PIRATES: I WORK IN NAVY FROM NINE TO FIVE

The shattered palace sank into a heavy, stifling silence.

Charlotte Linlin's expression darkened, her voice cold and laced with suspicion."Kaido… you're not actually thinking of ambushing me, are you? Secretly bringing people in to launch a sneak attack?"

"It seems it's been too long since we last fought—have you already forgotten what I'm capable of?"

As she spoke, Linlin clenched Napoleon tightly in her hand.

Beside her, King's expression tensed. He quickly stepped forward to ease the tension.

"Charlotte Linlin, we truly have no such intentions."

"But just now, didn't Katakuri say that even if two Emperors joined forces, not only would we lose… we would die?"

"So, what if I told you—we're not the only ones who came to kill that kid?"

"What if others are involved as well? Would that change your prediction?"

He turned and glanced at the grand palace doors.

"You all, come in."

All eyes followed his gaze.

And when they saw who stepped into the hall, many were visibly shaken.

"Hahaha! Never thought we'd be on the same side… but it doesn't matter. We share the same target, and that's enough."

"If you add me—Blackbeard—to the mix, taking down that brat should be more than possible."

Draped in a black cloak, Blackbeard strode in with Shiryu of the Rain and other vicious criminals behind him.

Though he had failed to obtain Whitebeard's Tremor-Tremor Fruit, the addition of Shiryu and other monsters from Impel Down had significantly bolstered his power.

More importantly, on the way here, the promise made by the Gorosei had been too tempting to refuse. The trap they were setting was one designed to ensure certain death for their shared target.

Blackbeard firmly believed that once he seized the power he craved, he wouldn't just stand shoulder to shoulder with the other Emperors—he might even surpass them.

But Linlin's reaction was far from warm.

"Blackbeard? The same man who got smacked around by Whitebeard and cried like a child?" she sneered coldly.

Blackbeard's smirk froze on his face.

He wanted to retort, but without the power of a second Devil Fruit, he knew he didn't stand a real chance against Linlin in her prime. All he could do was return her glare with quiet fury.

Nearby, King felt his head ache.

Trying to mediate between arrogant monsters like these was proving to be a thankless task.

Desperately, he tried to shift the focus."Katakuri, earlier you said two Emperors wouldn't be enough—they'd die."

"But now, if we add Blackbeard to the mix… would the outcome still be the same?"

Everyone's eyes turned back to Katakuri, curiosity and tension thick in the air.

Even Linlin and Kaido couldn't help but focus on his answer.

Katakuri's expression remained icy. He scanned the room, weighed the gathered power, and slowly shook his head.

"No. My instinct tells me… the outcome hasn't changed."

"And King—stop dragging this out. Let all your hidden guests come in. I'd like to see just what trump cards you've brought to sway us."

Blackbeard and his crew visibly stiffened.

They had expected their presence to tip the balance.

Instead, Katakuri had deemed them irrelevant—mere pawns in a losing game.

King's face tightened. He hadn't anticipated this response either.

Fine, then. He would show his hand.

"Very well. If even this lineup can't change your mind…"

"People say you've honed your Observation Haki to its pinnacle, Katakuri—able to glimpse moments of the future."

"Then tell me—what would it take to kill that brat?"

"If we add someone else… someone like the Donquixote Family of the Seven Warlords—what then?"

A flamboyant figure stepped into the ruined palace, strutting like a proud flamingo.

It was Donquixote Doflamingo.

Though the mere mention of Luo Yu still haunted him, in the presence of these others, Doflamingo carried himself with his usual arrogant swagger, as if the world belonged to him.

They had let Blackbeard enter first to test the waters. Doflamingo was meant to be the final surprise.

But before he could take more than a few steps inside—

Katakuri's cold voice rang out again."No. Still death."

"Bring in the last one."

Doflamingo froze mid-stride, his smile faltering.

He hadn't expected his grand entrance to fall so flat—to be dismissed as just another meaningless grain of sand.

But what stunned them even more was what Katakuri said next.

The fact that he knew there was still one more to come.

"Someone else?" Linlin's voice betrayed a rare note of shock.

After all these years as an Emperor, she knew: Red-Haired Shanks would never join them. And Whitebeard was already gone.

So who could possibly be left—who could take the stage last?

A voice echoed from beyond the door, calm and laced with cold amusement.

"Heh… as expected of Katakuri—second only to the Emperor herself within the Big Mom Pirates."

"Your Observation Haki is indeed impressive—so refined that even I couldn't hide from it."

"And since you've already foreseen it, there's no point hiding any longer."

A man stepped forward, his presence sending ripples of tension through the entire hall.

"I am Yamamoto Kirihito—one of the Five Elders."

The Five Elders?!

The room exploded with shock.

Even the mighty Sweet Commanders like Smoothie couldn't hide their disbelief.

They had speculated about who was orchestrating this assassination plan.

But not in their wildest dreams had they expected a Gorosei.

They had no idea what role the Five Elders were truly playing.

But surely—surely—his appearance would tip the balance.

Surely, this time… the outcome would change.

Then their eyes turned back to Katakuri.

And what they saw left them breathless.

Katakuri, who had remained cold and composed the entire time, suddenly flinched.

A shadow of immense gravity fell across his face. His expression twisted—his calm shattered.

Before anyone could speak, his right eye twitched uncontrollably.

Then—

A deafening roar of light exploded in his mind.

Blinding radiance, countless shadowy figures… an overwhelming flood of death, descending upon Linlin and Kaido like judgment from the heavens.

He couldn't even see the full picture before a shrill cry pierced the silence.

"Katakuri!" Linlin roared. "What did you see?! With the Five Elders involved—can we kill him now?!"

Katakuri's voice trembled.

"No… left is misfortune. Right is death…"

"Even with them—we still die."