Chapter 153: Setting Sail Again

"Hey, hey, hey, is this a joke?"

"The 'Seven Warlords' were actually defeated by a newcomer who just entered the Grand Line. Are all the newcomers nowadays monsters?"

"Boss, the newspaper clearly says 'assisting the Marines'—"

"Don't you understand? If it were the Marines themselves, they wouldn't mention anyone else. The truth is that this group of newcomers defeated the 'Qianyan Pirates,' and the Marines came to pick up the pieces..."

On an island in the New World,

A notorious pirate was educating his subordinates and then ordered his men nearby.

"The Donquixote Family?"

"Go find out who they are!"

Conversations like these were constantly happening in the first half of the Grand Line, the New World, and even the Four Seas. And as these factions investigated, the Donquixote Family's past began to come into focus:

When they were just a group of empty-handed kids, they took down the largest underground family in their area.

They later developed their maritime operations, expanded their influence, and ambitiously got involved in battles between pirates and nations...

Later on, they became uncontrollable and formed an alliance with the Vinsmoke Family, with the intention of conquering an entire country in the North Blue!

Although they suffered an inexplicable setback later on—many suspected it was the work of an admiral—they went into hiding for a while. But recently, upon entering the Grand Line, they set their sights on one of the 'Seven Warlords,' Doflamingo, as soon as they crossed the Reverse Mountain.

From Sabaody Archipelago to the Sweets Factory to the Corrida Colosseum—this ruthless and young Donquixote Family made quick work of the slow-reacting Qianyan Pirates.

Rumors even had it that Doflamingo was left lifeless; he was probably done in by their deadly hands!

Upon receiving this information, even the pirates in the New World, with bounties exceeding one billion, couldn't help but exclaim:

"These newcomers nowadays are truly becoming more and more monstrous."

Not long ago, there was Crocodile, a newcomer who dared to challenge the legendary pirate Whitebeard and only lost a hand; then there was Barrett, who came down from Roger's ship and defeated several veteran pirate crews in a row; and recently, the rising star "Navy Hunter" Dracule Mihawk, who wielded a single-bladed raft and challenged Navy experts around the world, causing numerous pirates to take notice of his arrogance.

And there was Gecko Moria, who was active in the New World, continuously attacking other pirate crews and expanding his influence. He sharpened his knives and aimed for the top legendary pirates.

Adding to that, the "Donquixote Brothers" in the newspapers had just entered the Grand Line and defeated one of the 'Seven Warlords,' revealing their ambitious goals, making many pirates feel uneasy—

Why has the pirate industry become so competitive?

At this point in time, the legendary pirates were still strong, but the new generation had already begun to show their potential. The real turbulence on the high seas was causing every pirate to feel a sense of crisis.

If they didn't strive, they would be engulfed by the waves of the era!

"Ah, it's not easy..."

——

"Not easy,"

"Not easy—?"

In the central Three-Color Castle of Dressrosa Island, Doflamingo, sitting on the throne, furrowed his brows. His domineering aura emanated silently, making several female Marine officers behind Admiral Kizaru feel as if they were facing a formidable enemy.

"Don't scare my subordinates, Doflamingo."

Facing Admiral Kizaru's words, Rosinante had to step forward to stand between the two.

"Admiral Kizaru, this is different from what we agreed upon. Of course, we don't care about the 'Seven Warlords' title, but if we're going to 'do business' on the Grand Line, having a significant status is always helpful, right?"

Previously, Rosinante had reached an agreement with Admiral Kizaru through his intermediary, Vice Admiral Tsuru: the Donquixote Family would eliminate Doflamingo and then inherit his 'Seven Warlords' title.

"Now, is the Marines planning to back out and come after 'us'?"

In an instant, tension filled the hall!

Not only did Trebol, Diamante, and others place their hands on their weapons, even the female Marine officers behind Admiral Kizaru instinctively tensed their bodies, with muscles taut beneath their coats.

"Don't be nervous,"

Then, Admiral Kizaru simply waved his hand, and his gentle voice dispelled the tension in the hall.

"In principle, the Marines are prepared to let you take on the 'Seven Warlords' title."

"However, we unexpectedly encountered some resistance from 'higher-ups.' I think you should be aware of that."

Celestial Dragons!

"Hehehe, those fat pigs—"

Doflamingo sneered disdainfully. If those guys dared to step out of the Holy Land, he would gladly hang them up and turn them into human sashimi!

After all, 'that person' wouldn't care if a few pampered wastes died.

"Understood. So, you mean we need to gain 'higher' prestige, right?"

Rosinante nodded,

If it were other pirates, defeating a 'Seven Warlord' and accepting recruitment by the government would not be a problem, but Rosinante and Doflamingo were, after all, rebellious 'Celestial Dragons.'

The fat pigs in the Holy Land despised them and would never grant them the privilege of coexisting peacefully with the World Government.

"No problem. We'll wait for the Marines to make their move when the time comes."

If you have any more specific questions or need further assistance, feel free to ask.

"Mr. Rosinante, please refrain from doing anything too extreme, or it will be challenging for us Marines as well."

Facing Admiral Kizaru's veiled 'threat,' Rosinante nodded.

"Don't worry, we won't harm ordinary people."

————

"Rosinante, why do we want to pursue that 'Seven Warlords' position?"

After Admiral Kizaru left, Trebol raised a question:

"We'll still have to consider the Marines' stance... Seems like an unnecessary step!"

"It's not that simple,"

"In this world, the most powerful force is still the Marines."

Whether it's the Four Seas or the Grand Line, the Marines have always held the upper hand... or rather, the World Government.

Not to mention admirals and the Three Admirals as top-tier powerhouses. As long as there's a need, the Marines can gather strong individuals from around the world, with a constant influx of new talent, while pirates can only rely on luck to cultivate gifted experts.

Even when Marines are in their seventies or eighties, they still appear healthy, with their combat capabilities hardly changing. On the other hand, when pirates reach their sixties, they are plagued by various illnesses, and their strength declines drastically.

One side has the entire world's logistics, technology, and personnel as support; the other side relies solely on talent and, once they grow old, they suffer from various hidden injuries surfacing...

What can pirates do against the Marines?

"We want to establish our own base in the Grand Line and a 'title' recognized by the World Government is still necessary."

After speaking, Rosinante looked at Doflamingo.

"What plans do you have to make those 'fat pigs' compromise?"

"Hehehe, I've thought of it a long time ago—"

Doflamingo, sitting on the throne, laughed with excitement, revealing a plan he had prepared in advance.

"Hijack the Tenryubito!"

Tenryubito: Refers to the Celestial Dragons who receive tributes every year from the World Government's allied nations. More than 170 allied nations hand over treasures to the Marine escort ships, which are then transported to Mary Geoise, the Holy Land.

For any pirate, even with bounties worth hundreds of millions, touching this money is taboo!

Because it represents the World Government's support and the authority of the Celestial Dragons.

Daring to lay hands on the 'Tenryubito' will undoubtedly attract the pursuit of Marine admirals. Historically, anyone who did such a thing, regardless of their strength, had only one destination—Impel Down.

"Hehehe, but we're different—"

Doflamingo, sitting on the throne, supported his temple with one hand, seriously analyzing the feasibility of the plan:

"Rosinante and I are Celestial Dragons from the beginning!"

"This is a private matter among 'Celestial Dragons,' and with the Marines' attitude, they naturally wouldn't want to get involved. We just need to eliminate the henchmen of those fat pigs, and we can use that as leverage to propose conditions."

By then, becoming a 'Seven Warlord' would be a step that both sides could accept.

"Well, but before that—"

"We need to be prepared."

Rosinante took over the conversation, not rushing to seize control of Dressrosa Island. Only by demonstrating enough strength could they establish themselves in this world.

————

"So, you're setting sail so soon?"

At the harbor, Gyon was bidding farewell to Rosinante.

Dressrosa Island had only just calmed down, thanks to the suppression by the Marines and the Vinsmoke Family. Meanwhile, the "Donquixote" ship was already prepared for its next voyage.

"Yes, our main goal in entering the Grand Line is to build an excellent ship."

As for conquering three islands along the way... that wasn't initially in Rosinante's plan.

"In that case, I wish you fair winds on your journey."

Gyon extended his right hand openly.

"The next time we meet, I will definitely defeat you!"

It was clear that Gyon was still harboring resentment over losing to his "student."

"Looking forward to it,"

Rosinante smiled and shook hands with him. The two turned away from each other, with Rosinante in his black feather coat and Gyon in his white Marine cloak.

"Hehehe, Rosinante, you and that female Marine..."

"What are you thinking? We're just friends."

Well, to be serious, could she even be considered half a teacher?

The last to step onto the deck of the "Donquixote" ship, the members of the Donquixote Family, the Mink Tribe's small hat and bullheaded warrior, had already arrived.

"Next, our targets are Queenstown Island and then Baiyang Island—"

These two islands originally fell under Doflamingo's influence. However, now they had become neutral territories with no one controlling them.

As for the culture and customs on these islands... how should I put it?

They could be considered relatively 'peaceful' places in the Grand Line. After going through the 'filtering' process of the previous three islands, most pirates either met their end at the hands of Doflamingo or became his subordinates.

From this perspective, the 'Seven Warlords' system of the Marines still had some use.

Although it's only slightly better in this 'miserable' world.

"Once we've restocked on these two islands, our destination is:"

Rosinante took out a sea chart and explained it to everyone.

"The Capital of the Seven Waters!"

There, the Donquixote Family would stay for a while, unload the materials of the precious Adam Tree from the ship, and then find the legendary shipwright, "Tom," to build a ship large enough to carry them.

As for the current "Donquixote" ship, it would be given to the two warriors of the Mink Tribe, Luffy and Roddy, to transport their fellow tribe members back to their home in the New World.

"Everyone, take your positions—"

Doflamingo, at the helm, shouted and began to turn the ship's wheel.

"Set sail!"

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(End of this chapter)