One Piece : Admiral Falcon is Pissed off again today!

The pirates sitting around the table exchanged bewildered glances.

They'd never seen such a shameless man before!

"Why the hell should we be the ones to ambush Celestial Dragons?!"

Surprisingly, it wasn't the usually quick-tempered Gaban who lost his composure first.

He'd always followed Roger's lead and after Roger's death, he simply followed Rayleigh instead.

Seeing Rayleigh remain silent, he wasn't in a hurry either.

The one who couldn't hold back was actually Gloriosa, sitting directly across from Michael.

This former empress of Amazon Lily had never been an easy person to deal with.

In this life, what she hated most was being used.

With that, she stood up and ready to leave.

Before Shakky could reach out to stop her, Michael calmly said to Gloriosa.

"Why should you be the ones to ambush the Celestial Dragons? Do I look like the kind of person who'd let you work for free?"

"...Pretty much" Rayleigh chimed in from the side.

"You scheming types always have dirty tricks up your sleeves."

"Exactly!" Gloriosa nodded eagerly, glad someone supported her view.

"You're definitely trying to screw us over."

Michael shook his head.

Wasn't her temperament a bit too hasty?

Thankfully, she hadn't been the Empress of Amazon Lily for long before setting sail and joining the Rocks Pirates.

"When I first planned to gather you all, I'd already settled the terms with Shakky."

With that one sentence, Michael redirected everyone's attention to Shakky.

Shakky took a leisurely drag from her cigarette before nodding.

"That's right. I found Michael's terms extremely fair—even disadvantageous to him. It was impossible for us to refuse."

Shakky's words thoroughly piqued Gloriosa and Rayleigh's curiosity.

"What kind of terms could a Marine Rear Admiral offer that we couldn't refuse? If it were Garp or Sengoku saying this, I might've believed it."

Shakky reached out to calm Gloriosa.

Despite being nearly a decade younger than Gloriosa, Shakky carried herself like the elder of the two.

"Why not hear the terms first before judging him?"

Under Shakky's calming influence, Gloriosa finally sat back down.

Crossing her long legs and folding her arms, she scrutinized Michael.

"Go on, then. Let's see what 'irresistible' terms you've got."

A faint smile flickered across Michael's lips.

Gloriosa's reaction was exactly as he'd anticipated.

This was the first step of negotiation: capturing the other party's attention.

Regardless of their attitude, their focus was now fully drawn into the matter with just a few words.

The second step was laying out all potential benefits and future prospects.

Also known as "painting a grand vision."

"Originally, I intended for Shakky to handle this, but you're the better fit. So, if you participate in this operation... in return, I'll offer amnesty to all of Amazon Lily and personally ensure its transition from a pirate nation to a Marine-affiliated state."

The moment these words were spoken, everyone—except Shakky and Morgans, who already knew the terms—stared in shock.

Gloriosa, Rayleigh and Gaban were utterly stunned.

What was this guy saying?

Turning a pirate nation into a Marine state?

Was he joking? And not even a funny one at that.

"...Amazon Lily has been a pirate nation since its founding."

"That's true, but who says a pirate nation can't reform itself? Surely you're not the type to cling to 'the ways of our ancestors must never change,' are you, Your Majesty Gloriosa?"

Michael tilted his head slightly as he asked.

The question left Gloriosa speechless.

If she were truly that kind of person, she wouldn't have abandoned her position as Empress to Shakky and sailed off to join the Rocks Pirates.

Shakky wasn't that kind of person either—otherwise, she wouldn't have abdicated and retired after just a few years as empress.

Most importantly, Amazon Lily had never adhered to so-called "ancestral traditions."

In reality, the women of Amazon Lily took to the seas as pirates not just to make a living, but also to ensure the continuation of their lineage.

After all, there was no magical river in this world where drinking its water could make one pregnant.

"Of course I understand the logic, but… joining the Marines—is that really a better path?"

Gloriosa was clearly beginning to calm down and the intellect befitting a former empress of Amazon Lily had reasserted itself.

No matter how much she despised the Celestial Dragons, she would never gamble with Amazon Lily's future.

Until she heard benefits compelling enough to sway her, she remained firmly opposed.

But when Michael heard Gloriosa words, he felt the situation was practically secured.

The moment you ask to hear my proposal, you've already subconsciously accepted my reasoning.

"I just want to ask you one question" Michael said leisurely.

"Do you think the current generation of the Marines' designated for future Three Admirals—Vice Admirals Akainu, Aokiji, and Kizaru—will grow even stronger in the future after reaching their prime?"

"If one of them were to attack Amazon Lily, would you have any means of resisting?"

A single sentence, striking directly at the heart of the issue.

As things stood, Amazon Lily had no future.

Though the lower-ranking Kuja warriors were formidable—every qualified fighter among them could wield Haki with proficiency and possessed exceptional physical prowess but their Haki alone wouldn't be enough to stop a future Admiral.

And it certainly wouldn't hold against a Buster Call.

The Marines' war technology, generations ahead of the pirates', was terrifying to behold.

"...No" Gloriosa admitted after a long hesitation, her entire demeanor deflating like a punctured balloon.

"Amazon Lily is no match for the future Three Admirals… To be precise, Shakky and I can't hold our own against them. Amazon Lily lacks sufficient high-tier combatants."

Michael nodded.

As expected of someone who had ruled as empress—when her emotions were in check, her intellect was truly sharp.

After all, in the One Piece World, there were very few who could competently manage an entire nation.

"So, Your Majesty Gloriosa, regarding Amazon Lily's current predicament, a wise sage named 'Kevin Durant' once devised a solution… If you can't beat them, join them!"

"...That's just surrendering to the enemies, you bastard!"

Though Gloriosa still shouted in retort, her eyes… were filled with hesitation.

"Your Majesty Gloriosa, think of Amazon Lily's survival and continuity."

"By joining the Marines, the women of Amazon Lily would no longer need to sail the seas just to seek partners for reproduction."

"Amazon Lily's elite warriors—each proficient in Armament Haki, marksmanship and martial arts—are the highest-quality recruits the Marines could hope for."

"As long as the next empress of Amazon Lily is at least as strong as you two, the position of elite Vice Admiral is practically guaranteed."

"Congratulations—a new faction within the Marines, led by the empress of Amazon Lily and a Marine Headquarters elite Vice Admiral, would be born."

"And all it takes is for you to eliminate a Celestial Dragon. Leave the rest to me."

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