"Did you notice?" Hans whispered, rubbing his arm as if cold. "Raleigh-sama's power... it seems to be growing stronger. I can feel that terrifying pressure even when he's doing nothing. It's suffocating."
"Really?" Beck asked, blinking. "I didn't feel that. I just think Raleigh-sama is becoming more handsome."
"Damn, you bootlicker!" Hans looked disgustedly at Beck beside him and scolded him harshly.
"Have some dignity!"
Raleigh, who was several meters away, slightly turned his head, a smirk playing on his lips.
He shot an appreciative gaze at the shorter marine.
"Beck," Raleigh called out casually. "If you know how to flatter, say more. I like hearing it! Hans, take notes."
Setting aside the Marines' banter with Raleigh, Cleveland arrived at the rendezvous point, leading a squad of his own elite soldiers.
They moved with a discipline that made Doflamingo narrow his eyes.
"Rear Raleigh! Captain Cleveland reporting to you!" Cleveland snapped a salute, ignoring the pirate warlord standing nearby.
Raleigh waved Cleveland over and gestured to Bell-mère.
"Bell-mère, this is my direct subordinate and second-in-command, Captain Cleveland. He's very powerful. Later, he'll take you and your team to the Eryoku Kingdom. And," Raleigh added with a half-joking grin, "he'll be the one to sell you for a good price. Make sure you look pitiful."
Bell-mère extended her right hand, her grip firm.
"Hello. I'm Marine officer Bell-mère. Pleasure to be 'sold' by you."
"Hello. Marine officer Cleveland," Cleveland replied, shaking her hand firmly.
His face was stoic, but there was a flicker of respect in his eyes for a fellow veteran.
After the brief introduction, Cleveland handed over bundles of collected pirate clothes—ragged shirts, worn trousers, and bandanas—to Bell-mère for them to change into.
"Rear Admiral Raleigh," Cleveland asked, looking at the disguises. "Am I going alone for this transaction? Or will you be overseeing the... negotiation?"
Raleigh heard Cleveland's words and sighed.
He turned his head and patted Cleveland's shoulder heavily.
"Cleveland," he said, his voice thick with faux-wisdom. "I've always been training you to become the Deputy commander of the North Blue. Don't ask me about such trivial matters anymore. Make your own decisions." He looked off into the distance, striking a pose.
"The future of the North Blue belongs to you guys. We old-timers... we can only be commanders for a few more years before we fade away."
Cleveland stared at Raleigh with exasperation.
His eye twitched.
Finally, unable to hold it back, he remarked dryly, "Ahem. Rear Admiral Raleigh. If I'm not mistaken... you're actually four years younger than me."
"Ah... hahaha..." Raleigh laughed it off, scratching the back of his head. "Details, details! Now go, get moving!"
He waved them off, and Cleveland, shaking his head, led Bell-mère and the others away to prepare for their undercover mission.
Doflamingo watched with genuine amusement as Raleigh deftly handled his subordinates.
The mix of casual disrespect and absolute loyalty was fascinating.
After they had all left, leaving the two of them alone on the rocky shore, Doflamingo commented.
"Raleigh... your methods are truly something I can't emulate. If any of my subordinates dared speak to me like that, or question me, they'd be dead already."
Raleigh glanced at Doflamingo, his expression shifting to one of calm analysis.
"That's natural," he responded. "Because your personal abilities aren't sufficient to suppress them completely, you have to prioritize loyalty when recruiting subordinates. You need them to love you, or fear you, to keep them in line."
"But I'm fundamentally different from you," Raleigh continued, tapping his chest. "I'm confident they can never escape my grasp. When I recruit subordinates... I only value their capabilities. Loyalty means nothing to me because they wouldn't dare risk betraying me. They know the gap between us."
"I've also left them a way out. As long as they complete the missions I assign, they're permitted to leave my service. Freedom is a powerful motivator."
Raleigh's words left Doflamingo deep in thought.
In a sense, the Donquixote Family did prioritize loyalty—family above all—over capability.
But upon reflection, they didn't completely disregard ability either.
"Our Donquixote Family doesn't just accept any worthless trash, you know?" Doflamingo retorted, feeling a need to defend his crew.
Raleigh nodded. "I've had dealings with your executives before. Frankly speaking... aside from you, I have numerous subordinates who match your executives' caliber." He ticked them off on his fingers.
"You've encountered Momonga in the East Blue. He was my first subordinate. You should be aware of his capabilities."
Doflamingo had no response.
He had indeed met Momonga.
Aside from lacking Conqueror's Haki, Doflamingo had no doubt Momonga could eventually reach a Vice-Admiral level.
Considering Raleigh's other subordinates like Cleveland, plus Gion and Tokikake who constantly followed Raleigh around... Doflamingo began to understand why Raleigh didn't particularly value his Donquixote Family.
They simply couldn't compete with Raleigh's talent pool.
Though it seemed Raleigh didn't have an established "faction" yet, Doflamingo had no doubt that once Raleigh rose to Admiral rank at Headquarters, countless followers would flock to him.
He was a gravity well of power.
"Sigh," Doflamingo muttered, suppressing his envy. "Your people are truly formidable."
He resolved, once again, never to cross Raleigh unless he was 100% sure he could kill him.
"Alright," Raleigh said, stretching his arms. "That fool Byrnndi World has taken the bait. After they plunder the World Government ships... they'll immediately head to your base to demand you build that cannon."
Raleigh's eyes gleamed.
"Notify your people to evacuate. Quickly. Leave the base empty."
"That island... will become Byrnndi World's burial ground."
Raleigh casually gave Doflamingo these instructions, then lay back on the rock, closing his eyes.
"I'm going to slack off for a while now. I've been using my brain too much recently."
[Slacking Points +300: Ignoring Mafia Boss during work hours]
After agreeing, Doflamingo went to a secluded corner and contacted Trebol via encrypted phone.
"Trebol. Evacuate. Take all valuable items, the production equipment, the gold. Everything. Leave the shell."
....
Two Days Later. On the High Seas.
"Boss! Boss! World Government ships have appeared!!!" A pirate scout, perched high in the crow's nest of the World Pirates' flagship, shouted loudly, pointing to the horizon.
On the deck below, Byrnndi World drunkenly climbed up from the ground where he'd been napping.
He casually threw aside an empty beer barrel, smashing it against the railing.
"Finally!" he roared, his voice shaking the rigging. "Men! Our target has arrived!"
Hearing Byrnndi World's voice, the pirates who had been sleeping drowsily on the deck all jumped up.
"Boss Byrnndi! We've been ready for a long time!"
"They're just World Government officials and Marine dogs! Boss Byrnndi, just tell us who to cut down and we'll cut them down!"
"Jie hahahaha! This time we'll seize large amounts of Fine Iron to cast cannons for Boss Byrnndi! Then we can dominate anywhere in the world!"
"To hell with the Marines! To hell with the World Government! Everyone must submit to our World Pirates!"
Thousands of pirates brandished swords and raised muskets, shouting loudly.
These scenes all fell under Byrnndi World's gaze, filling him with immense satisfaction.
"Board the ships!" World bellowed. "Let's destroy them! More-More... Speed!"
...
On the World Government Transport Ship.
At this moment, the World Government officials and the Marine forces led by Rear Admiral Zakri remained blissfully unaware of the monster about to devour them.
They continued indulging in drunken revelry within their cabins.
"Ha! This is the life!" Zakri laughed, his face flushed red.
He swirled a glass of expensive brandy.
"Finally free from that damned Raleigh! Everyone, have another drink!"
Since leaving the Eryoku Kingdom, Zakri's entire demeanor had undergone a dramatic transformation.
He had rediscovered that feeling of being flattered and admired by sycophants.
Days of tranquility had long made him forget his duty.
He had completely immersed himself in drinking and merrymaking.
"Drink up! Drink up!" Zakri urged his adjutant loudly. "To my transfer!"
BOOM!
Suddenly, with a massive impact that sounded like the world cracking open, the ship violently shook.
Tables overturned, bottles shattered, and Zakri was thrown from his chair.
"Damn it! What's going on! What happened!" Zakri cursed furiously, scrambling up from the wine-soaked carpet.
His drinking mood was ruined.
BANG!
The cabin door burst open.
A cold draft swept in, carrying the scent of gunpowder and sea salt.
A panicked Marine soldier rushed in, his face pale as a sheet.
"Rear Admiral Zakri! It's bad! Enemy attack! Pirates are assaulting us!"
The cold air restored a sliver of sobriety to the thoroughly drunk Zakri.
"Pirates?" he sputtered. "Pirates dare attack us? Don't they know we're the Marines escort guarding World Government ships? It's treason!"
"What enormous guts they have, daring to move against me!"
He grabbed his sword, his confidence returning.
"Pass the order! Command all Marine soldiers to engage immediately! Eliminate these pirates within firing range! Show them the might of the North Blue Marines!"
Zakri hadn't fought pirates in a long time.
His numbed, alcohol-soaked mind had completely forgotten a fundamental rule of the sea: Pirates bold enough to openly assault a World Government ship... are never just "ordinary pirates."