Marine Headquarters, Premium Hot Springs Resort.
The air was thick with swirling tendrils of steam, blending the comforting warmth with the faint, earthy scent of sulfur.
It was an atmosphere designed for pure, unadulterated relaxation.
The walls inlaid with massive slabs of precious jade refracted the soft light through the mist, casting an opulent, hazy glow over the entire hot springs.
Mike was sprawled out comfortably in the pool, his body submerged to his neck in the perfectly heated water.
It felt as though every ounce of tension and fatigue was simply melting away.
His eyes were half-lidded, his long lashes glistening with moisture, shimmering enticingly under the soft, green light.
"Captain, is this pressure alright?" a sweet, coquettish voice whispered by his ear.
The words were perfectly pitched, carrying just the right amount of allure, like a feather brushing lightly against his eardrum.
"Mmm, perfect," Mike responded lazily, his voice a deep, magnetic rumble, tinged with the huskiness of someone hovering on the edge of sleep.
A pair of delicate, seemingly boneless hands kneaded his shoulders and neck with practiced skill.
The pressure was exquisite, leaving him utterly at ease.
The owner of these hands was, reputedly, the most skilled masseuse in the entire resort, a woman of unparalleled talent and beauty.
Of course, her services came with a staggeringly high price tag.
But for someone like him, Belly was just a long, meaningless string of numbers.
"You seem quite exhausted, Captain," the masseuse said softly as her fingers worked their magic.
"Have you been very busy lately?"
"Yeah," Mike replied casually.
He'd been incredibly swamped, single-handedly stabilizing entire nations and restructuring the balance of power on the sea.
He absolutely deserved a top-tier massage to reward himself for all his hard work!
"Then you should really take this chance to relax," the masseuse's voice grew even more alluring, dropping to a suggestive whisper.
"We offer many other… services… here, guaranteed to leave you completely satisfied."
"Oh?" Mike finally opened his eyes, a flicker of interest in their lazy depths.
"What other services? Do tell."
"Ah, Captain~" she cooed playfully, her hands somehow working even more diligently.
"Whatever service you'd like to experience, we can provide~ Just say the word, and there's nothing we can't do for you~"
As she spoke, her fingertips deliberately—or perhaps not—brushed lightly against the sensitive skin of his neck, sending a pleasant tingle through him.
"Well~" Mike's Adam's apple bobbed slightly.
He could feel the heat in her gaze and hear the unspoken promise in her words.
"In that case, I'll have to savor it properly."
He smirked, about to say something more when the crisp, rhythmic sound of footsteps shattered the intimate atmosphere.
Tap—Tap—Tap—
Kuro, dressed in his immaculate black suit, adjusted his glasses and walked in, his face was a mask of professional indifference.
The young woman massaging Mike, clad only in a strategically wrapped towel, immediately and tactfully withdrew.
She shot Mike a final, flirtatious glance over her shoulder as she left.
Mike blew her a playful kiss in return, earning a musical giggle as she swayed her hips on her way out.
"Captain, you have a call," Kuro said succinctly, holding out the Den Den Mushi.
"Who is it?"
"Mihawk."
"Mihawk?" Mike raised an eyebrow.
That was unexpected.
The world's greatest swordsman wasn't one for idle chit-chat.
He pressed the receiver to his ear.
"Hey, what's up?"
From the other end, Mihawk's deep, magnetic voice cut straight to the point.
"Mike. The Marine Headquarters is summoning all of the Warlords of the Sea. Do you know what this is about?"
"Oh? All of them?" Mike's eyes instantly sharpened.
He sat up straight in the water, all traces of laziness vanishing from his face.
"Since when?"
"The order was just issued. All Warlords are to report to Marineford immediately."
"Tch…" A cold, humorless laugh escaped Mike's lips.
"It's not that big of a deal."
Mihawk was practically one of his own people now; there was no harm in filling him in early.
"The Second Division Commander of the Whitebeard Pirates, Ace, has been captured. The Marines are going to execute him publicly."
"What?"
Even Mihawk's famously unshakable voice carried a hint of surprise
. This wasn't just big news; this was world-shattering news.
"Fire Fist" Ace, with his 550 million Belly bounty was no mere pirate.
The Marines were about to turn the entire world upside down!
....
Meanwhile, back in the Alabasta palace, Doflamingo and Crocodile, standing on either side of Mihawk, had heard every word.
They exchanged a look, a new, heavy gravity settling in their eyes.
"Fufufufufu!" Doflamingo's signature laugh echoed in the grand room, but it was completely devoid of its usual amusement.
"A public execution of Ace? Now this is getting interesting!"
"The Marines…" Crocodile exhaled a thick puff of cigar smoke, his eyes dark and sinister.
"They're using Ace as bait to hook the biggest fish in the sea: Whitebeard himself!"
"..."
"Kid...." Mihawk's voice came through the Den Den Mushi again, carrying a rare note of solemnity.
"What's your take on this war?"
"Mihawk, are you alone over there?" Mike asked, sinking back into the hot spring.
He'd faintly heard the other two Warlords' voices and was putting the pieces together.
"No," Mihawk replied coolly.
He then briefly explained the formation of the Triangle Syndicate.
"I see…" Mike mused, shifting into a more comfortable position as the steam swirled around him.
So, Mihawk, Crocodile, and Doflamingo had formed an alliance, and he was the reason.
That was an unexpected, but very welcome, development.
With all three of them essentially on his payroll, their syndicate was, by extension, under his command.
"Mihawk, you should all come on over," a playful smile curled at Mike's lips.
"I'll be waiting for you at Headquarters. We can watch this grand show together. And while we're at it, we can discuss the future of your 'Triangle Syndicate.'"
"Alright," Mihawk agreed without hesitation.
"We're setting off now. We'll talk details when we arrive."
"Good."
Mike hung up the call.
He was just about to signal for that curvaceous, skilled masseuse to return for some… 'in-depth exchange'… when the Den Den Mushi began to ring again, its persistent chime echoing in the steamy room.
"Tch…" Mike shook his head with a sigh of helpless resignation and answered the call.
"Captain Mike!" It was Jinbei, his voice urgent and strained.
"Have you heard the news?! The Marines are going to publicly execute Ace!"
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