Tom scratched his head. "This really... startled me a little. I thought you two were partners, so I was worried for a moment."
"No, Enel is a companion who grew up alongside me. Making him a Shichibukai was just to make things more convenient," Dawn explained.
"There's more besides that." Dawn smiled mysteriously. "But please allow me to keep it confidential. The only thing I can guarantee is that the funding is absolutely sufficient."
After Enel stepped forward and revealed the forces under his command to Tom, everything naturally went smoothly.
They had strength when they needed strength, and influence when they needed influence. With two figures at the Admiral level, plus Trick, Wapol, and Chloe, those five alone would be enough to take on the Four Emperors head-on.
Having been slightly suppressed by Kizaru, Enel had been holding back his frustration lately. He had been developing his lightning body-tempering ability quite a bit.
Tom was shocked by the power Dawn had accumulated and the sheer scale of his forces. The mafia factions of the entire West Blue, the new generation of the Marines, and the power of two kingdoms were all at his disposal.
And judging from Dawn's words, there were other hidden forces as well. How could Tom not be astonished?
But that also proved from another angle that everything Dawn had said was practical and feasible, not a rash decision made in a moment of impulse.
Every step he took had been planned out.
Dawn also signed a Contract with Tom, allowing him to personally experience the confidentiality measures Dawn and the others used, resolving Tom's concerns.
As for gaining his approval, that had been the easiest part. Hadn't Tom barely mentioned it after meeting Dawn?
For others, getting Tom to help wholeheartedly might have been difficult.