"No… of course not…"
Drake reacted instantly, shaking his head with a forced smile to mask his internal panic. "I was just overwhelmed by the shock of it all. With an alliance between our Beasts Pirates and the Big Mom Pirates, there truly is no one left on these great seas who can stand in our way."
King's eyes remained cold and unreadable behind his mask. He didn't bother to acknowledge Drake's excuse, instead turning his attention back to the room to issue stern commands.
"The meeting point for the alliance will be the Woka Kingdom," King announced. "Hawkins is already familiar with the location. Starting today, the Second and Fifth Divisions will continue their current assignments. The Sixth through the Thirteenth Divisions are to begin patrolling the waters surrounding the Woka Kingdom immediately. We must prepare for total war. The Marines and the World Government will not simply sit back and watch while our two crews unite."
"Understood, Lord King!" the gathered pirates shouted in unison, their voices thick with excitement.
"Good," King said, waving a hand dismissively. "The rest of you may leave. Only the All-Stars and the Tobi Roppo are to remain."
Once the lower-ranking captains of the Oni Squad had exited the hall, King turned his sharp gaze toward Eneru.
"Eneru, our Governor has made his intentions clear; it is time to cast the net," King stated. "I am giving you five days to hunt down every single 'bug' hiding within Wano Country and the Beasts Pirates. As for Drake, once you catch him, deliver him directly to Queen. A rare Ancient Zoan user like him is far too precious to be wasted."
Eneru's eyes narrowed, a spark of sadistic excitement dancing in his pupils. "Leave it to me! I'll find them all," he replied with a smirk.
"Excellent," King replied. "Be vigilant. Guard against any possible threat. When Big Brother Kaido emerges from his seclusion, it will be time for the Beasts Pirates to rule the New World without question."
Meanwhile, on Weapon Island, the atmosphere was far more chaotic.
Donquixote Doflamingo, a former Celestial Dragon and the current kingpin of the underworld, was often better informed than even the Emperors themselves. He had already caught wind of the Marines' plans for their new Fleet Admiral and their intent to move against Kaido. However, as he oversaw his massive weapons factory, he found he didn't particularly care about the brewing conflict.
Unless he received a direct, mandatory summons as one of the Seven Warlords of the Sea, Doflamingo had no intention of involving himself in a war between the Navy and the Emperors.
His focus was entirely on his industrial empire. If his factories on Weapon Island could master the mass production of Sea Stone armaments, his influence would reach every corner of the ocean. He envisioned a future where he sat as the undisputed King of the Underground, trampling over his rivals in the New World.
Everything was going perfectly. Since this island was technically under the protection of two Emperors, no one was foolish enough to interfere. Ships arrived daily, carrying personnel and raw materials. After nearly a month of hard work, the first factories were finally operational, processing Sea Stone into specialized weaponry.
But just as Doflamingo was savoring his success, a massive presence crashed down from the sky, shattering his peaceful daydream.
BOOM!
The ground beneath the palace shook violently. Doflamingo lunged from his seat on the balcony, his eyes scanning the distance where a thick cloud of dust and debris choked the air.
"What's going on now?" he hissed, his brow furrowing. He couldn't imagine who would be brave—or stupid—enough to attack Weapon Island.
His confusion was short-lived. A sudden, terrifying wave of Conqueror's Haki erupted from the crash site, soaring into the sky and washing over the entire island. The pressure was so intense that even Doflamingo, a fellow user of Conqueror's Haki, felt a cold sweat break out across his skin.
"Whoa, whoa, whoa..." Doflamingo muttered, his voice strained. "That Haki... what kind of monster have we attracted?"
He knew he couldn't stay hidden. If the intruder destroyed the factories, he would have to answer to both Kaido and Big Mom—a fate far worse than facing whatever was in that smoke. Using his "Sky Walk" by attaching strings to the clouds, he swung himself toward the source of the power.
He arrived in less than thirty seconds, landing softly. His face immediately paled, becoming more solemn than it had ever been.
In front of him stood Charlotte Smoothie, one of the Sweet Three Generals of the Big Mom Pirates. She had been tasked with protecting the island, but now she was helpless. Blood leaked from the corner of her mouth as a burly, mountain-of-a-man held her by the throat, lifting her off the ground as if she weighed nothing.
Doflamingo kept his distance. The moment he recognized that massive silhouette, any thought of fighting vanished from his mind. He slowly touched down on the ground and called out the man's name with a mix of fear and respect.
"The Demon Heir... Douglas Bullet!"
"What?!" Smoothie gasped, her eyes widening despite the iron grip around her neck. Even as a member of the younger generation, she had heard that terrifying name from her mother, Linlin.
Bullet glanced at Doflamingo and then back at the woman in his hand. With a look of pure disdain, he tossed Smoothie aside like she was a piece of garbage and turned his full attention to the Warlord.
"Doflamingo?" Bullet asked, his voice a low rumble.
The sudden question made Doflamingo jump. Looking into Bullet's strange, piercing eyes, he realized he had been the target all along. Fortunately, he also sensed that the legendary pirate didn't intend to kill him—at least, not yet.
"That's me," Doflamingo said, trying to regain his composure. "May I ask what the legendary 'Demon Heir' and the 'Successor of the Ogre,' Mr. Douglas Bullet, wants with me?"
Bullet reached into his coat, pulled out two items, and threw them at Doflamingo's feet. Doflamingo looked at them, and the realization hit him.
"That guy Crocodile gave those to me," Bullet stated bluntly.
Doflamingo was momentarily speechless. "He said these things were manufactured here," Bullet continued.
Doflamingo wanted to argue that the Beasts Pirates were the ones truly in charge of production, but he knew better. Angering Bullet was a death sentence, and he was already walking a thin line with Kaido. He chose his words carefully.
"Mr. Bullet, is there something specific you need from me?"
"Hehehehe..." Bullet's laughter was dry and menacing. He reached into his coat once more and pulled out a peculiar, glass-encased compass. As he held it up, both Doflamingo and the recovering Smoothie froze in absolute disbelief.
"This is it," Bullet growled. "The Eternal Pose to the final island: Laugh Tale."
Their eyes nearly popped out of their heads. Greed and shock fought for control of their expressions.
"I've heard you have a lot of experience hosting gladiatorial matches," Bullet said, a twisted grin forming on his face. "I'm planning to hold a grand event of my own. The winner will receive this Eternal Pose to Laugh Tale. I'm interested in seeing if you'd like to help me. It seems I'm in need of a host!"
Doflamingo's eyes lit up behind his shades. A wide, manic smile spread across his face. "Fufufufufu! I see. Now that is an offer I can't refuse. I'm very interested. However..."
"What? Is there a problem?" Bullet asked, his expression darkening instantly.
"No, no, not a problem," Doflamingo said, holding up his hands. "But as you can see, this lady is the daughter of Big Mom, one of the Four Emperors. And I am currently working with Kaido, another of the Emperors. The news of your presence here—and the existence of that Eternal Pose—cannot be kept a secret for long."
At the mention of the two Yonko, Bullet's face grew solemn for a split second before his arrogance returned tenfold.
"It doesn't matter. Just do your job," Bullet commanded. "If Kaido and Charlotte Linlin want the way to the final island, they can come find me themselves!"
Doflamingo felt a weight lift off his shoulders. "Fufufufufu! In that case, I have no concerns at all. Leave it to me. I will make sure this news reaches every corner of the sea in record time."
"Hahaha! I knew I picked the right man for the job!" Bullet bellowed.
Their combined laughter echoed across the coastline, signaling the start of a chaos that would soon engulf the entire world.
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