G-5 Branch, main building conference hall.
Originally used for military deployments, it had now been temporarily converted into a "recruitment fair venue."
A long black wooden table was placed at the front, with a thick stack of documents and a Den Den Mushi on it. Only one chair was set behind the table.
Kane sat in that chair, his Justice Coat draped over his shoulders, his right hand idly twirling a pen.
To his left, Mihawk leaned against the wall, holding his Black Blade "Yoru," his hawk-like eyes half-closed, exuding an aura that kept others at a distance.
To Kane's right, Sakazuki wore a red shirt.
His arms were crossed over his chest, his stern face more intimidating than the heavy artillery outside the city walls.
Outside the door, Kuzan leaned against a corridor pillar, a popsicle in his mouth.
Borsalino stood by the window, gazing at the scenery.
He muttered, "So scary, so scary."
Not a hint of tension could be detected in his tone.
"Let them in," Kane lifted his chin slightly.
The door opened.
The first group of Pirates filed in one after another, all notorious figures on the high seas, with bounties ranging from fifty million to three hundred million Berry. In total, there were about forty of them.
As soon as they stepped into the conference hall, they were met with Sakazuki's face, which could silence a crying child at night, and then swept by Mihawk's golden pupils.
An indescribable sense of pressure filled the air.
"Sit," Kane's voice was not loud, but all the noise in the hall instantly vanished.
The forty-plus Pirates obediently took their seats in the chairs below, the scene almost indistinguishable from Navy recruits during training.
Kane stood up and slapped a stack of documents onto the table.
"I'll only say the rules once."
"The Seven Warlords of the Sea, seven positions. To get this spot, three conditions."
"First, an application fee of thirty billion Berry. Pay in full upfront. No installments, no credit, no 'payment in kind' of any form."
"Second, thirty percent of the annual income obtained through Legal Plundering Rights must be submitted as Annual Tribute."
"Third, when the World Government Summons Order is issued, you must attend unconditionally. One absence results in disqualification, restoration of your bounty, and a fine equivalent to the total bounty waived during your tenure."
He spread his hands, his tone indifferent.
"Understood? Those who can pay, stand on the left. Those who can't, stand on the right. For those standing on the right, someone at the door will take you to visit Impel Down. Meals and lodging included, for life."
With the three rules laid out, the entire hall fell silent, startling the Pirates with ulterior motives and making their scalps tingle.
"Thirty billion?! Are you fucking insane?!"
Finally, a New World Pirate captain with a bounty of one hundred and twenty million Berry abruptly stood up, his eyes bloodshot as he roared, "My entire fortune isn't even ten billion! Navy, you're just..."
"Whoosh—!"
Before he could finish, a flash of blade light swept through.
Mihawk merely gripped the hilt with one hand and lightly swung "Yoru," unleashing a terrifying, invisible Sword Aura that swept through like a storm!
"Thud!"
The pirate captain with a bounty over a hundred million didn't even have time to scream before he was instantly split in two, chair and all!
The cut was smooth as a mirror, blood and entrails splattering across the floor.
Thud!
Several pirates nearby were so terrified they collapsed on the spot, their pants instantly soaked.
Kane expressionlessly picked up a handkerchief from the table, wiping away a single drop of blood that had splattered onto the corner. His tone remained gentle.
"Apologies, the soldiers at my base have rather short tempers. Now, where were we? Ah, yes—those who can pay, stand on the left. Those who can't, off to Impel Down. Everyone's free to choose. No coercion whatsoever."
Free to choose?
Looking at the two halves of the corpse on the floor, every pirate cursed inwardly.
In the midst of this suffocating silence—
"Fufufufufu… Quite the imposing authority you wield, 'Calamity' Admiral."
Donquixote Doflamingo, seated in the front row, rose to his feet.
His flamboyant pink feathered coat swayed as if stirred by an unfelt wind. Even under the gaze of the four monsters, that arrogant smirk never left his lips.
He swaggered around the table, striding directly up to Kane's desk, planting both hands on its surface and leaning down to look down at Kane.
"Thirty billion? Sorry, Admiral Kane."
A condescending mockery gleamed behind Doflamingo's sunglasses. "I won't be paying a single berry of that."
"Oh?" Kane raised an eyebrow, appearing rather patient.
Doflamingo lowered his voice, leaning close to Kane's ear so only the two of them could hear:
"Because I am… a descendant of the Donquixote Family! I carry the blood of the creators within my veins! Not only that, I hold the ultimate secret—one that those old fools in Mary Geoise absolutely do not want the world to know!"
He straightened up, his gaze behind the sunglasses filled with certainty.
"So, I'm here to take a Seven Warlords of the Sea slot directly. Understood? Navy."
The pirates in the back rows gasped sharply.
Though those present couldn't hear what Doflamingo had said, just seeing his posture—more arrogant than the host himself—made it clear this man wasn't here to pay.
Kane leaned back in his chair, looking Doflamingo up and down for a full five seconds with an expression of utter exasperation, as if staring at an idiot.
Then he tilted his head and spoke three words to Mihawk, who stood leaning against the wall:
"Cripple him."
Mihawk opened his eyes.
His golden hawk-like pupils finally gained focus.
For this swordsman of purest dedication, he cared nothing for Celestial Dragon bloodlines, nothing for Underworld intelligence networks, nothing for political games.
He cared about only one thing—if Kane told him to hit someone, he hit.
"Yoru" swung once more.
Doflamingo's pupils contracted violently.
His Observation Haki screamed warnings! The shadow of death instantly enveloped his entire being!
"Strings—"
He tried to raise his hand to activate his Devil Fruit power, but the space before him was already completely dominated by a flash of azure light!
Mihawk couldn't be bothered to use the blade's edge. Instead, he twisted his wrist, bringing the broad flat of the sword down with monstrous, mountain-splitting force, slamming it squarely into Doflamingo's abdomen!
BOOM—!!
A deafening roar echoed through the room!
Doflamingo's towering, muscular frame—over three meters tall—instantly folded in half like a boiled shrimp. His eyes bulged wildly as blood gushed from his mouth!
He was sent flying backward, crashing through five or six rows of heavy solid wood chairs before finally slamming hard into the alloy wall at the far end of the conference hall, leaving a massive dent!
"Young Master!!"
Trebol, Diamante, and Pica, standing at the rear, were furious, their eyes wide with rage. They instantly drew their weapons, ready to charge forward and fight to the death.
But they had barely taken half a step when they sensed two terrifyingly distinct auras closing in from both sides—the scorching heat of magma on the left and a blinding golden light on the right.
Sakazuki's right arm had already half-melted into magma, the glow of the lava casting a red hue across half his face.
Borsalino had drifted in from the corridor at some point, his right hand tucked in his pocket and his left casually raised, a ball of golden light condensed at his fingertips.
"You want to move?" Sakazuki's voice was low.
"Not advisable~" Borsalino flashed a playful smile.
Sweat poured like waterfalls down the three executives' faces.
Even the courage to move a single finger shattered in an instant.
"Cough… cough…"
Doflamingo struggled to crawl out of the wall, his abdomen in excruciating pain—at least two ribs were broken.
He wanted to tear this arrogant swordsman to pieces.
But reason firmly suppressed the impulse.
He looked up, seeing Kane's expressionless face, then glanced at Sakazuki, Kuzan, and Borsalino standing beside Kane.
One Admiral, three Vice Admirals.
Causing trouble in this room?
That wasn't courage—that was suicide.
Kane leisurely rose from behind the desk.
He stepped forward in his expensive leather boots, walking slowly until he stood before Doflamingo. Under the other's gaze, filled with a mix of hatred and fear, Kane lifted his foot.
"Crunch."
The sunglasses that had fallen to the ground were mercilessly crushed into powder under the sole of Kane's boot.
"Celestial Dragon? Secrets?"
Kane looked down at the pitiful figure of Doflamingo, a mocking smile curling at the corner of his lips. "Clown, do you have some misunderstanding about G-5?"
"Here, you have no privileges."
Kane slowly crouched down, grabbing Doflamingo's golden hair and pulling his bloodied face close. "I'll ask one last time: thirty billion, or death. Choose."
An overwhelming sense of humiliation burned in Doflamingo's chest, but he was a smart man.
If he refused, this Navy officer would undoubtedly kill him without hesitation!
"...I'll pay."
He forced a twisted smile, gesturing for Trebol to help him up.
"Thirty billion? It's just money. Fufufufu…"
"A wise choice."
Kane released his grip, patted Doflamingo's cheek with satisfaction, and stood up to address the room.
"Does anyone else want to use their lineage or background to haggle?"
The room fell dead silent. All the Pirates shook their heads frantically, pulling out their treasure notes, even willing to pawn their underwear to scrape together the membership fee.
If I can't pilot a Gundam, then why did I even join the military!