Doflamingo's sinister smile widened with a hint of surprise. "Leaving so soon? What's the rush?"
Noir nodded, his voice serious. "I have some urgent matters to attend to back home."
Germa 66 was well-known in the Underworld. Doflamingo had likely called Trebol out to discuss them.
Dealing with the Underworld was always a messy affair. Germa 66 wasn't a major threat to Noir himself, but they could pose a significant challenge to his crew.
He needed to act swiftly. Once he dealt with Germa 66, he'd make a return trip to take care of Crocodile.
Doflamingo watched him, a knowing glint in his eyes. "Need any help? I do have some influence in the Underworld."
Noir stared at him for a moment, then smiled. "No thanks. I can handle it."
Doflamingo was a shrewd and calculating man. Noir couldn't afford to get entangled in his personal affairs, or he might end up being manipulated without even realizing it.
Seeing Noir's refusal, Doflamingo shrugged. "Suit yourself."
...
Noir and his companions left as quickly as they had arrived, soon setting sail on their return journey.
Doflamingo stood on the shore, watching their ship shrink in the distance. He chuckled softly. "An interesting man…"
"Don't you think so, Violet?"
At his words, a graceful woman with long, dark hair, dressed in a polka-dotted flamenco dress, emerged from a shadowed corner behind him.
Violet gazed at Doflamingo's back. "Why did you let him go?"
Doflamingo shook his head, turning to face the woman's impassive expression. He smiled. "Crocodile has been getting restless. It wouldn't hurt to let Noir deal with him."
Violet asked, "And Germa 66? You leaked information to them, didn't you? You're the reason they're targeting Noir."
Doflamingo approached Violet, lifting her chin with his hand, his voice a menacing whisper. "Violet, women shouldn't be too clever."
"It can be… hazardous to their health."
Violet wrenched her chin from his grasp and turned away, walking off in silence. Doflamingo watched her go, a sinister grin spreading across his face.
The up-and-coming Warlord Noir, the troublesome Crocodile, and the arrogant, self-important Germa…
Which of these three forces would prevail?
...
Noir, already far away, was completely unaware of Doflamingo's machinations. Even if he had known, he probably would have scoffed.
Neither Germa nor Crocodile were significant threats to him, even combined.
Sitting on the deck of his returning ship, Noir thoughtfully considered the Germa attack.
While Germa's soldiers were generally unimpressive, their scientific technology was undeniably intriguing.
Cloning based on lineage factors, modified soldiers, mass-produced combat suits, and various unique weapons.
Coincidentally, these were all things Noir desired.
Initially, he'd hoped to study the Pacifistas created by Bartholomew Kuma, but when that failed, he'd set his sights on Germa's army.
But he'd never encountered Judge and his forces on his journey. He'd almost given up, and now they had delivered themselves to his doorstep.
Studying their combat suits could aid in the development of his Iron Man suits, and Judge, as Vegapunk's former colleague, could mentor the brilliant Kuri. It was a win-win!
He would have to capture both Germa's technology and their personnel on this return trip.
The ship raced towards Noitem at full throttle. They arrived under the cover of night. But as they approached the island, they were met with a shocking sight.
The already disorderly coastline was now even more ravaged, scarred by fresh blood and the marks of explosions, clear evidence of a recent battle.
Lucci, his expression grim, leaped onto the shore first, examining the area around the landing site.
Noir joined him. "Looks like the crew had a rough fight with Germa."
Lucci nodded. "Besides the blast craters, there are a lot of scorch marks from lightning strikes."
After a brief survey, Noir had Blueno teleport them towards the capital.
The Air Door opened, and they stepped into the city. To their relief, Anel appeared to be in the same state as when they had left, bustling with life and reconstruction.
"Captain, you're back!"
They turned to see Enel, crackling with blue electricity, grinning widely.
Seeing his carefree attitude, Noir feigned seriousness. "Judging by your cheerful demeanor, I assume you played a significant role in repelling the invaders?"
Enel, despite his thick skin, actually seemed embarrassed. "Well, they were numerous, and a bit slippery. Some got away…"
Noir was amused. Enel possessed the Goro Goro no Mi, a Logia Devil Fruit with incredible destructive power and speed, second only to Kizaru's Pika Pika no Mi. How could he have let Germa's modified humans escape?
Seeing Noir's silent scrutiny, Enel finally lowered his head, sheepishly admitting, "Okay, fine. Maybe I was a little careless."
Noir sighed, covering his face with his hand. "Alright, I won't dwell on it this time."
"But listen up. In a fight, any arrogance or complacency can be your downfall."
Enel nodded quickly, like a child trying to appease an angry parent, but inwardly, he didn't take it seriously.
His powers were widely recognized as formidable. As long as he didn't encounter an Admiral-level opponent, he was confident he could handle anything, even with a bit of carelessness.
Noir knew his words hadn't sunk in, but he shook his head helplessly.
Enel's only real weakness was his own overconfidence.
Hopefully, it wouldn't lead to disaster. In the Blue Sea, it was indeed difficult for anyone to truly harm Enel.
Changing the subject, Noir asked, "What are our losses?"
Enel thought for a moment, then shook his head. "Not much. They never even made it into the capital. We intercepted them before they got far."
"Many of our people suffered minor injuries, but no one was killed."
That was a relief… While there were casualties, the outcome wasn't unexpected.
Though Germa's soldiers were well-trained, disciplined, and strong, Noitem had a significant advantage in high-level fighters.
If not for the fact that they were within Noitem's territory, Issho could have simply dropped a meteor and wiped out a large portion of the attackers. Judge and his ilk wouldn't have stood a chance.