Doflamingo's expression became very ugly. After remaining silent for a moment, the ice under his feet trembled and cracked, then he sat back down in his chair.
The other six people couldn't help but breathe a sigh of relief.
If at this time the Marines intended to kill Doflamingo on the spot, they wouldn't remain idle. Not because their relationship with Doflamingo was good, but because at this time they were in the same boat and were forced to act.
If the Marines could kill Doflamingo, that meant they could also kill the others. Losing one combat power would make it even harder for them to escape.
On the other hand, the Marine side also didn't want to really fight.
These Shichibukai were each more difficult to deal with than the next, and their combat power wasn't low. Once the battle started, it would be impossible to hold them all back.
Moreover, these people had accumulated large power bases over the years. Once they escaped and joined the Yonko side, it would become another big problem. Why reduce friends and add enemies?
Sengoku seemed not to see the tension in the conference room. He turned around and looked at the seven of them while smiling amiably. Behind his thick-lensed glasses, hidden was a cunning glint like an old fox.
"Mingo, I know you're using Caesar to supply Artificial Devil Fruits to Kaido. Then, do you think Caesar truly has the ability to create something like Artificial Devil Fruits on his own?"
Doflamingo's entire body jolted, he asked doubtfully: "What do you mean?"
Sengoku was right. Artificial Devil Fruits were indeed extraordinary products developed by the World Government's former evil scientist—Caesar Clown. Although the effect wasn't comparable to real Devil Fruits, those things could make people who ate them possess special super powers.
Moreover, under Kaido's command, many people had already consumed Artificial Devil Fruits and become fake Devil Fruit power users.
Sengoku smiled: "I understand Caesar's abilities very well. He is indeed a talented scientist, unfortunately his mind isn't straight. However even so, his abilities aren't sufficient to develop Artificial Devil Fruits independently."
"Haven't you ever thought that Caesar was actually originally someone from the World Government?"
This sentence awakened Doflamingo. His body trembled violently, he stared at the seemingly amiable old man before him with disbelief.
The Resourceful General—Sengoku the Buddha!
"Caesar was formerly Vegapunk's subordinate!"
Sengoku threw out that sentence lightly, but its impact was no less than a thunderbolt.
The other Shichibukai also looked stunned and turned toward Doflamingo. They more or less knew about the underground business he ran, but didn't know the details. Now it seemed, that business hid a great secret.
Vegapunk, scientist from the World Government. Until now no one could match his intelligence. He was dubbed the top genius who surpassed current human technology by 500 years.
He was the one who solved the conditions for Devil Fruit transmission, allowing inanimate objects to possess Devil Fruit abilities. It could be said, he was the man who understood Devil Fruits the most. Even more than the Devil Fruit power users themselves!
"So that's how it was..."
Doflamingo murmured in his heart. He had actually been suspicious how the mentally disturbed crazy Caesar could develop Artificial Devil Fruits alone. It turned out, the person standing behind him was that man.
"In that case, is Caesar actually your person?" Doflamingo's tone sounded somewhat gloomy. He hated betrayal the most, no matter who it was.
Doflamingo was a very cruel and cold-blooded person. His character was very bad, he was even capable of killing his own parents and older brother. Killing Caesar wouldn't give him any psychological burden whatsoever.
"No," Sengoku shook his head. "Disgusting trash like that isn't worthy of being a Marine. He... consider him a chess piece."
"Truly worthy of being called The Resourceful General!" Doflamingo nodded with a forced smile.
"Then," Jinbei asked in a heavy voice. "Sengoku, what you mean by 'many', how many is that?"
Sengoku lifted his eyelids and said flatly: "Enough to arm more than 20% of Marine soldiers. Is that enough?"
"Hissss!"
Everyone couldn't help but draw in a deep breath.
It should be known, because of world changes and the Yonko's movements, most of the Marine personnel had gathered at Headquarters. The number was very large, yet Sengoku dared say he could arm more than 20% of his soldiers?
It must be understood that the difference in combat power between a Devil Fruit user and an ordinary person with the same physique was at a different level. Devil Fruit users could almost sweep through ordinary people, even if what they ate was an Artificial Devil Fruit.
Meanwhile among the pirates coming to attack, Devil Fruit power users might not even reach one in a thousand. But on the Marine side, there were more than 20% Devil Fruit users. Once battle began, it would be one-sided slaughter.
Of course, this referred to ordinary soldier-level battles. These fake Devil Fruit power users couldn't yet interfere in high-level battles.
After remaining silent for five minutes, the Shichibukai began to calm down again.
Mihawk, who had been silent until now, finally spoke: "Low-level battles can be won easily, but the Marines lack experts. The opposing alliance can fully mobilize their strong fighters to sweep clean all these people."
The others nodded in agreement. A high-level fighter like Akainu or Kizaru was capable of fighting ten thousand people alone. Annihilating low-level soldiers on a large scale wasn't a problem for them. Closing the gap in troop weakness with the presence of strong fighters was very possible. Like Shirohige, one earthquake attack alone could annihilate thousands of soldiers and destroy the world.
Sengoku said flatly: "You think Vegapunk over all these years has only researched Devil Fruits?"
Everyone's eyelids twitched again. What else had this man done?
Sengoku suddenly clapped his hands, and the conference room door opened wide. A stocky short-haired youth carrying a double-bladed axe entered, followed by a giant shadow figure behind him.
"Allow me to introduce." Sengoku pointed to the stocky youth and the figure behind him. "This is the Science Unit Commander of Marine Headquarters as well as Vegapunk's bodyguard, Sentomaru!"
"And the one behind him is Pacifista PX-1, Vegapunk's latest research result. Its combat power is equivalent to Rear Admiral rank!"
Everyone turned toward the door. Behind Sentomaru, that shadow figure revealed its form. Over five meters tall, sturdy and upright, its eyes emitted strange yellowish-orange light, its face expressionless, and its aura very odd.
When introduced, this Pacifista suddenly opened its mouth. A cluster of bright light gathered in its mouth, then instantly shot toward the Shichibukai.
This laser beam came very fast, arriving in the blink of an eye. The Shichibukai frowned, their fingers moved slightly.
Mihawk moved first. He held the cross on his chest, drew out a mini sword, and swung it. A pitch-black slash collided with the orange laser, and the two mutually annihilated each other.