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"Hey, Crocodile..."
"The one inviting us this time is the young master of the Figarland family. You'd better come with us..."
"The Figarland family, tsk tsk, they're no ordinary family..."
"Even among the Celestial Dragons, they're an exceptionally special family!"
Just as Crocodile and CP0 were coming into conflict, Doflamingo strode over to Crocodile's side with both hands in his pockets and an utterly arrogant swagger, then said with a smile.
"Huh? Why the hell should I go meet some young master from whatever Land family with a little punk like you? Don't think everyone is a slave to you Celestial Dragons! Bastard..."
"Doflamingo, you have no right to decide for me! And no right to order me around!"
After hearing Doflamingo's words, Crocodile roared angrily.
"Fufufufu..."
"Looks like negotiations have broken down, Crocodile..."
After glancing at Crocodile, who had been endlessly insulting him, Doflamingo suddenly burst out laughing...
Then, a faint trace of killing intent appeared in Doflamingo's eyes.
Yet that killing intent came quickly and vanished just as quickly...
Doflamingo thought that there was no need to clash with Crocodile over an outsider.
He might as well use this opportunity to win Crocodile over and strengthen his own forces and power.
Thus, in the blink of an eye, Doflamingo put away his expression and assumed an unreadable poker face. Seemingly having figured something out, he wore a confident smile and casually stepped between Crocodile and CP0, saying softly, "It's raining right now. That seriously affects your abilities, doesn't it, Crocodile?"
"If so, then consider it a favor you owe me. I'll hold off the CP0 here while you get out of here before the surrounding Marines close in."
"Huh? Who wants to owe a favor to a bastard like you?"
After hearing Doflamingo's words, Crocodile snapped irritably.
"Hey! You two..."
Doflamingo had no intention of paying any attention to the prickly Crocodile. He looked at the two CP0 agents standing before and behind them and said softly, "Clearly, Crocodile doesn't want to come with us to meet that young master of the Figarland family! He's unbelievably stubborn. Even if you force him to go, there's no guarantee he won't do something to that young master."
"Believe me, that bastard is lawless by nature. He definitely isn't some coward who gets too scared to fight just because the other party is a Celestial Dragon! So, for my sake, let's forget about inviting him. Calling it off would be good for everyone..."
"Sorry, but we are acting under the orders of the Celestial Dragons!"
After hearing Doflamingo's words, the two CP0 agents exchanged a glance before replying coldly.
"Fufufufu..."
After hearing the two CP0 agents, Doflamingo suddenly burst into loud laughter.
He clutched his stomach as he laughed uproariously...
"You're nothing but dogs the Celestial Dragons keep outside!"
"And you dare speak to me like that? How arrogant of you!"
"Could it be that you want to fall out with me here, bastards..."
"Celestial Dragons don't need dogs that bite their masters!"
However, in the very next instant, Doflamingo's smile vanished. His expression turned furious in an instant...
Veins bulged on his forehead, and powerful Haki continuously erupted from beneath his sunglasses. He stared coldly at the two CP0 agents before and behind him and said in an icy voice.
"Uh..."
As Doflamingo flew into a rage...
The expressions of the two CP0 agents abruptly changed, and they immediately wavered.
Although Doflamingo was no longer a Celestial Dragon, he still retained certain Celestial Dragon privileges. His words put the two CP0 agents in an extremely difficult position.
Just as Doflamingo had said, CP0 were merely the Celestial Dragons' dogs! Though Doflamingo was no longer a Celestial Dragon, he still carried Celestial Dragon blood and could be considered half their master.
"Forget it. Going along isn't necessarily a bad thing..."
However, just as Doflamingo was willing to confront CP0 in order to win Crocodile over, the silent Crocodile suddenly spoke.
"Hm?"
Crocodile's words immediately darkened Doflamingo's expression. He had been willing to offend the young master of the Figarland family for Crocodile's sake...
Yet Crocodile, who had just declared that he would never submit to the Celestial Dragons' tyranny, was now saying he wanted to go? Didn't that mean he had not only offended the young master of the Figarland family, but also failed to sell Crocodile a favor?!
Wasn't that trying to steal a chicken only to lose the rice used to lure it, losing both wife and army?
At that thought, Doflamingo's face turned green!
Doflamingo never accepted a losing deal...
"Heh."
Crocodile slightly turned his head, signaling for Doflamingo to take a good look beside them.
"Hm?!"
With a dark expression, Doflamingo followed Crocodile's gaze and turned his head.
Then Doflamingo saw Iron Fist Garp smiling at him beneath the dark, rain-filled clouds, along with Black Arm Zephyr and Vice Admiral Tsuru behind them, wearing a Justice coat over a pink suit and with her hair meticulously groomed.
"..."
Doflamingo fell silent.
He thought, No wonder. No wonder...
Crocodile was indeed bold enough to challenge even Whitebeard...
But he was not an idiot who enjoyed courting death!
With Garp, Zephyr, and Tsuru in front of him, and Sengoku and Steel-Bone Kong behind him, it was as if Marine Headquarters itself had been moved here!
Let alone a mere Crocodile...
Even if Whitebeard and Golden Lion arrived hand in hand, or Roger, who had just been executed by the Marines, came back at full strength, they would still perish here!
Fight? Fight my ass!
This was fucking suicide...
"Don't misunderstand! I'm not scared..." As Doflamingo fell silent, Crocodile, whose face looked disgruntled no matter who he dealt with, said coldly, "I simply want to meet that famous young master of the Figarland family!"
Although today was Crocodile's first time hearing the name Figarland, that did not stop him from feeling heartfelt admiration for the Figarland family.
Ahem...
"This way, please..."
After Crocodile and Doflamingo both settled down...
The CP0 agents finally breathed a sigh of relief. The two first gave Doflamingo and Crocodile slight bows, then gestured for them to proceed.
"..."
For a moment, Doflamingo and Crocodile both fell silent. With circumstances stronger than men, they could only follow CP0 toward a Marine warship docked beside Loguetown.
Before long, the four arrived beside the Marine warship...
Once Doflamingo and Crocodile stood on the warship's deck, they saw a young man wearing a raincoat, with a Marine Justice cap beneath its hood...
Beside that young man stood another young man wearing a scarf and black trench coat, as well as a young man in a cowboy hat whose entire bearing radiated laziness.
"Strong!"
After only one glance, Doflamingo and Crocodile sensed the formidable strength of the three young men before them! There was no question that all three were monsters. Each of them seemed stronger than either Doflamingo or Crocodile...
The young man in the Marine cap swept his sharp, blade-like gaze over Doflamingo and Crocodile and asked coldly, "You are Donquixote Doflamingo and Crocodile?!"
"That's right!"
Doflamingo and Crocodile nodded calmly.
"Heh..." After confirming their identities, the young man lightly nodded at the two CP0 agents who had arrived alongside Doflamingo and Crocodile. "Pass."
And so...
After being repeatedly intimidated, Doflamingo and Crocodile followed CP0 into the cabin of the World Government warship with grave, low-key expressions...
As the two entered the cabin...
They saw a young man with short crimson hair, whose face bore an extraordinary resemblance to Shanks, the apprentice aboard the Roger Pirates, but who wore the Celestial Dragons' exclusive Celestial Dragon attire, clothing resembling a spacesuit.
That young man was naturally Shaya Saint Figarland...
"Heh, my father and the Five Elders are always worried about my safety, so they sent all the fighting power that should have remained at Marine Headquarters to serve as my guards. I hope that didn't scare you two?"
Before Doflamingo and Crocodile could speak, Shaya addressed them first.
"What exactly did you call us here for?"
Doflamingo and Crocodile exchanged a glance before asking Shaya directly.
"Here."
Shaya said nothing more and handed a document to Doflamingo and Crocodile.
"Shichibukai?!"
Doflamingo and Crocodile's pupils narrowed slightly as they looked at the document in their hands.
"Hmm hmm hmm..."
"You've seen it yourselves. The age of pirates will not end because of Roger's death!"
"On the contrary, Roger's death is the key that opens the Great Age of Pirates!"
"Roger used his own death to prove the existence of One Piece. And after his death, the legendary Great Treasure, One Piece, has once more become ownerless!"
"The entire world is now coveting that legendary Great Treasure. From today onward, countless people will raise skull flags and head out to sea in search of treasure every day..."
"Haha, just as you expected, this era is about to descend into chaos. Thus, we of the World Government must also prepare for the arrival of a new era!"
"No matter how chaotic this era becomes, the divine authority of the Celestial Dragons absolutely cannot be shaken..."
Shaya spoke softly to Doflamingo and Crocodile.
"Fufufufu..."
"So your World Government came up with the idea of using pirates against pirates?"
"Letting pirates throw themselves into disorder and wear each other down from within?"
Doflamingo crossed his arms and sneered.
"A good plan, isn't it?"
Shaya looked at Doflamingo and asked in return.
"It certainly is."
"I have no reason to refuse."
At Shaya's question, a smile appeared on Doflamingo's face.
The news Shaya had brought about the Shichibukai was exactly what Doflamingo needed. It was like receiving a pillow just when he was sleepy. Perfect.
"Decisive. I knew I hadn't misjudged you..."
"Choosing the Donquixote family first was indeed the correct decision."
As Shaya spoke, he handed another document to Doflamingo.
"Hm? This is..."
Doflamingo was slightly stunned as he looked at the document Shaya had handed him.
"The king of the Kakapo Valley Kingdom in the South Blue and his entire family, including his eighty-year-old mother, have been sent to Mary Geoise to perform stripteases!"
"The impoverished people of the Kakapo Valley Kingdom have now lost a king, so..."
Shaya looked at Doflamingo and spoke softly.
"Fufufufu..."
"Since we Celestial Dragons have taken a king from those foolish people of the Kakapo Valley Kingdom, we should give them another one!"
"I think those fools would certainly want their next king to be handsome, capable, and able to make every citizen wealthy..."
Doflamingo casually put away the royal appointment issued by the World Government and personally authorized by the Five Elders.
From this day onward, Donquixote Doflamingo would take office as king of the Kakapo Valley Kingdom.
Doflamingo was absolutely a beast, but he was a capable beast!
Although Doflamingo's methods were not clean, during his rule over Dressrosa, all of Dressrosa had prospered like never before, and its citizens' happiness ranked among the highest in the world...
"Pleasure working with you, cousin."
After seeing Doflamingo put away the appointment, Shaya extended his hand with a smile.
"Fufufufu..."
"Pleasure working with you, my brother."
Doflamingo grinned widely.
Because the Celestial Dragons frequently intermarried, Doflamingo and Shaya could indeed be called cousins...
"Since you've become one of the Shichibukai, cousin, remember to go for your annual physical examination!"
"Don't worry. It's just like the Marines. They'll draw some blood and go through the motions..."
Shaya continued, looking at Doflamingo.
"I understand. I understand."
Having received such benefits, Doflamingo nodded lightly.
Only many years later, when Doflamingo saw the Seraphim Shaya had created using his Lineage Factor, did he finally lose the ability to laugh...
"Heh."
Shaya sneered as he looked at Doflamingo, who seemed to have gained an enormous advantage.
The Kakapo Valley Kingdom was already completely under his surveillance. Giving Kakapo Valley to Doflamingo was merely a better way to monitor him...
And from today onward, Shaya would also take a share of all the businesses Doflamingo was involved in.
As for the Paramecia Goro Goro no Mi and other powerful fruits Doflamingo would find later, Shaya would shamelessly accept them all...
Shaya never made a losing deal.
"Next..."
As Shaya spoke, he looked toward the silent Crocodile.
"Crocodile, would you like to cooperate with me?"
Shaya looked at Crocodile and asked.
"Cooperate? On what?"
Crocodile looked at Shaya and asked in return.
"To search for the legendary Ancient Weapons that bear the names of gods..."
"Pluton, capable of completely destroying an island with a single shot!"
Shaya smiled at Crocodile.
"Oh? The legendary Ancient Weapons? Interesting. Do tell me more..."
Crocodile, who had looked indifferent just moments ago, suddenly lit up at Shaya's words and smiled at him.
"Heh heh heh..."
Shaya merely chuckled softly in response.
To be continued, a four-thousand-word chapter~
Before you continue