Shichibukai Meeting

Marine Headquarters, Marineford.

Aside from Boa Hancock and Gecko Moria, all the Shichibukai had gathered together.

"The main purpose of summoning everyone here today is to discuss candidates for the two vacant Shichibukai positions."

Sengoku sat at the head of the table and spoke forcefully, his expression extremely solemn.

"Hehehehe~ Seems like two people still haven't arrived!" Doffy smiled wickedly, casually propping both feet on the table and exposing his sexy leg hair for all to see.

"Watch your behavior, Doflamingo! This is precisely why everyone was summoned here. According to information from Hogback, one of Gecko Moria's subordinates, Moria has been confirmed killed; Empress Boa Hancock withdrew from the Shichibukai several days ago."

"Both incidents are connected to the same person: the heinous wanted criminal, God Yake."

"Boa Hancock and her base, Amazon Lily, have now vanished without a trace. According to her own statement, she has joined the Ark Pirates founded by God Yake."

Sengoku solemnly relayed the intelligence gathered by the Marines to all the Shichibukai present. Boa Hancock joining Yake's pirate crew was obviously not good news for the Marines.

"God Yake? That Rumble-Rumble Fruit user!" Doffy's expression changed. Judging from his exploits in the newspapers alone, he was a lawless man with an extremely troublesome ability.

Tyrant Bartholomew Kuma lowered his head and looked at the book with "BLBLE" on its cover, saying nothing. At this time, Kuma's personality was still intact, and in his view, this God Yake might not be "their" enemy.

"That damned bastard again..." Crocodile clutched the wound on his chest, which seemed to still ache faintly.

Jinbe also remained silent. He had only met God Yake some time ago.

Dracule Mihawk, the world's greatest swordsman, seemed somewhat absent-minded. If Yake was not a swordsman, Mihawk had no interest in him whatsoever.

"Therefore, we will strip the Empress of her Shichibukai title and list her as a wanted criminal once more, with a bounty of eight hundred million Beli."

Hancock's original bounty had been eighty million Beli, but that was merely the bounty she received when she first went to sea at eighteen. Even then, she had already mastered all three forms of Haki. Nearly ten years had passed since then, and she had joined the pirate crew of a World Government enemy like God Yake, so this amount was not exaggerated.

"Eight hundred million, hmmhmmhmm~ What an expensive head!"

"Alright, that concludes this matter. This information will be distributed across the seas tomorrow. Next is the matter of new Shichibukai candidates. Do you have anyone to recommend?"

The air suddenly fell into an eerie silence. Sengoku did not mind; they were only making suggestions, after all. Whether someone could truly become a Shichibukai was another matter entirely.

"Since none of you have anyone to recommend, I'll put forward a candidate and see what everyone thinks."

"Portgas D. Ace, captain of the Spade Pirates. He is a Logia-type Flame-Flame Fruit user and a rising newcomer who has recently been making waves."

"No objections."

"Whatever."

"The Flame-Flame Fruit? Heh, no objections."

No one present objected to Ace becoming a Shichibukai. The fact that he was a Logia-type user, and one with the highly destructive Flame-Flame Fruit at that, was enough to ensure his lower limit would not be low.

"Excellent. Then we will send Ace an invitation. If there is nothing else, this meeting is adjourned!"

The Shichibukai gradually left. Doflamingo strutted out of Marineford with his Doflamingo walk, his attitude utterly arrogant.

"This sea is getting more and more interesting. Hmmhmmhmm, hahaha~"

There was actually one more thing Sengoku had not revealed: Yake's challenge against Whitebeard. According to a spy within the Whitebeard Pirates, Yake had stabbed Whitebeard clean through the chest with a single slash, while Whitebeard had merely knocked Yake unconscious with one punch. Although Yake had not joined Whitebeard's crew, he was on good terms with members of the Whitebeard Pirates and even Whitebeard himself. Most importantly, he was Pluton Rayleigh's adopted son.

The Marines had learned this information long ago, but matters concerning Yake had to be reported to the World Government, which was why his bounty had not been updated...

The next day, news birds flew in flocks toward every corner of the world.

The newspaper had three headlines, roughly as follows:

Shocking! How could two Shichibukai end up like this?

Shocking! Whitebeard stood still and was pierced through by God Yake's single slash!

Shocking! The Ark Pirates' bounties revealed!

This was the shock-style headline devised by some genius reporter, which greatly boosted newspaper sales. It was said that Morgans had promoted the reporter, raised his salary, made him editor-in-chief, and that he married a beautiful rich woman and reached the pinnacle of life!

Whitebeard had clearly won, yet the Marines' propaganda made it seem as though he had lost, all to damage Whitebeard's prestige.

Then the entire Ark Pirates crew was given bounties, including the Boa sisters.

Ark Pirates

Captain: GOD ARK

Extremely Dangerous: ONLY DEAD

Bounty: 2400000000 Beli

Devil Child: Nico Robin

Extremely Dangerous: ONLY DEAD

Bounty: 100000000 Beli

Pink Poison: Vinsmoke Reiju

Extremely Dangerous: ONLY ALIVE

Bounty: 120000000 Beli

Ghost Princess: Perona

Extremely Dangerous: DEAD OR ALIVE

Bounty: 30000000 Beli

Fish-Loving Anna

Pet: DEAD OR ALIVE

Bounty: 500 Beli

Empress: Boa Hancock

Extremely Dangerous: DEAD OR ALIVE

Bounty: 800000000 Beli

Green Python: Boa Sandersonia

Extremely Dangerous: DEAD OR ALIVE

Bounty: 60000000 Beli

King Cobra: Boa Marigold

Extremely Dangerous: DEAD OR ALIVE

Bounty: 60000000 Beli

Several days earlier, the Marines had called and ordered Hancock to attend the Shichibukai meeting. Under Yake's instructions, she directly announced her withdrawal from the Shichibukai and joined Yake's Ark Pirates. That was also why the Marines counted the Boa sisters as part of Yake's pirate crew.

In truth, the Empress's Kuja Pirates had not directly joined Yake. They had joined in the form of a division, but Yake did not care. After all, they were family to begin with.

"Gurararara~ That brat is really lustful. All his crew members are girls, hahaha!" Whitebeard, covered in needles, laughed as he looked at the Ark Pirates' wanted posters. With a casual motion, he blocked Ace's deadly sneak attack from the shadows and knocked him to the ground.

"Damn it, Pops, the Marines actually dared to slander you. You clearly knocked that brat Yake unconscious with one punch..." Marco, a truly filial son, was furious at the Marines' report and strongly demanded they storm Marineford and slap Sengoku several times across the face.

"Gurararara, it's alright, Marco~" Whitebeard did not care in the slightest. The Marines had no tricks beyond that.

Ace, who had been knocked down by one punch and lay in the corner, fell into self-doubt...