Dressrosa, the Royal Plateau.
As soon as Caesar landed from the sky, he was immediately surrounded by the palace guards.
The Guard Captain roared, "Who dares to trespass into the palace?!"
Caesar raised his eyelids slightly, and his Conqueror's Haki erupted, precisely covering the area in front of the palace gates. The guards instantly collapsed, their eyes rolling back.
Glancing at his pocket watch, Caesar sensed through his Observation Haki that Doflamingo had just hung up the phone and was rushing towards the palace gates at full speed.
Unlike the leisurely Caesar, Doflamingo was filled with doubts.
He's already here?
This guy… shouldn't he be in Wano Country?
Earlier, when Kaidou had asked him to investigate Caesar, he had been curious why someone like Kaidou would pay attention to a seemingly insignificant figure.
But after that, Kaidou, who had always been indifferent to profits as long as he could expand his forces, suddenly stopped concerning himself with trade matters. Instead, Black Maria, that woman, took over.
Doflamingo could naturally see that she was merely the executor pushed to the forefront.
The real decision-maker, without a doubt, was the young merchant Kaidou had asked him to investigate.
Transactions between pirates were complex, filled with intrigue and the law of the jungle, but they were also simple. As long as you had the capital to avoid being double-crossed, it was a straightforward exchange of goods for money.
As for profits, as long as both parties were satisfied, that was enough.
Originally, in his dealings with Kaidou, although Kaidou was the supplier, the man didn't care about the lives of the prisoners in the weapon factories, only squeezing them hard to produce cheap, high-quality goods in large quantities.
Kaidou might be a ruler of the New World, but trade wasn't his forte, and he didn't have good connections. Thus, he relied on Doflamingo as the middleman to sell his weapons.
The two hit it off immediately. Doflamingo, following the principle of taking as much as Kaidou could supply, made a fortune.
But after Caesar appeared, things changed.
What?
You're saying Sea Prism Stone production has decreased, and weapons are temporarily halted?
No problem, everyone has tough times…
What?
You're asking me to raise prices and provide food supplies? Otherwise, you'll turn to the Revolutionary Army?
Whatever, we're brothers!
Turning to the Revolutionary Army is unnecessary. I'll help you squeeze something out of the World Government…
What?
You've taken over Wano Country, and now you have millions of mouths to feed?
Fine, since you're the Sea Prism Stone exporter.
It's not my money anyway. I'll take the pressure from the World Government for you.
What?
Hanafusa's Warlord of the Sea title was revoked, and you're still asking me to cover for you? Otherwise, you'll turn to the Revolutionary Army?
Doflamingo vaguely felt as if a shadowy figure was saying to him: You're such a sucker, I'll exploit you for life!
Normally, Kaidou wouldn't do something so shameless. Otherwise, he wouldn't need a middleman like Doflamingo; Kaidou could have spread his trade across the seas himself.
And among Kaidou's subordinates, Caesar was the only one who fit the bill. There was no one else!
This time, with Hanafusa's Warlord of the Sea situation, Doflamingo truly had no way out.
The World Government needed to maintain their authority as rulers. That was their bottom line.
Based on Doflamingo's understanding of those old guys, they should be able to tolerate Kaidou replacing someone as a Warlord of the Sea, but Hanafusa must be removed, and the export of Sea Prism Stone must be increased.
As for Kaidou?
Just ignore him!
This is why Doflamingo, caught between the two, is stuck in a dilemma.
Fortunately, although he is a businessman, he is also a pirate and hasn't forgotten the pirate's way of thinking.
When rules don't work, then you have to break the rules.
He can't do much about the World Government, but with Kaidou, if he can eliminate the person giving advice, Doflamingo is very confident he can persuade Kaidou to compromise.
So Doflamingo eagerly proposed to Black Maria the idea of meeting the decision-maker.
However, two days have passed, and Black Maria still hasn't responded.
He was already getting impatient, but then the guy showed up himself.
Unsurprisingly, it was the East Blue kid Kaidou had him investigate.
Jin Caesar!
But why... did this guy suddenly come to Dressrosa?
Extending his Observation Haki towards the palace gates, a sudden burst of a powerful aura made his heart sink slightly, and he rushed towards the gate at lightning speed.
Conqueror's Haki...
Speaking of which, why did this brat appear in Kaidou's territory?
And how did he suddenly appear in Dressrosa?
Or is there something I missed?
For some reason, Doflamingo felt a vague unease.
When he investigated Caesar before, he didn't pay much attention, thinking it was just a foolish kid who stumbled into the New World and had to pay for his life when Kaidou caught him.
But now, recalling his previous conversation with Black Maria, Doflamingo suddenly realized he had overlooked one thing: the subordinate relationship between Black Maria and Caesar.
Black Maria, as Kaidou's subordinate, is not weak in strength...
If Caesar were just an ordinary wealthy man, would he have the privilege of having such a high-ranking officer specifically responsible for delivering messages to him?
Thinking this, Doflamingo moved even faster, quickly arriving at the palace gates.
With a slight flick of his fingers, the palace gates slowly opened to both sides.
"Fufufufu... what an unexpected guest."
As the gates slowly opened, a tall figure emerged.
Short golden hair, red sunglasses, a pink coat, cropped pants, and pointed shoes...
The three-meter-tall figure didn't seem as imposing as Kaidou, but it carried an uncomfortable sense of aggression.
"If I remember correctly, even with an Eternal Pose, it would take at least ten days to get here from Wano Country. Did you fly all the way here?"
"You have five minutes to explain the Artificial Devil Fruit situation."
Caesar glanced at him, lightly pressing a button on his pocket watch: "If you can't explain within five minutes, your head will roll."
"Huh?"
Doflamingo was slightly taken aback, then suddenly a dangerous smile crept onto his lips.
"Fufufufu, your attitude doesn't seem like that of a proper businessman. I sincerely invited you here as my guest."
"Four and a half minutes."
Caesar slightly raised his eyelids, his face devoid of any smile.
To be honest, Caesar couldn't care less about what Doflamingo was thinking.
This time, he was here to pick a fight!
Caesar hadn't lied to Black Maria. After half a month of training with no progress, he was starting to feel anxious.
In terms of numerical strength, he should have already reached the level of a top-tier commander or emperor.
But even with similar numerical strength, he wasn't confident about facing a
ny of the top-tier fighters at that level.
Just like when he had encountered Kaidou by chance, Doflamingo's timing in showing up now...
Was just perfect!
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