One Piece: Rayquaza of the Beasts Pirates

Kane's gaze swept across the venue, spotting several familiar figures.

Umet, the shipping magnate whose fleet spans the four seas and monopolizes the lifeline of the Grand Line; Gibson, the master of stealth who controls the supply hub of the underworld; Piecrow, the soul harvester who monopolizes the funeral industry and secretly trains a group of assassins…

Of course, there was also that birdman with a camera, jumping around the venue and snapping photos everywhere.

I don't know how Charlotte Linlin managed to get them to Cake Island in just a few days.

"Kane!"

With his keen news sense, Morgans spotted him like a seagull spotting fries, his eyes instantly fixed on him, and he excitedly flapped his wings to call out.

Cataclysm Kane?

The name seemed to possess a magical power, instantly silencing the previously noisy venue.

Immediately, almost all eyes turned to them.

The next moment, the crowd surged enthusiastically toward Kane and his party like a tidal wave.

Compared to Kane, these big shots who could shake the underworld with a stomp of their foot were nothing more than small fry.

However, not everyone is willing to stoop down and fawn over Kane.

"Humph."

Umit, who was not far away, snorted disdainfully and swirled the amber wine in his glass, showing no intention of joining in the fun.

Sensing malice, Kane glanced at it instinctively.

Who could he be?

It turns out it was that little scoundrel, Umit.

The so-called "underground emperor" is nothing more than a title he uses to glorify himself when he is not strong enough to dominate the sea.

Seeing this, Morgans immediately leaned closer to Kane, lowered his voice, and explained with a hint of schadenfreude, "Your Beast Logistics have managed to snatch quite a bit of meat from this shipping king's plate."

Umit's transportation business was thriving, and Bailey was flowing into his account like water.

However, ever since the Beasts Pirates successfully recruited the Fish-Men and established the incredibly efficient "Beasts Logistics," this rising force has immediately carved out a huge slice of the transportation industry pie.

Imagine you have two logistics companies in front of you.

One is a pirate emperor who reigns supreme in the New World, while the other is just a so-called "emperor" who roams the underworld.

As long as the prices aren't drastically different, anyone with common sense knows which one to choose.

After all, in the new world, strength and deterrence are the most powerful credentials.

In other words, Beast Logistics has its own principles, focusing on legitimate trade and arms transportation, and not getting involved in the lucrative but dirty slave trade and the transportation of forbidden materials.

Otherwise, the so-called six emperors of the underworld would become five emperors.

"Hey Kane, can you give me some exclusive news?"

Morgans abruptly changed the subject, looking at Kane with intense eyes: "Everyone is speculating whether your Beasts Pirates are going to take this opportunity to form an alliance with the Charlotte Family?"

Using marriage to bind interests and expand power is indeed a common tactic of Charlotte Linlin.

Many of Charlotte Family's affiliated pirate crews came about in this way.

Unfortunately, Kane gave him a negative answer.

"Loki's marriage ≠ an alliance between the two families."

The inequality is solved instantly.

Having received a clear answer, Morgans let out an exaggerated yet regretful sigh from his beak, and his wings drooped slightly.

Fortunately, the news that the Cursed Prince Loki married the daughter of the Charlotte family and joined the Beasts Pirates can at least be considered 'big news'.

It can soothe his restless little heart a little.

Just as Morgans, who was still eager to leave, was dismissed, a sweet and delicate female voice rang out at the opportune moment.

“That’s truly remarkable, Lord Kane.”

Wearing an elegant white dress, Stussy approached gracefully, her face adorned with an impeccable social smile.

"The Cursed Prince is a great pirate with a bounty of 2.6 billion. Recruiting him will truly make the Beasts Pirates even more powerful."

As Charlotte Linlin's best friend, she was naturally on the invitation list for the tea party.

"This news will probably spread throughout the ocean very soon," Stussy added meaningfully, lightly covering his mouth with his folding fan.

Kane understood the warning in Stussy's voice, but he simply smiled indifferently, his expression calm.

If he were to give up on recruiting Loki out of fear of the World Government's attention and potential retaliation, he might as well have just stayed in Wano Country and become a local tyrant from the very beginning.

After exchanging a few pleasantries with Stusi, Kane spotted an old friend.

"Ming-ge, it's been a long time!"

Upon realizing that she had been discovered, the flamingo, who had been deliberately hiding at the edge of the crowd and trying to avoid Kane's gaze, instantly switched to an exaggerated and enthusiastic smile.

"Fufufufufu... It's my brother Kane. Forgive me, I was busy with business and didn't have time to come over and say hello right away."

Kane smiled knowingly: "I didn't expect your cooperative relationship with the Charlotte family to be so close."

Receiving an invitation to a tea party is itself a symbol of status and relationship.

"When it comes to doing business, the more friends you have, the better, and the wider and smoother your path will be."

Ming's smile looked somewhat unnatural.

He really wanted to say that this was also his first time at a tea party. A few years ago, he hadn't fully connected with the Charlotte family yet!

Damn it, this feels like I've been caught cheating.

But Doflamingo had no other choice.

One of the most famous rules of tea parties is that whoever is absent will suffer the consequences.

Therefore, he had no choice but to bite the bullet and come.

Kane glanced at Umit, who stood beside Doflamingo with a stern face, and understood.

While Beast Logistics can handle the transport of weapons and legitimate trade, Doflamingo's business scope extends far beyond that.

Underground auctions, the slave trade, smuggling of various contraband items...

It can be said that, relying on his former status as a Celestial Dragon and the privileges of a Shichibukai, there are almost no black areas that he wouldn't dare to get involved in, as long as the profits are high enough.

Naturally, cooperating with Umit, which controls a vast transportation network, became the inevitable choice.

Doflamingo's own transportation network is unlikely to compete with Umita's extensive network that spans the globe.

"Good luck."

Kane didn't delve any further, simply leaving behind that cryptic remark before turning and disappearing into the noisy crowd.

Doflamingo and Umit were left standing there, looking at each other with furrowed brows.

"Ming-ge, do you think... he's noticed something? Our deal..."

A person's name, a tree's shadow.

Kane's unpredictable attitude worried Umit.

In particular, the deal they just discussed in secret did indeed cross the red line that Kane had drawn for the Beasts Pirates and their allies.

If you dislike Kane, Kane might not do anything to you, but if you cross Kane's line, things could get very different.

"Are you an idiot? The deal has only just begun, how could he possibly know?"

Doflamingo muttered a curse under his breath.

Even so, he himself was somewhat apprehensive.

He knew Kane's strength perfectly well.

But the thought of the promises made by those important figures reignited his passion, which had just cooled down.

The bold get rich, the timid starve.

We'll fight to get back to the Holy Land!

Doflamingo glanced furtively at Umit, who remained worried beside him.

He wouldn't want to do business with this guy if it weren't for the need for Umit's long-established, clandestine transportation channels.

The best credit is when it's enjoyed alone.

Unfortunately, it's unavoidable.

Chapter 179 The farce at the tea party! Chiffon's escape!

While Doflamingo and Umit had differing intentions, Kane found Violet.

"They want to target the Merfolk! Those high and mighty Celestial Dragons promised Doflamingo the right to return to the Holy Land..."

With Violet's ability to see into people's minds thanks to her "Gaze-Gaze ​​Fruit" powers, Doflamingo and Umit's inner thoughts were clearly visible.

"Interest rates are tempting."

Kane remarked calmly, but a cold, dangerous glint flashed in his eyes: "It seems your luck isn't particularly good."

Since he established a solid partnership with Fishman Island, the number of mermaids captured and sold has decreased significantly thanks to the deterrent power of the Beast Pirates.

The price of mermaid slaves on the market has skyrocketed, but this is of course not a problem for the extravagant Celestial Dragons.

They don't care how high the price is, as long as they can save face among their clan.

But the problem is, you need to have the goods.

It is well known that the Celestial Dragons consume slaves at a rate that is not widely known.

Soon, the already scarce mermaid slaves completely transformed into a "hard currency" symbolizing status and prestige within the Holy Land of Mary Geoise.

A living, crying luxury item.

In order not to fall behind in this competition, some Celestial Dragons had a flash of inspiration and came up with what they thought was a clever "good idea".

Since those middlemen and slave traders at the auction houses are so incompetent and inefficient, why not bypass them?

Why don't they just set up their own slave-hunting team specifically to capture mermaids for themselves?