. "Think about it, who do you most want to be?"
Doflamingo shivered.
One second. Two seconds. Three seconds.
Then, in Darren's satisfied gaze and smile, like a hungry wild wolf with red eyes full of resentment and madness, he roared through gritted teeth, "World Government... Five Elders!!!"