Jack's arrogance was no joke.
Even facing the new Admiral, Good, he didn't flinch. No—that wasn't quite right. Jack wouldn't give face to anyone, whether it was Akainu, Aokiji, or Kizaru, the old-guard Admirals with fame and prestige.
Before Doflamingo could say more, Jack impatiently hung up the call.
About an hour later, Good and Momousagi arrived outside Doflamingo's palace.
But instead of Doflamingo himself, they were greeted by Pica, the officer representing the "Spade" seat.
Momousagi frowned. Doflamingo not greeting them in person was a blatant sign of disrespect toward the Navy.
"Where's Doflamingo? Why didn't he come himself? Sending you—what's that supposed to mean?"
Her brows knitted, voice sharp.
Pica didn't give the slightest respect to this special Vice Admiral, candidate for Admiral. "I'm one of the highest-ranking officers in the Donquixote Family. Coming here to greet you is already showing you enough respect."
The mismatch between his huge, hulking body and his piercingly high-pitched voice was… striking. The kind that made people want to laugh.
But this was Doflamingo's territory, and the Warlords had certain privileges from the World Government. Momousagi didn't want to push things further and decided to let it slide. The mission mattered more than dignity here.
Good, however, burst into roaring laughter. "Whoa! Ahahahaha…!"
"Little brother, what's with that voice? Did the devil kiss your throat or something?"
When Good had watched the anime in his past life, he'd never paid it much mind.
But now, hearing Pica's voice in person… he couldn't hold back. Tears streamed from his eyes as he clutched his stomach.
Turning to Momousagi, still laughing, he asked, "Momousagi, you don't think his voice is weird? Hahaha… How did you not laugh?"
Pica's face darkened. His massive frame trembled with rage. "You… dare laugh at me!?"
Pica hated nothing more than people mocking his voice.
"This is impossible not to laugh at!" Good chuckled on, utterly unconcerned by Pica's fury.
Momousagi, who had been restraining herself for the sake of politeness, was infected by Good's mood. She couldn't hold it anymore—"Pfft!"—and let out a laugh.
"You two…" Pica's body shook with anger.
Good's laughter cut off suddenly. He grinned at Pica. "What? You look like you want to fight me?"
He might have sounded casual, but after battling monsters like Shiki and Whitebeard, Good's presence had climbed into the realm of true top-tier combatants.
A cold sweat broke across Pica's brow. His heart pounded.
A suffocating sense of death crept over him. In that moment, Pica was reminded: this man might be newly appointed, but he was a real Admiral.
And the Navy had just announced he'd defeated Whitebeard. Even if there was exaggeration in the report, it was clear this wasn't some figurehead promotion—this man's power was the real thing.
Pica didn't dare respond.
Instead, he meekly invited Good and Momousagi into the palace.
Good sighed regretfully. "Tch. Coward. I was hoping for a fight."
Still, he didn't bother holding a grudge against someone like Pica.
With Pica leading them, they entered the palace.
Momousagi followed behind, her mood lifted. Watching Good intimidate Pica into silence had been deeply satisfying, restoring the face Pica's earlier arrogance had tried to take from them.
Before long, they reached the grand hall, where Doflamingo sat on a lavish high-backed chair, looking down at them.
Aside from a few absent on missions, the entire Donquixote Family was present.
The Navy soldiers had been left aboard the warship—only Good and Momousagi had come ashore.
It was obvious Doflamingo had known they were coming, but chose not to greet them personally. Pure posturing.
Momousagi cursed him in her heart.
Having traveled with Good for over a week, she knew she had to handle the talking—there was a real chance the Admiral had already forgotten the official mission details.
She stepped forward. "The Navy will be publicly executing Fire Fist Ace. The Whitebeard Pirates will inevitably go to war with us to rescue him."
"So the Navy intends to rally the Seven Warlords to join forces with us in this battle."
The Whitebeard Pirates didn't just consist of the main 1,600-strong crew across 16 divisions. They also had 43 allied pirate crews, numbering over 50,000 men.
To truly wipe them out, the Navy needed the Warlords' strength.
Doflamingo lounged back, his arrogance undiminished even before an Admiral.
As a former Celestial Dragon, pride was in his blood. Even after losing that title, he still held blackmail over the World Government. He had no fear of their chains.
He chuckled after hearing her explanation. "This is quite something. Since Roger's death, Whitebeard's been the strongest ruler on the seas."
"To go against such a man… shouldn't there be some benefits in it for me?"
Momousagi's brows drew together. "Doflamingo, you enjoy the Warlord title and the privileges the World Government grants you. You should respond to the Navy's call—what benefits are you talking about?"
Doflamingo waved her off. "Even without the Warlord title, the Celestial Dragons would keep me safe."
"So don't try to play the Warlord card with me…"
…
(End of Chapter)
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