The King of the Celestial Dragons?!
Doflamingo, who was forced to maintain a kneeling posture, was momentarily stunned upon hearing this. He had thought the person before him was one of the Five Elders.
But now, it seemed that wasn't the case. Or was this so-called king actually five people?
"Fufufufufu~~"
Even in such a terrifying situation, Doflamingo managed to force out a laugh, though his pale face and the cold sweat dripping from his forehead made him look utterly disheveled.
"So, the King of the Celestial Dragons, what… or rather, what is it that you seek from me? I ceased to be a Celestial Dragon a long time ago!"
As the pressure on him lessened, his speech finally returned to normal, though his heavy breathing made his words come out in broken gasps.
"From the moment you knelt, your status as a Celestial Dragon was restored," the figure above him replied nonchalantly.
Doflamingo pondered these words.
It seemed to imply that only a Celestial Dragon had the right to kneel before this person. So, by kneeling, he had regained his status as a Celestial Dragon?
Arrogant to the extreme!
This was his second impression of the man. His first impression was of overwhelming power.
"Donquixote Doflamingo, Imu bestows upon you the honor of becoming one of the Seven Warlords of the Sea, granting you the privilege of receiving direct orders from Imu."
This was yet another statement brimming with extreme arrogance and an unyielding authority that brooked no refusal.
What were the Seven Warlords of the Sea? Doflamingo voiced his confusion, but this time, there was no reply for a long while. This made him hesitate, and after about ten minutes, he cautiously attempted to raise his head.
Immediately, he noticed that everything had returned to normal, and the Empty Throne above was now vacant.
When had he left? Doflamingo stood up, his expression extremely grim, feeling as though everything he had just experienced was utterly baffling.
The King of the Celestial Dragons? The Seven Warlords of the Sea? And just like that, he had regained his status as a Celestial Dragon!
What was he supposed to say? What should he do next? Should he just leave?
As Doflamingo was lost in his thoughts, the large doors behind him slowly opened once more. This time, he turned around immediately.
But just as he was about to assume a defensive stance, he saw five middle-aged men clad in white robes standing before him.
"Relax, young one."
"We are the Five Elders you wished to see."
Doflamingo couldn't help but inwardly scoff at this. Wasn't it you who summoned me here? How did it become me wanting to see you? But he also felt a sense of relief. At last, there was someone he could have a normal conversation with.
"Come, let's go to our quarters. We'll explain everything in detail."
"Fufufufufu~ If that's the case, why did you five come personally? Couldn't you have sent someone to escort me?" Doflamingo sneered.
"In Pangea Castle, all matters concerning Lord Imu are handled personally by the five of us."
The bald elder holding a long sword and wearing a white kimono underneath his robe spoke expressionlessly. Then, the five of them turned in unison and left the hall once more.
Seeing this, Doflamingo had no choice but to follow, as he was indeed filled with questions.
Before long, he followed the Five Elders into a luxurious and spacious room, with the central sofa particularly catching his eye.
The five men in front took their usual seats, with Topman Warcury Saint, seated in the center, pointing to the still-empty sofa.
"You can sit there."
Doflamingo had no objections and swaggered over with his characteristic arrogance, plopping down onto the sofa. He was quite familiar with sitting on sofas, after all.
"Speaking of which, this is the first time someone other than the Five Elders has sat on the sofa in this Hall of Power. You're the first."
"What an honor~" Doflamingo chuckled, crossing his legs with a grin.
"No need for the honor. You are now Lord Imu's envoy, one of the Seven Warlords of the Sea, and have regained your status as a Celestial Dragon. You are fully qualified to sit with us," Shepherd Ju Peter Saint said with a faint smile.
"Then, could you tell me who this Lord Imu is, and what the Seven Warlords of the Sea are?"
Doflamingo, still young, couldn't help but ask impatiently. His mind had been greatly shaken, and he truly couldn't remain calm.
"Ha, don't rush. We'll explain everything one by one."
Among the Five Elders, it seemed Topman Warcury Saint was the leader. His voice was the most steady and authoritative, carrying a subtle sense of pressure.
"Lord Imu is our master, the king of all Celestial Dragons, the founder of the World Government, and its true ruler!"
"The supreme being of the past, present, and future. If this world must have a god, then he is the one and only god in the annals of history!"
His tone was filled with fervent worship, and his expression as he spoke was like that of an extreme devotee desperately suppressing his excitement.
The other four remained silent, but the gleam in their eyes was the same.
However, as the saying goes, ignorance is bliss. Although Doflamingo had just personally experienced Imu's terror, he hadn't grown up in Mary Geoise nor been exposed to the most hidden parts of history. Thus, his feelings toward Imu were more of fear and wariness.
From the explanation, he immediately grasped the key point: the founder of the World Government! Did that mean the man sitting on the Empty Throne had likely been alive since eight hundred years ago? The thought made Doflamingo's mood even heavier.
"And what about the Seven Warlords of the Sea?"
"As I mentioned earlier, the Seven Warlords of the Sea are Lord Imu's envoys. They not only have the right to meet directly with us but also to receive direct orders from him."
"However, you must keep this identity confidential, as well as the fact that you've regained your status as a Celestial Dragon."
Hearing this, Doflamingo understood and laughed, "Fufufufu~ So, you want me to work for you, huh?"
"Everyone has their value, don't they?"
"Alright, alright. So, what do you want me to do?" Doflamingo relaxed, leaning back into the soft sofa.
"You must maintain your current public identity, infiltrate the underworld, and provide us with the necessary intelligence. Of course, during this time, we will also offer you the support you need," Topman Warcury Saint stated directly.
Doflamingo laughed upon hearing this. Wasn't this exactly what he had planned to do? Becoming a major figure in the underworld was his primary goal, and now he had an additional task of providing intelligence to the World Government. The key was that he could also receive covert assistance from the Five Elders.
No matter how he looked at it, he seemed to be the one benefiting!
"Alright, I agree!"
"Good. Take this. We'll contact you through it in the future." Topman Warcury Saint took out a golden Den Den Mushi with black circular patterns on its body.
Doflamingo took it and examined it in his palm for a moment. Just then, the other party suddenly said something that made his heart tremble.
"By the way, your brother, Donquixote Rosinante, is currently at Marineford."
"You've captured him?!" Doflamingo's relaxed expression instantly darkened, his voice lowering as his attitude turned hostile.
"If that were the case, he would be in the Holy Land Prison or Impel Down," Marcus Mars Saint remarked from the side.
"Don't worry, that kid was very lucky. He met Sengoku back then and was adopted as his foster son. However, his personality is the complete opposite of yours. Despite sharing the same experiences as you, he's a very kind-hearted child. It's truly a strange thing."
Doflamingo pursed his lips and remained silent for a moment. Then he stood up, his face still grim, and said, "Is there anything else? If not, I'm leaving!"