War Was About to Begin

Sitting on the throne in the palace of Dressrosa, Doflamingo held the Den Den Mushi reserved for the Shichibukai and said:

"Fleet Admiral Sengoku, when are your Marines going to arrive? If you don't get here soon, the Jujutsu Pirates will leave!"

"Don't blame me for failing to stop them then!"

Hearing Doflamingo's urging, Sengoku deliberately said:

"What? You, the man called the Heavenly Yaksha, can't even stop a mere rookie pirate crew?"

"Even your Marine Admiral couldn't stop them. How could I? Wouldn't you agree, Fleet Admiral Sengoku?"

Doflamingo gave as good as he got, deliberately bringing up the Marine Admiral's defeat.

"Don't worry. Our Marines will be there soon. If you want to keep your Shichibukai title, hold them there until we arrive!"

Clack!

Doflamingo didn't answer. He simply tossed the Den Den Mushi aside.

"Hello? Hello? Hello?"

Clack!

When no one answered, Fleet Admiral Sengoku flung his Den Den Mushi aside as well.

"Bastards! They're all a bunch of incorrigible fools!"

The rest area at the Corrida Colosseum.

Satoru Gojo and Rebecca sat side by side.

"Do you know where the Flame-Flame Fruit is?"

"In the past, the Colosseum's prizes would be placed on the awards podium, but not this time."

"Have you seen the Flame-Flame Fruit?"

"No!"

"So you're saying none of you have even seen the Flame-Flame Fruit, but you're risking your lives in these fights?"

"What's wrong? Do you think there's something wrong with the Flame-Flame Fruit?"

"It might be fake!"

"Fake? No way!"

Satoru Gojo continued, "When did this tournament start?"

"They announced it yesterday afternoon, and it started this morning. It feels different from before. This time, it's a bit rushed."

"It certainly is. With a prize like the Flame-Flame Fruit, they wouldn't rush a tournament like this. There's no time for word to spread, and far fewer people would be able to participate! They couldn't maximize their profits. Doflamingo wouldn't make a mistake like that!"

"Does Doflamingo have some purpose in doing this?"

"Perhaps!"

With too little information, Satoru Gojo wasn't sure of Doflamingo's objective either.

"Ring, ring! Ring, ring!"

Satoru Gojo's phone rang.

"What's that ringing on you?"

"It's my phone."

"Phone?"

Satoru Gojo took out his phone. It was Sasuke calling.

"Hey, Sasuke. What's up?"

"I just caught someone sneaking around and following me. He said Doflamingo sent him to keep watch on us."

"Are you sure?"

"I interrogated him using Genjutsu. The information should be accurate."

"All right. Got it."

Satoru Gojo hung up.

Hearing Sasuke's confirmation, Satoru Gojo sank into thought.

This tournament for the Flame-Flame Fruit was so rushed. Announced yesterday, started today-and we happened to arrive today. It's almost as if it was prepared specifically for our Jujutsu Pirates!

And now he's sent people to watch the Jujutsu Pirates' crew members.

I see. Are we Doflamingo's target?

That doesn't add up either. If he's trying to deal with us, these methods are useless. He should know that perfectly well!

Then what is he doing this for?

Assuming Doflamingo is targeting us, he's holding the Flame-Flame Fruit tournament to lure us into taking it.

But the Flame-Flame Fruit wasn't placed on the awards podium like the prizes in the past.

Even if Doflamingo doesn't have the Flame-Flame Fruit, he could put a fake there, but he hasn't.

He must be afraid we'll snatch it outright and discover it's fake.

But he should have another purpose, too.

After all, once we win the tournament, he'll still have to produce the Flame-Flame Fruit, and the truth will come out then.

Why exactly is he so determined to make our Jujutsu Pirates enter the tournament?

To buy time!!!

A realization flashed through Satoru Gojo's mind.

That means he's confident he can defeat us as long as he keeps us here.

But how, exactly?

Does he have help?

Kaido of the Four Emperors?

Impossible. His relationship with Kaido is under wraps. He can't expose it, or the Marines won't let him off easily.

Then there's only one possibility for who's helping him! The Marines!

If that's the case, it all makes sense.

"So you're working with the Marines. You've fallen low, Doflamingo."

"Working with the Marines? You mean Doflamingo?"

"Yes. He's probably working with the Marines, and his target is our Jujutsu Pirates!"

"Are your Jujutsu Pirates that powerful? Doflamingo only dares to attack you with the Marines' help?"

"Ha!"

Satoru Gojo chuckled and said:

"With me, the World's Strongest, here, the Jujutsu Pirates are invincible. Wouldn't you call that powerful?"

"The World's Strongest? Keep bragging!"

Rebecca clearly didn't believe what Satoru Gojo said.

"Ring, ring! Ring, ring!"

Satoru Gojo's phone rang again. It was Lucci calling.

"Hey, Lucci. Any news?"

"We've located Doflamingo's officer Sugar. Kaku is following her."

"Have all the Visual Den Den Mushi been set up?"

"Everything is ready. We can broadcast at any time!"

"Good. Tell Esdeath, Sasuke, and Enel to head to the Royal Palace of Dressrosa. The six of you are to proceed according to plan."

"Yes. I'll get right on it," Lucci said over the phone.

After hanging up, Satoru Gojo's lips curved slightly upward.

"War is about to begin!"

With that, Satoru Gojo stood and walked forward.

"War is about to begin?! What do you mean? You're going to attack Doflamingo now?"

"That's right. Everything is ready. All that's left is to take the Royal Palace!"

"They have so many people. How many do you have?"

"Let me think. Four?!"

"What?! Four?! You're going to attack the Royal Palace with just four people?! Do you know how many people Doflamingo has? He doesn't just have several powerful officers-he has plenty of troops, too! How could the four of you possibly win?"

To Rebecca, Satoru Gojo's plan to take the Royal Palace of Dressrosa with four people was pure fantasy.

This was Doflamingo of the Shichibukai! The terrifying man who had seized the Dressrosa Kingdom.

He had vast influence, strength in numbers, and extraordinary fighting power. Not one of his subordinates was easy to deal with.

Even after witnessing Satoru Gojo's formidable strength, Rebecca didn't believe just four people could capture the Royal Palace of Dressrosa while Doflamingo and his subordinates guarded it.

"It's all right, because..."

Faced with Rebecca's attempts to dissuade him, Satoru Gojo stopped, looked back, and said:

"I'm the strongest!"