After gathering all the information he needed, Kahn finally arrived at the study where Doflamingo and Trebol were.
Seeing Doflamingo sitting in the armchair and Trebol standing on the carpeted floor, Kahn greeted them with a chuckle, "Finally, I get to see you, Joker."
No one responded to Kahn because both Doflamingo and Trebol, bound by telekinesis, couldn't even open their mouths to speak.
Noticing this, Kahn said, slightly stunned, "Oops, I forgot to untie you."
With that, the blue telekinetic waves turned into sparkling dots and vanished from Doflamingo and Trebol's bodies.
"Huh...huh..."
Just regaining control of his body, Trebol, with weak legs, slumped to the ground, panting heavily, looking at Kahn with eyes full of fear.
Even Doflamingo's forehead was covered in cold sweat at this point.
Looking at Kahn's gentle smile, Doflamingo thought he didn't look like a New World pirate who destroyed islands but more like the boy next door. Thanks to his strong psychological fortitude, Doflamingo managed to keep his composure.
"Heh, heh, heh... Mr Kahn, it's been a long time coming."
Doflamingo, forcibly calming his emotions, also showed a wicked smile and responded to Kahn's greeting.
Note that Kahn's address just now was his codename in the underworld.
Doflamingo didn't mention Kahn's title in the pirate world but used the gangster's method of address, calling Kahn "Mr Kahn."
This quick response made Kahn appreciate Doflamingo even more.
He was indeed the talent he had come all this way to find.
With his help, the "Cross Family" would quickly rise to become one of the New World's overlords, just like the original "Beasts Pirates."
So, Kahn showed his goodwill towards Doflamingo, saying, "Joker, care for a private chat?"
"Heh, heh, heh... It's an honour."
Hearing this, Doflamingo instantly understood that Kahn was not an enemy.
On the contrary, they might become allies.
If you think about it, it would be too much trouble for Cross Kahn to come all the way from the New World to North Blue just to get rid of him.
And if Kahn really wanted to kill him, he could have easily done so when he restrained him and Trebol with telekinesis earlier, using any sharp object in the room. There was no need for this meeting.
In other words, Cross Kahn came to him because he needed him.
As long as the other party needed him, Doflamingo was confident he could satisfy their needs.
As for the shame?
If he were ten years old, Doflamingo would probably be extremely angry.
But now, at twenty-two, the humiliation the weak felt from the strong was something Doflamingo had experienced many times from Vice Admirals over the years.
Having learned from those experiences, he habitually abandoned his painstakingly built strongholds and fled at the sight of a warship without looking back.
Twelve years of beatings from the world had made Doflamingo realize reality, stripping him of the arrogance he once had as a Celestial Dragon.
At the same time, his fall from the altar to the gutter filled Doflamingo with ambition. He wanted to climb back to the top of the world and make those who rejected his return to Mariejois regret their decision.
As long as his ambitions and dreams could be realized, Doflamingo could endure even if he needed to temporarily kowtow to powerful figures.
Therefore, even if Kahn treated him like trash, Doflamingo would still smile at him.
No way around it—because he was weak!
Weakness is the original sin!
"Trebol, you go out first," Doflamingo said after understanding Kahn's intentions.
"I... I know," Trebol nodded repeatedly, eager to escape the room.
After Trebol left, Kahn, uninterested in any further formalities, sat on a single sofa, looked at Doflamingo, and asked, "Joker, are you curious about how I know you and why I came to North Blue to find you?"
"Yes," Doflamingo nodded. "For someone like me, there should be no need for someone like you to come all this way."
"No, no, no... You are not a small person," Kahn shook his finger and smiled. "Even if you are small now, with your abilities, you will soon become a big shot in the Grand Line and one of the kings of the dark world."
"Oh?" Doflamingo's interest was piqued. "Mr Kahn thinks so highly of me?"
"Of course," Kahn nodded, but his next sentence made Doflamingo's face change. "After all, you are a former Celestial Dragon. With such a background, you are destined for greatness."
"Heh, heh, heh, heh..." Doflamingo's eyes, hidden behind his sunglasses, narrowed slightly. But he didn't react with shock; instead, he quickly calmed down, let out his unique evil laugh, and asked, "Did King Riku tell you?"
Doflamingo's status as a former Celestial Dragon was known to very few. Kahn, knowing this, made Doflamingo think of Dressrosa, the country he had targeted. He figured Kahn must have a close relationship with King Riku of Dressrosa, who would have known the history of Dressrosa as a former territory of the Celestial Dragons.
However, Kahn's answer surprised Doflamingo.
"No... King Riku didn't tell me," Kahn shook his head. "I just happened to know that there is a Celestial Dragon named Donquixote Mjosgard, and he shares the same surname as you."
"I see," Doflamingo was stunned, then expressed his doubts. "Since you know I am a former Celestial Dragon, then you should know I have no influence in Mariejois and can be considered a lost cause. So why are you still interested in me?"
"Of course," Kahn's smile widened. "With such a background, as long as you prove your worth, even if you can't return to Mariejois, you can become the most special king of the dark world, a true black-and-white ruler."
"So, I came here specifically to ask you for a favour and to propose a partnership."
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