"They're testing me, huh... Heh heh... There are a lot of little mice. Looks like I need to borrow someone from Doflamingo." Aeridar narrowed his eyes and dialed another number.
"Fufufufufu... What is it, my dear ally?" Doflamingo's slightly demonic laugh came from the Den Den Mushi.
"Two things. First, I have some little mice to deal with at home, so I need to borrow someone," Aeridar said plainly.
"Fufufufufu... You want Violet," Doflamingo immediately guessed who Aeridar needed. He then replied, "No problem. I'll have her report to Clifford right away."
"Good. Second, you're the middleman. Help me get in touch with the 'God of Fortune,' Lu Feld," Aeridar continued.
"Looking for him? You're not trying to borrow money from a loan shark, are you? Fufufufufu..." Doflamingo teased.
"I need to get a person from him, Devin Hubert. I know he's with him," Aeridar said seriously, ignoring the teasing. "I'll take only half the profit from the sales rights of the SS Drug in the Underworld, plus five hundred doses of the SS Drug. If he refuses, it's war!"
"Devin Hubert! How do you know he's with Lu Feld?" Doflamingo was shocked.
Years ago, he had a fierce battle with Caesar over this genius scientist, and their animosity grew until one of them fell.
"The Gorosei told me," Aeridar said directly.
"Using a third party to do their dirty work?" Doflamingo was stunned, then he shook his head. "No, they're not that stupid."
"Do they really want that technology so badly?" Doflamingo was puzzled.
"Whatever their motives, I'm taking Devin Hubert. You know how valuable his research is to my crew," Aeridar said calmly.
I don't care what kind of scheme you're cooking up. I'm not afraid of death, so if you want to fight, let's fight!
"Fufufufufu... You're getting more and more domineering, you know. Just remember to save me a share," Doflamingo laughed strangely.
"Don't worry, you'll get what's due," Aeridar nodded.
"I'll handle it. Wait for my word." Doflamingo didn't hesitate. Although he had a good relationship with "God of Fortune" Lu Feld, it couldn't compare to his relationship with Aeridar.
The profits from the Seven Warlords Alliance alone—between Doflamingo, Aeridar, Hancock, Jinbe, and Crocodile—were astronomical every year. Not to mention the SS Drug.
Because of the SS Drug, Doflamingo had a new elite force of 1,200 men and several other treasure-hunting teams of over a hundred members, all with a Doriki power level over a hundred. These battle-hardened elites were spread across the world, protecting his business.
"It's in your hands."
Aeridar spoke and hung up the Den Den Mushi.
After a long silence, Aeridar suddenly sneered. "Heh heh... World Government, you've got this all figured out."
"But I don't have time for you now. The storm of a new era is coming. I wonder if you can maintain your high-and-mighty demeanor when you face a Whitebeard at his peak and a rampaging ocean."
"The Yonko, the Warlords of the Sea, the Revolutionary Army, and ambitious people from all over the world... How long do you think you can keep the Void Century and the three Ancient Weapons a secret? Hehehehe..." Aeridar's cold laughter echoed.
Suddenly, a flash of lightning-like insight crossed Aeridar's mind.
"Hmm?! Was that... someone trying to kill me?"
"No. With that level of power, are they suicidal, or is there something else at play?"
Aeridar recalled the brief image that had flashed in his mind: a group of seven or eight thugs with blades and guns rushing into the teahouse to kill him.
Bang!
As Aeridar was thinking, the teahouse door was kicked open. A group of burly, vicious-looking men with muscular builds and hidden guns burst in.
"Over there!"
A man with a long sword glanced around and immediately pointed at Aeridar.
"Kill him! That'll get us a position as a senior officer!"
Someone shouted, and the seven or eight men's eyes turned red. They all raised their blades and guns, rushing at him with murderous intent.
"A senior officer's position?" Aeridar raised an eyebrow and smiled dismissively. "You pathetic fools. Perfect timing. I was just looking for some entertainment!"
Two days later.
Twenty nautical miles from Loguetown, a luxurious giant ship sat on the sea like a small mountain, an imposing sight.
Pere pere pere... Pere pere pere...
On the bow deck, three elegant Den Den Mushi rang constantly.
Click.
A pale hand picked up a Den Den Mushi.
"It's me!"
Saint Gustav leaned back on his lounge chair, basking in the sun with a Den Den Mushi in one hand.
"We missed him. He left yesterday. He just flew away," Malha's voice came from the Den Den Mushi.
"What?!"
Saint Gustav's face changed. He sat up straight and asked coldly, "How is that possible? Weren't our people there to stall him and hold him down?"
"They're all dead. Seven hidden locations, one hundred and twenty-six men, including a senior officer, all killed with a single blow." A bad piece of news came through.
"Damn it! I told them to stay hidden and just stall him! Who told them to act on their own?!" Saint Gustav was furious.
"That's the point. They all died inside their hidden rooms."
"...A traitor, then?"
"Who knows?"
"..."
Gustav was speechless. He, a World Noble, a noble of immense value, risked crossing the Calm Belt and rushed thousands of miles just to be one day late.
How he regretted it!
In truth, if Aeridar had known they were coming to kill him, he would have waited for them.
Damn it! A king's showdown! Who's afraid of whom?!
If Aeridar knew, he would have also regretted it. Damn it! If I had just stayed one more day, I would have taken them out, and I'd have nothing to worry about!
Of course, if Aeridar knew that they were bringing a large group of people to kill him, he would have summoned the Chris Pirates' officers as well.
This was precisely what Saint Gustav and Malha wanted to avoid. The Chris Pirates had too many powerful fighters: the First Mate, the Blue-Haired Gilbert Arlan; the Combat Commander, the Slayer Oliver; the First Combatant who had made a name for himself in the last two years, Thunder God Enel; and the other Captains and powerful pirate crews under his command.
They didn't have the confidence to win against the Chris Pirates alone, not to mention that if a frontal battle was exposed, the Donquixote Pirates and the Golden Emperor Gild Tesoro would also get involved because of the "stolen Vigor-Vigor Fruit incident."
Otherwise, would a proud Celestial Dragon need to sneak over to kill someone like this? It was because they couldn't win a direct fight!
"Come back! You come back first. We'll find another opportunity!" Saint Gustav rubbed his temples, his head throbbing, and said helplessly.