How Could He Become a Shichibukai?

"Because of Umit?"

Aleus asked.

"With the King of Maritime Transport's corpse beneath your feet, even the Four Emperors can't ignore your existence," Doflamingo said with a laugh.

"Ah—! I don't want those inhuman monsters keeping an eye on me!"

Aleus ran his fingers through his hair, looking thoroughly troubled.

His frown seemed utterly genuine.

"Then there's nothing to be done. What happened today can't be printed directly in the papers, but the news will spread before tomorrow. By tonight, all the powers of the New World will know your name, Prince Aleus, your deeds, and...the birth of a new kingpin. Allow me to offer my congratulations in advance, Your Highness, the future King of Maritime Transport."

Doflamingo raised his glass and offered Aleus his congratulations.

The fall of an Underworld kingpin was undoubtedly big enough news to send shockwaves through the New World.

Unfortunately, though,

something like this couldn't be reported directly in the papers. Morgans was himself one of the Underworld's kingpins, and he knew very well that the Underworld was called the Underworld because its members hid in the darkness, out of sight.

Once something made it into the papers and came to light,

the Marines would no longer be able to turn a blind eye.

Even though simply cracking down on pirates already stretched the Marines thin, they still had to muster enough strength to strike the Underworld and inflict real damage on it—to preserve their rule, uphold their ideals, and maintain the Marines' credibility.

That was something the Underworld's kingpins didn't want to see.

The Big News Morgans would gladly publicize everything Doflamingo did as a Shichibukai, even what brand of toilet paper he used, but he would never reveal in the papers that Doflamingo was also Joker.

So,

Umit's death was certain to stir up a storm in the New World, creating waves that towered to the heavens.

But the newspapers circulated around the world wouldn't mention a dead King of Maritime Transport at all.

"Clink—"

Their glasses met,

and crimson wine swirled rapidly in the glasses.

Aleus took a sip of the red wine he didn't much care for. He had no particular love of alcoholic drinks and couldn't tell good wine from bad. He paid no attention to the fine wine in his glass, only looking at Doflamingo across from him as he asked:

"Not planning to claim a share for yourself, Mr. Joker?"

He used the same title he had used when they spoke over Den Den Mushi.

"Fufufufu!!!" Doflamingo laughed merrily. "The King of Maritime Transport's estate is certainly rich enough to make anyone want to take a bite. But...I have no plans to become another stepping-stone beneath your feet, Prince Aleus. For now, the identity of Joker is enough for me. Too much greed will leave you with a stomachache."

"That's a shame! To be honest, Umit left behind such a huge inheritance that I hardly know where to begin. I'd have liked Mr. Joker to join me as a partner in taking over maritime transport in the New World."

Doflamingo made no reply to Aleus's feigned naivety.

After seeing Aleus crush Umit, he had no intention of provoking this little monster. Rather than recklessly stepping forward to pick a fight with uncertain odds, he'd wait and see whether the Four Emperors accepted Aleus as the new King of Maritime Transport.

Especially since Umit, strictly speaking, had been one of Big Mom's business partners. Defeating him meant cutting off a huge source of income for the Big Mom Pirates, along with a very convenient supply route, and it was still unclear what would happen next—

"By the way, Mr. Joker, I'd like to ask you one more thing."

"Oh? What is it?"

Doflamingo looked over, curious.

"How could I become a Shichibukai?"

"......" Doflamingo stared blankly for a moment at Aleus's question, but soon his eyebrows shot up and a brilliant smile spread across his face. A burst of delighted laughter rang from his mouth. "Fufufufufu!!!"

Aleus listened quietly to Doflamingo's laughter, gently swirling his glass as his gaze followed the crimson wine, spinning faster or slower with each shift of his wrist.

"That question—ah! What a wonderfully unexpected question!"

At last,

Doflamingo finished laughing and took a sip of wine to calm his surging emotions. Once he'd regained his composure, he said, "Prince Aleus, becoming a Shichibukai is actually quite simple. You just have to be a pirate with enough influence, and be willing to answer the World Government's call and serve it when the time comes. That more or less covers the requirements."

"Oh, and there has to be an open seat among the Shichibukai. If all the seats are filled, you'll have to find a way to make someone leave."

"Hmm, that sounds like a bit of a hassle!"

"It can be a real pain. I had to put in plenty of thought and effort myself before I finally got my hands on the title."

"Do I have to steal some Heavenly Tribute too? Well, if I did that, I bet the Three Admirals would dig up our family's graves the very next second..." Aleus rubbed his chin, seriously considering how he might obtain a seat among the Shichibukai.

The theft of the Heavenly Tribute had once caused a huge uproar. Anyone who wanted to learn about Doflamingo couldn't avoid the incident that had rocked the entire world.

Doflamingo watched him for more than ten seconds, wondering if Aleus wasn't just speaking on a sudden whim. Could this prince, who wasn't even a pirate, really be planning to become a Shichibukai?

"Prince Aleus, are you really planning to pursue a seat among the Shichibukai?"

Doflamingo asked bluntly.

"Yeah!"

Aleus answered just as directly.

"......Fufufu! Interesting! Very interesting!" Doflamingo looked at Aleus, finding this prince he'd just met more and more to his liking. He loved troublemakers who had the ability to back themselves up.

It was thanks to troublemakers like them that the world wasn't so boring.

That it wasn't turned into a still, lifeless pond by Mary Geoise.

"The Shichibukai are all accounted for right now, Prince Aleus. You're not planning to make me leave, are you?"

"Of course not!"

Aleus shook his head emphatically. "Even just for the sake of today's banquet, I'd never make such a heartless choice. I'm planning to ask the Sea Knight to give up his seat." At last, he revealed the target he had chosen after careful consideration.

"Jinbe? That blue-skinned Fish-Man?"

Doflamingo narrowed his eyes and considered the options. He had to admit that it was a good choice. Among the original Shichibukai, that bastard Sand Crocodile, the Empress of Amazon Lily, that Onion Head Gekko Moria, and the silent monster known as the Tyrant were all outside the New World. Going after them would be a troublesome business in itself.

Besides,

Hawk Eyes, that freak who could stand shoulder to shoulder with the Four Emperors, was obviously the first one he couldn't choose. That left himself and Jinbe, the big blue Fish-Man.

Thinking it over,

the Sea Knight Jinbe really was the easiest one to bully.

And since he'd already thought this far, it seemed the Black Prince Aleus had been plotting this for a long time and had come prepared!