Just kill a Shichibukai, then. No problem, right?

"I've heard a great deal about you, Marshal Sengoku of the Marines. Your Headquarters Vice Admiral, Mr. Doberman, is our prisoner now. We'd like to know whether the Marines are willing to ransom him."

"Doberman was captured? How disappointing. Speak, you scum of the sea. What do you want?"

"How about giving us an island as our territory?"

"Impossible. Only the Shichibukai can have territory recognized by the Marines. Nameless scum like you have no right to demand territory, even if you somehow got lucky and captured a Headquarters Vice Admiral!"

Far away at Marine Headquarters, Fleet Admiral Sengoku roared into the Den Den Mushi, his face dark with anger. Some pirates of unknown origin had actually captured a Vice Admiral from Marine Headquarters. This absolutely could not be allowed to become public knowledge. The best solution was to strike a deal with the pirates.

But he could not agree to the pirates' demands right from the start, or the Marines would be seen as weak and easily bullied. Then it would not stop at the capture of a single Marine Headquarters Vice Admiral. The pirates might launch a new frenzy, taking pride in capturing Marine officers.

So, to prevent that from happening, Sengoku could only reject the pirates' demands first.

And under the rules of the sea, only the Shichibukai had the right to negotiate with the Marines and the World Government. Only the Shichibukai were recognized by the Marines as pirates who could legally hold territory. All other pirates, even the Four Emperors, were regarded by the Marines as evil scum that had to be eradicated.

Setting down the Den Den Mushi, Uchiha Jobu looked Doberman over and sneered. "Looks like you don't have much standing at Marine Headquarters. Even Marshal Sengoku isn't willing to save you. In