Chapter 175 The Party Ends, Everyone Departs
On a battered ship floating on the sea outside Onigashima.
Brett, Charlotte Linlin, and Kaido sat around Doflamingo on the deck, learning from his mouth a great secret that absolutely no one else in the world knew.
"So the government is hiding something like that?"
Charlotte Linlin's expression was remarkably grave.
"If they didn't have some foundation, how could the World Government have ruled the world for eight hundred years?"
Brett said with a soft laugh, "This world has always been about the survival of the fittest. The fact that the World Government has dominated the world for so many years naturally means they've been the strongest throughout this long history."
"The strongest?"
Kaido grinned, his teeth an almost forest-white color, so when he smiled, it always gave people a terrifying feeling. "Worororo, isn't that just perfect? To become the supreme king, there's nothing better than defeating the strongest enemy! Worororo! I'm the strongest!"
Quite confident.
The suggestion here would be to get past the Marines first, then worry about the government.
Brett's heart felt somewhat heavy.
If Doflamingo wasn't lying, then the World Government truly held power beyond imagination.
The Five Elders probably weren't bluffing when they said the Marines were just the World Government's surface.
At deeper levels, the government had other equally strong or even more powerful forces.
Not to mention CP0 - from Doflamingo's mouth, Brett had heard an unfamiliar name: the Holy Knights stationed in Mariejois, truly responsible for protecting the Celestial Dragons.
Doflamingo said that while CP0's leader was indeed the Celestial Dragons' strongest shield, the Holy Knights were the true high walls protecting the Celestial Dragons.
Brett was more curious about how Big Brother Tiger had managed to wreak havoc in Mariejois back then.
Probably because the area where the slaves were kept wasn't in the same place as where the Celestial Dragons lived.
Besides this so-called Holy Knights, many Celestial Dragon families even had their own private armies. For instance, the Five Elders who wielded world power - their respective families each possessed powerful military forces.
Even within the Celestial Dragons, competition existed.
If one simply wanted to be a parasite raised like livestock, then of course nothing needed to be managed - the Celestial Dragons' benefits were unquestionable.
But if one wanted power, that was completely different.
However, these were all secondary.
The World Government's most terrifying power was still what Doflamingo called the Celestial Dragons' national treasure.
That was something that could make monsters like Charlotte Linlin and Kaido break out in cold sweat.
"Fufufufu, so you'd better protect me well!"
Doflamingo grinned, "Also, remember to find the Op-Op Fruit. Without me and the Op-Op Fruit, you have absolutely no hope."
Kaido looked at Charlotte Linlin.
"Mama mama!"
Charlotte Linlin grabbed Doflamingo up, "We already agreed, this guy belongs to me, Kaido!"
"However," her eyes rolled, "after I have a few children with him, he'll be useless. I can give him to you then."
"Hmph," Kaido snorted coldly, "You'd better not go back on your word, or I'll definitely make you regret it."
"Mama mama!"
Charlotte Linlin laughed heartily.
Doflamingo's expression was calm, tucked under Charlotte Linlin's armpit like an oversized stuffed doll.
He showed no dissatisfaction, not even a trace of anger or fear.
Just very calm.
As if he had completely accepted his fate, his heart like still water.
But Brett knew this wasn't the case.
This man might have felt dejected before, might have despaired, but those emotions were quickly cast aside.
Even now, he probably had calculations in his heart.
He was a very tenacious guy.
"As for you, Brett,"
Brett looked up. Charlotte Linlin smiled at him, "We're friends, so when the time comes, you can work together with Mama."
She was referring to the distribution of Celestial Dragons.
Brett smiled, "I don't mind."
Capturing a Celestial Dragon wasn't difficult, right? Just be patient and stake out the Sabaody Archipelago for a while.
The Op-Op Fruit was the key point.
Do you know where it is and still want to exclude me?
Brett's face carried a smile.
Charlotte Linlin's smile responded to his.
"Mama mama, that's just like you, Brett! So reasonable!" She laughed heartily, "Then let's have a banquet next!"
"Kaido, hurry and have people prepare!"
"Stop ordering me around."
Kaido was very displeased, but still prepared to call for people.
Then Brett said, "I'll pass on the banquet. Everything here is finished, so I should return to Fish-Man Island quickly. There are many things waiting for me there."
Releasing Yamato was something Kaido was tolerating only because of Charlotte Linlin, and he even had another reason - he felt certain he could capture Yamato again.
But if what he'd done in the Flower Capital and Udon Prison was exposed, then probably even Charlotte Linlin couldn't stop Kaido.
Now that the battle was over, phone calls would probably start coming in soon.
Brett didn't want to fight Kaido for now.
So he could only retreat first.
"Brett, you're really spoiling the mood."
Charlotte Linlin was somewhat dissatisfied.
"Big Mom, you and Kaido are old friends."
Brett said with a smile, "I won't disturb your reminiscing."
Charlotte Linlin raised an eyebrow.
She understood - this kid didn't want to stay and put her in a difficult position between him and Kaido.
What a reliable brat.
"Fine then, I won't keep you."
Charlotte Linlin beamed, "Safe travels!"
This trip had achieved all objectives - it was pure profit.
Kaido said nothing, though if Charlotte Linlin hadn't been there, his kanabo would probably already be swinging at Brett.
Lightning suddenly flared around Brett's body.
"Well then, farewell."
He smiled lightly, and the next instant shot into the sky.
Flying all the way up to very high altitude, then forward, until he was clear of Wano's airspace. Brett pulled out Fish-Man Island's eternal pose to confirm his bearings.
Then scales and claws began growing on his body.
He transformed into his dragon-man form.
Flame clouds condensed under his feet, then - stomp, launch!
Stepping on flame clouds with physical substance naturally provided much more force than stepping on air!
This time it really felt like running on solid ground.
Brett's current speed could match his full-speed running on land!
Shortly after he left, at Onigashima.
"That brat!! I'm going to kill him!!"
"Mama mama, now Mama understands why Brett ran so fast."
The news had come a bit late.
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