"Heh, I noticed it from the start."
Shirogai's calm smile flickered beneath the sunlight as he stretched out his hand toward Doflamingo. His fingers closed lightly, as though seizing the very air itself.
"Little Doffy, still pretending to be one of those high-and-mighty Celestial Dragons? Sorry, but you'd better come down and talk face to face."
"You…"
Doflamingo's String Clone froze, his grin fading as an unseen force wrapped around him. His body stiffened, then crashed heavily onto the deck of the Going Merry, unable to move a single muscle.
"Shirogai! Don't you think you're going too far?!"
The clone's face twisted in anger. Though just a replica, Doflamingo had never once been humiliated like this — pinned to the deck, surrounded stares.
"A clone?" Nami crouched, peering at him with curiosity. "He looks so real… is this really just a copy?"
"Nami-swaan, don't get too close," Sanji warned sharply, stepping in front of her. "This guy's bite might not be metaphorical."
"…"
Doflamingo's clone glared up, imprinting Sanji's face deep into his memory.
Curly-browed brat… remember what you said. Next time, it'll be your last.
Zoro tightened his grip on his sword, his eyes cold. Having crossed blades earlier, he could tell — this man's power ran deep, frighteningly deep.
"Relax," Shirogai said lightly. "He's just a Warlord of the Sea. Not a Yonko."
His tone was easy, but his eyes gleamed with amusement. Even if it were a Yonko, Shirogai wouldn't have cared. He only kept quiet because he didn't want Usopp to get overconfident again.
"Fufufufu!" Doflamingo's clone laughed, the sound sharp and strange. "Shirogai, do you even know what kind of situation you're in?"
"Didn't you say not long ago you admired me and wanted to join my crew?" Shirogai walked closer, tapping Doflamingo's head with the tip of his shoe. "And now you act arrogant again?"
"Fufufu… of course, I was lying." Doflamingo's smile turned wicked. "As a senior pirate, I have the right to warn you — strength alone doesn't give you the right to look down on everyone."
"Oh?" Shirogai tilted his head, amused. "So you know something I don't?"
"Fufufu~" Doflamingo's grin widened. "Let me enlighten you. Some things have changed these past few days. Powerful people have noticed you. Soon, a few you can't afford to provoke will come knocking. Then you'll realize the World Government isn't the only power that can crush you."
Shirogai's expression sharpened. He murmured thoughtfully, "So… Kaido and Big Mom have teamed up with the World Government?"
The clone's eyes went wide. "How—how did you know?!"
"Heh. You just told me." Shirogai smirked. "If your real body had come, maybe I wouldn't have read you so easily. But sending a clone? You practically invited me into your mind."
He pointed toward the southern horizon. "Your main body's that way, right?"
Doflamingo's clone froze. Then, with a crazed grin, he shouted, "Fufufufu! Self-Destructing Threads!"
Bang!
Cracks split across his body as countless razor-thin threads burst outward, racing to slice the crew apart.
"Danger!"
Zoro and Sanji both sensed it — Observation Haki warning them just in time.
Before the deadly strings reached them, Shirogai raised a finger.
"[Dark Devour]."
A swirling black void opened in midair, sucking in every thread like water down a drain.
The deck fell silent.
"So close!" Sanji exhaled, sweat beading at his temple. "That clone almost killed us all!"
Zoro gritted his teeth. "This is the kind of power real pirates have… and we're still behind."
Shirogai's six black wings unfurled with a soft rush of air. He turned to the crew and smiled.
"Luffy, I'll be heading out for a bit. Move the ship away from here. I left my mark on the Going Merry — I'll find you later."
"Got it!" Luffy waved cheerfully. "Come back soon, Shirogai!"
Swish!
With a single beat of his wings, Shirogai shot into the sky and vanished over the distant sea.
"That guy!" Nami pouted. "He's off doing his own thing again!"
"So, where to next?" Chopper asked.
Nami glanced at the Log Pose and smiled confidently. "We've gathered enough coordinates from Skypiea. Our next destination is that way!"
"Alright!" Luffy leapt to the Merry's figurehead. "Set sail! Adventure awaits!"
"Usopp, Zoro, Sanji — turn the ship around!"
"Why do I always get stuck doing the heavy lifting?" Usopp groaned. "Man, I wish I could fly off like Shirogai…"
"Idiot! You'd get lost before lunchtime," Zoro retorted flatly.
"Hehehe…"
…
Elsewhere —
"So, the Gorosei leaked this to Kaido and Big Mom on purpose?"
Kizaru leaned lazily in a quiet tearoom, sipping tea. The gentle sounds of birds and running water filled the air.
"How scary~" he said lightly. "For a second, I thought there was an actual traitor in the World Government."
Across from him, a sharp-eyed man with a grim expression brewed his tea with precision.
"Of course, it was intentional," he said coldly. "Those old men wouldn't let something like this 'leak' by mistake. Every classified file is bait — they want the Yonko to move."
Kizaru sighed. "So their goal is to use the Yonko to deal with Shirogai?"
The man placed his cup down, his tone frigid. "If The Plunderer really has the personality you described, then he'll never serve under anyone. Pirates like him don't share power. Two alpha wolves can't exist in the same pack. One must die."
Kizaru looked up at the ceiling and exhaled. "This world keeps getting noisier. I just wanted a peaceful life… now even the Celestial Dragons are restless."
The man's fist clenched. "Pirates are filth. Every one of them must be wiped out. Evil cannot be allowed to exist."
Hanging on the wall behind him was a Marine coat bearing the insignia of an Admiral.
Admiral Akainu — Sakazuki.