Pere pere pere...
Click.
"This is Kong."
Kong, buried in a mountain of paperwork, instinctively answered the Den Den Mushi as usual, glancing through documents while preparing to listen to a subordinate's report or request from the other end.
But soon, he couldn't care less about the documents. His face darkened as he intently listened to the report from the subordinate on the other end of the Den Den Mushi.
The call was from the "G1" Fortress Base Commander, containing only two sentences. One was, "Fleet Admiral Kong! The Heavenly Tribute from the Broco Kingdom has been hijacked by pirates!" The other was, "That pirate crew calls themselves the Donquixote Family and demands to speak directly with you! Otherwise, they'll burn the Heavenly Tribute and slaughter our innocent soldiers escorting it!"
Kong closed his eyes tightly, veins bulging on his forehead. He struggled to suppress the rage within him, gritting his teeth. "Alright, transfer the call. This matter... keep it confidential for now. No leaks."
"Yes!"
Pere... pere~
The sound continued.
Before long.
"Fufufufu~ Hello, hello? Who is this? This is Doflamingo. Please respond if you hear me..."
The frivolous, mocking voice directly ignited Kong's anger. He could no longer hold back.
Bang!
Crash!
"Stop playing dumb! 'Sea Scourge'!"
Kong punched through his desk, paper flying everywhere, looking like a furious lion.
"Don't get so worked up, it was just a little joke! Fufufufu~ Of course, I know it's you, no, you, sir! The esteemed Fleet Admiral 'Steel Bone', Kong-san," Doflamingo said, then took a turn. "But I'm not looking for you. Help me get in touch with the Gorosei. Any qualified Celestial Dragon will do. I've been away for too long, and I don't know how to contact them, so I had to presume and ask for your help."
Kong's chest heaved rapidly. In a moment, he adjusted his mindset, his eyes darting. He scoffed, "Dream on! I'll pinpoint your location immediately and send an Admiral to arrest you! The World Government will not compromise with pirates!"
"Is it really okay to speak nonsense with your eyes wide open, Kong-san?" Doflamingo sighed slightly. "My bounty poster released by the Marines clearly states 'must be captured alive.' You know my identity! I know you know my identity! If you keep probing so bluntly... how should I put it? Are you foolish, or am I? Fufufufu~"
Kong exhaled a long breath. He had always known Doflamingo was troublesome due to the uniqueness of his identity, the extremism of his pirating style, and his potential destructive power. But this was the first time he realized Doflamingo was personally troublesome, at least in terms of intellect and his mouth.
"What do you want?" Kong asked directly.
Doflamingo was just as direct: "You can't make the decision, and don't try to make it for others. If you mess up, no one will have an easy time."
After a long silence, filled with helplessness, Kong said, "Wait a moment."
Click.
The Den Den Mushi hung up.
...
Spider Sea.
Doflamingo looked up at the sky, casually waiting for the Den Den Mushi to ring. He estimated that Kong would have to report to the Gorosei, probably along with a complaint.
Pere pere pere~
The Den Den Mushi finally rang.
Click.
"This is the Gorosei."
A steady, serious voice came through the Den Den Mushi receiver.
"Donquixote Doflamingo," Doflamingo said with a smirk. "It's been a long time, esteemed Gorosei."
"Get to the point, 'Sea Scourge'," the other party's tone changed, becoming impatient.
Doflamingo said flatly, "I've waited for you for a full ten minutes, and you're unwilling to wait even ten seconds for me? Fufufufu~ As expected, different statuses mean different treatment."
"That was your father's decision," the other party's words were equally sharp, directly bringing up Doflamingo's hated past.
Doflamingo's smile faded. "The Seven Warlords of the Sea. I want to become a member of the Seven Warlords of the Sea! The Reverie is over, isn't it? It seems it doesn't matter if it's over or not; those affiliated kingdom kings can't stop you from forcefully implementing the plan you formulated due to the circumstances..."
He thought for a moment, then added a few more rambling sentences: "I guess this plan was already brewing long before you organized the 'Marine-Pirate Alliance' to subjugate the 'World Destroyer.' That operation was your test. At that time, the endless emergence of powerful pirates already made the World Government, who had been complacent for too long and were outwardly strong but inwardly weak, unable to bear it."
"Alright, it'll be in the papers tomorrow," the Gorosei didn't ask how Doflamingo had learned of the Seven Warlords of the Sea plan, nor did they refute Doflamingo's conjecture, nor did they stall. They readily agreed, just as Doflamingo had expected.
Doflamingo's smile reappeared. "I hope there won't be any false reports or anything like that."
"Since you understand the Seven Warlords of the Sea plan, you should also understand the responsibilities and obligations of a Seven Warlord of the Sea," the Gorosei responded indirectly.
Doflamingo said playfully, "I have no intention of fulfilling them! We both know perfectly well that my joining the Seven Warlords of the Sea, entering your line of sight, ensures that the secret I possess won't easily leak. You yourselves have already reduced a massive hidden danger, and you're the ones benefiting and gaining an advantage. Do you still expect me to work for you for free? What about you, won't you compensate me?"
"What compensation?" The Gorosei hesitated slightly.
Doflamingo pondered. "The Dressrosa Kingdom, my ancestral land. When I need it, I must take it back! And also look after my business, hmm... I haven't thought of anything else for now, Fufufufu~"
"No problem. That's settled."
Click.
Ultimately, as the administrators of the entire world, the Gorosei were full of decisive spirit.
"Once they wake up, you can leave," Doflamingo mused to himself for a while, then turned to Shuzo. "Shuzo, my friend, you're so excellent. Why don't you go to the Marine Academy and receive better instruction? Fufufufu~"
Leaving the Heavenly Tribute transport ship, Doflamingo returned directly to the Flamingo. He wasn't worried about the Gorosei playing tricks, just as he said himself—"My actively joining the Seven Warlords of the Sea, entering your line of sight, ensures that the secret I possess won't easily leak. You yourselves have already reduced a massive hidden danger, and you're the ones benefiting and gaining an advantage."
Of course, the power he had accumulated through years of hidden patience, and then displayed in the first half of the Grand Line, made the World Government fear that striking him would backfire, hence their reluctance to act rashly.
This was the foundation of everything.
————————
Want to read ahead of schedule? Head over to my patreon —— patreon(.)com/EmperorGarus [remove the parentheses ( )]
There are 100+ advance chapters available for you to read!