Two days passed in the blink of an eye, and the time for the warlords' meeting had finally arrived. In the meeting room, Admiral Sengoku handed a contract to Doflamingo, who placed it near Tich's side.
As he gazed at the substantial document, Tich's lips curled into a smile, and he joyously signed his name. From this moment forward, he became one of the Seven Warlords of the Sea.
He now possessed a legitimate pirate identity and would no longer be wanted by bounties or chased by the Marines. He could freely do as he pleased, as long as it didn't cross the World Government's tolerable boundaries or go unnoticed by them.
"Haha, I'm a warlord now! Sengoku, you won't have a chance to arrest me anymore!" Tich laughed loudly, looking at Sengoku with a double-edged remark.
Sengoku took the contract and left, taking his seat. Doflamingo lounged lazily in his chair, grinning mockingly at the solemn Sengoku.
"Hehehe, Sengoku, getting older means less temper. You might end up harming your health if you get too worked up." Sengoku responded with a stern look: "My health is none of your concern, you sea scum!"
"We're not here for chit-chat," said Crocodile impatiently. "Get to the point. I have important matters to attend to." Doflamingo inquired, "Crocodile, why have you been hiding in Alabasta? Is there a particular reason for your absence?"
Crocodile scoffed, "I do not need to answer you, Doflamingo. Curiosity killed the cat."
I contemplated the diverse personalities around the room. "If there's nothing else, I'm leaving. It's boring in here."
Mihawk, who wasn't patient with such political discussions, stood up and addressed Sengoku, "Sengoku, I'm out. Nothing interesting here."
Boa Hancock echoed, "I'm quite busy, Sengoku." Sengoku, after providing the necessary information, also made his exit.
"This meeting is for briefing. The former Warlord, X Drake, has been stripped of his position, and Blackbeard has taken his place. This meeting serves as his induction ceremony and an opportunity for you to meet each other."
It was forbidden for Warlords to fight amongst themselves, as any such conflict would tarnish the World Government's reputation. The World Government required its Warlords to be strong and unassailable pirates to maintain their image.
Doflamingo quickly left the room and approached Crocodile. "Croc, I've been inviting you to join my crew. Have you considered it? Come find me in Dressrosa when you're ready."
Crocodile, with a cold expression, responded, "If you want to join my crew, Sand Crocodile, I'd welcome you. You damn hyena." Doflamingo grinned arrogantly and left the room. Crocodile watched him depart with disdain.
"This arrogance is beyond me. Sand Crocodile, the new era is approaching." After that remark, Crocodile turned to sand and left through the window. I needed to learn about the subsequent events.
At that moment, he walked proudly within the Marine Headquarters, with Pizarro following behind. "Pizarro, if you want to return to fighting shape, find Notisler. He's a formidable fighter, but you need to lose some of that extra weight," Tich suggested, drawing the attention of nearby Marine soldiers.
"Is that the new Warlord Blackbeard? I can't believe Perospero is following him," one of the Marines expressed in disbelief.
"Who knows? These pirates have their secrets. Just another day in the world of pirates" replied another indifferent Marine.
"Hehehe, Tich, you're quite ruthless. Now that we're partners, what's next?" Pizarro's hearty laughter reached the ears of nearby Marines.
"Pizarro, we'll move to the New World when the time is right, but first, we need to gather more crew members." As Tich and Pizarro disappeared, the remaining Warlords remained silent.
Marine soldiers in the harbor sighed with relief. To them, each warlord was a formidable threat, and if they clashed within the Marine Headquarters, the consequences could be disastrous.
Within the Marine Headquarters, the Admiral's office, the two highest-ranking Marines were discussing the Seven Warlords' latest developments.
"Sakazuki, keep an eye on Blackbeard. That guy seems up to something dangerous. I have a bad feeling about this," Admiral Sengoku said with a severe expression.
"I understand, Sengoku. I'll make sure our intelligence division monitors their activities closely," Sakazuki replied.
Sengoku continued, "By the way, Ahokiji, deliver the government's documents to all the Warlords. We can't have them enjoying the privileges without contributing anything in return."