Entering the meeting room, Taro quickly scanned the area. None of the Seven Warlords of the Sea had arrived yet; only a few Marine Vice Admirals were present.
Taro was self-aware. For a meeting of this level, it was already good enough for a mere Navy Lieutenant Commander like him to sit in; he didn't expect to have a seat of his own.
Once the high-ranking Marines were seated, Taro stood against the wall by the door.
The Vice Admirals who arrived first were slightly surprised by Taro's presence, but since he had come with the Fleet Admiral and the Great Staff Officer, they didn't say anything.
Vice Admiral Tsuru looked at Taro standing there obediently, a hint of a smile appearing on her face before she lowered her head to look through the documents on the table.
This time, Sengoku not only had that seagull on his head but also brought a small goat, which he was currently petting.
Taro's eye twitched at the sight.
"Marineford to Mary Geoise Port: Seven Warlords of the Sea members Mr. Donquixote Doflamingo and Mr. Bartholomew Kuma have arrived..."
Just then, a dignified female voice came through. Taro immediately snapped out of it, his expression becoming solemn.
Clack, clack, clack.
After a series of footsteps, Doflamingo walked in, sporting blonde hair, sunglasses, a pink feathered coat, cropped pants, and pointed leather shoes.
Behind him followed the mountain-like "Tyrant" Bartholomew Kuma, holding a book with "Bible" printed on the cover.
From the moment the two entered, Taro's gaze remained fixed on them.
Doflamingo walked straight across the meeting room to the balcony and sat on the railing, while "Tyrant" Kuma sat on a sofa and began flipping through his book.
Doflamingo scanned the room and noticed a Navy Lieutenant Commander present at a meeting of this caliber. His interest piqued, and he flashed an evil smile.
Taro's attention was currently drawn to the book in Kuma's hand. He was wondering when he could find a chance to see what was written inside when he felt the Internal Energy around him fluctuate and gather at the top of his head.
He quickly reached up, catching a translucent thin string in his hand.
Holy crap! Doflamingo, you lunatic. I didn't even provoke you, and you're already trying to mess with me?
Taro glared at Doflamingo. Across from him, Doflamingo was also surprised, seemingly not expecting a Navy Lieutenant Commander to be able to block his move.
Just as Doflamingo was about to strike again, Vice Admiral Tsuru put down her documents.
"Doflamingo, you brat, are you planning to attack my subordinate?"
Vice Admiral Tsuru's calm tone made Doflamingo pause. Finally, Doflamingo let out a cold snort.
"If you don't want me to act, then hurry up and explain things so we can end this boring gathering!"
Taro couldn't help but look at Vice Admiral Tsuru with curiosity. What exactly did Doflamingo fear about her?
Seeing Doflamingo being put in his place, Taro recalled the original plot where Doflamingo would flee whenever he saw Vice Admiral Tsuru's ship, and a faint smile touched his lips.
Doflamingo noticed Taro's smile, and bloodshot veins appeared in his eyes behind his sunglasses. If not for his wariness of Vice Admiral Tsuru, he would have loved to tear Taro to pieces on the spot.
Sengoku also put down the small goat and stood up. "Everyone, sit down. Let the meeting begin. To have two out of the six Shichibukai show up is already beyond my expectations, you scum of the sea!"
Doflamingo wasn't angry at Sengoku's choice of words.
"Heh-hahahaha! Are you praising me? If the construction project on my island wasn't going so smoothly that I was bored out of my mind, I wouldn't have come."
As he spoke, he walked straight from the balcony onto the conference table and arrogantly sat down cross-legged right on top of it.
"I've been listening for a while, and it's all nonsense!"
Just then, another voice came from the corridor outside the meeting room.
"I'm starting to wonder if I've walked into the wrong place."
Taro felt a headache coming on as soon as he heard that voice, and he instinctively shuffled closer to the corner of the wall.
"Hawkeye" Dracule Mihawk stepped inside.
"If Marineford and the Shichibukai still maintain an adversarial stance, then... Hm? It's you!"
As Hawkeye spoke, his peripheral vision caught a figure moving nearby. Upon closer look, it was an acquaintance, and he couldn't finish his sentence.
Taro's feet froze. He sighed inwardly and forced a smile.
"Hello, Mihawk!"
Taro felt a fight was definitely going to break out. With their old grudge still fresh and now the new offense of interrupting Mihawk's grand entrance, there was no way this would end well.
To his surprise, Hawkeye wasn't as furious as he imagined; he actually just gave Taro a nod.
Holy crap! What's going on?
Taro was stunned; this was completely different from what he had expected!
Doflamingo suddenly burst out laughing. "Hahahaha! Mihawk, you know this guy?"
Hawkeye ignored Doflamingo. He walked to the conference table and looked directly at Sengoku. "I'm just here to listen in on the excitement."
Then he looked back at Taro in the corner. "I didn't expect to run into an old acquaintance."
Taro felt uneasy being stared at by Hawkeye's sharp eyes, but his face showed no sign of it as he calmly walked behind Vice Admiral Tsuru.
It should be safer near Vice Admiral Tsuru.
Mihawk finally looked away and turned back to Sengoku. "I'm here to listen. I'm just a bit interested in the pirates being discussed this time."
As soon as Hawkeye finished speaking, a figure suddenly appeared on the balcony of the meeting room.
"Then, would I also have the honor of listening in? Do you all agree?"
A tall, thin man holding a cane, wearing a black hat and a floral shirt, was striking a pose while holding his hat.
"I don't agree!"
Taro shouted sharply and immediately drew his sword, unleashing a Mihawk Slash.
Damn it, Lafitte, who do you think you are? Acting tough in front of us... who do you think you are?
Lafitte was enjoying his grand entrance and never expected someone would draw their sword without a word in such a setting. He still had many lines left to say.
Taro's slash was already right in front of him. Lafitte couldn't afford to keep posing and hurriedly raised his cane to block.
However, with Lafitte's strength, how could he possibly block a Mihawk Slash powered by Taro's Major Achievement level Minor Formless Skill?
With a cough, Lafitte spat out a mouthful of blood and was sent flying backward off the balcony.
But soon, a pair of white wings sprouted from his back, and he flew back in.
He wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth and looked at Taro. "It's you! I didn't expect you to be a Marine!"
When Taro unleashed that slash, Mihawk's gaze narrowed, and his look toward Taro shifted repeatedly.
Taro had no time to worry about Hawkeye's expression; he couldn't be bothered to waste words with Lafitte.
His Internal Energy surged wildly, his Aura exploding. He took a stance, prepared to deliver another strike to finish off this guy named Lafitte.
"Taro, stop!" Sengoku barked in a deep voice.
At the same time, Taro unleashed another strike.
Ittoryu: Iaido - Lions Song
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