Next Bonus, 100!!
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East Blue.
On a ship flying the "CIU" flag, Vergo was reporting the current situation to Doflamingo.
"The trading company has announced an internal investigation. They've pulled back all operations and retreated to the Conomi Islands?" Doflamingo's brow furrowed.
He reacted that quickly?
It seemed the king had sensed something.
"He's willing to cut his losses," Doflamingo mused. "But how long can you hold out?"
This move meant suspending all of the company's activities—a drastic measure. The losses would be substantial. Not just the daily profits, but the salaries of the numerous captains, crew members, and company employees... it was a constant drain on his resources.
"It's a shame about Ron," Vergo sighed. "It was my fault. I overestimated the capabilities of the East Blue branch. A bunch of useless drunks. The East Blue truly is the weakest of the seas."
"Greed is a powerful motivator," Doflamingo chuckled. "In an organization like that, how many of them are truly loyal? Offer them enough money, and they'll do our work for us."
Doflamingo knew the true power of the World Government and the Celestial Dragons. With them as his backers, he could do as he pleased.
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Elbaf, the Underworld.
"So, you're not with them?" Loki asked, his suspicion still lingering.
"No," Jin replied. "You could say we have a common enemy."
Loki was silent for a moment. He glanced at the brand on his chest. It was infuriating, but what was done was done. He'd just have to take it one step at a time.
"Alright," he said. "So what's the mission? I can finally leave this place, right?"
Loki had been trapped for too long. He yearned for the fresh air of the outside world.
"A mission?" Jin said. "As a matter of fact, I have one for you."
Loki's eyes lit up. "Is it to crush a pirate crew? Or take down a country? Leave it to me!"
Jin was speechless. "Is that all you think about? Destruction and violence?"
Loki roared with laughter. "Of course! I am the 'Sun God' who will bring about the end of the world!"
"Heh," Jin said. "In that case..." He paused. "First, you will become the captain of the Giant Pirates. Then, you will take them to Dressrosa. There's a pirate crew there, the Donquixote Family, one of the Seven Warlords. You will eliminate them."
The incident in the East Blue had angered Jin. He had to retaliate. And now, he had the power to do so.
Although he had no concrete evidence, he had a gut feeling that Doflamingo was in league with the God's Knights. He might have even joined them.
If that were the case, Law alone might not be enough to win. With Loki, they would have a fighting chance. If he was wrong, it was just extra insurance. And if he was right, he could use Loki to test the strength of the God's Knights' top brass.
"The Donquixote Family? You mean the 'Heavenly Yaksha'?" Loki sneered, hefting his massive hammer onto his shoulder. "I can take them down myself."
"No," Jin said, shaking his head. "The mission is for you to become their captain and lead them out to sea. Do you understand?"
"Hah?? You want me to be the captain of those weaklings?"
"That's right."
"I'm not doing it," Loki said. "Those guys are too weak. And they're Hajrudin's friends. I want nothing to do with them."
"Don't you want to become the 'Sun God'?" Jin asked. "Don't you want to inherit the throne of Elbaf?"
"Of course I do, but..."
"I'll show you how," Jin said. "But before that, you need to become a proper captain. Otherwise, you can just stay here in the Underworld."
Loki grumbled, but reluctantly agreed. "Fine."
He walked over to Lode and the other giants. "Hey! You want to join my pirate crew?" he asked.
"Eh??"
After a bit of "persuasion"—with his fists and his hammer—Loki had his first group of subordinates.
It wasn't just out of fear of his strength. During their time as his guards, Lode and the others had begun to see that Loki wasn't as vicious as the legends made him out to be.
After the four giants joined him, Loki had them spread the word throughout the village: anyone who wanted to go to sea was welcome to join them.
Loki began to cut down trees, building a massive raft.
He didn't want to be the captain of the Giant Pirates. He was going to form his own crew. It was a matter of pride.
Jin didn't force the issue. In his eyes, Loki was a classic tsundere. A lack of affection in his childhood had shaped his current personality. He needed a "crew" to heal his past.
After warning Loki not to cause any trouble in the village, Jin returned to the conning tower.
The demonic carrier levitated into the air.
"That ship..."
Loki, Lode, and the other giants were stunned. It wasn't the first time they had seen it, but it was still a shock. A ship that could fly? And the pressure it gave off was even more terrifying than Jin's.
A combination of the Magnet-Magnet Fruit, the Float-Float Fruit, and the Rumble-Rumble Fruit gave the demonic carrier the ability of "flight." And the Clear-Clear Fruit allowed it to turn invisible, to slip into Red-Haired's territory undetected.
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On a small island, Shanks and his crew were helping one of their subordinate crews fight off a group of rookie pirates who had invaded their territory.
"Thank you so much, Shanks!" Pururu said happily. She was the captain of the Bourgeois Pirates. Her country was under Shanks' protection.
"Haha! Don't mention it," Shanks said. "You've all helped us out plenty of times."
"Don't say that," Pururu said, looking at him with adoration. "You're the ones who protect us."
Shanks cleared his throat, embarrassed, and changed the subject. "There have been a lot of new pirate crews entering the New World lately."
"Yes. It's not just here. I've heard that Whitebeard's and Big Mom's territories have also been under attack."
"Even a powerful Yonko crew is made up of people. And as long as they're people, they need to eat, drink, and sleep. Food, fresh water, lumber... these are necessities for every pirate crew. And to maintain a crew of a hundred, or even more, you need money. Pirates don't produce anything, so they have to steal. And who can guarantee success every time? In a situation like this, only the crews with territory, with a source of income, can survive in the New World. But the New World has already been carved up by the Yonko and the other major pirates. There's less and less room for newcomers."
Resources are limited.
Shanks gazed out at the sea.
The storm of the new era was drawing closer.
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