The calm voice coming from the other end of the Den Den Mushi echoed across the plaza.
For a moment...
The entire square on Onigashima fell into complete silence.
Even the cigar clenched between Queen’s teeth snapped in half.
Wasn’t this supposed to be the Den Den Mushi belonging to Sheepshead, Jack’s trusted subordinate?
Why was a completely unfamiliar voice speaking through it?
And the very first thing he said was—
"Do you want the man or the money?"
Didn’t that mean...
One of the Four Emperors had just been openly blackmailed?
"You little bastard!"
Kaido’s face darkened as he snatched the Den Den Mushi from Queen.
"Who the hell are you?!"
"What nonsense are you talking about?!"
"Where’s Sheepshead?!"
"I’m Kaido!"
His furious roar shook the surroundings.
If he hadn’t desperately wanted to know who was on the other end...
The trembling hand gripping the Den Den Mushi would already have crushed it to pieces.
King, Queen, and Jack all stared at the snail.
Countless possibilities flashed through their minds.
Yet none matched the youthful voice they were hearing.
After all...
Who would be crazy enough to target one of the Four Emperors for extortion?
Then...
Almost simultaneously...
All three of them looked toward the newspaper lying on the ground.
An absurd thought surfaced in their minds.
Could it really be...
That eccentric brat?
"Oh?"
Lucas chuckled in surprise.
"So I really reached you."
"That saves me the trouble of tracking you down."
As expected...
The beginning of a new workweek really did bring good luck.
Not only had he found pirates from a Yonko crew immediately after landing...
The Yonko himself had even contacted him.
Wasn’t that convenient?
"Oh, right."
"I almost forgot to introduce myself."
"I’m Admiral Lucas, the Marines’ newly appointed Fourth Admiral."
"Earlier, your Beasts Pirates attacked me without warning."
"I had no choice but to beat them up."
"It just so happens that I’m looking for Whitebeard."
"And it just so happens that your people called me."
"And it just so happens that you’re Kaido."
"So..."
"Let’s settle everything while we’re at it."
"Kaido..."
"Do you want your man..."
"Or do you want to trade information?"
"Tell me where Whitebeard is..."
"And I’ll let your man go."
The Fourth Admiral...
The Marine brat they had just mocked?
King and Queen froze.
Neither had expected to meet the so-called Fourth Admiral in this fashion.
And all those "coincidences?"
Who in the world would believe that?
Kaido’s grip on the Den Den Mushi trembled violently.
He was forcing himself not to crush it.
It had been a very long time...
Since anyone had dared speak to him so casually.
"You little brat!"
"You dare threaten me?!"
"You’re asking to die!"
"Tell me where you are!"
"I’m going to kill you!"
His furious roar exploded like thunder.
The nearby pirates covered their ears in pain.
Lucas casually cleaned one ear with his finger.
"Don’t worry."
"You’re welcome to come kill me anytime."
"But first..."
"Tell me where Whitebeard is."
"Think of it as an information exchange."
"Oh."
"I should remind you."
"You’ve got one minute to decide."
"Otherwise..."
"It’ll be time for my morning tea."
"And I won’t be available anymore."
The pirates around Lucas were utterly dumbfounded.
He had already openly threatened a Yonko.
How was this an "information exchange?"
This was blatant blackmail!
And now he was putting Kaido on a time limit...
Because of morning tea?
Was this man determined to challenge death over and over again?
"You little bastard!"
"I’m going to kill you!"
Kaido squeezed the Den Den Mushi so hard it began cracking.
His eyes bulged as though trying to stare straight through it to find Lucas.
Yet...
The voice on the other end remained perfectly calm.
Seconds ticked by.
Kaido’s face became increasingly twisted with rage.
Seeing this...
King instantly understood what Kaido wanted.
He immediately spoke up.
"Whitebeard is thirty nautical miles off the waters around Sicily Island."
"Now tell us."
"Where are you?"
"Where’s our man?"
"That’s right!"
Kaido roared again.
"Tell me where you are!"
"Thirty nautical miles off Sicily Island..."
Lucas nodded.
"Kaido..."
"Thanks for the information."
"It looks like my first-ever 10-million-Berry performance bonus as a salaryman is practically guaranteed."
"If you’re looking for me..."
"Come to the waters around Sicily Island."
"See you."
Click.
Kaido crushed the Den Den Mushi into pieces.
Blood splattered everywhere.
King opened his mouth...
Then quietly closed it again.
He couldn’t stop thinking about Lucas’s final words.
As the Beasts Pirates’ strategist...
Even he found it impossible to believe.
The Marines’ newly appointed Fourth Admiral...
Had actually dared toy with one of the Four Emperors...
For the sake of a 10-million-Berry performance bonus.
Is this...
...the obsession of a salaryman?
Would someone really do something outrageous enough to shake the world... just for a performance bonus?
"That damn brat!"
Kaido roared furiously.
"He dares make a fool of me!"
"King!"
"I know you’ll have a way to find him!"
The nearby pirates immediately shrank back.
Anyone familiar with Kaido knew...
If they weren’t careful now...
They’d soon become living baseballs.
"Boss Kaido."
King calmly replied,
"If you hadn’t crushed the Den Den Mushi..."
"We could’ve used its paired Den Den Mushi to trace the signal."
"But now..."
"That’s impossible."
"However..."
"Since that Marine brat appeared in Whitebeard’s territory..."
"It’s obvious Marine Headquarters sent him to investigate Red-Haired Shanks’ visit."
"If we want to find him..."
"We only need to head to the waters around Sicily Island."
"But..."
"Whitebeard and Red-Haired Shanks are meeting there."
"We still don’t know the full situation."
"You shouldn’t go personally."
"If Whitebeard and Red-Haired Shanks decide to attack together..."
"It could become troublesome."
"That new Admiral may have some strength..."
"But he’s still too young."
"Sending Jack will be enough."
"Besides..."
"That’s Whitebeard’s territory."
"If Whitebeard discovers a Marine Admiral openly causing trouble there..."
"He certainly won’t let it slide."
"Once Whitebeard has dealt with him..."
"Jack can step in."
"I’m sure that..."
"The Fourth Admiral’s career will begin with the greatest humiliation of his life."
Jack’s eyes immediately lit up.
After standing quietly in the background for so long...
He had finally been given a chance to shine.
There was no way he’d let it pass.
"Boss Kaido!"
"Leave it to me!"
"I possess the strongest defense!"
"No matter who that guy is..."
"I’ll make him pay dearly..."
"For looking down on us!"
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