Marine Headquarters, Marineford.
At a meeting presided over by the Meeting King, Brannew.
After Fleet Admiral Sengoku received a call, his fingers gripping the den den mushi suddenly tightened, his face turned pale, and cold sweat couldn't stop pouring from his forehead.
"Alright, I understand."
Hanging up the den den mushi, Sengoku swallowed hard.
"Borsalino."
"Go to Sabaody Archipelago, Island 1 immediately, find and appease Barzeb Seven, and ensure Saint Elaine... stays alive."
Marine Consultant Vice Admiral Tsuru spoke up.
"Sengoku, tell us the details."
Sengoku took a deep breath, calming the turmoil in his heart.
"Former Roger Pirates member Barzeb Seven is on Sabaody Archipelago, Island 1, kidnapping the Celestial Dragon Saint Elaine and demanding a ransom from the World Government."
As he spoke, the expressions of the high-ranking Marine officers present shifted: How could someone have such guts?
Kidnapping a Celestial Dragon?
Even if he successfully extorted the World Government, he'd need to be alive to spend the ransom. Are the crew members of the Pirate King Roger all such reckless men?
"Hahahaha."
Garp laughed until tears came out: "I knew it, that kid must still be alive. Kidnapping a Celestial Dragon, extorting the World Government, hahahaha."
Since it involved Celestial Dragons, Garp couldn't be bothered to act.
Had it been any other mission, Garp would have definitely taken the initiative to lock Beelzebul in Impel Down; this was one of the goals Garp had set for the rest of his life.
"You bastard, Garp," Sengoku barked, slamming the table.
Vice Admiral Tsuru spoke up to stop them both: "Borsalino, you go ahead and appease Beelzebul first, then coordinate with the World Government for the follow-up."
When a Celestial Dragon is kidnapped, the Marines certainly wouldn't be the ones paying the ransom; at most, they would provide support and rescue the kidnapped Celestial Dragon.
Kizaru slowly stood up: "Sengoku-san, I only need to appease the kidnapper's emotions, right?"
At the thought of Seven's heaven-defying Conquerors Haki Coating, Kizaru felt a headache coming on. Crucially, they had a secret deal between them.
Sengoku nodded: "If necessary, assist the World Government in arresting Beelzebul."
Such incidents of kidnapping Celestial Dragons must be completely nipped in the bud. Otherwise, if the pirates on the sea follow suit, the Marines wouldn't have to do anything else.
They might as well send everyone to guard the Celestial Dragons.
With a whoosh, Kizaru turned into light and sped towards the Sabaody Archipelago.
Arrest him? How could he possibly arrest him?
Two years ago, there was no way to arrest him.
Two years later, it's likely even more impossible.
Judging by how Beelzebul was only asking for a ransom and hadn't killed the Celestial Dragon, he wasn't ready to completely fall out with the World Government yet.
So, how should he hold back?
Ever since learning the truth about the Void Century two years ago, Kizaru had secretly verified part of it, and the results were exactly as described.
This made the justice Kizaru upheld in his heart even more ambiguous—it included maintaining the stability of the existing order, while also occasionally giving rise to the terrifying thought of overthrowing the World Government and rebuilding a new order.
Because of this, Kizaru hadn't dared to go to the Sky Island for two years, for fear of being bewitched by Beelzebul again.
"Brother, you've really given me a difficult problem."
The vibrating den den mushi in his pocket pulled Kizaru's wandering thoughts back to reality.
"moshi moshi."
"Brother, I only want the ransom."
"Alright." Kizaru felt completely at ease.
This mission would surely be completed beautifully. Surely the promotion and transfer that the World Government suppressed two years ago couldn't be suppressed again, right?
Sabaody Archipelago, Island 1.
On the street in front of the slave auction house, Seven dispersed the merchants and ordinary people, leaving only the unconscious Marines and CP Agents on the ground.
The two Celestial Dragon guards had been sliced into several pieces by him like they were vegetables.
The fat Swine Elaine had already fainted and was being used by Seven as a seat cushion. Kidnapping the Swine Celestial Dragon was a spur-of-the-moment decision.
Who told this guy to be of such noble birth?
And Seven was dirt poor.
As for the ill-fated lovers Tesoro and Stella, Seven had arranged for them to stay in a nearby hotel, intending to take them with him after receiving the ransom.
The wait wasn't long.
As the blinding light slowly converged into Kizaru, Seven immediately held his blade against Elaine's neck.
"Don't move, Borsalino."
Just like the justice Kizaru upheld, Kizaru himself was ambiguous; Seven wouldn't truly trust a so-called partnership.
Kizaru quickly raised his hands.
"Kowai ne~"
The other party had changed too much; Kizaru almost didn't recognize him just now: "Beelzebul, why does a man like you insist on being an enemy of the World Government?"
Although they had reached a private cooperation, on the surface, Marines and pirates were still on opposite sides; the superficial work still had to be done.
Seven shrugged: "I'm poor!"
"I'm not like you Marines with a fixed monthly salary. Poor people like us can only rely on ourselves to barely survive."
Kizaru remained expressionless, but internally he was complaining: There's so much gold on Sky Island, and you're still crying poverty? You didn't squander all the gold you promised me, did you?
It seems he must find time to sneak to Sky Island.
While the two were chatting, some news workers who had heard the news secretly started taking photos. Seven subtly turned his body, revealing his profile and jawline toward the reporters.
As the saying goes—
A side profile makes you a god of the version.
Without showing the jawline, you're a trash of the version.
As a pirate, even the external image on a bounty poster is a plus!
For such explosive news, Morgans, the president of the World Economic News Paper, naturally wouldn't miss it, especially since the person involved was Beelzebul, whom Morgans favored the most.
During this time, Kizaru reported the current situation to Fleet Admiral Sengoku from time to time.
Just as Kizaru hung up the den den mushi, Seven grabbed the Swine Elaine: "Let's go, we'll wait on the ship."
Seven didn't have a ship at the moment, but the Celestial Dragon did.
At the Sabaody Archipelago port, on a luxury cruise ship, Seven casually pulled out an iron chain and gave Elaine's fat body an artistic binding.
"Borsalino, hurry the World Government up. You have half an hour. If the time is exceeded, I'll have to send him on his way."
Kizaru cooperatively contacted the Gorosei.
Hearing the kidnapper's demands, the Gorosei were silent for a few breaths: "Borsalino, you'll have to make a few trips."
Kizaru's face dropped: "Alright."
Being fast really isn't a good thing.
Especially for a slacker like Kizaru who just wants to loaf around, the World Government and the Marines always make him suffer whenever there's an emergency.
The ransom Seven demanded was a massive lion's opening: five Devil Fruits and five weapons no lower than the Grade Swords level.
With the financial power of the World Government ruling the seas for over eight hundred years, preparing the ransom was simply a piece of cake.
The only problem was delivering the ransom on time.
"Give me the Gorosei's contact information."
After receiving the Gorosei's promise, Kizaru left the contact information and turned into light again, rushing towards the Holy Land Mary Geoise.
Seven then dialed the den den mushi: "moshi moshi."
"Beelzebul," the den den mushi mimicked the speaker's tone: "What on earth do you want?"
"Don't be in a hurry, I'll talk with you slowly."
Seven stepped on Elaine's back: "First of all, I express my full apologies for kidnapping Saint Elaine."
Holy Land Mary Geoise, Pangea Castle.
Inside the spacious and bright room, the Gorosei looked at each other: This guy is surprisingly polite.
"You know, I'm quite poor. This ransom is a hush-money payment. As for what's being hushed, I'm sure you know in your hearts."
"Once I receive the ransom, this matter ends here. Otherwise, I don't mind waiting outside Mary Geoise and continuing to hunt Celestial Dragons."
"You know I can do it."
With the speed of the Rumble-Rumble Fruit, unless the World Government dispatched Kizaru to guard Beelzebul every moment...
Otherwise, every single Celestial Dragon, as long as they dare to leave the Holy Land Mary Geoise, will surely be kidnapped and extorted by Seven again.
The two guards by Saint Elaine's side had the strength of Marine Headquarters Vice Admirals, yet they were still sliced into several pieces by Seven.
"No problem," the Mustached Gorosei spoke.
Seven knew when to stop and didn't plan to continue haggling with the Gorosei: "Thank you, that's all."