The atmosphere grew heavy with tension as Xayuki's words, brimming with murderous intent, echoed across the plaza.
The once arrogant Donquixote Doflamingo found his bravado extinguished the moment his gaze fell upon Kazha's severed head. Standing frozen for a moment, he locked eyes with Kazha's lifeless, unclosed stare before silently sitting back down, his expression dark and grim.
Of all those present, Doflamingo understood Kazha the best. Kazha, once one of the Beasts Pirates' All-Stars, was not only immensely powerful but also deeply trusted by Kaido. For years, Kazha had tirelessly worked to strengthen the Beasts Pirates, scouring the seas to find more Zoan-type Devil Fruits to deliver to Kaido.
Now, with Kazha publicly executed by Xayuki, there was no doubt that if Kaido was watching this broadcast from his stronghold in Wano Country, he would erupt in a fit of rage.
Kaido, who had long been preparing for an ultimate war, would undoubtedly see this as a provocation. Xayuki's action of killing one of his most trusted subordinates could very well push Kaido to launch his war prematurely.
And yet, at this moment, Doflamingo had no choice but to make a decision.
To bow to Xayuki meant standing against Kaido, the so-called "Strongest Creature on Land, Sea, and Air." But to defy Xayuki here would surely result in the same fate as Kazha: death.
As Doflamingo sat in silence, grappling with his fear for the first time in his life, a sudden movement broke the stillness.
Boa Hancock stood up.
Her love-struck expression from earlier was gone, replaced by a calm and resolute demeanor. Taking a step forward, she faced Xayuki and bowed her head slightly, her voice unwavering: "Boa Hancock, Empress of Amazon Lily, bows to you, Fleet Admiral!"
Hancock's decision surprised no one, though it did catch the attention of Shakky and Silvers Rayleigh back on Sabaody Archipelago.
To them, it was inevitable that Hancock would choose Xayuki, but they hadn't expected her to do so with such sincerity. They had assumed she might adopt a more performative approach, given her feelings for him.
On second thought, however, they both understood.
In such a moment of life and death, Hancock couldn't afford to let her emotions cloud her judgment. After all, this wasn't just about her personal choice—it was about the fate of her people, the Kuja Tribe of Amazon Lily.
Years ago, Hancock had accepted the title of Seven Warlords of the Sea to protect Amazon Lily from external threats. Now that the Warlord system had been placed under Marine control, she had no choice but to make the same decision again, this time bowing to Xayuki as the Fleet Admiral.
As Hancock stepped forward and bowed, another unexpected figure rose from their seat.
"Kishishishishi~"
The familiar laugh belonged to none other than Gecko Moria, who had been resting with his eyes closed moments before. Rising to his feet, Moria turned to face Xayuki and bowed deeply. "Gecko Moria bows to you, Fleet Admiral!"
Pausing for a moment, Moria took another step forward. Under the astonished gazes of everyone present, he knelt on one knee before Xayuki, addressing him directly: "Fleet Admiral, I have but one humble request!"
"I'm sure you're well aware of Kazha's background, so I won't waste your time explaining further~ Kishishishishi~"
Letting out his trademark laugh, Moria raised his head to meet Xayuki's gaze. "With Kazha dead, Kaido, who trusted him deeply, will undoubtedly fly into a rage. When the time comes and Kaido wages war against the Marines, I humbly ask to join you in battle!"
"I understand."
Xayuki nodded, his tone calm yet commanding. "You wish to avenge your fallen crew members, whom Kaido slaughtered in the past? Very well, I accept. But from this moment forward, your pirate crew must disband. Your remaining crew members must report to Marine Headquarters within seven days to undergo reorganization!"
Before Moria could respond, Xayuki shifted his gaze toward the other Warlords, his eyes sharp and unyielding.
Before Jinbe, Crocodile, or Doflamingo could react, Dracule Mihawk stood up. His deep voice echoed across the plaza: "Xayuki! Don't forget our agreement!"
With that, Mihawk drew his Black Blade, Yoru, and took a step forward. Planting the blade firmly into the ground, he bowed his head toward Xayuki. "Dracule Mihawk bows to the Fleet Admiral!"
The sight of the world's greatest swordsman bowing sent shockwaves through the room. Even Crocodile and Doflamingo, who had been hesitant, exchanged a glance of mutual understanding.
At that moment, Jinbe also stood up, his voice steady and sincere: "Jinbe bows to you, Fleet Admiral!"
Following Jinbe's lead, Crocodile and Doflamingo finally rose from their seats.
"Crocodile!" "Donquixote Doflamingo!"
Both spoke in unison: "Bow to the Fleet Admiral!"
With the final declarations, the plaza fell into silence once more.
The silence within Marine Headquarters was mirrored by an explosion of noise across the world. Those watching the broadcast erupted in shock and disbelief.
In the New World, within the borders of the Dressrosa Kingdom, the members of the Donquixote Family had been anxiously monitoring Doflamingo's every move since he left the palace for Marine Headquarters.
When they saw him bow to Xayuki, many of the family members leapt to their feet, their emotions boiling over. "This is outrageous! How dare they humiliate the Young Master like this! When he returns, we'll make them pay for this insult!"
Before they could continue, a middle-aged man wearing a feathered hat and a red cloak—Diamante, one of the top executives of the Donquixote Family—stood up in anger. "The Young Master should never have attended this Warlord meeting! If I had been there, I would've stopped him!"
"Diamante!"
Another executive, his expression grave, interjected: "It's too late for that now. The Young Master has no choice. To leave Marine Headquarters alive, he must submit!"
Meanwhile, in the New World, within Wano Country on Onigashima, two figures raced toward a towering mountain at breakneck speed.
Upon reaching the base of the mountain, they stopped abruptly.
Sitting at the foot of the mountain was a massive figure, the air around him thick with the stench of alcohol. From somewhere nearby, faint sobbing could be heard.
"KA-ZHA!!!!"
Suddenly, a roar filled with grief and rage erupted from the mountain's base. A terrifying shockwave radiated outward, obliterating everything within a hundred-meter radius. Trees, grass, and rocks were reduced to dust, and the two approaching figures were sent flying by the sheer force of the blast.
"Governor Kaido!" "This is bad news!"
Ignoring the blood trickling from their mouths, the two figures scrambled to their feet and shouted toward the massive figure at the mountain's base: "Kazha, one of your All-Stars, has been... beheaded!"
"And... Donquixote Doflamingo..."
"...has bowed to the Marines!"
As their voices trailed off, an overwhelming wave of hatred erupted from the mountain's base.
The massive figure stood up, his towering presence radiating an unmatched aura of fury.
~~~❃❃~~~~~~~~❃❃~~~
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