Reactions from All Sides

Sengoku tapped the table. "I'm not sure, but I have a proposal. He isn't a pirate right now, and he doesn't currently harbor hostility toward the Marines or the World Government. On top of that, he's the one who killed Donquixote Doflamingo. His strength is sufficient, and he made a name for himself through this incident. Though he's alone, the Shichibukai do have exceptions..."

Sengoku looked at everyone. "How about trying to invite him to become a Shichibukai?"

There was also a lone wolf among the Shichibukai: the World's Greatest Swordsman, Hawk-Eye Dracule Mihawk!

Adding another lone wolf would not be a problem.

There had originally been six members of the Shichibukai. Now that Donquixote Doflamingo had been killed, another position had opened up and naturally needed to be filled.

However, there were far too few people qualified to become a Shichibukai. The requirements were too stringent.

Sengoku had always kept an eye on people with formidable strength and influence. Fire Fist Ace was also someone he had his eye on, which was why he had sent Onigumo to capture Fire Fist Ace.

Capturing him would have been ideal. If not, then... he had planned to invite Fire Fist Ace to become the final Shichibukai. However, the matter of Donquixote Doflamingo had delayed things, and Fire Fist Ace's trail had vanished as well...

The World Government was pressing hard. Now that the Four Emperors' balance in the New World had taken shape, they needed to settle matters on the Shichibukai side quickly as well...

"The Shichibukai?" Aokiji raised his head to look at Sengoku. "Although that guy is strong enough, isn't it a bit too much to make someone whose background and identity we know nothing about into a Shichibukai?"

Every position among the Shichibukai was of tremendous importance. They could not be handed out so easily.

The right to plunder legally without being arrested by the Marines was still highly tempting to pirates. Many people wanted to become Shichibukai.

However, the Marines and the World Government controlled those positions!

The Marines could make nominations, but the final decision rested with the World Government.

Only after the World Government gave its approval would it be finalized and announced to the entire world.

At the mention of the Shichibukai, Akainu frowned. He was extremely opposed to this policy and spoke coldly. "Because of the Shichibukai system, many civilians around the world are already cursing the Marines. Are we really going to keep this going?"

Sengoku looked at Akainu and shook his head. "This was proposed by the World Government. We have no way to oppose it."

"Tch..." Akainu clicked his tongue, still displeased inside. But his authority was lower than Sengoku's. If even Sengoku could do nothing about it, then neither could he.

Vice Admiral Tsuru glanced over the crowd and said, "Let's observe him first. Don't make a rash decision. The timing of this person's appearance is too coincidental, making him hard to judge. If he's a spy planted by someone else, it would be troublesome."

Sengoku nodded. "That's all we can do. We won't discuss this matter for now. Let's see what this person does next."

Once Sengoku spoke, no one else raised any objections.

The meeting continued, discussing other matters—the Four Emperors' balance in the New World, Shichibukai nominations, and more...

Elsewhere in the world.

News that Donquixote Doflamingo had been killed in the first half of the Grand Line spread throughout the world via newspapers!

It caused a tremendous stir across the entire world!

New World, Totto Land, Whole Cake Island.

At that moment, dark clouds blanketed the sky above Whole Cake Island. Thunder flashed and lightning roared, making it seem like the castle of a demon king!

Big Mom, Charlotte Linlin, one of the Four Emperors, looked at the newspaper with a chilling gleam in her eyes. "That Heavenly Yaksha actually got killed in the first half of the Grand Line? Then... who will continue our deal now?"

The Big Mom Pirates and the Donquixote Family had a cooperative relationship.

Weapons and equipment such as firearms, cannonballs, and gunpowder were all purchased from Donquixote Doflamingo...

Moreover, the two sides had secretly been conducting human experimentation, attempting to gigantify humans. Charlotte Linlin's nation had every race except giants.

It could be said that giants were Charlotte Linlin's obsession...

Perospero, the Minister of Candy, wiped away his sweat and said, "Now that Donquixote Doflamingo is dead, our dealings with the Donquixote Family will definitely be affected. They may even be unable to continue. I'll contact the Donquixote Family as soon as possible..."

Charlotte Linlin turned her gaze toward Perospero. Under the pressure of a Four Emperor, she said coldly, "You must handle this matter properly."

"Y-Yes, Mama." Perospero lowered his head, not daring to meet Charlotte Linlin's eyes.

Charlotte Linlin continued, "Keep an eye on that brat. If he dares enter the New World, capture him for me. That damned bastard dared ruin my plans. I won't let him go!"

Snack, one of the Sweet Commanders, nodded. "If he dares show up in the New World, I'll capture him!"

Snack had only recently become a Sweet Commander. Having just attained the position, his confidence had swelled, and he wanted to perform well before his mother.

To secure his position.

"Mamamama, then I'll leave it to you, Snack!" Charlotte Linlin grinned broadly, then slapped her large hand down. "Where are my sweets? Bring me my sweets. I want sweets..."

New World, Wano Country. This was the territory of Kaido, one of the Four Emperors.

On Onigashima, Kaido took a drink and looked at the newspaper in his hand, his expression turning incomparably grim. "That Heavenly Yaksha actually died in the first half of the Grand Line? Who did it?"

Kaido was equally furious. He had also worked with Donquixote Doflamingo.

It was related to artificial Devil Fruits.

Now that Donquixote Doflamingo was dead, who would provide him with materials?

"An unknown person. There's no information about him in the newspaper." King the Conflagration, one of the Three Calamities, also flipped through the newspaper in his hand. But when he saw Ian's photograph, his hand unconsciously tightened, crumpling the paper.

Flames surged from his body with a whoosh, and his eyes turned cold.

"Hm? King, what's wrong?" Kaido wiped the liquor from the corner of his mouth and looked at King.

"I didn't expect there to be survivors from that race... the Olycia Tribe." King drew a deep breath. Looking at Ian's photo, his gaze focused mainly on Ian's three teardrop-shaped beauty marks.

"Oh? The Olycia Tribe? I remember they were a race from the same place as your Lunaria people?" Kaido also looked at Ian in the newspaper.

"Yeah. I didn't expect that, like me, someone from that tribe had survived..." A chill flashed through King's eyes as he spoke flatly, though his tone was icy.

"You want to make a move?" Sensing the killing intent coming from King, Kaido looked at him in surprise.

"We'll see when the time comes. As long as he doesn't appear before me, I can't be bothered to seek trouble with him. It's rare for someone from that country to have survived until now..." King raised his head toward the Red Line and let out a breath. The flames around him died down as well.