A chilling, icy, domineering aura permeated the quiet dining hall.
The members of the Vinsmoke Family looked grim at that moment.
The World's Strongest Man had made his stance clear the moment he arrived, and his forcefulness was suffocating.
His words left no room for even the slightest hesitation.
The air seemed frozen, so quiet that a falling pin would have been audible. Only the clinking of Cavendish's knife and fork against his plate broke the silence as he ate.
"Huh?"
Cavendish looked up blankly and glanced around.
"Why did it suddenly get so quiet?"
But he paid it no mind and lowered his head to keep eating.
With Boss River here, any situation could be resolved. He had nothing to worry about.
After a long while, Vinsmoke Judge finally drew a deep breath and sighed, his expression complicated. "What can you offer us?"
"As king, I know that the Vinsmoke Family has always worked to restore its former glory-its dominion over the North Blue."
"Likewise, I can guarantee that the Dressrosa Kingdom will grow ever stronger."
"In time, we will rule the New World, the Four Seas, and the Grand Line."
"When that day comes, I naturally won't be able to govern this vast world alone!"
"The North Blue will need a king as well."
Those casually spoken words made Judge's eyes narrow, and a thoughtful expression appeared on his face.
The man before him had ambitions encompassing the entire world, rather than merely pursuing the title of Pirate King like the Four Emperors.
That was a fundamental difference.
As for handing the North Blue over to him to govern after conquering the world, that was little more than an empty promise. By then, he would probably still have to serve under River.
But that was no issue. In