"Hey—! Allen—! We're back!"
Suddenly, Nami's shout echoed from afar.
Hearing this voice, Allen and everyone present turned their heads, only to see a large group of people appearing at the end of the street.
Led by Nami, who was waving in their direction, she was accompanied by Robin, Sanji, Gin, Perona, the Nyaban Brothers, and others.
Following behind them were King, Queen, the Tobi Roppo, and a dozen massive Numbers, all bound in Seastone handcuffs, along with a crowd of Animal Kingdom Pirates.
The massive procession marched grandly toward Allen and the others.
"It's the Animal Kingdom Pirates."
"King the Conflagration, Queen the Plague, the Tobi Roppo, and the other Headliners are in there too..."
"No way... Did they really wipe out the Animal Kingdom Pirates' stronghold with just a few people?"
"That's way too exaggerated! That's an army of hundreds of Zoan ability users."
Seeing this scene, the members of the Whitebeard Pirates widened their eyes in shock, their faces filled with disbelief.
Hearing the surrounding discussions, Allen chuckled dismissively.
What a joke. The current Sanji and Gin both possessed the strength to steadily hold their own against an Admiral.
With the two of them moving out together, taking down Kaido's subordinates was truly nothing worth bragging about, let alone with Nami, Robin, and the others there as well.
Even if the current Ace and Yamato teamed up, they probably wouldn't be a match for them.
Before long, Nami's group met up with them.
"Looks like things are settled on this end too. So, did the plan go smoothly?"
Approaching him, Sanji looked around with a cigarette clamped between his lips.
Seeing that both sides had lowered their weapons and the standoff was no longer so tense, he knew Allen had likely reached some sort of agreement with Ace's crew.
"You invited them?"
Sanji glanced at Allen with a curious gaze.
Allen gave a slight nod.
Regarding the pirate crew's development direction, the squad commander-level officers on the ship and the captains of the subordinate fleets all had a certain level of understanding.
Core members like Sanji and the other top officers were even more deeply involved in strategic planning and operations, so they naturally knew of Allen's intentions and plans.
"What about Kaido? That guy isn't exactly easy to talk to, right?"
Sanji asked in a calm tone, taking the cigarette from his mouth with two fingers and slowly exhaling a cloud of smoke.
"Better than expected. After beating him up, he wasn't so hard to talk to."
Allen said with a faint smile, "Anyway, we've reached a certain degree of reconciliation. Let those guys go."
"Seriously?"
Sanji looked him up and down with an astonished expression, genuinely not expecting Allen to actually convince Kaido.
Afterward.
The news of the ceasefire was quickly relayed to the various battlefields via Transponder Snails.
The major pirate crews under Allen and Ace, as well as the pirates Kaido had stationed in Wano Country, all ceased fighting and gradually converged on the Flower Capital.
By midnight.
A deep veil of night enveloped the entirety of Wano Country.
A crescent moon hung high in the pitch-black sky, radiating a faint silver glow. The moonlight spilled across the land of Wano, gently parting the lingering smoke of war.
"Is the war over? But why are there even more pirates now?"
"Hey, am I seeing things? Are those the Kozuki Family's retainers, Kin'emon and Lord Raizo?"
"How could that be... Didn't they already... No, even if they're still alive, why are they mixing with pirates?"
"Didn't you know? Lord Oden once sailed on Whitebeard's ship. I heard from the samurai in the battle that Kin'emon and the others brought the Whitebeard Pirates here to crusade against Kaido."
In countless corners of the Flower Capital, anxious citizens peeked out from attics, windows, and behind street corners.
Men wore armor and clutched crude weapons with tense expressions, while women guarded their children, their faces pale with fear as they kept completely silent.
"But... why are all these different factions walking together now?"
"You don't need to guess. I heard they reached an agreement to stop fighting, and now they're gathering to negotiate an alliance."
"What? An alliance? Does that mean we'll continue to be ruled by Kaido?"
"Damn it! That bastard only knows how to build factories and oppress us. It would be better if the Whitebeard Pirates took over Wano Country!"
A man lowered his voice and cursed indignantly through gritted teeth.
Watching the pirates flooding into the town from outside in droves, the citizens' faces were filled with confusion and worry for the future.
Meanwhile, a few streets away, in the district where the pleasure houses were gathered.
Several streets were decorated with lanterns and colored banners. The boisterous clamor of reveling pirates filled the air, intertwining with the sweet, chattering voices of the geishas.
The prosperity here presented a stark contrast to the other desolate streets that had just suffered the ravages of war.
"I mean, really, why did you have to choose a place like this for the meeting?"
Inside a room, Nami spoke with an exasperated expression, one hand ruthlessly pinching Allen's ear as he changed clothes in front of the wardrobe.
"We're supposed to be discussing very serious matters next, but I feel like you're just here to have fun."
"It can't be helped. The Shogun's Palace was destroyed by that idiot Kid. With so many of us, we can't exactly gather in the homes of commoners, can we?"
Allen threw his hands up and said righteously, "If we did that, what difference would there be between us and pirates?"
Nami: "..."
"Just kidding. Anyway, as long as everyone is having a good time, that's enough. It's not like they aren't paying. Look, those geishas are pretty happy too."
Allen shrugged and chuckled softly.
Nami rolled her eyes at him, turning her face away in annoyance and crossing her arms over her chest before asking:
"What about Wano Country? I remember you planned to hand it over to Doffy to manage. What if he pulls the same stunt he did in Dressrosa?"
"We don't need to worry about that. A few of the samurai here are quite strong, and they're close with Ace's crew. Doffy will naturally know his limits."
"True. I doubt he'd dare to offend the Whitebeard Pirates either."
Nami muttered, finally feeling a bit more at ease.
Wano Country, rich in Seastone, was very important to Allen. Kaido's previous rule had caused immense damage and cast a dark shadow over the land. To facilitate future governance and management, Kaido had to be moved away from here, along with Onigashima.
Although Doffy's methods were heavily criticized, he was capable of running a country and generating more output. He was especially suited for Wano Country, a massive super-factory for manufacturing Seastone and weapons.
The strength of the Nine Red Scabbards was nothing in front of Allen, but it was enough to keep Doffy in check. Allen didn't have to worry about Doffy going too far here.
Next up was handling the integration of the Whitebeard Pirates and the Animal Kingdom Pirates into the New World Alliance. The distribution of benefits and sharing of responsibilities involved would be drafted by Nami.
Once they truly witnessed Allen's ability to make money, Kaido would realize that his previous arms dealing was nothing but a petty business.
As for Ace and his crew, that impoverished pirate crew had probably never seen much money in their entire lives.
On the seas today, the only one who could compare to Allen in terms of wealth was Golden Emperor Tesoro.
Speaking of which, Doffy seemed to know the guy.
He should find some time to recruit Tesoro as well. That guy's businesses were a perfect match for the customer base of pirates and maritime merchants.
Allen admired his reflection in the mirror, wearing a domineering black pirate coat, and closed the wardrobe with a satisfied expression.
"Let's go. It's time to talk to them."
Turning to face Nami, Allen gazed into her eyes, then slowly looked down, from her flawless, smooth cheeks to her fair neck framed by the collar of her black evening gown.
Past the proud peaks tightly bound by the lace neckline, and down to the willow-like slender waist outlined by the form-fitting dress, leading to the distinct curves of her alluring hips that invited endless imagination.
"How does your figure keep getting more and more captivating?"
Allen chuckled softly. He suddenly reached out, wrapping an arm around her soft, slender waist to pull her close, leaning forward slightly to press against her.
"W-Why are you suddenly saying that..."
A faint blush crept onto Nami's face, though she wasn't particularly panicked. She rested her hands on Allen's sturdy chest and gave a light push. When he didn't budge, the large hand on her waist only pulled her in a bit tighter.
Knowing she couldn't outmuscle Allen, Nami relaxed her grip, turning her face away to avoid his gaze as she whispered:
"Stop messing around. We still have business to attend to."
"Ah, just one kiss won't get in the way."
Allen leaned in close to Nami's slightly reddened ear and laughed softly.
Even though she wasn't shy at all when they were intimate, if he suddenly complimented her and adopted a gentler demeanor, Nami would actually get embarrassed. It worked every single time, no matter how often he did it.
Hearing this, Nami didn't say anything more. Her eyelashes fluttered as she closed her eyes, allowing Allen to slowly press his lips against her soft, rosy mouth.
The warm yellow light cascaded down upon the standing couple, and the raucous noise from outside seemed to gently quiet down as it entered the room.
Meanwhile, in the banquet hall downstairs.
Paper lanterns swayed gently overhead, casting a dim yellow light. Several geishas sat on the ebony floor in the center of the hall, playing traditional Wano instruments.
Dozens of low tables lined both sides, each laden with grilled fish, sashimi, roast meat, and bottles of sake.
A pirate sat on the tatami mat behind each low table. Familiar faces like Marco, Jozu, King, and Queen were all among them.
The members of the Whitebeard Pirates and the Animal Kingdom Pirates sat on opposite sides, eating meat in large bites and drinking sake from large bowls. The hall was filled with the cheerful atmosphere of a banquet.
Except for the dozen or so Division Commanders sitting in the front row on the left, and the All-Stars and Tobi Roppo sitting in the front row on the right.
The two groups glared at each other, their faces showing nothing but impatience and a restless desire to fight.
Kaido, in particular, angrily gripped his sake bottle, glaring at Ace and Yamato, who was sitting beside him. He roared through gritted teeth:
"Yamato! How many times do I have to tell you? Get over here and sit on this side!"
"No way!!"
Yamato was so agitated she almost stood up. She slammed a large hand on the table and shouted at the top of her lungs toward the opposite side:
"Listen well, Kaido! Starting today, I am a member of the New Whitebeard Pirates! I'm going out to sea with Ace and the others! Just like Oden did back then!"
"Enough! Oden this, Oden that, it never ends! I've had enough of your stupid nonsense!"
Kaido snorted two plumes of white steam from his nostrils, his mustache trembling with rage.
Yamato paid him no mind, turning her head to look at Ace instead.
"Ace! Oden served as the Second Division Commander on your ship back then, and that position is still empty now, right! Starting today, I'll take on that role!"
"Eh!!"
Hearing her sudden, arbitrary decision, Ace couldn't help but twitch his mouth, saying awkwardly:
"Hold on a second, Yamato... The Second Division Commander position is empty, sure, but we still need to discuss this kind of thing with the crew members first."
"Don't worry, Ace! Whether it's a fight or any other way to compete for it, I'll definitely secure that position!"
Yamato shouted decisively once again.
Ace waved his hands awkwardly. "No... I know you're strong. That's not the issue. Just calm down a bit, Yamato."
Hearing his words, the first to erupt wasn't Yamato, but Kaido on the opposite side. He stood up furiously, nearly flipping the table in front of him, and roared:
"What do you mean by that, you brat! It's just a mere Division Commander position! If Oden could do it, why can't Yamato? Do you think my son is inferior to Oden?!"
"Hah? I already said that's not what I meant! You bastard, you're just looking for a fight on purpose, aren't you?!"
Facing Kaido, Ace wasn't polite in the slightest, glaring back with gritted teeth.
"You brat! Looks like you haven't been beaten enough!"
"If you want a fight, bring it on, old man!"
"Queen! Jack!"
"Right here!"
"Yo, yo~ Are we throwing down again? Even though the great Queen is heavily injured, I can still fight, funk!"
Seeing the two arguing and getting ready to fight, King slammed his hand on the table. The three All-Stars, along with the Tobi Roppo, immediately stood up.
On the opposite side, Marco and the other Division Commanders didn't show any weakness either.
Seeing the officers suddenly flare up, the other pirates immediately grabbed their weapons and stood up aggressively. The originally cheerful atmosphere in the hall instantly became tense and explosive.
Witnessing this scene, Sanji finally couldn't hold back anymore. He stepped out from behind a landscape-painted folding screen deep in the hall, a cigarette dangling from his lips, and said flatly:
"Hey, hey, have you guys had enough? Treat the food with some respect."
"Shut up! You fake dragon!"
Kaido glared over angrily. "Demon Lion is one thing! But what right does that brat have to sit here? If he wants to sit as an equal with me, he needs to speak with his strength!"
"What a single-minded battle idiot. Don't make me manage these troublesome situations in the future, hey," Sanji said, rubbing his forehead with a headache.
At that moment, Allen's voice finally came from the back of the hall.
"Enough, Kaido. I didn't invite you all here to argue."
Hearing this voice, the hall finally quieted down, and everyone turned their heads to look.
There were only a few dozen tables in the hall, occupied entirely by the most elite officers of the two pirate crews, whose mastery of the two types of Haki had long reached perfection.
Even without seeing his figure, they could faintly feel an astonishing aura approaching, carrying an intense sense of oppression.
Under everyone's gaze, Allen slowly walked out from the corridor behind the wall. He arrived at the main table, sat down, and spoke slowly:
"Could everyone please sit down before we talk?"