How to Become a Shichibukai?

"Because of Umit?"

Aleus asked.

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

"Ah—! I don't want to be stared at by those inhuman monsters!"

Aleus grabbed his hair in distress.

His grimacing expression looked so genuine.

"Then there's no helping it. What happened today can't be directly printed in the newspaper, but before tomorrow, tonight, the various powers of the New World will know Prince Aleus's name, your deeds, and... the birth of a new giant. Allow me to offer my congratulations in advance, Your Excellency the future King of Maritime Transport."

Doflamingo raised his wine glass and offered his congratulations to Aleus.

The fall of a Dark World giant was undoubtedly a piece of news enough to shake the New World.

But unfortunately, Such a thing couldn't be put directly in the newspaper. Morgans himself was also one of the Dark World's giants, and he knew very well why the Dark World was called the Dark World, the underworld—because they hid in the shadows where light didn't reach.

Once it hit the newspaper and saw the light, The Navy couldn't pretend to be deaf and dumb anymore.

Even just cracking down on pirates already strained the Navy's strength, but to maintain their authority, their justice, and their credibility, they still had to squeeze out enough power to deal a substantial blow to the Dark World.

That wasn't something the Dark World's giants wanted to see.

Morgans, that big newsman, would go all out to publicize what Doflamingo did as a Shichibukai, what brand of toilet paper he liked to use, but he never once revealed in the newspaper Doflamingo's identity as Joker.

So, Umit's death would inevitably stir up monstrous waves and towering billows in the New World.

But the newspapers sent across the world wouldn't mention a single word about a dead King of Maritime Transport.

"Clink~~"

The glasses clinked, The scarlet wine swirled rapidly in the cups.

Aleus took a sip of the red wine he didn't much like. He had no strong fondness for alcoholic drinks, couldn't tell good wine from bad, and paid no attention to the fine vintage in his glass. He just looked at Doflamingo standing across from him and asked:

"Not planning to take a share, Mr. Joker?"

He used the same title he'd used during their Den Den Mushi conversation.

"Fufufu!!!" Doflamingo laughed with immense delight. "The King of Maritime Transport's legacy is certainly rich enough to make anyone want to bite into it, but... I'm not about to become the next stepping stone beneath Prince Aleus's feet. The Joker identity is enough for me right now. Too much greed will burst your stomach."

"What a pity then! Honestly, the legacy Umit left behind is so vast it's hard to know where to start. I was really hoping Mr. Joker could join me as a partner in taking over the New World's maritime transport."

Doflamingo gave no response to Aleus's feigned ignorance.

Having witnessed the scene of Umit being crushed by Aleus, he had absolutely no intention of getting into any conflict with this little monster now. Rather than force his way in as an uncertain frontrunner, it was better to first see whether Aleus, the new King of Maritime Transport, could gain recognition from the Four Emperors.

Especially since Umit was, strictly speaking, one of BIG's partners. Defeating Umit was equivalent to cutting off a huge chunk of the BIG Pirates' income and a very convenient supply channel. It was still unclear where things would go from here—

"By the way, one more thing to ask, Mr. Joker."

"Oh? What?"

Doflamingo looked over curiously.

"What do I have to do to become a Shichibukai?"

"..." Hearing Aleus's question, Doflamingo was stunned for a moment, but soon his eyebrows shot up, a brilliant smile spread across his face, and he let out a delighted laugh. "Fufufufufu!!!"

Aleus quietly listened to Doflamingo's loud laughter, gently swirling the wine glass in his hand, his gaze always following the scarlet liquid spinning faster or slower with the force.

"That question, ah! That's a good question I never expected at all!"

Finally, Having laughed enough, Doflamingo took a sip of wine to calm his stirred emotions, steadied himself a bit, and then said: "Prince Aleus, becoming a Shichibukai is actually very simple. As long as you're a pirate with enough influence and are willing to accept the World Government's summons to serve them at special times, that's pretty much all the conditions you need to gather."

"Oh, and there has to be a vacancy among the Shichibukai. If it's full, you'll have to find a way to make someone step down."

"Hmm, sounds a bit troublesome!"

"It is quite a hassle. I put a lot of thought and effort into getting this title myself, barely managed to snag it."

"So do I have to go rob some Heavenly Tribute too? Hmm, I figure if I did that, the next second the Three Admirals would dig up my family's ancestral grave..." Aleus rubbed his chin, seriously pondering how to secure a Shichibukai seat.

The incident of robbing the Heavenly Tribute had once caused a huge uproar. Anyone wanting to understand Doflamingo couldn't avoid that world-shaking event.

Doflamingo watched for over ten seconds, feeling that Aleus didn't seem to be acting on a whim? Could this prince, who wasn't even a pirate, really be planning to obtain the Shichibukai identity?

"Prince Aleus, are you truly seeking the Shichibukai identity?"

Doflamingo asked bluntly.

"Yeah!"

Aleus replied just as directly.

"...Fufufu! Interesting! Interesting!" Doflamingo looked at Aleus, finding this prince he was meeting for the first time more and more to his taste. He loved these kinds of troublemakers with real skill.

It is precisely because of these troublemakers that this world does not become too dull.

That it does not become a stagnant, lifeless pool of water under the Holy Land Mary Geoise.

"Currently, the Shichibukai are at full capacity, Prince Aleus. You wouldn't be planning to kick me out, would you?"

"How could that be?"

Aleus shook his head vigorously. "Even if only for the sake of tonight's banquet, I wouldn't make such a heartless choice. I was planning to have the [Sea Knight] vacate his seat for me." He finally revealed the target he had chosen after careful deliberation.

"Jinbe? That blue-skinned fish-man?"

Doflamingo narrowed his eyes and pondered for a moment, forced to admit it was indeed a good choice. Among the original Shichibukai members, that bastard Sand Crocodile, the Empress of Amazon Lily, that onion-head Gekko Moria, and that taciturn monster the Tyrant were all not in the New World. Picking a fight with them would be a hassle in itself.

Besides that, Hawk Eyes, that freak who could rival the Four Emperors, was naturally the first one to rule out. That left him and that blue-skinned fat fish-man Jinbe.

Thinking it through this way, the [Sea Knight] Jinbe was indeed the easiest to bully.

Moreover, since he had already considered it to this extent, this Black Prince Aleus had clearly been scheming and preparing for a long time!