Chapter 217: Cooperation and Anti-Cooperation
That explanation made Vergo feel as though he were listening to an ignorant child making grand, empty claims.
If nothing else, the human heart was not something Axel could control.
No matter what he did, he could not simply force another person to change their thoughts.
"No matter how much you talk, I won't believe it," Vergo said. "I'm more inclined to think you have another reason."
Everything had a reason.
Even people who seemed to act without one still had some goal, motive, or desire hidden beneath the surface.
After hiding for so many years, Vergo naturally understood such things. It could even be said that he was well-versed in them.
Why would he believe someone simply because they claimed it was "for fun"?
That would be as ridiculous as children playing house.
Axel walked across the modest office desk step by step.
The distance Vergo had created after his failed attack was closed in only a few paces.
When there were only twenty or thirty centimeters between them, Axel finally stopped.
Then he sat down, one leg crossed and the other propped up, his small hand resting on his raised knee as he looked directly at Vergo.
"There's no need to be so guarded here."
As he spoke, Axel lightly tapped the empty space near Vergo's arm.
Vergo's expression changed slightly.
The spot Axel had pointed to was exactly where he had hidden his weapon.
This child's insight was actually sharp to this extent.
Moreover, would any normal person choose to move closer when both sides were clearly hostile?
That also proved he was fearless in certain ways.
Or perhaps he was bluffing.
But Vergo could not find any reason for Axel to bluff.
There was no need for it.
If Axel were bluffing, what would his purpose be?
He could simply rely on the Marines' strength to deal with Vergo.
Although Vergo was confident in his own strength, confidence was not arrogance.
Against a Marine Admiral, he knew very well that he had no chance of winning.
Just as Vergo was deep in thought, Axel chose that moment to speak.
"Indeed, you're right."
He smiled.
"I do have another reason."
Axel admitting it so openly actually left Vergo at a loss for a moment.
One moment, this brat said it was for fun.
The next, he said there was another reason.
That made Vergo wonder whether there was truly another cause, or whether this was another trap.
People were contradictory creatures.
When someone's words did not match their expectations, they doubted.
But even after that person admitted the truth, they still doubted.
Because no one could ever truly see through another person's thoughts.
"Then what is the reason?"
Vergo frowned.
Without eyebrows to soften his expression, his face looked somewhat fierce.
"A while ago, I came into a substantial amount of money," Axel said. "One billion Berries."
For an ordinary person, one billion Berries was an astronomical sum.
But it was not enough to move Doflamingo, who was involved in the underworld.
Having followed Doflamingo for so long, Vergo had long since lost any real sense of shock toward money.
"What does one billion Berries have to do with your desire to cooperate with us?"
"Of course it has something to do with it."
Axel adjusted his sitting posture.
"If I said that I obtained that one billion Berries by borrowing your reputation, would you think it has something to do with you then?"
Vergo's voice rose slightly, and a trace of irritation appeared in his tone.
"What do you mean by that?"
"Exactly what I said," Axel replied. "I used you to threaten someone else and got the money."
He tilted his head.
"Do you want to know how I threatened him?"
Vergo did not answer.
But the answer was undoubtedly yes.
Looking at Vergo's cold, stern face, though his eyes were hidden behind his lenses, Axel could tell that his expression was probably livid.
He decided not to continue testing Vergo's patience.
"About three years ago, you held an auction for a Devil Fruit, didn't you?"
Axel's voice remained light.
"That Devil Fruit was stolen by someone during the chaos of the auction. I threatened the thief using your name."
Although Axel did not explain exactly how he had threatened Tesoro, Vergo could roughly imagine the method.
"That can't be your reason for cooperating with us, can it?"
What Axel said, at most, only proved that he had used the Young Master's name to threaten someone else.
But since the threat had already been made, and Axel had safely returned to the Marines, what reason did he have to abandon his future and cooperate with them?
"The culprit is much more troublesome than you imagine," Axel said. "He can already use the wealth that originally belonged to you to threaten the World Government and make them change their minds."
His tone carried a trace of mockery.
"To put it bluntly, that auction of yours merely paved the way for someone else."
Since the fruit had been put up for auction, Doflamingo naturally knew what kind of fruit it was.
He had not originally intended to sell it.
He merely wanted to use the auction to consolidate his position and show others that there was nothing he, Doflamingo, could not get his hands on.
That fruit represented infinite wealth.
But who could have expected it to be stolen just like that?
Hearing Axel's mockery, even Vergo, who had always maintained a poker face, could not help showing a slight change in expression.
A faint trace of anger appeared.
However, he did not lose his temper.
There was a more important question.
"You're saying the other party has already grown to that extent?"
Otherwise, why would I cooperate with you?
Getting dragged into such trouble for no reason, I'm quite unlucky too."
Axel lied without blinking.
If Tesoro were present, he would definitely argue that Axel had been the one looking for trouble from beginning to end.
"Can you be absolutely certain that the other party will become our enemy?" Vergo asked.
Of course I can't be certain.
Axel thought silently.
I even know that if I hadn't interfered, Tesoro and your Young Master would have formed a partnership.
But what he said was different.
"Because I told him something. Once I said it, there was no way to change his decision."
"What did you tell him?"
Axel smiled.
Then he spoke, word by word.
"Doflamingo was once a Celestial Dragon."
Vergo's expression did not change.
But his heart stirred violently.
This brat actually knew even that.
He did not ask how Axel knew.
Since Axel already knew, asking for the reason was meaningless.
"Does that culprit have some kind of grudge against the Celestial Dragons?"
"He was once a slave of the Celestial Dragons," Axel said. "They killed his lover and persecuted him into slavery."
He looked at Vergo.
"Do you think that kind of grudge can ever be resolved?"
"...A slave from Fisher Tiger's liberation incident?" Vergo said softly.
Then his tone shifted.
"But rather than cooperating with us, it seems more like you're cooperating with him."
He stared at Axel.
"You even told him the Young Master's identity. You said your Berries were obtained through threats, but to me, it looks more like you obtained them through cooperation by selling our information."
"You're right," Axel said calmly. "I did cooperate with him by selling your information."
Vergo's gaze sharpened.
"But I also want to cooperate with you."
Axel smiled.
"Because I want to see what happens when two cooperating parties start fighting each other."
"I cannot make the decision on this matter," Vergo said.
"You want to report to your Young Master?" Axel asked. "That's fine. I can wait."
He jumped down from the desk.
"But I hope you can give me an answer the next time I come."
After landing, Axel lightly tapped the desk.
"It's a nice desk," he said. "Unfortunately, it's being used by you."
He looked back at Vergo.
"Also, don't touch those two. Otherwise, you'll die first."
His fingers pressed down.
"Just like this desk."
As soon as Axel finished speaking, the desk seemed to be crushed by an invisible, irregular force.
It twisted.
Deformed.
Then slowly collapsed into dust.
After doing all this, Axel turned and walked out.
Only Vergo remained in the office, silent and still.
.....
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