Michael spent a lot of effort before finally managing to explain the relationships clearly to Sora.
"So, sis, can you please stop looking at me like I'm some scumbag?" Michael said with a helpless smile. "We're about to handle serious business here."
"Whether it's serious or not, let's set that aside for now…" Sora, now feeling calmer, grabbed Michael's hand and patted it hard. "Our Maria family is still counting on you to leave behind descendants, you know."
"...For some reason, hearing you say that makes me feel like you're not looking at your brother, but at a breeding stallion."
Michael's mouth twitched.
What did this sister even mean? On one hand, she scorned scumbags, but on the other hand, she wanted him to leave behind plenty of offspring!?
Where did this feudal parent mindset even come from, damn it!
Fortunately, Sora didn't dwell on the matter for long.
After leaving him with a final reminder — "Anyway, take care of your health" — she patted Michael on the shoulder and went back inside to sleep.
That left Michael alone, facing the three people in front of him who were all giving him the same resentful look.
"Uh, you guys staring at me like this… it's putting me under a bit of pressure, you know."
"A little pressure is good…" Hawk Eyes said calmly. "Maybe we should just leave tonight… otherwise, I can't even begin to imagine how complicated our relationship must look in your sister's head."
"Agreed."
...
"What? You're saying King Riku of Dressrosa actually went to Alabasta? And during the Full Moon Banquet, he and Michael were chatting happily together?"
"That's right, Doffy. The news Corazon sent back says so." Trebol leaned in as he spoke. "Could it be King Riku wants to form some kind of partnership with Michael?"
"Seems like it… Ever since the Fishman Island incident, Dressrosa has been going downhill fast."
Doflamingo, draped in his flamingo coat, looked grim.
"I originally thought this would be the perfect opportunity to infiltrate Dressrosa… but I didn't expect he'd go to Michael."
"Then our original plan…"
"Abandon it completely!" Doflamingo growled through gritted teeth. "Michael's power… it's far too overwhelming. I have no intention of dying at his hands right now."
Even though years had passed and both Doflamingo's strength and influence had grown tremendously, when it came to Michael, he still held on to a deep sense of reverence.
Back then, Michael's overwhelming strength and dominance had left an indelible mark on his heart.
Even now, whenever Michael's name came up, Doflamingo's hand would tremble ever so slightly.
On the surface, no one could tell.
But Doflamingo himself knew…
This feeling was called fear.
Even though he had agreed to cooperate with the Five Elders, he never fully sided with them. Instead, he acted as a double agent, passing information between both sides.
The advantage was that he received support from both the Five Elders and Michael.
The unification of the underworld was progressing at a much faster pace.
"This time, Corazon… Rosinante only sent this much information?"
"That's all Rosinante reported… but we also received a letter from Michael." Trebol said as he held up an envelope and handed it to Doflamingo.
Doflamingo frowned, reached out to take it, and gave it a little shake.
Very thin — probably just a single letter inside.
He tore open the envelope and pulled out the paper.
The moment he opened it, Doflamingo froze in place.
After a long moment, a wicked grin slowly spread across his face.
"That Michael… he really knows me well."
"Looks like there's no longer any doubt about choosing between the Five Elders and Michael."
Trebol leaned over curiously to look at the paper in Doflamingo's hand.
It was a letter of appointment for the Shichibukai.
"Shichibukai? The official pirates allowed to legally hunt down other pirates and claim their bounties?"
"Exactly."
Doflamingo nodded with a sly smile.
The underworld kings who had been blocking him and the Donquixote Family from the New World… would soon find all their efforts pointless.
This new status would be the perfect breakthrough point.
Far more reliable than the Five Elders' promise to let him 'return to the Holy Land' once he succeeded.
"Tell everyone to gather on Fishman Island… as for Dressrosa, abandon the infiltration."
Doflamingo burst into laughter.
"Fuffuffuffuffu… we now have far greater ambitions!"
"Contact Kaido. Tell him I agree to the partnership!"
...
Two days later, Kano Country.
"Honestly, this country really does look like one of the rare peaceful places in the New World."
Sitting on a small island made from island clouds, Stella looked down from the edge and sighed.
"Sure looks like it," Michael muttered, curling his lip. "But their peace is built on the strength of the country's long-standing pirate force — the Happo Navy."
"The whole Kano Country has eight pirate forces, from the First Happo Navy to the Eighth Happo Navy… each one formed by one of the eight great families of the Kano Country."
Michael pointed toward a pirate ship sailing into the harbor in the distance.
"Calling them pirates isn't quite right — they're basically the country's official armed forces."
"Pretty common in the New World." Crocodile sneered. "The Navy doesn't really control this place, so every country has to make some arrangements with pirates to avoid trouble."
Michael nodded in agreement.
That was how the New World had always been.
It had nothing to do with the so-called "Great Pirate Era."
Even if Roger hadn't said those words back then, the New World would still be like this.
The most powerful pirates occupied this sea, forcing the nations to survive in the gaps between them.
Over time, the countries even started calling their own armed forces "pirates."
This was the only way to survive in the New World.
They paid Heavenly Tribute to the Celestial Dragons as protection money, while their so-called "pirates" deterred other pirates.
"But what are we here for again?"
"Sengoku gave me seven spots for the Shichibukai, and so far, we've only confirmed two…" Michael pointed downward. "And this country happens to have someone who qualifies for the Shichibukai."
After saying that, Michael waved to Stella.
The small sky island created by Stella's powers began descending from the clouds above.
The people of the Kano Country looked up at the falling cloud with bewildered faces.
"What!?"
"The clouds… are falling!?"
---
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