"Are you kidding me?" Sengoku growled through gritted teeth, his voice rising with frustration. "Five billion isn't a lot! Let me spell it out for you—Logia fruits alone can sell for a billion Berries, even the weakest of them!"
Across the transponder snail, Ayanami Kaito leaned back in his chair, calmly touching his chin. "And Akainu's Magma-Magma Fruit is one of the strongest Logia types. Three billion for the fruit itself, one billion for his Admiral title, and the remaining ten Berries as compensation for my loyalty to the Marines," he said with mock sincerity. "Seems fair, doesn't it?"
"You insolent brat!" Sengoku's voice trembled with fury. He wanted nothing more than to storm into Sabaody Archipelago and drag Kaito back himself. But the thought of Sakazuki—Akainu—still being held captive made him hesitate.
As much as he hated to admit it, Kaito wasn't wrong. Admiral-level Logia users were irreplaceable. Training a new one would consume resources, time, and luck—none of which the Marines could afford with the seas growing more chaotic every day. Losing Akainu now would cripple Marine power.
Still, Sengoku couldn't stomach the humiliation of being blackmailed by a pirate.
Before his temper could boil over, Vice Admiral Tsuru, known as Staff Officer Crane, calmly placed a hand on his shoulder. "Let me handle this," she said softly.
Sengoku exhaled sharply. "Fine." He turned to the clerk at his door. "Send word to Kuzan—his vacation is over. I want him back at Marineford immediately. And get Kizaru back too."
"Yes, Marshal Sengoku!"
---
Shakky's Bar, Sabaody Archipelago.
The atmosphere inside was calm, despite the storm brewing on the other end of the line.
"I'm sure you can hear me," came Crane's composed voice through the transponder snail. "You've probably already guessed who I am."
Kaito smirked. "Chief Marine Strategist, Staff Officer Crane. I'm honored."
"Then I'll be blunt," she continued. "Five billion Berries is too much. The Marines can't possibly raise that amount."
"Hmm? That's fine," Kaito said lazily, swirling his drink. "Jewels, Devil Fruits, rare materials—anything of equal value works. I'm flexible."
Crane's tone sharpened. "I mean it literally. We cannot produce that much."
Kaito tilted his head, pretending to think. "Give me a second." He set the snail down and muttered, [How long until you're ready?]
[Twenty minutes,] came Kaguya's voice from within his inner space.
[Perfect timing. I've got a job for you—Marine negotiations. Whatever you squeeze out of them, it's all yours.]
[Heh, leave it to me,] she replied, vanishing from his inner realm in a swirl of white energy.
Moments later, a space vortex opened beside Kaito, and Kaguya emerged, elegant and cold as ever.
He gestured toward the transponder snail. "All yours."
Kaguya nodded. "Understood." She lifted the snail and spoke in a calm, icy tone. "I'm Kaito's wife. From now on, I'll handle the negotiations."
On the other end, Crane blinked in surprise but quickly regained her composure. "I see. Then I'll continue. Five billion is simply impossible. Perhaps we can lower the amount?"
Kaguya's pale lips curved slightly. "Lower it? Hmm. Han—Kaito told me you Marines are the strongest organization on the seas. Surely five billion is nothing. In fact, even a hundred billion shouldn't trouble you."
Crane frowned. "We are indeed strong, but strength requires resources. We have bases and personnel to maintain. Five billion is unrealistic."
"Then let's lower it to ten billion!" Kaguya said brightly, her eyes lighting up. "No less!"
Crane blinked in disbelief. Sengoku, who had just reentered the office, nearly fell over.
"Did she just say lower it to ten billion?" he shouted. "Is she insane?!"
He snatched the snail from Crane and bellowed into it, "Who taught you math?! Five billion down a little doesn't make it ten billion!"
The sound echoed so loudly that even Kaito flinched, rubbing his ear with a grin.
Across the bar, Shakky watched the chaos unfold with an amused smile. Even after years in the underworld, she had never seen the legendary Marine Marshal lose his composure like this.
"Isn't five billion down a little ten billion?" Kaguya asked innocently. "Isn't that right, Kaito-kun?"
"Yes, yes," Kaito said solemnly. "A billion less, obviously."
"You two—!" Sengoku's voice cracked with rage. "Are you mocking the Marines?!"
Kaito chuckled. "Marshal Sengoku, who's mocking who here? I'm simply negotiating."
A tense silence fell.
And then—
"Yo!" A familiar, carefree voice broke the quiet. "I heard a certain old man shouting loud enough to shake the bar. Turns out it's just a phone call."
Rayleigh stepped through the door, grinning.
"Rayleigh?!" Sengoku's tone sharpened. "Don't tell me you've allied yourself with this brat!"
Rayleigh waved his hand dismissively. "Relax, old friend. I just came for a drink. Didn't expect the bar's owner to be this connected."
Kaito smirked. "I handle my own business, Marshal. No one else is involved."
"Wait… this bar…" Sengoku's expression darkened. "Are you calling from Shakky's Rip-Off Bar?!"
Kaito leaned back with a grin. "That's the one. Don't worry, only a handful of people are here—just Shakky, Rayleigh, my wife, and me."
Sengoku's temples throbbed. "You—you're negotiating with the Marines in public?!"
He clenched his fists. The thought of his humiliation being overheard by the Dark King and one of the underworld's most infamous information brokers made his blood boil.
The mighty Marine Marshal, extorted by a pirate in a bar. If this got out, the seas would laugh for years.
And Kaito, sipping calmly on his drink, knew exactly that.
______
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