"In that case, might I be permitted to sit in as well?"
An eccentric, sibilant voice drifted into the room. Everyone looked up to see a figure perched nonchalantly upon the massive window frame.
"Who are you!?" barked the officer who had previously been under Doflamingo's control.
"I never imagined I would set eyes upon so many influential figures at once. If you wouldn't mind, could you listen to a humble request of mine?"
Laffitte dropped to the floor and broke into a jaunty, rhythmic tap dance. Click-clack, click-clack!
"Hah?"
The corner of Doflamingo's eye twitched behind his sunglasses. Mad Treasure lowered his shades to get a better look at this skeletal, pale man who exuded such an eerie aura of stealth.
Laffitte twirled his cane twice and came to a halt. Placing the cane behind his back with one hand and tipping his hat with the other, he bowed. "Please... by all means... allow me to participate in this meeting."
"You—you're Laffitte!" the officer suddenly cried out in shock.
"Laffitte?" Sengoku muttered, perplexed. He hadn't heard of this particular figure.
The officer explained, "The notorious sheriff from the West Blue. He was exiled for the excessive use of violence."
"Oh ho ho! I'm surprised anyone here remembers my name. But that's all ancient history; it hardly matters." Laffitte smiled thinly. "Actually, I came here to recommend a certain man. I hope to see him appointed as a Warlord."
Beep-beep-beep-beep—
Suddenly, an alarm blared. Having his meeting interrupted repeatedly was making Sengoku increasingly livid. "What is it now?!" his voice thundered.
A massive roar erupted from outside. A Major sitting at the conference table rushed to the window. After a few seconds, he turned back, his face pale with terror. "An intruder! Fleet Admiral Sengoku! We have an intruder!"
Laffitte was momentarily stunned. He hadn't expected to have "company." How did they get here? Did they possess flight abilities like his own?
BOOM!!!
A massive, muscular body, towering even over the three-meter-tall Doflamingo, crashed down from the sky, nearly crushing the windowsill.
Everyone finally saw the intruder's true face. Though he was undeniably hideous, the sheer pressure radiating from his body was not to be underestimated.
"Mommy, mommy! So this is Mariejois, right? Now I can finally become a Warlord, right?"
Weevil clamored loudly. Mad Treasure let out a mocking sneer. "To think a complete idiot would be the one to invade Mariejois."
"Hmph! My darling, teach him a lesson."
Suddenly, a diminutive figure emerged from behind Weevil's back, it was Miss Buckin.
"Okay, Mommy," Weevil replied. He vanished instantly. By the time anyone could react, he was already standing directly in front of Mad Treasure.
This guy…
BAM!
The thought had barely formed in Mad Treasure's mind before he could act. He felt his body struck by a force as heavy as a collapsing mountain. Before the eyes of everyone in the room, Mad Treasure was sent flying, crashing into the conference room doors and leaving a deep crater in the wood before sliding to the floor two seconds later.
"That pig has that kind of speed?"
Even behind his shades, Doflamingo's shock was evident. Among everyone present, he was actually one of the calmer ones; many of the Marines stood there with their jaws nearly touching the floor.
One of the Seven Warlords... taken down so easily?
"Your mother!!!" Mad Treasure wheezed out a curse.
"My mother?"
Weevil paused, looking genuinely confused. "My mother is right here on my back," he said foolishly.
"Pfft—hahahaha! This is rich!" Sabo couldn't help but burst into laughter.
Embarrassed in front of the crowd, Mad Treasure activated his Chain-Chain Fruit powers. Countless long chains erupted from his palms and lashed out at Weevil. "Double Dragon Chains!!"
Just as the chains were about to strike Weevil's bloated body, Mad Treasure realized with horror that his body wouldn't move. The chains froze in mid-air, unable to advance an inch.
He twisted his head and saw Doflamingo, still sitting on the round table, twitching his fingers.
Mad Treasure flew into a rage. "Doffy... Doflamingo! What the hell are you doing!?"
"Fuffuffuffu! Treasure, I'm saving your life. That move just now was enough to show the gap in your strength." Doflamingo sneered, though he thought to himself: Where did a monster like this come from?
"State your name, intruder," Sengoku demanded coldly.
"Me?" Weevil pointed at himself, puffing out his chest proudly. "Listen up! My name is Ed—"
"I am Miss Buckin, and this is my precious son, Weevil."
Miss Buckin shot Weevil a look that told him to shut up. She introduced herself and her son, then stated the purpose of their visit. "I want my darling boy to become one of the Seven Warlords of the Sea."
"Weevil?" Tsuru tapped her fingers against the table. "Could you be the Weevil who defeated Wolf two years ago?"
"That's right," Miss Buckin said proudly. "That feat alone should be enough to prove my darling's strength, shouldn't it?"
"Before that, answer me one thing," Sengoku said, his face dark. "How did you get in here?"
"I climbed up," Weevil said matter-of-factly.
Monster... everyone thought simultaneously.
"Wait, wait," Laffitte said, drawing everyone's attention back to himself. "While defeating Wolf is a powerful achievement, our Captain intends to present an even more formidable figure to the Navy to prove his worth."
"Oh? Someone stronger than Wolf?" Sabo asked, sounding genuinely interested.
"The Commander of the Whitebeard Pirates' Second Division... Portgas D. Ace!"
Laffitte's words were a bombshell. The smile vanished from Sabo's face, replaced by a look of sheer shock.
"Well? Isn't that a more impressive feat than defeating Wolf?" Laffitte smiled confidently.
"Damn you! You sibilant freak, are you trying to compete with my darling?" Miss Buckin shrieked.
She had originally planned to take Crocodile's spot before someone else beat them to it; now that she had come to Mariejois to recommend her son, someone else was standing in her way again.
"Oh ho ho... in that case, you two should simply present a greater achievement than our Captain's."
Laffitte remained unmoved. Weevil was strong, but Laffitte was no amateur; when it came to evasion and escape, he had absolute confidence.
With two unexpectedly powerful candidates appearing at once, everyone instinctively turned their gaze toward Sengoku, waiting for his decision.