A warship's cruising speed was far slower than Doflamingo's flight speed.
The journey from the family's base to Mariejois was relatively long, yet Doflamingo showed no impatience, patiently mingling among the Marines, ignoring the strange glances from all directions, and incessantly... "harassing" Kuzan with his sharp and stinging remarks.
Kuzan was vexed. His disapproval of the World Government's Warlord of the Sea plan, conceived despite Marine objections, was one reason. Another was Doflamingo's cutting remarks, which he could never parry.
Just as Kuzan was about to explode in anger, Doflamingo would, as if guessing his thoughts, abruptly stop, denying Kuzan the chance to unleash his fury and strike back with his fists.
This peculiar atmosphere continued until the warship could glimpse the towering Red Line, rising high into the clouds.
"Phew~" Witnessing the Red Line's grandeur, Kuzan sighed in relief, as if a great weight had been lifted.
"Fufufufufu~"
Undoubtedly, this was one of the most memorable laughs in Kuzan's memory—peculiar and even infectious, as if a breath formed in one's chest, preparing for a hearty laugh, but then it was abruptly stifled in the mouth and nose, abruptly twisting into a muffled chuckle. Thus, it eerily revealed three parts cunning, three parts sarcasm, three parts arrogance, and one part perverted madness.
At this moment, Kuzan was troubled. The slight cheer he had managed to muster vanished instantly. With a frigid expression, he turned towards the sound.
Doflamingo's smile was radiant, his hands spread out at a moderate distance from Kuzan.
Kuzan: "..."
"Fufufufu~" Doflamingo leaned over the ship's rail, staring at the water, and said meaningfully, "Aokiji-san, do you think there are fish down here?"
Kuzan shoved his hands into his pockets, clenching them into fists, and gritted his teeth. "I don't know if there are fish, but if you spout any more nonsense, I think there might be your corpse down there."
"Whoa~~~" Doflamingo feigned exaggerated surprise, looking Kuzan up and down as if seeing him anew. "Your banter has improved."
Kuzan's mouth twitched. "Learned it from you, pirate."
"Fufufufu~ hahahaha~" As if hearing a joke, Doflamingo laughed heartily, a rare occurrence. His laughter made veins throb on Kuzan's forehead. Abruptly, Doflamingo's face became expressionless. He pointed at the sea and said, "This is the World Government. On the surface, it's generally quiet, with occasional ripples. But in reality? Who knows what kind of monstrous things are hidden beneath the surface?"
Kuzan said nothing.
"I don't see your approval of the World Government, Marine? Perhaps," Doflamingo twitched his fingers. "Fufufufu~ But what if one day you don't approve of the Marines either?"
Kuzan said indifferently, "That day will never come."
"Let's hope not! Good luck," Doflamingo waved with a smile. "I'm heading off first."
Swish!
Doflamingo left as quickly as he said he would, very agilely.
Kuzan's brows furrowed deeply. After a long moment, he vigorously shook his head, trying to dismiss certain uncomfortable thoughts, and said begrudgingly, "What an inexplicable bastard!" He twisted his neck and shouted loudly, "Notify Mariejois, our escort mission is complete!"
...
Mariejois, the administrative center of the World Government.
A cathedral-like building.
Presumably, the intelligence about Shiki transporting islands, passing silently over Mariejois, which Doflamingo had mentioned recently, had greatly startled them.
The World Government, in their lingering fear, had reinforced the Holy Land's defenses, at least to a considerably high level at the current stage. Thus, Doflamingo was spotted as soon as he landed and proceeded towards the Gorosei's offices.
As if no one else was around, Doflamingo strode boldly into the building, once again encountering the Gorosei as a pirate.
"Fufufufu~ Long time no see, Gorosei," Doflamingo greeted, spreading his arms flamboyantly.
The Gorosei, either standing or sitting, confronted Doflamingo from a few meters away.
An awkward silence.
"Cough, cough," the bald Gorosei with golden hair, who, like Doflamingo, lacked eyebrows, broke the silence. "You actually dared to come, Doflamingo."
Doflamingo looked around, up and down, then snorted. "Why wouldn't I dare? This was once my home, even if I was kicked out."
"It was your Donquixote Family's patriarch, your father, who voluntarily requested to leave the Holy Land," stressed the corpulent Gorosei wearing a top hat and leaning on a cane.
Doflamingo shrugged. "It's a done deal, so what does it matter, isn't it?"
"We've seen your Swordsman and Fighter ranking prediction activity. It's indeed good. You want to do a similar business; how do you plan to do it?" Unlike the other four Gorosei dressed in black suits, the one asking Doflamingo wore a white kimono with scholarly glasses, was bald, and held a long sword in his arms.
Doflamingo casually pulled a piece of paper from his pocket. "I wrote the proposal! I want forty percent of this business."
"That's too much," said the bald Gorosei with a scimitar-shaped beard and a prominent red birthmark on his forehead.
Doflamingo sneered, "You've seen the potential of my Swordsman and Fighter ranking prediction activity and estimated the value of this similar business? You can't suppress your inner greed any longer? Fufufufu~~ Stop dreaming! Either forty percent, or we part ways. I'd rather let it rot inside me, forever unknown, and you only get twenty percent of my swordsman and fighting business."
"We have the power to suppress all your businesses," said the stiff, long-haired Gorosei with a scissor-shaped mustache.
Doflamingo clicked his tongue. "Threatening me? Fufufufufu~~" He said dismissively, "Go ahead and suppress them. Of course, before you suppress my businesses, consult with economic experts and let them tell you what will happen."
"Forget it, he's not a man who will yield to a few threats. The fact that he came proves he has prepared all countermeasures, including if the World Government tries to swallow this business," the kimono-clad Gorosei waved his hand. "Let's be direct! Doflamingo, thirty percent. More than that will affect the world economy, and we will not allow anyone to accumulate vast wealth that can influence the world economy."
Doflamingo said, "Deal." He added, "But there must be an additional condition: the Germa Kingdom. Kick them out of the World Government's affiliated nations. I've already made a concession; don't push your luck."
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