————
Ryuen wasn't surprised at all that Nami managed to get the salary back.
"Oh, right! Nami, weren't you guys out shopping? Why are you back? Where are the others?" Ryuen suddenly asked.
"Oh, I almost forgot! We ran into Shakky in town just now. She said she needs to talk to you!" Nami smacked her thigh as she remembered.
"Hiss…"
"Nami, can you not smack *me* next time? Look at the handprint on my leg…" Ryuen grumbled, staring at the red mark.
"That's not important. Anyway, I've passed on the message. She wants to talk at the bar. I'm heading back now!" With that, Nami opened a spatial door and disappeared inside.
Ryuen leaned back onto his lounge chair, frowning as he stared at the clear blue sky and the floating colorful bubbles.
A few minutes later, his expression relaxed. He reached out his hand, and a small gray bird landed on the armrest of his chair.
"Tell me about the latest intel from the past two days. Also, what's the situation at the bar? Have the people inside left yet?"
"Chirp chirp chirp…"
"Oh~ So that's how it is. No wonder she chose to open a bar in Sabaody Archipelago. This place has the most information in the whole ocean. No matter what she wants to know, she can find something out here..."
Ryuen rubbed his chin. At this moment, he also understood Shakky's abilities.
It seems like Shakky must have already figured out something about their Dream Exploration Team's plan against Doflamingo.
Early this morning, the Red-Haired Pirates left Sabaody Archipelago and returned to the New World. Even Rayleigh didn't go out for fun this time. It looks like he won't be back for at least three to five months.
So it seems Shakky wants to talk to him alone about something secret...
"Hmm~~~"
"Then I guess I'll go check it out~~~" Ryuen stretched lazily and then flew toward Island 13.
~~~~~~
Impel Down, Level 6.
Doflamingo had mostly recovered by now, but he was locked up with sea prism stone. Standing in front of him were Vice Admiral Tsuru, Warden Magellan, and several high-ranking World Government officials.
These officials were here to interrogate Doflamingo and find out why he had done something so insane.
Nine Celestial Dragons were dead. This was the biggest incident involving them since the God Valley battle.
But no matter how much they questioned him, Doflamingo remained silent. He had no intention of answering any of them.
"My family... What happened to them?" Doflamingo finally lifted his head and looked calmly at Vice Admiral Tsuru.
The people in the room frowned slightly.
This was the first time Doflamingo had spoken in half a day.
Still, Vice Admiral Tsuru answered him truthfully. "Aside from Sugar, Monet, and Pica, the others have all been locked up in this prison. Sugar is with the Dream Exploration Team, Monet is on my ship, and Pica is still in the East Blue."
"I see~~~"
"As long as they're still alive, that's fine~~~" Doflamingo said, and then fell silent again.
He understood that a loss was a loss. There was no point in saying anything else.
Even if he could prove he hadn't killed those Celestial Dragons, the truth about Dressrosa had already come to light. Just that alone was enough to seal his fate.
"You should think things over carefully." With that, Vice Admiral Tsuru got up and left.
"Vice Admiral Tsuru..."
Some of the World Government officials were frustrated. They hadn't gotten anything out of him, but there was nothing they could do. They could only follow her out.
Magellan was about to see them off when he suddenly felt his stomach churning. "Hannyabal, take care of Vice Admiral Tsuru and the others for me. I need to excuse myself."
With that, Magellan quickly ran toward the restroom.
"Ah~~~"
"Warden Magellan, you're really not fit for this job. Sooner or later, I'll take over as warden!"
"Ah~~~"
"Oh no, I accidentally said that out loud. Vice Admiral Tsuru, this way please, I'll escort you out." Hannyabal forced a smile as he led Vice Admiral Tsuru toward the elevator.
Vice Admiral Tsuru ignored the two jokers.
After watching them leave in the elevator, Doflamingo's face finally changed slightly. He looked up, and a hint of madness flashed in his eyes.
~~~~~~
Sabaody Archipelago, Island 13.
Ryuen had no idea that Doflamingo had already been imprisoned in Impel Down, earning the title of "Newspaper King" three years ahead of schedule.
Shakky skillfully held a cigarette between her fingers, the smoke swirling around her. There was something mysterious about her, a mix of confidence and elegance that made people curious.
Ryuen sat across from Shakky, looking at the still-charming woman with a strange expression.
"Ryuen, what do you think of my proposal? Amazon Lily knows the Calm Belt better than anyone, and we have maps of many islands in that area," Shakky said lazily.
"Shakky, how long has it been since you last contacted Amazon Lily?" Ryuen asked curiously.
This woman had come to him, offering her knowledge of Amazon Lily and those Calm Belt island maps as a trade, hoping he would help protect Amazon Lily in the future.
It seemed she had indeed learned a lot about the Dream Exploration Team... but everything she mentioned had already been sold off by Boa Hancock!
That Devil Fruit nearly emptied Boa Hancock's entire fortune.
"You... met Hancock?" Shakky had a bad feeling.
Ryuen nodded and said, "Yeah, we met her, and we even had a fight. But later, she seemed to get along pretty well with the girls on our ship. Also, everything you just mentioned—Hancock already sold it all."
*Plop~~~*
Shakky froze on the spot. Her fingers loosened, and the cigarette she was holding slipped onto the bar counter.
"Hancock... sold everything? What did she get in return?" Shakky asked in disbelief.
"She sold it all. And as for what she got—a Devil Fruit, and a really powerful one." Ryuen said calmly.
"A Mythical Zoan?"
"That's right, a Mythical Zoan."
"Phew~~~ Well, at least it's not a total loss. But she already ate a Devil Fruit… What does she need another one for?" Shakky was confused.
"Why don't you just ask her yourself?" Ryuen shrugged, showing that he had no idea either.
Before Blackbeard, if people found out that the Pirate Empress had eaten two Devil Fruits, it would probably send shockwaves across the entire sea.
"This is such a headache~~~" Shakky rubbed her temples.
The Dream Exploration Crew was incredibly powerful. She had originally planned to trade information about them, along with sea charts of the Calm Belt, to ensure that if Amazon Lily ever faced trouble in the future, the crew would offer their protection.
After all, both she and Rayleigh were getting old.
If they could build a connection with the Dream Exploration Crew, Amazon Lily would have a powerful ally in the future.
But who would have thought that Ryuen didn't care at all about their secrets being exposed? Even the Calm Belt sea charts had been sold by Hancock.
~~~~~~
---
You can read 10 Chapters ahead on my
pat reon.com/GMadman