The executive dining hall of Marineford.
Today, in a dining hall resembling a banquet hall, it was specially decorated. A giant circular dining table was placed in the middle, with nine chairs of varying sizes arranged around it.
An hour later.
Blackbeard, Great Tengu Seifuu, Hawk Eyes, Crocodile, and Doflamingo, led by Onigumo, calmly walked through the corridor under the gaze of numerous Marine generals, heading towards a private room.
Blackbeard looked at the generals. He didn't know what he was thinking, but he let out a "he he" chuckle. Some Marines, upon seeing Blackbeard, felt the urge to attack, but they were intercepted by those beside them.
Onigumo arrived at the private room door and motioned for the people at the door to open it. "You may enter," he said.
"Yo, it seems there are still people here."
"Heh heh, looks like we've found some remarkable individuals."
Doflamingo glanced at the four people already seated and recognized their identities with a mere sweep of his eyes.
Great Tengu Seifuu frowned slightly at Doflamingo's words.
He recognized three of the four people, but there was one he didn't.
Sengoku, someone he knew all too well.
Bartholomew Kuma, known as 'The Tyrant.'
Edward Weevil, referred to as 'Whitebeard Jr.,' and a short woman, Miss Bakkin.
And a man wearing a black suit, somewhat flashy, playing cards while wearing a mask.
"Sit," Sengoku was in charge of this banquet and sat at the head of the table.
Hawk Eyes silently found a seat and deliberately looked at the card player.
He had a hunch that this card player was not simple.
"So, this is a meeting to fill the vacant Shichibukai positions?" Doflamingo placed his feet on the table, looked up at the ceiling, and sneered.
"Targeted by the Black Sea Marines, the Shichibukai are merely helping the World Government alleviate pressure," Blackbeard said, looking at Whitebeard Jr. and Bartholomew Kuma, then playfully at the man playing with cards, chuckling, "However, it seems they'll die even faster."
"This position isn't easy to fill."
"Indeed, it's quite difficult. Without authority or financial support, it's hard to fight," Crocodile said, looking at Sengoku with a cold smile.
"Perhaps we should just announce our dissolution. No benefits, yet we have to risk our lives. The World Government has a good plan," Doflamingo chimed in.
Sengoku's face darkened as he swept his gaze over Doflamingo and the other two, warning, "Be quiet."
"If you truly don't wish to be a Shichibukai, I can make an official announcement and revoke the privileges granted to you."
"Tsk!" Doflamingo let out a cold laugh. "Sengoku, do you have the authority to dissolve our positions?"
"You may be willing, but the Five Elders will not be."
Sengoku clenched his fist and instantly transformed into a golden figure, launching a punch at Doflamingo.
A shockwave instantly struck. Doflamingo hadn't expected Sengoku to be so direct.
He covered his hands with Armament Haki and blocked the attack, being pushed back by the shockwave for two meters.
Doflamingo's face darkened as he glared at Sengoku, veins bulging.
He twitched his fingers, activating his String-String Fruit ability, and sent strands of thread towards Sengoku.
Great Tengu Seifuu watched this scene, sitting quietly and observing with interest.
Hawk Eyes and Bartholomew Kuma were even more so, completely disregarding the confrontation and showing no intention of intervening.
"Whoosh whoosh whoosh!"
In an instant, cards flew out, and all the threads Doflamingo had sent were cut. The thrown cards brushed past Whitebeard Jr., carrying a sharp wind.
The usually dazed Whitebeard Jr. seemed to sense danger at that moment, his aura becoming immensely powerful.
"Mom, that short guy attacked me. Can I kill him?"
Whitebeard Jr. stared at the card player and asked Miss Bakkin beside him.
Miss Bakkin turned to look at the card man and smiled. "Card Man, Zodolf, you injured my son. If you don't pay five to six hundred million Berries as compensation, your life will be forfeit."
Card Man? Zodolf?
Great Tengu Seifuu's mind quickly flashed with vague information about a user of the Card-Card Fruit.
In the latter half of the New World, there was a special island, a paradise for gamblers, where all sorts of gambling games were played: gambling money, gambling lives, all kinds of bets.
And in the past decade, a Card Man had appeared who had never lost when playing cards.
He had even killed many pirates with bounties in the tens of millions, or even over a hundred million, with his cards, earning a substantial amount of Berries.
He was a true bounty hunter and a gambler.
Doflamingo glared at Sengoku, Whitebeard Jr. stared at the card player Zodolf, the air thick with tension, while others calmly watched the show.
"Big傻大个子, how about a gamble?"
"If you lose, you give me your life."
"If you win, all my wealth is yours."
The card player Zodolf looked at Whitebeard Jr. playfully and said mockingly.
"Everyone knows you, Zodolf, are skilled in gambling!"
"How about a fight? Your men and your wealth will all be mine," Miss Bakkin said with great anticipation.
The card player Zodolf ran his thumb across his right hand, and cards floated out.
They emitted red, blue, and yellow light respectively.
"Let's try," Zodolf sneered.
Sengoku punched the table, his gaze sweeping over Doflamingo, Whitebeard Jr., and the card player Zodolf.
"Are you all disregarding me too much?"
"This is Marineford!"
Zodolf chuckled, snapped his fingers, and then opened his hand again. The cards returned to his hand, he clenched his fist, and opened it again. The cards disappeared.
Miss Bakkin knew when to stop. She then said to Whitebeard Jr., "Son, this is not a place to fight. After we leave here, Mom will take you to beat him."
Whitebeard Jr. trusted Miss Bakkin implicitly. The originally fierce Whitebeard Jr. became dazed again.
Crocodile stared at Whitebeard Jr. and sneered, thinking: He has strength, but he's an idiot.
Doflamingo snorted and turned to leave, saying, "If this was just a meeting to get acquainted."
"Then we've met everyone."
"Can we leave now?"
Sengoku said calmly, "Besides the new Shichibukai members getting acquainted, there is one more matter to discuss."
"That is, an operation concerning the 'Slaying Plan'."
Speaking of this, Sengoku looked at Blackbeard and said, "Regarding this plan, we must thank Blackbeard for providing the prisoners."
"Otherwise, who would have secured the Shichibukai positions is uncertain."
For a moment, everyone's gaze, except Doflamingo's, turned towards Blackbeard.
Blackbeard, thick-skinned and fearless, smiled, "It was just good luck."