"Tch, Boss Kaido doesn't have time. He's still sulking about being stopped by the Red-Haired Pirates, otherwise... he would have already come here to deal with you," Jack said, puffing out his neck, his voice a low growl.
"So there's nothing to talk about?" Adrian waved his hand at Shiryu. "It's useless to keep him. Cut him down."
"Heh, I've been annoyed with you for a long time anyway," Shiryu smirked menacingly, pulling out his sword, Raiu, and slashing it toward Jack's neck.
"Wait a minute! I'll call..." Jack's face was a mask of humiliation. He was the great Drought! When had he ever been treated like this? He refused to bow his head, but if he didn't, his head would truly be gone.
After his arms were unbound, he honestly called Kaido. A moment later, the call connected, and Kaido's drunken, angry voice came through first. "Dare to interrupt me while I'm drinking, Jack? Do you not want to live?!"
"Boss Kaido, the kid who stole the Joker's place... said he wanted to talk to you in person," Jack said carefully, like a well-behaved child. Despite his cruel and reckless nature, his awe of Kaido came from the heart.
"Hmm?" Kaido was audibly taken aback on the other end of the phone. Immediately, his furious voice shook the entire palace. "Bastard! I sent you there to kill him, who told you to negotiate?!"
"Boss Kaido, listen to my explanation..." Jack was as frightened as a scared kitten, crawling on the ground, trembling as he tried to explain. Finally, he bit the bullet and said with a wronged look, "Boss, my tusks have been chopped off, and they're going... to chop off my head."
Crack! There was a crackling sound from the phone bug, followed by Kaido's enraged roar.
"Jack, you piece of shit! My face is almost lost because of you!"
Even through the phone bug, the people in the palace could feel the endless killing intent and tyrannical aura emanating from Kaido. The Four Emperors were all monster-level guys.
"You've been talking nonsense for so long..." Without giving Jack another chance to defend himself, Adrian spoke directly. "Kaido, can we talk business now?"
There was a sudden silence on the phone bug. Then, the phone bug, whose expression was synchronized with Kaido's, narrowed its eyes, and its two dragon whiskers moved on their own, a powerful killing intent beginning to permeate the air.
"Little brat, your name is Adrian, right? I know you killed that old man, Whitebeard..."
"I think it's better to avoid the part where we feel each other out. I don't have time to waste here with you," Adrian interrupted Kaido, getting straight to the point. "I know that you have been secretly buying Doflamingo's artificial Devil Fruit, SMILE, all these years. Now that Dressrosa is mine, the business can go on, but the rules... have to be rewritten by me."
Hiss!
When Adrian's voice fell, the entire palace was suddenly silent. Jack was stunned, and even Shiryu and the others were shocked by their boss's horrifying behavior.
Boss, we all know you don't take the Four Emperors seriously, but Kaido is the most reckless one. Do you have to be so tough? What the hell is a negotiation? This is obviously a fight!
Sure enough, Kaido was instantly furious.
"Bastard brat, who the hell do you think you're talking to?! I am Kaido of the Beasts..."
The phone bug suddenly turned into a dragon's head. There was a huge impact and a dragon's roar, along with several noisy and panicked exclamations. Then the call stopped abruptly. Judging by the phone bug tilting its head and spitting out a snake's tongue, it must have been another one blown up by Kaido.
"Tch, the Beasts Pirates are really just like the rumors—they're all a bunch of violent beasts, none of them can speak well." Adrian shrugged his shoulders innocently.
Shiryu and the others were speechless. Boss, you're obviously the one who angered him, okay? No matter what, Kaido is one of the Four Emperors. You have to save some face for him.
"It's over, you're finished! You made Boss Kaido angry, and now the whole of Dressrosa will be destroyed..." Jack suddenly yelled, his face pale. Based on his knowledge of Kaido, the man was definitely on his way here now.
However, Adrian nonchalantly waved his hands. "Okay, everyone, get ready to meet the enemy."
In fact, he wasn't being deliberately provocative. Based on his understanding of Kaido's temperament, the insatiable fellow would never be satisfied with just a negotiation. To successfully take over Doflamingo's business, a battle between the two was inevitable. Since they were going to fight no matter what, why should he be accommodating to Kaido?
"Captain, you said before that the World Government is likely to stand up for Doflamingo, and now you're adding Kaido. Isn't that..." Shiryu reminded with a worried face.
"Idiot, don't you understand?" Before Adrian could speak, Bullet on the side grinned. "Our captain's usual way of doing things is to win the battle first and then negotiate."
Although it was unpleasant to be scolded, Shiryu and the others immediately understood. Wasn't this what attracted them to the Captain in the first place? The sheer strength he exuded all the time. Even in the face of peerless powerhouses like Whitebeard and Kaido, he remained calm and composed.
"Well, don't worry too much. We have something that Kaido really covets," Adrian said with confidence. "That devious guy just wants to make trouble to maximize his benefits. What we really need to guard against is the World Government. This time, I'm afraid we'll have to beat them hard so we can live in peace in the future."
The World Government could tolerate Doflamingo occupying Dressrosa because he was one of their Warlords. They wouldn't tolerate a newcomer like Adrian doing the same.
Dressrosa was a member of the World Government. If it was so easily taken over by an outsider, what would that say about their prestige? The World Government would definitely spare no effort to get rid of him. He had expected this. Long before the Summit War, and he had already prepared to deal with them.
To make the World Government willing to suffer and compromise, they had to realize that Adrian held a terrifying power that could threaten them.
He slowly turned his dark eyes to Shirahoshi, who was whispering with the Empress. The corners of Adrian's mouth curved slightly as he muttered to himself, "Little Shirahoshi, it looks like it's time to show the world the power of your Poseidon."
Just as Adrian expected, not long after, Violet discovered the enemy's whereabouts and reported with a pale face, "My Lord... there are nearly a hundred large warships flying the flags of the World Government and the Marines, heading toward Dressrosa."
"The three Marine Admirals... are among them."
Hiss!
Upon hearing the news, in addition to Bullet, a war-crazed lunatic, who showed an eager, almost perverted expression, the breathing of everyone else in the room stopped. The atmosphere in the palace suddenly became extremely tense.
Shiryu gripped the handle of Raiu tightly; it was covered with sweat.
This scale... Is this another super war comparable to the Summit War?!
Captain, my life with you has been a fulfilling one. Every day when I wake up, I have to check if my head is still on. It's just... so exciting.