""That so-called 'Pirate Empress' Boa Hancock said, her voice cold and sharp.
In a picturesque city filled with lush greenery, a man with blond hair, sunglasses, a pink feathered coat, cropped trousers, and pointed shoes lounged on a steel throne—smirking at the newspaper.
"Interesting. Who would've thought he could force the World Government to back down? He may actually be clever."
"Mr. Doflamingo, what shall we do now? Should we open negotiations with the Government?"A scruffy, unshaven man wearing a circular-patterned cloak and tiny sunglasses sniffed and asked hesitantly.
"No need. Loguetown is far from us; he won't reach us anytime soon. Let him eliminate the other Warlords first."
"Every year, many try to rise—but vanish before they bloom."
The smile on Donquixote Doflamingo's face darkened.
Meanwhile, Renji Kai and his crew were reading the same headlines:
"What the hell! Why am I not mentioned? I trapped Admiral Sakazuki with my own barrier!"
Bartolomeo exploded in frustration when only Bullet and Crocodile were credited.
"Don't act like the boss of Loguetown and expect headlines," Crocodile teased—but secretly, he felt better. Defeat no longer stung—after all, Renji Kai had beaten him, defeated two strong Marines, and even forced the World Government into talks.
Soon, they would topple the rest of the Warlords—his own failure would be forgotten once they all lose.
Later, aboard the Red Force, they sailed into a windless sea—the infamous Calm Belt.
Designed for sail-powered ships, the ship came to a halt.
Everyone stared at the endless flat water.
"How do we get past this?" Bartolomeo asked.
Renji Kai smiled.
"Crocodile, can your sand solidify? I want to use it like a sturdy rope."
"It could—but it dissolves in water," Crocodile replied.
"No problem. Just use it to bind the heads of everything floating on the surface," Renji Kai replied.
"What?" Everyone was puzzled.
"Isn't this place full of Sea Kings? Let's lure a few out and ride them through!" Renji Kai said confidently.
"Whoa, Captain, you're full of surprises—using Sea Kings as mounts?"
Bartolomeo grinned.
Sea Kings are the strongest creatures in the ocean—giant, powerful, intelligent, feared by all sailors.
Yet Renji wanted to tame them. Even Crocodile was astonished.
"But how do we attract them? You'd have to go in the water—and you can't swim!" Crocodile warned.
Everyone here had eaten Devil Fruits—they all sank. Renji pointed out:
"You just Stand back and watch. I'll lure them up. Then, Crocodile—your turn."
With that, Renji Kai inwardly smirked—then paused.
A system notification sounded in his mind: