"Hiss—"
The sound of three sharp, simultaneous intakes of breath cut through the steamy air of the resort.
Mihawk, Doflamingo, and Crocodile felt their worldview, which had already been shaken, now get picked up, thrown into a blender, and pulverized.
Their heads were buzzing.
Listen to him! Just listen to the words coming out of his mouth!
What does he mean, "not fully under control yet"?
What does he mean, "only the three Admirals are my people"?!
To be "Captain Mike's people" was a completely different concept from simply "having a good relationship" with him.
The former implied absolute loyalty, a level of control that was simply unthinkable.
They didn't know what methods he'd used to make the three monster-class Admirals of the Marine Headquarters bow to him, but the fact remained: these were the strongest powerhouses on the entire sea, not some random strays you pick up off the street.
"..."
"Fufufufufu!"
After a moment of stunned silence, Doflamingo was the first to react, his signature laugh sounding a bit strained, almost hysterical.
"Captain… this is truly…" He struggled to find the right words, realizing that no vocabulary could possibly describe the sheer, mind-bending shock he was feeling.
"Too much. This is just too much."
He now felt an overwhelming sense of gratitude that back in Mock Town, he hadn't stubbornly resisted.
Choosing to follow his instincts and yield to the captain was, without a doubt, the single wisest decision he had ever made in his entire life.
The three Admirals were on his side.
That meant the entire elite combat force of the Marines was effectively in his pocket.
And that wasn't even counting the deal with Whitebeard, his control over Fish-Man Island (and by extension, Jinbei), and their own Triangle Syndicate.
This wasn't just a powerful faction; this was a force so overwhelming that the very idea of resistance was laughable.
A cold chill ran down Doflamingo's spine.
If he'd been stubborn back then, his ashes would have been scattered to the wind by now!
"Captain," he said, his voice now filled with a newfound, fervent loyalty.
"Just say the word. I'm at your service!"
"Yes, Captain," Crocodile added, quickly snapping out of his own shock.
He knew a winning horse when he saw one.
"When will you visit Alabasta again? Rain Dinners has added several new attractions, just waiting for your personal experience. Also," he added, his tone turning conspiratorial, "those young ladies from before have been crying their eyes out, begging to see you again. Such pitiful weeping… you must come and save them from their misery!"
Having known Mike longer, Crocodile had a much better grasp of his… preferences.
Hmph. Good thing I boarded this ship early, he thought.
I'm welding myself to this vessel permanently!
"Is that so?" Mike burst into laughter, his voice brimming with smug satisfaction.
"Once we're done here, I'll head straight to Alabasta for a visit."
He had to admit, he did miss those passionate, sun-kissed beauties.
Just the thought was enough to set his heart racing.
"Heh—" Mihawk just shook his head helplessly.
He'd known Mike the longest.
He'd watched him go from a slacking, aimless Marine Captain in the East Blue to a man who could now casually alter the fate of the entire world.
And yet, even with all that power, he was still the same guy.
Perhaps that was his charm.
"So, kid," Mihawk cut straight to the chase. "What do you plan to do with this world-changing force you've gathered? Rule the seas?"
"Rule?" Mike scoffed.
"Mihawk, you know I have no interest in power or status. I just want to travel the world, taste its finest ladies, drink its rarest wines, and savor its most exquisite dishes." He paused, a cold glint flashing in his eyes as his tone turned cold.
"It's just… the World Government is in my way. With them around, how many of those 'finest sights' would even remain? So… I'll just have to put in the effort and wipe them out. Erase them. Completely."
"..."
"What do you need us to do?" Mihawk asked bluntly.
"Not for now. The New Marine is still consolidating," Mike said, before proceeding to explain everything to them—the recruitment of the three Admirals, the plan to sideline the old Marine, the deal with Whitebeard.
As Mike spoke, the three Warlords fell into another stunned silence.
This wasn't just shocking; it was terrifying.
The old Marine had been dismantled from the inside out in such a short amount of time.
And the New Marine, with its three ideologically aligned admirals and unlimited funding, was on a completely different level.
Doflamingo's forehead beaded with cold sweat.
'Dressrosa is in the New World…'
'If I had been any later in joining him, I'd be facing Akainu's molten fists and an endless armada of steel warships.'
"However, Mike…" Mihawk said slowly, his tone laced with disbelief.
"Does this mean the few of us are officially… legitimized now?"
"Legitimized!" Mike grinned. "The New Warlords of the Sea will operate as a subsidiary of the New Marine, directly under my command. Kuma is also on board, thanks to the old man. With you three and Jinbei, we've got five members. As long as you stay away from your shady past dealings, consider the slate wiped clean. Even Sakazuki won't give you any trouble."
He snapped his fingers.
"Ah, almost forgot."
Kuro walked in at that moment, holding three prepared contracts.
"Sign these, and you'll officially be one of us. Your salaries will range from 100 million to 500 million Belly per month."
"???"
Crocodile, whose last bounty was a mere 81 million, stared at Mike with wide eyes.
"How much?! A minimum of 100 million Belly a month?!"
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