"Boss."
Hearing his boss's words, the bald subordinate hesitated for a moment, then said helplessly, "I already told him. Gini said that if we want our people back, we should personally go over and talk to his boss."
North Blue's underworld boss: "..."
As those words fell, the hand of the North Blue's underworld boss holding the cigar paused slightly, and that enraged, humiliated expression appeared on his face once more.
Of course, he knew who was behind Gini. Why did he only curse Gini earlier and not curse that person?
Wasn't it simply because he couldn't afford to provoke him!
Although that person had always stayed in the West Blue, no one on the seas dared to underestimate him.
Especially after the incident in Water 7 spread, and after seeing that even the World Government's Buster Call could do nothing to him, now there were even fewer people on the seas who dared to provoke that person casually.
It was just that... He really could not understand why such a terrifying individual, who clearly already possessed the strength to vie for domination of the seas, would still cower in the West Blue.
Did that person have no dreams at all?
King of the Pirates, ruler of the world, either would do!
Why insist on getting involved in their underworld's game rules?
"Tell Gini this is a game belonging to our underworld forces. Don't drag the Umbrella Corporation into it. Does he really think that hanging up the name of some security company means he's no longer part of the underworld forces?"
The North Blue's underworld boss snorted coldly. "If he wants to eat from the underworld's bowl, then let him show the bearing of a West Blue's underworld king. Otherwise, don't blame the entire underworld for being impolite."
"Boss, this..."
The bald subordinate showed a helpless expression again. "When I negotiated with Gini last time, I already said that. But Gini not only cursed us as a bunch of stinking outsiders, but he also said that in the West Blue, one must follow the rules set by their Grado. He doesn't care about any underworld rules at all, and also..."
"That damn bastard! Son of a bitch! A despicable bastard who only knows how to fire shots from the shadows!"
Before the bald subordinate could finish speaking, the North Blue's underworld boss could no longer restrain himself.
He slammed the table and stood up again.
"Bang!" "Bang!" "Bang!"
The few remaining things on the table were all smashed by him.
But after smashing things for roughly another quarter of an hour, he forcibly calmed himself down. He lit another cigar himself, took a puff, and then looked coldly at the bald enforcer. "And also what?"
"Over on Grado's side, they, they..."
Seemingly sensing the suppressed anger in his boss's heart, the bald subordinate spoke cautiously.
"They also said that we should hurry up and send back the giant we captured. Otherwise, don't blame them for being impolite."
North Blue's underworld boss: "...?!"
As soon as those words fell, the North Blue's underworld boss, who had just suppressed his anger, instantly darkened in expression. He even snapped the freshly lit cigar in his hand into two pieces.
The scorching tip burned his hand, yet his expression did not change at all.
An oppressive aura radiated from his entire body, like a volcano on the verge of eruption.
But this time, unexpectedly, he did not stand up and smash things as he had the previous two times.
Instead…
"Hahahaha!"
He let out a burst of laughter that echoed throughout the entire office.
He even took a handkerchief handed over by a lackey beside him and elegantly wiped his hands.
The corners of his mouth curled upward. It seemed like he was smiling, but that smile was exceptionally cold. "He actually wants me to hand over the giant I worked so hard to capture to him?"
"How ridiculous. Does he know how many people died for me to capture that female giant? A full ten cadres died before we finally managed to capture her!"
"Who does he think he is? Just opening his mouth, and he wants me to hand over something I obtained with such effort? Don't say he's the underworld king of the West Blue, even if the boss behind him comes forward, it won't work!"
"Tell that guy!"
The North Blue's underworld boss wore a ferocious grin, his eyes wide with fury, his entire body radiating a chilling aura.
In a suppressed voice, he said, "If he wants it, then go get it himself in the Sabaody Archipelago. If he's got the guts, then go snatch it from the World Nobles, from the Celestial Dragons!"
At this point, he slammed the table hard and roared with a disdainful yet furious tone: "I don't believe that bastard dares to provoke the Celestial Dragons!"
...
News that the Umbrella Corporation and Grado were cleaning up slave-catching groups in the West Blue instantly spread throughout the various Underworld forces.
Countless underworld factions that had participated, hoping to get a share of the spoils in this slave-catching game, were immediately grinding their teeth in rage.
They roared that Grado, the underworld king of the West Blue, was simply a disgrace to the underworld.
But faced with the Umbrella Corporation's overwhelming force and the formidable strength of Ian, the God of Sun, what could they do?
They could only vent their dissatisfaction angrily within their own territories.
At the same time, Marine Headquarters was also well aware of the changes in the West Blue.
In fact, as the current Fleet Admiral of Marine Headquarters, Sengoku, he knew even more than they did.
At the moment the information was reported back, he had already guessed that Branch Bases in the West Blue must have cooperated with the Umbrella Corporation's actions.
Regarding this, Sengoku did not say much. To Marine Headquarters, these were merely trivial matters, and he was also annoyed by the World Government's sudden issuance of so many legal slave-catching licenses.
However, although he knew how much chaos indiscriminately issuing slave-catching licenses would bring to the seas, as the marine's strategic mastermind, he also guessed the reason why the World Government chose to do so.
Sengoku lowered his head, furrowed his brows, and his gaze was sharp as he stared intently at the West Blue map spread out on the desk. The map was covered with messy red circles, and it seemed he was searching for something.