Pere pere pere… pere pere pere…
Click!
Aeridar answered the Den Den Mushi but remained silent.
After a moment of silence, the person on the other end of the line couldn't help but speak.
"You were in Alabasta at that time, weren't you?"
The voice of one of the Gorosei rang out.
"What do you want to say? I was merely observing the battle," Aeridar said dismissively.
"Why didn't you intervene? You must know that a tiny leak can sink a great ship. Once the balance of the Three Great Powers collapses, it will certainly cause a direct shock to the world. You don't want that either, do you?" The Gorosei sounded agitated.
"Don't be ridiculous. Even pirates have their pride," Aeridar retorted coldly.
"Then why didn't you eliminate them afterward? Defeating a Warlord of the Sea, that level of danger is worth your intervention!" the Gorosei demanded angrily.
"You're trying to pin the blame on me?" Aeridar sneered. "Heh heh, then you should first pursue the responsibility of the Alabasta Royal Family and King Nefertari Cobra."
"Hmph. It is your duty to hunt pirates!" The Gorosei deliberately avoided discussing the Alabasta Kingdom's actions in covering for the Straw Hat Pirates.
After a moment of deliberation, the Gorosei said, "Come to Mariejois. A Warlord meeting is being convened."
Click!
Looking at the disconnected Den Den Mushi, a look of mockery crossed Aeridar's face.
"What do you have besides your foundation? Heh heh heh heh…"
....
Holy Land, Mariejois.
"Marine Headquarters message to Mariejois Port: Warlord of the Sea, Donquixote Doflamingo, has arrived. Also, Bartholomew Kuma has arrived."
A broadcast rang out in Mariejois Port. Doflamingo swaggered forward with his hands in his pockets and a cocky, pigeon-toed walk. Behind him was the tall, imposing figure of Kuma, holding a thick book and wearing a perpetually emotionless face.
Creak~
The conference room doors opened wide. The arrogant Doflamingo and the expressionless Kuma entered.
"Aeridar, you're always so prompt. Fuffuffuffuffu~"
Doflamingo immediately spotted Aeridar in the conference room. He also noticed the sole female in the room, Chief of Staff Tsuru. "Heeey, Tsuru-san, long time no see. You look well."
"Hey, hey~ Doffy, you guys are so slow. I was bored to death facing a bunch of Marines," Aeridar rolled his eyes and waved. "Yo, Kuma, long time no see."
In response to Doflamingo and Aeridar's greetings, neither Kuma nor Tsuru did more than glance up; they offered no reply.
"Fuffuffuffuffu~ That's truly heartbreaking. We're old acquaintances, after all." Doflamingo didn't seem to mind, instead laughing playfully.
"Yeah, yeah, exactly! That's so rude, Kuma. We're old friends, heh heh heh heh." Aeridar chimed in, feigning helplessness, but letting out a low chuckle.
Receiving no answer, Doflamingo and Aeridar weren't embarrassed, merely curling their lips in boredom.
Frankly, surviving in the world of One Piece for so many years had made Aeridar's speech and mannerisms increasingly like those of the people in this world. He possessed a considerable case of "chuunibyou," and would resort to violence or murder at the slightest disagreement, or even a fleeting look. In his original world, he would clearly have been a patient with severe psychological issues.
Kuma sat silently on a nearby sofa, while Doflamingo paced around idly before finally sitting down on a chair.
The three great pirates faced four Marine Vice Admirals, including Cancer, Stainless, Mozambia, and Chief of Staff Tsuru. The two sides remained silent, causing the atmosphere in the conference room to become unusually oppressive.
After sitting for a while, Doflamingo looked around boredly, his fingers twitching.
Suddenly, Doflamingo looked at the four Marine Vice Admirals present, a sinister smile on his face. He moved his five fingers, folding his index and ring fingers while holding up his middle finger, thumb, and pinky in a strange gesture. Nearly invisible threads dropped.
Whoosh~
BANG!
Suddenly, Vice Admiral Mozambia, who had a somewhat robust physique, jumped up, abruptly stretched out his hand, and grabbed the neck of the mustached Vice Admiral Stainless.
The chair clattered to the floor. Vice Admiral Stainless immediately grasped Vice Admiral Mozambia's wrist, shouting hoarsely, "Stop it! What are you doing?"
"I can't! My hands won't obey me!" Vice Admiral Mozambia was also horrified, his face contorted as he tried to pull his hands back. He felt as if his hands weren't his own, completely beyond his control.
"Nonsense! This is no time for games!" Vice Admiral Stainless completely disbelieved him.
"I'm not playing! My body really isn't listening to me!" Vice Admiral Mozambia hurriedly explained.
"There's no such thing! I can't breathe!" Vice Admiral Stainless struggled hard to break free from the hands choking his neck.
"Stop messing around, both of you! Show some decorum!" Vice Admiral Cancer, the handsome man with sunglasses and a slicked-back hairstyle, couldn't stand it any longer.
"Do you want to kill me?"
"No!"
"Stop it! Don't you know where you are?!"
"Stop!"
Vice Admiral Mozambia choked Vice Admiral Stainless's neck. Vice Admiral Stainless desperately tried to struggle free from Vice Admiral Mozambia's hands, and Vice Admiral Cancer attempted to restrain the two.
Vice Admiral Tsuru looked up at the three men fighting in a chaotic mess, but surprisingly, she did not intervene.
"Oh my, what am I seeing? Marine Vice Admirals fighting amongst themselves? Heh heh heh heh~" Aeridar laughed gleefully.
"Donquixote Doflamingo! Was that your doing? Stop it immediately!" Vice Admiral Mozambia suddenly noticed Doflamingo's strange hand gesture and instantly understood the situation.
"Fuffuffufu~ If you don't want to cause trouble. Then hurry up and explain everything clearly." Doflamingo wiggled his fingers, grinning. "Let's end this boring meeting!"
Immediately, with a double Clang! sound, the two Vice Admirals simultaneously drew the swords at their waists, looking ready to slash at each other right then and there.
Creak!
"Stop it immediately!"
At that moment, Sengoku, looking displeased, strode in. He immediately roared, "Look at the state of you all! Did you come here for a meeting or a brawl!"
"Baaaa~"
A small, bell-wearing white goat let out a bleat beside Sengoku.
Sengoku then adopted a smiling expression, chuckling heartily: "My apologies for not greeting you all sooner. I never expected you to actually show up, you scummy sea trash!"
"Hey, hey~ Hey, Fleet Admiral Sengoku, you used that same opening line last time, didn't you!" Aeridar mocked, rolling his eyes. "Are you so busy that's the only line you know?"
"Let the meeting commence!"
Ignoring Aeridar's sarcasm, Sengoku immediately took his seat and said, "As I see it, no one else is going to come even if we wait. Three out of the six Warlords of the Sea are present. A fifty percent attendance rate already exceeds my expectations."