Chapter 49

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Chapter 49: The News Of The Straw Hat! The King Of Souls Has Landed On The Island!

"The straw hat kid who made a big fuss about the Summit War two years ago?" Doflamingo's eyes shifted slightly. He raised his right hand and gestured to the other subordinates behind him. The others seemed to see a savior. Kaido immediately bowed and retreated, and the crowd quickly filed out.

Once everyone was gone, Doflamingo posed another question. "What do you want to know about him?"

Kaido stared at Doflamingo and said solemnly, "I want news from their whole group."

"The whole group," Doflamingo mused. He flicked his temples with his fingertips and closed his eyes. His excellent memory held most of the important information, and the straw hat boy naturally fell into the important category. 

The boy's father was the leader of the revolutionary army. His grandpa had been a Marine hero for decades. The guide, the red-haired Shanks, was said to have lost his straw hat and arm in the East Blue. The boy's teacher, presumably Rayleigh, had even taken him to post-war Marineford to make news.

Doflamingo mulled over their formidable lineup.

Compared to that background, no one else matched up to this guy.

"3D2Y," Doflamingo muttered. "Two years later... This year."

The 3D2Y message wasn't a secret kept only by straw hat members. If it were, it would be foolish to treat the people of the world as ignorant. When necessary, Dark King Rayleigh had navigated the damaged aftermath of Marineford and made a show of laying a wreath in mourning. He made a point of revealing his arm in front of the camera, drawing attention to the bright 3D(X)2Y. A straw hat might not mean much, but Dark King was definitely someone to watch. This let most perceptive people guess at the straw hat's significance.

Even a small-time pirate with a bounty of only 26 million Berry had recognized it. At that time, he had the audacity to pretend to be Luffy, a straw hat. He pretended he was about to set sail again, wooing the big shots of the park to join him as subordinates.

"Straw Hat Luffy vanished and was gone for two years. But I suspect he was near the Calm Belt," Doflamingo said as he opened his eyes, having retrieved the information from his memory. He had heard that Dark King Rayleigh frequented the Calm Belt intermittently over those two years. Of course, Doflamingo didn't believe the other party was seeking romance. Dark King's actions at Sabaody and Marineford spoke volumes of his commitment to the straw hat cause.

"The reindeer seems to be in the first half of the Grand Line. Is his role a doctor?" Doflamingo chuckled. "Animals treating humans is certainly a first for me."

With so many intriguing aspects of the Straw Hat Crew, it was no wonder they had amassed a following over the past two years. Of course, those fans didn't know the crew as intimately as Doflamingo did.

"Somebody on the Boa Islands also spotted the sniper king Usopp. It seems the island's cuisine has tempted him into gaining weight."

"As for the thief cat Nami, the pirate hunter Zoro, blackfoot Sanji, the devil's child Nico Robin, and Franky, no trace has been found. Their whereabouts remain a mystery."

"Kuma, what's his connection to the Straw Hat Crew..."

Doflamingo let out a cold laugh. He couldn't fathom why the Shichibukai would go out of their way to assist this crew. The idea of a power that could turn everyone into partners seemed like complete nonsense. Though he had seen the Straw Hat crew pull off stunts at Impel Down and the Summit War, this phenomenon defied explanation.

Kaido, his gaze distant as if lost in thought, captured Doflamingo's attention. Doflamingo noticed and a sly smile spread across his lips.

"Brook, humming his nasal tunes, must have joined them in Moria's territory. He showed up first in the destitute kingdom of Harahytania and then became a 'famous' musician, thanks to local music agents," he mused.

"Cluck~ A pirate so blatant is a rarity. Yet he remains unarrested and has even become the world-famous 'Soul King'. Ridiculous~ Do ordinary people not pay attention to the bounty posters?" he scoffed, his voice dripping with incredulity.

"The Marines are probably just biding their time, waiting for them to come together before striking," Doflamingo posited, a hint of scorn coloring his expression as he spoke.

Oblivious to the fact that they were under Marine surveillance and currently on Kaido's radar, Doflamingo considered the Straw Hat crew's naivety amusing. They were likely excited for their impending reunion.

"Considering his current travels," Doflamingo paused, reflecting on Brook's movements over the past two years. A realization hit him, and he looked up, an epiphany etched on his face. "He's already in Sabaody."

Kaido's face took on a curious expression, anticipating the Straw Hat crew's reunion.

"When is his concert?" Kaido inquired.

"In five days," Doflamingo promptly replied.

Kaido, with a thoughtful fist to his chin, pressed further. "You're in possession of the Mera-mera Fruit, aren't you?"

"Indeed, I went through great lengths to secure it," Doflamingo replied, his expression unflinching.

He had intended to keep the fruit a secret, using it as a weapon against the Straw Hat crew. But now, with Kaido expressing interest, he saw no reason to conceal it.

"Bring it to auction the same day as the concert. And have your men spread the word as loudly as possible in the meantime," Kaido commanded, a calculating look in his eyes.

Doflamingo, slightly perplexed, arched an eyebrow. "Why attract him with the prized Logia fruit? He's returning to Sabaody to gather his crew and enter the New World. That's not how I envisioned using it against the Straw Hats."

"The Mera-mera Fruit will draw another person's attention. Just disseminate the information. After the fruit is reclaimed, I'll handle the rest," Kaido explained with unnerving serenity.

Kaido's scheme aimed to attract not only the remnants of the Whitebeard Pirates and Luffy's younger brother but also another key player: Sabo, the second-in-command of the Revolutionary Army and one of the three ASL brothers. 

Killing Luffy would inevitably provoke the Revolutionary Army, and while Dragon might abstain for the sake of his ideals, Sabo would without a doubt abandon them to seek vengeance.

By luring in Sabo and eliminating him, Kaido could simultaneously deal a blow to the Straw Hats by forcing them to witness another big brother's death.