Chapter 87: Greetings

——In this Great Age of Pirates, tragedies are too countless to name.

『SHAHAHAHAHA!!! YOU’LL BE THE FIRST EXAMPLE!!!』

『Guh… Ah…!!』

『BELL-MÈRE-SAAAAAN!!』

『NOOO!!』

『This is your punishment, lowly scum… for daring to defy a fish-man!!! I’ll torture you…!! Carve you to pieces and kill you…!! Suffer pain and terror straight from hell!!!』

"——The agony of the oppressed♫"

For every moment of happiness, someone else must suffer.

『LADY OTIHIME WAS SHOT~~~~!!!』

『JAHAHA… Stupid queen, siding with humans… DIE…!!!』

『I-Is this really okay…?』

『Yeah… Good job, human… As thanks… I’ll kill you quick…!!!』

『Huh…?』

"The sorrow of losing someone dear♫"

Anger and grief only breed more despair.

『I helped a man named Roger—AND I’M DAMN PROUD OF IT!!!』

『TOMMMM-SAAAAAN!!!』

『GIVE TOM BACK~~~~!!!』

『WAHAHAHAHA!!! Serves you right!! Defy "justice," and this is what happens!! Rot in regret in the next life!!!』

"Pain coursing through your body~~♫ Emotions with nowhere to go~~♫"

——But that is not the natural order of this world.

『I am Donquixote Doflamingo. I have returned—THE RIGHTFUL KING OF THIS COUNTRY!!!』

『SOMEONE… KILL MEEEE!!!』

『SCARLETTTTTT~~~~!!!』

"What’s lost won’t return~~♫ ——Or so you’d think.♪"

『!!?』

——Indeed… The natural order is… the strong devour the weak.

『Waiting 20 years just means our bodies grow weaker!!』

『You expect us to keep waiting for guys who might never come back!?』

『Have faith in them!! Kin’emon and the others WILL return!!! With Lord Momonosuke!!』

Even in a country whose suffering remained hidden from the world, an event fitting to cap off that year’s tragedies unfolded.

『If we don’t obey Orochi, we starve…!! Just surviving each day is a struggle…!!』

『We’ll die of sickness before we even get to fight…!!』

That year marked exactly a decade since Wano Country fell into pirates’ hands.

『IT’S KAIDO’S ARMY!!!』

『THE UFOs SPOTTED US!! RUN!!!』

『They destroyed the well!!』

『They burned the fields!!』

Wait 20 years—those were the Kozuki clan’s final words, carried on a song.
But in reality… 20 years was far too long for those forced to endure the present.

『I’ve had enough!! Ashura!!』

『Stop, it’s suicide!!! Without the Kozuki name, we can’t rally an army!!』

『At least… let me die with a sword in hand…!! If I must die, let it be as a SAMURAI!! Don’t stop me!!!』

Voicing their desperate cries, they suddenly grinned and gripped their weapons. The topic? The dialect of Kuri.

『DISCARD YOUR "NAME." DISCARD YOUR "WISDOM." Empty your mind and CHARGE!!』

『SCREAM IT OUT!!』

Humans fear because they cling to themselves.
But discard name and wisdom—and fear vanishes.

『SUTEMI—CHI!!!』

『COME BACK—!! COME BACK—!!!』

And so, they became yet another tragedy of the past.
But it didn’t have to be this way.

"GYAHAHAHA!! Hey, look!! Just like Nue said!!!"

"What fools!! As if they could slip past the UFO defense net and make it to Onigashima!!"

"Capture every last one alive!! Tonight’s guests are on the house!!"

"...!! Don’t falter!! Strike back!!"

The small boat carrying the samurai never even reached Onigashima. They weren’t allowed to wield their swords—let alone die as samurai.

——Onigashima, Live Floor.

♪"All of it, everything~♪ —It’s all!! YOUR fault for being WEAK~~~~!!!"♫

"YES!! STRO~~~~~~NG♫"

"UOOOOOOOOOH!!"

"Lady Nue~~~~~~♡"

"QUEEN QUEEN~~~~!!!"

The annual Fire Festival, where the forces of the Beasts Pirates and Shogun Orochi converged. The Golden Kagura held on Onigashima’s live floor was a once-a-year event. Geisha from Wano and Beasts Pirates dancers performed on the stage above, while musicians played a chaotic mix of Wano’s traditional instruments and foreign rhythms. Multicolored UFOs flickered as they moved, illuminating the floor and stage. A giant den den mushi screen broadcasted the spectacle—currently featuring "Nue-chan’s Band with QUEEN."

♪"With power, all your troubles vanish~♫ But even without it, don’t worry~♫ Just drown in Nue-chan’s cuteness~♡"

♪"But BUT, underestimate us and you’ll get hurt~♫ Cross us, and you won’t get off easy~♫ ——Just like THE-SE guys here~~!!"♫

"Ugh... ah..."

"Stop... please stop...!!"

At the center of the stage, Nue danced while the Beasts Pirates’ All-Star Queen pranced back and forth, pointing at the crucified samurai as if proving his FUNK could kill and entertain. The samurai had been captured alive—picked off one by one. Dancers and geisha raised guns, pulling triggers in sync with the song’s beat.

"Hey!! LOVE LOVE!! LOVE LOVE!! LOVE SO CUTE!! NU~~~~E-CHAN!!!"

♪"Bang bang bang, shoot ’em dead YO~~♫ Muhaha!! Blast these samurai to hell~~~♫"

"YEEEEAH!!"

"Guh...!"

"Damn... you...!!"

"Just kill us as SAMURAI~~!!"

♪"No no, that’s a NO~~♫ We wanna see your miserable faces~♫ Suffer more and ENTERTAIN ME~~♫"

"GYAHAHA!! Scream louder for us~~!!"

Gunfire. Lead tore through flesh. Pirates roared as samurai coughed blood and collapsed. The sudden "guests" became props in a brutal execution show, their lives snuffed out for spectacle—even the dancers and geisha reveled in it.

——Except for one. A Beasts Pirates grunt, Komurasaki, trembled behind her smiling mask.

"Ugh... Not even... a warrior’s death...?!"

"Tch...!!"

"You... demons...!!"

The last survivors of the Kozuki loyalists died cursing, unaware the geisha they despised was Kozuki Hiyori herself. Few knew her pain. Nue laughed from the stage, oblivious. Only one here understood, mourning in silence—

"...!!"

"—Oi oi, Kyoushirou!! What’s up? Laughing?! Hah, can’t blame ya—this shit’s hilarious!!"

"! ...Ah. Quite amusing... My blood’s stirring for the first time in ages."

"Bet you’ve been bored!! Heard hardly anyone’s dumb enough to rebel lately!"

In the tatami-lined room, Kyoushirou—Orochi’s right hand—sat among Beast Pirates beauties and courtesans, sharing drinks with Sasaki, one of the Tobi Roppo.

Kyoushirou played his role flawlessly. To Orochi, he was a loyal dog. To the Beasts, a trusted ally. But beneath the facade, he seethed—waiting for the day to avenge the dying samurai and Hiyori onstage.

"How’s business? Heard your crew’s growing. Any promising recruits?"

"Same as last year. A few crews joined. Odd ones, like a mermaid... Oh, right. Keep this under wraps, but... a Warlord paid respects this year."

"! That beauty, Hancock?"

"Nah, the new one. Wants a deal with us."

"—How interesting."

Kyoushirou’s grin hid his calculations. Intel like this is vital.

"An equal partnership?"

"Pfft. They’re just the government’s dogs. Our dogs now, got it?!"

"Kuku, how cruel. I almost pity them."

"Quit actin’ saintly!! You’re one of us!! Scoundrels gotta stick together!"

"—Ah, true enough."

——Until the day comes, I’ll play along.

As Kyoushirou clinked cups with Sasaki, the screams of his comrades burned into his ears—fueling the fury smoldering in his heart.

---

──Onigashima, Kaido’s Mansion.

"This way, please."

"Yeah."

Led down the mansion’s halls by a high-ranking officer—likely a Shinuchi—was a man and his family who belonged neither to the Beasts Pirates, their affiliates, nor even Orochi’s forces.

Visitors. Guests. Whatever the term, they’d come today to pay their respects.

"Hehe… Doffy."

"I know. Today’s… important."

『"Warlord of the Sea" & New King of Dressrosa: Donquixote Doflamingo. Former Bounty: 340,000,000 Berries.』

Yes—his name was Donquixote Doflamingo.

A pirate currently making waves. Few knew the full scope of his deeds this year, but they were monstrous.

He’d hijacked the World Government’s Celestial Tribute shipments, blackmailed them into granting him Warlord status, then seized Dressrosa in a single night through sheer scheming.

An ex-Celestial Dragon himself, he’d twisted even the nobles to his will, leveraging secrets to claw his way into power.

By all accounts, this year had been his ascension.

With the World Government’s leash around his neck and a kingdom under his heel, there was little left to fear.

—Assuming he survived today.

"Here we are. —Lord Kaido. Donquixote Doflamingo and his three top executives have arrived."

"—Tch. ‘Bout time… Send ‘em in."

Doflamingo stepped inside, flanked by his three titanic officers—Trebol, Diamante, and Pica.

At the room’s center sat the one man even Doflamingo feared.

The figures surrounding him? Just as lethal.

But if he could secure this alliance, the rewards would be immeasurable.

With a Yonko’s backing, even the other Emperors would hesitate to move against him.

"—So… you’re Doflamingo. The Warlord."

"! Fufufu… Yeah. Apologies for the delay. Honored to finally meet a Yonko."

『"Yonko" Kaido, Captain of the Beasts Pirates. Bounty: 4,611,100,000 Berries.』

A living force of nature, rumored unbeatable one-on-one.

His sheer size—nearly 10 meters tall—and the menace radiating from his glare made even Doflamingo’s crew seem small.

But the smallest presence here, perched on Kaido’s shoulder, was arguably the most dangerous.

"Ming-ming-min~♫ Ming, go~♫ Donqui~xote~♫ Long time no see~♪ How’ve you beeeen?"

"...Well enough."

The girl chirped his name like a playground taunt. Under normal circumstances, anyone dumb enough to mock him would be gutted.

But here?

Angering her meant his doom.

In some ways, she was worse than Kaido.

『Nue, "Calamity of Beasts." Bounty: 3,780,100,000 Berries.』

"You took your sweet time!! What kept ya?"

"! Well…"

"Oi, Nue. Pretty sure your concert ran long."

"Ahaha! Did it? But my shows are never boring, right?"

"...Fufufu. Yeah, real entertaining."

"Then you’ll totally buy my merch after this, yeah? Photo books, CDs, everything! Oh, and set up a shop in Dressrosa! I’ll give you 10% of sales~♡"

"...!! …Yeah. Sure."

The black-haired "girl" with red-and-blue wings flashed a grin, her tone leaving no room for refusal.

—Like hell I’d waste money on your trash, Doflamingo seethed internally.

But saying that meant death.

At least there was profit in her demand. The cut was insulting, but terms could be renegotiated later.

For now, securing the alliance was all that mattered.

"—So. Why’re you here?"

"! …"

Kaido’s blunt question froze Doflamingo’s smirk.

—She didn’t tell him?!

Nue had promised to relay his proposal. Had she lied?

"…I’ve got a proposition for you."

"Proposition?"

"Ooh, what could it be~?"

(…This little—! She played me!!)

Nue’s faux-innocent tilt of the head confirmed it—she’d set him up.

Rage simmered beneath his shades, but showing it meant game over.

Doflamingo was a master negotiator, but his usual tactics—blackmail, threats, brute force—were useless here.

So he pivoted to the only option left: appealing to greed.

"Fufufu… The thing is—"

"—Hold it."

"!"

A voice like grinding boulders cut him off.

The mountain of a man beside Kaido loomed, easily over 8 meters tall.

Another monster.

『King the Wildfire, "Calamity of Beasts." Bounty: 1,530,000,000 Berries.』

"Ain’t you gonna introduce your lackeys first?"

"! …Right. My bad."

"Muhaha!! Damn straight! Startin’ talks without introducin’ your circus act? Thought you wanted us to roast ya!!"

The second giant to burst into laughter—an obese mountain of a man standing over 8 meters tall—was another monster Doflamingo recognized from the earlier stage.

『Queen the Plague, "Calamity of the Beasts." Bounty: 1,320,000,000 Berries.』

"If you're bringing an unannounced guest, you damn well better give me a heads up first!!"

"Yeah~♪ C'mon, hurry up and introduce them already."

"Tch… Right…"

(You smug little—!!)

It had been Nue who demanded he bring his three top executives, but clearly, that hadn’t been communicated. Doflamingo had originally intended to come alone, but he had no choice but to obey Nue’s order.

Yet he swallowed his anger and forced a grin. Even a monkey could see it at this point—these bastards were toying with him, waiting for a reaction. If he showed irritation, they’d get exactly what they wanted. He had to stay composed. No matter how much they provoked him, he wouldn’t give them the satisfaction.

"They’re the three top executives of my crew."

"H-heheh… I’m Trebol."

"...Diamante."

"...Pica."

Doflamingo’s proud family—his strongest fighters. Their names should have carried weight, but to an Emperor and their inner circle, they were just faceless nobodies. No one recognized them. No one even cared.

That much was expected. But then came the inevitable humiliation he’d foreseen yet couldn’t avoid.

"—WORORORO!!! What the hell’s with that hilarious voice!?"

"...!!"

—Here it comes.

Kaido pointed at Pica, one of the top executives, and burst into laughter—all because of his high-pitched voice, so mismatched with his appearance. Soon, the others joined in, mocking and jeering.

"Ahahahaha!! Seriously!! What a funny voice~!! Where’s it even coming from? Or is it on purpose? Pff… kuku… If it is on purpose, where’d you train for that? Ahaha!!"

"MUHAHA!! This guy’s a riot!! Hey, Nue!! Let’s put him on stage next time!! He’d kill it!!"

"Tch… Doesn’t suit him at all."

"…!!"

"...Heh… hehehe… Yeah…"

As Kaido, Nue, and the Beast Pirates’ top brass laughed and taunted, Pica stood trembling, biting his lip in silence. Diamante and Trebol kept their heads down, refusing to react. Only Doflamingo remained facing forward, nodding—because he had to.

—Plenty had mocked Pica’s voice before. But the Donquixote Pirates were family. And those who insulted their family always ended up dead.

Yet here, against overwhelming power, they could do nothing but endure. The scene was like schoolyard bullying—but this was the hierarchy of strength. The insurmountable gap between an Emperor and a Warlord. The difference in class.

Doflamingo had known this would happen. That’s why he hadn’t wanted to bring them. But he’d been ordered to, forced to present them like fools. Now they were being laughed at. The humiliation was unbearable. Later, he’d have to reassure Pica. For now, he waited silently for the torment to pass.

"Hehehe… The Donquixote Pirates are quite the eccentric bunch, aren’t they?"

"!"

Then, another woman entered the room.

Doflamingo narrowed his eyes behind his sunglasses. A top executive joining this gathering could only mean one thing.

—So this is the famed "Broker."

『Joker the War, "Calamity of the Beasts." Bounty: 1,210,000,000 Berries.』

"Hey, Joker!! You hear that!? These guys are a damn riot!! WORORORO!!!"

"—Oh, I heard. But only one of them is funny, right, Kaido?"

"WORORORO!! True enough!! But quit stallin’!! Doflamingo!! Start talkin’ already!!"

"...!! Yeah, let’s get to it…"

The beauty called Joker—the enigmatic broker whose identity none knew—finally gave the negotiations a chance to begin.

Doflamingo glanced at Kaido, who was now guzzling alcohol, then launched into his pitch. First, he needed to recapture their interest.

"Hehehe…!! With my status as a Warlord and king of a World Government-affiliated nation… I can guarantee safe underground dealings."

"WORORORO!! Drink!! Doflamingo!! …Hic."

"! …No, I’ll pass for now—"

"—You refusin’ my booze!?"

"...!! Hehehe… Nah, wouldn’t dream of it. I’ll gladly accept…"

Without warning, Kaido shoved a cup into his hands, demanding he drink. The moment Doflamingo tried to refuse—Kaido snapped.

Panicking internally, Doflamingo corrected course immediately. He took a sip before continuing. Kaido roared with laughter again.

"WORORORORO!!! How’s that!? Good shit, right!? Our Sasaki brews this pride of ours!!!"

"…………Yeah. Fine taste.—Now then. Hehehe…!! My connections to the World Government—"

"These skewers are super tasty too!! Have some as a snack!! Ahahahaha!!"

"...Thanks, but I’m not hungry—"

"—Hah? Don’t tell me… you’re rejecting my offering?"

"...!! Nah… Actually, I’m starved. Appreciate it…"

Just as he tried to steer back to business, Nue pushed a platter of grilled chicken at him. And when he attempted to decline—this time, it was Nue who coldly lost her temper.

Doflamingo grabbed a skewer and ate. Truthfully, he hated barbecue, but he had no choice. Nue beamed.

"See? Delicious, right? It’s fresh chicken from Foods Food’s ranch, cooked with King’s special recipe!! Ahahahaha♡"

"…………Yeah. Lives up to the hype."

(Since when do pirates run farms and kitchens?)

The thought died unspoken as Nue prattled on:

Nue prattled on.

"The veggies are from Ulti, and the fish are caught by Paytan. Impressive, huh?"

Doflamingo nodded mechanically.

(When the hell do we get to the deal?)

But cutting her off now would risk ruining the mood.

"Oh, and lately, we’ve been expanding into all sorts of new ventures…"

"—Now that’s interesting."

Right. No need to rush. If they were chatting amiably, things were progressing smoothly. So he’d indulge them, let them talk their fill—then ease into his own agenda.

"—QUIT FUCKIN’ AROUND!!! WHEN THE HELL ARE YOU GONNA START TALKING, HUH!?"

"...!!? Ugh—!!"

—Kaido snapped.

It was too sudden. The burst of Conqueror’s Haki forced Doflamingo to brace slightly, weathering the pressure as Kaido leaned in, reeking of alcohol.

"Hey, you sluggish bastard!! Didn’t I tell ya to hurry the fuck up!?"

"...!! That’s—no, we were mid-conversation—"

"!!! —YOU!!! You sayin’ my siblings are wastin’ your time!? Keep pissin’ me off and I’ll kill you, Doflamingo!!!"

"…………!!!"

—He. Wasn’t. Listening.

"D-Doffy…!!"

Trebol’s voice trembled. Diamante and Pica… even Doflamingo himself was sweating, forced back a step.

Kaido was utterly wasted. Whether that was the cause or just his nature didn’t matter—reason was impossible. Only intimidation remained.

Negotiations? Pointless. Provoking him further would be disastrous.

"Heh… Hehehehe… Yeah, my bad. Didn’t mean it like that. I’m here to talk weapons and Devil Fruits. To help you tear the world apart."

"THEN SAY THAT SHIT FIRST!!! But… good. That’s good… Hic… WORORORO!!!"

"...Yeah, sorry ‘bout that. As a gesture, I brought gold, weapons, and Devil Fruits. Inspect ‘em later."

"Hoh! Not bad!! I like you, Doflamingo!! WORORORO!!! —Actually!! You’re gonna be Joker’s proxy in our deals now!!!"

"Glad you’re pleased, but… what?"

—Did he hear that right?

Doflamingo almost couldn’t believe it. But Kaido was already announcing it like a decree, grinning.

"Just decided it with Nue and Joker!! Remembered it now!! WORORORO!! This’ll give Joker extra cover—nothin’ but wins!!!"

"YAY~!! Congrats, Mingo-Min~♪ From today, you’re the face of the Underworld’s biggest broker—Joker’s proxy!! Step right up!! Bargain of the century!!"

"Hehe… Do behave♡"

"...!! Heh… HEHEHEHEHE…!!"

Doflamingo understood, then. You couldn’t reason with beasts. All he could do was twist his lips into a rictus grin at this sudden, one-sided "deal."

---

The Underworld's Joker of the New World

Infamous across the black market as the broker "Joker," this figure had long been a lucrative asset to the Beast Pirates. Of course, the other Lead Performers—and I, Kaido—knew their true identity all along.

The world's strongest intelligence agency, CP0. Its very own Stussy was the face behind the Beast Pirates' All-Star, "Calamity Joker."

No matter how hard the Marines or World Government dug, they'd never uncover the truth. How could they? The agent assigned to investigate Joker was Joker herself.

...But even Stussy had her limits. For years, she'd fed just enough information to mislead them—yet lately, pressure from above was becoming a problem.

So we devised a solution.

Enter Donquixote Doflamingo.

By appointing the Warlord—with his government ties—as Joker's proxy, we'd create a public front to throw off suspicion.

Doflamingo’s connections ran deeper than the Marines or World Government. He had leverage over the Celestial Dragons themselves, reducing them to near-puppets. With a word, he could manipulate naval and CP movements to his advantage.

That’s why he’d risen to Warlord, seized Dressrosa’s throne, and brokered deals with powers like ours. The Marines dared not pursue him too aggressively—lest they provoke the Dragons. Even if they uncovered something, they’d turn a blind eye. Against the World Government, Doflamingo’s influence was formidable.

But we weren’t the Government.

Pirates—no, Emperors—answered to no one. If he displeased us, we’d kill him. Yet since he’d come offering cooperation, why not use him?

Thus, our pact was sealed.

──And so, we struck a deal with Doflamingo.

"The deal is, first of all, the same as before—Wano-made weapons. I’ll distribute them as Joker, Stussy will receive them, and they’ll be passed to the government. But now, by routing them through Doflamingo, we can expand our reach and make the trade safer and more efficient."

After the greetings and preliminary talks wrapped up, Doflamingo and his men promptly left. Once they were gone, Joker went over the terms again for King and Queen’s benefit. Everyone present was well-versed in dealings and side hustles. They all grasped the key points and benefits immediately.

"Weapons trading is large-scale business. Handling each delivery ourselves is a pain... If we leave distribution to Doflamingo, it saves us the trouble."

"Plus, if it’s going through Doflamingo, the government can’t say no! They see Stussy as one of their own, so they try to keep the price low. But with Doflamingo, we can charge way more!"

King and Queen both chimed in.

Weapons are dangerous if they’re traced, but we can’t let other ships into Wano either.

Up till now, we’ve been routing through Desire Island in our territory, but being Beast Pirates turf, it’s not exactly open to outsiders. Government agents can’t come in openly, and disguising it isn’t easy.

But Dressrosa is a World Government-affiliated nation ruled by Doflamingo. That makes distribution much simpler. It’s not far, and no need for cover-ups. Thanks to Doflamingo’s Warlord title and his ties to the Celestial Dragons.

We can send shipments to Dressrosa openly, offload them at the underground port, and Doflamingo will handle the rest. Since Dressrosa’s a recognized nation, it makes it easier for buyers too. Compared to dealing with a Four Emperors' turf, dealing in a Warlord-run kingdom is safer—and easier to explain if things go south.

With Doflamingo’s position and strength, dodging scrutiny from the Navy or the government is no big deal. On the surface, he’s one of them. And even if someone finds out, he’s got that busted Devil Fruit power backing him up.

And like Queen said, we no longer have to go through the hassle of pretending negotiations between Stussy and Joker were between two separate people. Up until now, Stussy had to act as the middleman, conveying prices and terms from Joker to the government. But we’re not friends with the government, unlike Doflamingo. So every negotiation was a chore.

But with Doflamingo, the government can’t push back. Even if we hike the prices, they’ll have to accept them. And even after giving him his cut, we’ll still make more than before. For the other buyers too—having Doflamingo and our name attached means we can earn as much, if not more.

"Haha, as expected of Lord Doflamingo!! I almost wanted to praise him as a former Celestial Dragon!! But that would’ve freaked him out, so I didn’t. Ahh, that was hilarious, hilarious ♡ Now I’m hungry again—Jaaack!! Booze!!"

"──Yes."

At my louder-than-usual call, Jack came in from the next room, hauling a barrel of sake on his shoulder. He set it down in front of me.

Gulp, gulp… ahhh!! Delicious!! "Hey, Jack, want some?"

"Yes. Thank you."

"Alright, Jack, you and the rest of you better get your heads in the game. Use the money from the deals with Doflamingo and that guuy to strengthen our forces... gulp gulp… fuuuh… hic"

"""Of course."""
King, Queen, and Joker—our three All-Stars—and Jack all nodded in unison. What a satisfying answer. Doflamingo’s not bad, but compared to our crew, he lacks power. The three top officers he brought aren’t terrible, but… they’re weak. Or more like, they lack spirit.

Sure, they’re clever and good at operating behind the scenes, but with that alone, he’ll never rise above the Warlords.

Still, being smart makes him more useful than others. He’s not dumb enough to pick a fight with us—that’s boring, but it makes him a convenient tool.

…But seriously, he loses points for not understanding humor. He’s no fun. Jack would never refuse food or booze if I or Kaido offered, but Doflamingo always tries to turn it down with some excuse. So rude. Though, that just makes teasing him more fun!!

"By the way, Nue-san. There are still a few of those captured samurai alive..."

"Ahh, right. We don’t need the rest. Chop them up and toss the pieces into the mountains of Kuri or something."

"Understood. I’ll take care of it by tomorrow morning."

"Geez, you sure are dedicated, even during a banquet. Typical torture-loving freak."

"Shut up, you idiot. Big talk for someone who got his ass kicked by that red-haired brat."

"What was that, you bastard!!?"

"I could say the same to you...!!"

"Ahhh—come on, you two. This is supposed to be a party."

"Ahaha!! Go for it!! Fight, fight!!"

"──Don’t egg them on."

King and Queen snapped at each other over something trivial, locking eyes in a glare. Business as usual. I don’t really mind if they brawl—it’s always entertaining—but Kaido lightly warned us, including me, for stirring the pot.

Surprisingly, Kaido’s the type to stop infighting between subordinates. And Jack remained silent. Probably figuring that saying anything would get him caught in the crossfire. Smart. I used to read the room too, back in the day, so I get it.

Meanwhile, Joker kept calmly sipping from his cup, as refined as ever. Maybe he felt like a burden had lifted—he seemed to be enjoying his drink a bit more than usual.

"Heh, even so, those Kozuki stragglers are persistent. How many examples do we have to make before they give up?"

"I kinda like it when they stir things up like this now and then—it gives me something fun to do!!"

"If you keep saying stuff like that, Orochi’ll freak out again. He’s such a coward."

"Haha, totally! Even though we’ve got his back!"

"It’s already been ten years since we wiped those guys out… You really think they’ll show up in another ten? Or are they just hiding somewhere, like that brat?"

"It’s a Devil Fruit prophecy thing, so I’m guessing they’ll show up. ──Well, we can start worrying when they actually do, don’t you think~♪"

"Warorororo…!! That’s true!"

Ten years since Kozuki Oden’s death. Ten years of ironclad rule. Even if the "dawn" did arrive, Wano’s chains wouldn’t break.

If anything? I hoped they’d come.

Lifting my barrel, I drank to that future carnage.