The banquet hall's atmosphere instantly froze as Gurd showed no changes after consuming the Artificial Fruit.
"Clang!"
The Headliners angrily drew their weapons!
"Bastards, how dare you deceive us!"
"Skin them alive!"
"Kaido-sama, we can't let them go!"
They were just waiting for Kaido's command to chop these scumbags who dared trick the Beasts into mincemeat!
The Donquixote Family members were terrified, their limbs turning cold as cold sweat poured down. They quickly moved to protect Mingo at the center.
What was going on?!
In Dressrosa, they had personally tested SMILE's effects, and there had been multiple test subjects who consumed SMILE.
Either they gained beastly strength or turned into laughing fools—there were no other outcomes.
But how to explain this situation?
Could they really have gone bad?!
"Wait a moment!"
Just then, Gurd suddenly spoke up.
Gurd looked at Doflamingo.
"Heavenly Yaksha-san, I've heard one can never eat two Devil Fruits. So I'd like to ask—what happens if someone eats two SMILEs?"
"They die!"
Mingo's face darkened.
"Understood!"
Gurd nodded, then turned to Kaido and said solemnly, "Kaido-sama, please let me try eating another one. If I die, it proves these Artificial Devil Fruits are real. If I don't, then what just happened must have been an accident!"
His words caused an uproar.
No one expected Gurd to stake his life like this!
Kaido stared at Gurd.
Willing to gamble his life to verify SMILE's authenticity—such loyalty was rare even among the Beasts.
Good! Good! Good!
If this kid survives, he'll definitely earn a spot among the Flying Six!
"Wororororo!"
Kaido laughed heartily, took a swig of liquor, then tossed the flask to Gurd.
His meaning was clear.
"Thank you, Kaido-sama!"
Gurd caught the flask and chugged the liquor until it was empty, then flung it behind him.
"Boom!"
The flask embedded itself into the wall!
The next moment, Gurd picked up another SMILE!
This time, even the Donquixote Family members were shaken—not just by concern over whether SMILE would work, but also by awe toward Gurd.
Their first meeting at the harbor had already left a deep impression, but this fearless, bold act moved them even more.
If all of the Beasts were such warriors, who in this world would dare oppose them?!
"Gulp!"
Under everyone's watchful eyes, Gurd swallowed the second SMILE.
Time seemed to freeze.
1 second passed.
2 seconds passed.
All eyes remained fixed, their fervent gazes gradually shifting.
Until—
11 seconds passed!
"Click!"
Gurd pulled out a cigar and lit it with a lighter.
"Exhale—"
A plume of white smoke slowly drifted out.
He didn't actually smoke, but the tense atmosphere felt perfect for it—and for stirring things up.
"Heavenly Yaksha-san, put this out for me."
Expressionless, Gurd pressed the burning cigar against Mingo's exposed pectoral muscle, then ground it in forcefully!
An act tantamount to humiliation.
Mingo didn't make a sound, letting the cigar brand his chest.
His chest burned, but his limbs were ice-cold.
His clothes were already drenched in cold sweat.
Once might be an accident. Twice...
"Hmm?"
Under the stunned gazes of everyone, Gurd picked up another SMILE fruit.
He swallowed it!
One, two, three!
In no time, all ten SMILE fruits had been devoured by Gurd.
"Tastes like absolute shit, pah!"
Gurd chewed noisily before spitting out half a saliva-drenched SMILE onto the ground, then crushed it underfoot.
The little one inside him was full and utterly disgusted by the last half, so he simply spat it out.
He had to make it convincing.
Gurd raised his hand and gripped Mingo's shoulder, fingers gradually tightening: "Heavenly Yaksha, little brother, anything else you'd like to say?"
"I—"
Mingo's mind went blank. He wanted to explain but had no idea how—nor the chance.
A fist larger than his face filled his vision!
Gurd's iron fist smashed into Mingo's face as he roared in fury: "You fucking dare pass off fakes to Kaido?!"
"Boom!"
Mingo was sent flying, his body slamming hard into the doorframe. With a crack, the lenses of his glasses splintered.
"Doffy!"
The Donquixote Family officers shouted in panic, desperate to intervene—but their bodies froze in place, trembling uncontrollably.
"ROAR!"
Mammoths, spinosaurs, saber-toothed tigers...
Ferocious beasts from the ancient past surrounded them, their terrifying aura chilling them to the bone.
They could feel it clearly—one wrong move, and they'd be torn to shreds. Resistance was futile.
"Worororo."
A laugh thick with suppressed rage echoed.
Everyone knew—Kaido was truly enraged this time!
Immediately, the crowd parted to clear a path.
Kaido drew his spiked club and strode toward Doflamingo, each step shaking the banquet hall.
"CRACK!"
Walls fractured. Tables and chairs shattered.
The overwhelming Conqueror Haki made the very space tremble.
Like a demon god!
Kaido stopped, looming over Doflamingo. No wasted words, no demand for explanations.
"Ready to die?"
"..."
That simple question sent cold sweat pouring down Mingo's back.
He knew—no excuse would save him now. To survive, he'd have to fight with everything he had.
Images flashed through his mind!
At 8, he fell into hell.
At 10, he shot his father dead.
After that, he returned to Mariejois with his father's head.
Then, he built the Donquixote Family, dominated the North Blue, toyed with the World Government, seized the Warlord title and Dressrosa...
Uncontrollable fury burned!
He was a Celestial Dragon, born with the noblest bloodline in the world, awakened to power beyond mortal reach.
He was destined to be king!
So why—why had it come to this?!
Mere Four Emperors, mere Kaido!
When fear reaches its limit, it becomes madness!
"Fufufufu~ HAHAHAHA!"
Mingo laughed hysterically, arms spread wide as countless threads wove before him, shredding everything around.
Haki unleashed to its fullest!
Death—or usurpation!
Let him experience the power of a Four Emperor firsthand!
"CRACK!"
Mingo's thoughts froze. His glasses shattered, darkness flooding his vision.
What... happened?
"THUNDER BAGUA!!!"
A massive spiked club wreathed in black lightning smashed into Doflamingo, blasting him straight through the banquet hall!
A streak of light—gone in an instant.
"BOOM!!!"
The next moment, a massive explosion erupted in the plaza at the base of the castle.
The entire process took less than a second.
The executives of the Donquixote Family froze for a long moment before snapping back to reality. They rushed out of the banquet hall in desperation, leaning over the railings to stare at the site of the explosion.
"Young Master!!!"
They had never dreamed the battle would end in an instant.
"Impossible!"
"The Young Master wouldn't fall so easily!"
"Doffy is one of the Royal Seven Warlords of the Sea!"
The executives lost control of their emotions, desperately hoping for their Young Master to return to the battlefield, longing to hear his scornful laughter that mocked everything.
Yet when the dust settled, Doflamingo lay on the ground, eyes rolled back, already unconscious.
All their hopes were shattered.
The executives lost all strength.
With just a single strike, the gap between them was this vast.
"Wororororo, take Doflamingo to the Prisoner Quarry!"
Kaido stepped out of the banquet hall, looking down at the members of the Donquixote Family.
"As for you, I'll give you one more chance. Within half a month, if you bring me the real Artificial Devil Fruit, I'll forgive all your failures!"
"Now, get out of my sight!"
(End of Chapter)