Free Web NovelChapter 334: Chapter 334: The “Round Table Conference” Upon the Ruins and Shattered Pride
Dressrosa’s sunset carried a tragic beauty mixed with blood and gunpowder smoke.
The once magnificent King’s Plateau now looked as if it had been gnawed apart by the teeth of giants, littered everywhere with collapsed walls and shattered ruins.
And at the center of that massive battlefield, resembling a meteor crater, stood a scene so surreal it assaulted the retinas of every survivor present.
The gigantic iron sphere, over three meters in diameter and wrapped in countless black Seastone chains, stood quietly atop the ruins.
Through the only opening, a palm-sized gap, people could vaguely make out a distorted face stuffed with a gag, eyes tightly shut.
That was a Yonko.
That was Kaido.
And sitting right on top of that iron sphere was G-5’s chief steward, Rehn.
Completely without dignity, he sat there casually, holding a rag he’d picked up from somewhere, leisurely wiping his slightly swollen right hand.
Cough cough... cough cough cough...
A weak yet unwilling coughing sound came from the shadows of the rubble.
The sound of falling stones echoed.
Supported by Trebol and Diamante, the blood-covered Doflamingo staggered out.
His pink feather coat had long since turned dark crimson.
His sunglasses were shattered.
The eyes that once overflowed with arrogance and tyranny were now bloodshot and sunken, filled with indescribable exhaustion and... lingering terror.
Every step Doflamingo took required immense effort.
Several ribs were broken.
His internal organs were damaged.
His Haki was nearly depleted.
But he had to come.
Because that fat man sitting atop the iron sphere no longer merely held his life in his hands,
He held the future structure of the entire New World.
"Fuffuffu... fuffuffu..."
Doflamingo let out a few dry laughs.
But the laughter no longer carried its former arrogance.
Only bitterness and self-mockery remained.
He stopped ten meters away from Rehn.
His eyes did not immediately look at Rehn.
Instead, they were glued, like magnets, to the "iron ball" beneath Rehn.
That was Kaido.
The monster Doflamingo had once feared so deeply that he’d served him as carefully as someone walking a tightrope.
The so-called "Strongest Creature."
Doflamingo had imagined Kaido’s fury countless times.
He had imagined himself dying at the hands of that madman.
But never in his wildest dreams had he imagined seeing Kaido wrapped in Seastone like bundled garbage and used as a stool.
"So... this is... the power of G-5?"
Doflamingo’s pupils trembled.
He looked at the fat man lowering his head and wiping his hand.
No Admiral Renzo involved.
No legendary Ancient Weapons.
Just a steward.
A profiteering fat man who normally haggled over every last Belly through Den Den Mushi calls.
And yet this same man had single-handedly beaten the nightmare Doflamingo feared most into submission.
An indescribably complex emotion surged through Doflamingo’s heart.
Relief.
Relief that he had chosen to kneel before Renzo back then.
Relief that he counted as "one of G-5’s own."
Fear.
Because he finally realized that compared to G-5, even the entire Donquixote Family was merely a somewhat larger ant.
But above all, reverence.
Reverence toward power.
"R-Rehn... Mister Rehn..."
Trebol sniffled, his voice trembling like leaves in the wind.
"Doffy... Doffy he..."
"Oh? Still not dead?"
Rehn stopped wiping his hand and lazily raised his eyelids.
A cold glint flashed in his squinted eyes as he looked down at Doflamingo.
"Tough life you’ve got there, Flamingo."
If anyone else had called him "Flamingo," Doflamingo would’ve murdered them on the spot.
But now, he merely lowered his head slightly and forced a submissive smile.
"Thanks to Chief Rehn’s blessings... I still have one breath left."
Doflamingo’s voice was hoarse.
"If you hadn’t arrived in time... cough cough... I’d probably already be a puddle of meat paste."
This was submission.
The underworld king had completely discarded his pride for the first time in his life. fɾeeweɓnѳveɭ.com
"Hmph."
Rehn snorted coldly and casually tossed the filthy rag at Doflamingo’s feet.
"Don’t thank me too early."
Rehn jumped down from Kaido’s head.
His fat body made the ground tremble slightly upon landing.
Walking up to Doflamingo, he extended a finger and mercilessly poked the blood-covered chest of the wounded warlord, making him grimace in pain.
"I saved you not because you’re important."
"Nor because we’re buddies."
Rehn leaned closer, the fat on his face bunching together into the expression of a classic crooked businessman.
"I saved you because you still owe Lord Renzo money."
"Because the special supplies you promised us are still sitting in your warehouses."
"And because... alive, you can continue being a profitable dog for G-5."
"Understand?"
The words were humiliating.
Cruel.
Behind Doflamingo, Diamante and Trebol clenched their fists instinctively,
But after glancing at the enormous "Kaido Ball," they helplessly loosened them again.
Doflamingo did not get angry.
Or rather, he did not dare.
He merely inhaled deeply and nodded.
"I understand... I understand my value."
"Good."
Rehn patted Doflamingo’s shoulder, or rather his arm due to the height difference, with enough force that the heavily wounded man nearly collapsed to his knees.
"Since you understand, stop acting like a dead dog."
Turning away from Doflamingo, Rehn looked toward the opposite side of the ruins.
There stood the Straw Hat crew and Law.
Luffy, despite his injuries, still looked energetic enough to rush in for another round.
Law leaned against a broken stone, watching Rehn with complicated eyes.
His sword, Kikoku, had already been sheathed.
Clearly, he had abandoned any thought of continuing the fight.
"And you lot too."
Rehn pointed at them, then toward the frightened King Riku Doldo III family hiding nearby.
Rebecca.
Kyros.
And the recently rescued old King Riku.
"Get over here."
Rehn’s voice wasn’t loud, but every person heard it clearly.
"This mess today got way too big."
Hands behind his back, Rehn paced across the battlefield like a landlord inspecting his property.
"The factory’s blown up."
"The palace collapsed."
"A Yonko got captured."
"One of the Seven Warlords got crippled."
"If these rotten accounts aren’t settled properly, I won’t be able to explain things to Lord Renzo."
"And if I’m unhappy..."
Rehn suddenly stopped walking, his eyes turning razor-sharp as they swept across everyone present.
"Then none of you are going to have a good time either."
"So now. Immediately. Right this instant."
"Sit down."
"We’re holding a meeting."
"A... meeting?"
Luffy tilted his head in confusion.
"Mister, who are you? I still gotta punch that Flamingo guy! I don’t have time for meetings! And I’m hungry!"
"Luffy-senpai!"
Bartolomeo nearly jumped out of his skin, desperately tugging on Luffy.
"That’s G-5’s Thunder God Rehn! Even Kaido got packaged up by him! Please don’t act recklessly!"
"You’re hungry, huh?"
Rehn glanced at Luffy and smirked as if he’d expected exactly this.
He snapped his fingers.
"Boys!"
From the docked Thunder God, dozens of Marines carrying food boxes and portable tables rushed over at full speed.
"Set up the table! Bring out the meat!"
Rehn waved grandly.
The Marines swiftly assembled a massive conference table atop a relatively flat section of rubble.
Then, plate after plate of sizzling giant bone-in meat, delicate desserts, fruit, and rum flowed onto the table like a banquet.
The irresistible aroma instantly overwhelmed the smell of blood and burnt debris.
"MEAT!!!!"
Luffy’s eyes transformed into giant chunks of meat, his tongue practically hanging three feet out.
"You want some?"
Rehn pointed at a chair beside the table like a shady uncle luring children.
"Sit down. Finish the meeting. Then all of this is yours."
"REALLY?!"
Luffy instantly abandoned any thought of fighting.
In a blur, he teleported into the chair and stuffed a giant chunk of meat into his mouth.
"Mmph mmph! Delicious! Mister, you’re such a good guy!"
"Captain Luffy..."
Law helplessly covered his face but eventually sighed and dragged himself over to sit beside him.
He understood now.
Whether through force or negotiation,
The initiative no longer belonged to them.
"Doflamingo. Sit."
Rehn pointed to the opposite side of the table.
Supported by Trebol, Doflamingo sat down with difficulty.
Watching the Straw Hat brat stuffing himself full of meat across from him, the veins at the corner of his eyes twitched violently.
He wanted nothing more than to flip the entire table.
But under Rehn’s smiling gaze, he could only swallow his rage and drink wine to suppress the blood in his throat.
"And over there, the King Riku fellow and the one-legged soldier too. Come here."
Rehn waved them over.
King Riku and Kyros exchanged uneasy looks.
But they understood this was the moment that would decide Dressrosa’s fate.
So they reluctantly walked over and sat at the far end of the table.
Thus, upon ruins still carrying the lingering pressure of Conqueror’s Haki after a world-shaking battle,
An absurd yet deadly serious "Round Table Conference" that would reshape the New World began in the most casual manner imaginable.
On the left side sat representatives of the Worst Generation, Luffy, devouring meat nonstop, and the gloomy-faced Law.
On the right sat the heavily injured Doflamingo and his officers.
At the end sat the anxious Riku royal family, representing the old kingdom.
And at the center seat, Rehn adjusted his torn bow tie, straightened his posture, and folded his hands atop the table.
Behind him loomed the massive black Kaido iron sphere like a silent divine idol suppressing all opposition.
"Ahem."
Rehn cleared his throat.
His narrowed eyes glittered with cunning, greed, and absolute confidence.
He did not speak immediately.
Instead, he slowly pulled out the golden abacus from his chest and placed it onto the table.
Clack.
The sound of the abacus landing echoed sharply through the silent battlefield.
"Gentlemen."
Rehn slowly began speaking, his gaze sweeping over everyone like a blade.
"I gathered everyone here today for only three things."
He raised three fingers.
"First, settling accounts."
"Second, compensation."
"And third..."
A smile so bright it made everyone uneasy spread across Rehn’s face.
"To establish new rules for this chaotic country."
"Of course..."
"According to G-5’s rules."
"In other words..."
"Lord Renzo’s rules."
The wind gently blew by.
Lifting a corner of the tablecloth.
Everyone held their breath, waiting for the Thunder God’s judgment.
Because they understood, what moved within that fat man’s abacus was not merely Belly.
It was their fate.
