At another port on Briss Rail Island, Claudius was dressed in an extravagant outfit—sporting a pink flamingo feathered coat, an unbuttoned white shirt revealing his chiseled eight-pack abs, and flashy tight pants. On his feet, he wore a pair of loafers.
He also had a pair of orange sunglasses on and kept his hands in his pockets as he walked down the street with a slight forward lean, exuding an air of arrogance.
Wherever he passed, the crowd instinctively moved aside. On one hand, it was because Claudius, currently disguised as Donquixote Doflamingo, was one of the Seven Warlords of the Sea, one of the major pirates that no one dared to provoke.
On the other hand, Doflamingo also held another identity—an exiled Celestial Dragon.
Even though he hadn't exercised those privileges in the past two years and didn't demand people kneel before him, his status was still undeniable.
"Fufufufufu... That guy is doing pretty well." Claudius chuckled while holding a newspaper.
The headlines featured news of "Claudius" inspecting Sabaody Archipelago and delivering several public speeches.
"This should help ease their suspicions to some extent."
Walking alongside Claudius was Dragon, who was also in disguise to avoid attracting attention.
Pirates like Kaido, Charlotte Linlin, and Shiki might not blindly trust the news reports, but since "Doflamingo" had appeared at Sabaody Archipelago as Claudius, their intelligence networks would be able to confirm the situation.
This meant Claudius was no longer on the island, significantly reducing suspicions of any underlying schemes.
Initially, people like Shiki had only been mildly skeptical of the World Government's involvement in this event, especially since it was publicly orchestrated by Douglas Bullet.
Now that Claudius had been seen elsewhere, his non-participation implied that perhaps the World Government wasn't involved in anything nefarious here after all.
With that, the greatest source of doubt was eliminated, allowing them to let their guard down.
Listening to the murmurs of the crowd, Dragon smiled and said, "Did you hear? Crocodile booked out an entire tavern. Ace and the others are already there."
"Bartholomew Kuma said he'd act alone, so it seems like Heavenly Yaksha is the only one who hasn't arrived yet." Claudius smirked.
"Kuma has always preferred acting solo, so that's no surprise," Dragon mused.
Bartholomew Kuma had a decent personality, but he was rather reserved, rarely spoke, and often carried around his Bible, reading it in silence.
Even now, despite the Revolutionary Army becoming a key part of the World Government's operations, his demeanor remained unchanged.
His involvement in this mission was straightforward—he would step in when necessary but otherwise act independently.
Claudius wasn't concerned about it. A strong individual having some quirks was perfectly normal.
Inside the Tavern
At the moment, the Seven Warlords of the Sea were gathered around a table.
Hancock sat with a newspaper in hand, her expression filled with dissatisfaction.
"Didn't His Highness say he'd come with us? Why is he still at Sabaody Archipelago? Will he even make it in time?"
"I don't think so," Enel replied regretfully as he poured himself a drink.
Mihawk, holding a document in his hands, remarked, "Whether Claudius comes or not doesn't concern me. But this summons for the Seven Warlords did interfere with my plans."
"What plans?" Crocodile asked curiously.
Mihawk was the only Warlord who remained somewhat independent. However, due to his unexpected involvement in the events surrounding the Reverie, he had earned a considerable amount of trust, making him more than half an ally at this point.
As a result, the others had grown more comfortable around him.
Mihawk responded seriously, "It's planting season on Kuraigana Island."
"Huh? Mr. Mihawk, are you planning to have a baby?" Ace asked in shock.
Mihawk's face stiffened slightly before he clarified in a deep voice, "I meant planting crops."
"You farm?" Ace was even more surprised.
"Is it that strange for me to farm?" Mihawk frowned in slight irritation.
"Of course it is!" Ace replied without hesitation.
"So, your original plan was to farm, and this gathering disrupted that?" Crocodile smirked.
"Yes. It's important because there's no one on Kuraigana Island but me," Mihawk explained seriously.
"Don't worry. Once this is over, I'll have someone send you two boatloads of rice. Alabasta's land may be a bit barren, but we can still grow enough to support you," Crocodile teased.
"No, you misunderstand. I want to make wine. Only crops grown on Kuraigana Island produce the authentic flavor I'm after," Mihawk corrected him.
Crocodile's eye twitched slightly, deciding not to continue the conversation.
Mihawk went on, "I'm not interested in the Log Pose to Laugh Tale. My mission this time is different from yours—I'm here to stop Shanks if he shows up and causes trouble."
As he spoke, Mihawk raised the document in his hand, which was his official summons detailing his assignment.
"Then we'll leave that to you," Crocodile said, eager to move on from the awkward topic.
"Without His Highness here, it feels like something is missing," Enel remarked, looking bored.
Hearing this, Hancock's expression brightened. She stood up and excitedly suggested, "I understand! It's that feeling of lacking motivation. Enel, why don't you call His Highness and ask if he's coming? If not, I can go pick him up myself!"
"As the world's most beautiful woman, can you show some restraint?" Mihawk smirked.
Hancock's face turned red before she snapped back angrily, "Mihawk, do you want to fight?!"
Ace, watching these big shots argue so casually, felt a little out of place. As the newcomer among them, he couldn't help but feel the pressure.
Just then, the tavern doors swung open, and Claudius strolled in nonchalantly, followed closely by Dragon, who removed his hat to reveal his face.
Crocodile glanced at the doorway and clicked his tongue in irritation when he saw 'Doflamingo.'
He had never gotten along with Doflamingo, they had been rivals for years, always at each other's throats. Seeing him now only annoyed him.
Claudius grinned and said, "Fufufufufu… Am I being hated?"
"Without a doubt," Dragon teased.
"So cold, Crocodile. No warm welcome? Not even a hug?" Claudius opened his arms mockingly.
His tone, expression, and mannerisms were a perfect imitation of Doflamingo's usual way of teasing Crocodile.
"If you want to die, just say so, Doflamingo," Crocodile responded impatiently, his tone ice-cold.
Just as Claudius was about to retort, Hancock's eyes suddenly lit up.
Without hesitation, she leaped from her seat and flung herself at him with a look of pure joy.
"Your Highness~~!! I knew you'd come!" Hancock exclaimed, wrapping her arms around him in a tight embrace.
Everyone else was stunned.
What the hell, Hancock?! Are the tavern lights too dim?! That's not Claudius, it's Doflamingo!
Even Dragon was taken aback. After a moment, he muttered under his breath, "Is this the power of love? Incredible. I lost."
As everyone else remained in shock, Claudius sighed and wrapped an arm around Hancock, murmuring, "Did I really disguise myself that well? You saw through it instantly?"
This time, he had reverted to his real voice.
Crocodile's expression immediately darkened as he gritted his teeth.
"Claudius, you bastard, were you trying to starve me?!"
"Dad?!" Ace blurted out in surprise.
(To be continued.)
***
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