Starting from One Piece: Multiverse Simulation

As Wood sat nearby, enjoying the feast and watching the kingdom representatives shout bids in the hundred million of Berries, his expression froze for a moment.

He had never imagined that the Yonko could make money so easily, even more effortlessly than his arms-dealing business.

The mere act of Big Mom's Pirates offering a year's protection could drive the price up to such astronomical figures.

If that's the price for just one year of protection, then the total sum the Big Mom Pirates collected annually must be astronomical.

However, upon further thought, it wasn't surprising.

After all, the Yonko Pirates are powerful enough to rival the Navy Headquarters. Having their flag flying over your island is akin to being untouchable.

Even the allied nations of the World Government pay the Celestial Dragons hefty tributes, known as the "Heavenly Tribute," for protection. But when it comes down to it, the Yonko's flag offers better protection than the Navy's forces.

If you're going to spend money anyway, why not choose the safer option of the Yonko's protection? That's why the kingdom representatives were so desperate to get their hands on that flag.

After the bidding for protection was over, it was time for the islands already under Big Mom's protection to pay their annual tribute. Some of them, unable to continue paying, had their flags reclaimed.

This was why, despite Big Mom offering protection spots at every tea party, the number of islands under her protection always remained steady.

Once the tributes from the various kingdoms and islands were collected, it was time for the underworld emperors to pay their shares.

Even the most prominent figures in the underworld had to bow their heads before the overwhelming power of the Yonko.

To continue operating and ensure a certain level of protection, paying a share to the Yonko was essential—even for someone as influential as Doflamingo.

Of course, there was one exception in the room—a certain dark-haired man whose status in the underworld was second only to Big Mom herself.

While the other underworld emperors were handing over their tributes, this man nonchalantly focused on his food, seemingly oblivious to the proceedings around him.

Rules are made by the strong, and those rules only apply to the weak.

There was no doubt that Wood was also an emperor of the underworld, and his influence was the largest among them. Typically, he too would be expected to pay a share to both Big Mom and Kaido.

But Wood had never paid them a single Berry, and neither the Big Mom Pirates nor the Beasts Pirates had ever come after him for it. This was the mark of true strength.

Wood's Weapons Company had grown immensely powerful. While it might have been acceptable for him to avoid paying tribute while staying out of sight, now that he was personally attending Big Mom's tea party, if he didn't make some gesture, it would tarnish Big Mom's reputation.

Before this, the underworld emperors and other guests wouldn't dare comment on the situation between the two giants—Big Mom's Pirates and Wood's Weapons Company.

But now, with all the other underworld emperors paying their dues, and Wood sitting there doing nothing, how would the rest of the emperors perceive this?

"The underworld maintains its order not only because each of us has carved out our own territories but also thanks to the stabilizing force of Big Mom's Pirates and the Beasts Pirates.

So paying a share to these two pirate crews is entirely reasonable.

However, if someone breaks these rules, wouldn't that cause the rest of us to feel that things are unfair…?"

The one who spoke was Doflamingo. Due to their past grievances, Doflamingo had been uneasy ever since learning that Wood would be attending Big Mom's tea party.

However, he soon realized that Wood's presence here wasn't necessarily a bad thing.

As Wood's Weapons Company continued to grow stronger, even establishing ties with the Golden Emperor Tesoro, Doflamingo felt that revenge was becoming more and more impossible.

At least for now, the Donquixote Family had no chance of defeating Wood's Weapons Company.

But just because Doflamingo's family couldn't deal with Wood didn't mean that other powers on the sea couldn't.

So after confirming that Wood had entered the seas of Totto Land, Doflamingo spread the news that Wood had come to Whole Cake Island and was planning to join Big Mom's Pirates through the underworld.

That's right—the one who leaked the information before Stussy was none other than the current Warlord of the Sea, Doflamingo.

Whether or not Wood truly intended to join Big Mom's Pirates didn't matter. The information could be half-true, half-false, but the key was how Kaido would react.

And now, Doflamingo was trying to rope the other underworld emperors into pressuring Wood as well.

With Doflamingo's words, Wood now had no choice but to respond.

If Wood backed down and offered a tribute to Big Mom's Pirates, then he would also have to pay a share to Kaido's crew. And once he paid once, the next time he refused, neither crew would let him off easily.

But if Wood refused, he would undoubtedly offend all the underworld emperors in attendance, not to mention it would damage Big Mom's authority.

Big Mom wasn't stupid. She could tell that Doflamingo was trying to use her to settle a personal grudge with Wood.

However, despite her frustration, the current situation meant that Wood's response would directly affect her reputation. So, for the moment, she put down her cake and directed her gaze toward Wood, who sat nearby.

"There's an old saying that really rings true—there are no wrong nicknames, only poorly chosen ones.

The nickname 'Joker' suits you perfectly, Doflamingo. A clown who thrives on spectacle."

"You all pay a share of your profits to Big Mom's Pirates and the Beasts Pirates because you're weak and belong to the protected class. Without the protection of the Yonko, your little empires would be swept away by the first rival to come along.

But Wood's Weapons Company is different. Even in our dealings with the Big Mom Pirates and the Beasts Pirates, we are equals.

You call yourselves emperors of the underworld, but the truth is, you're nothing more than a pack of beaten dogs, barely scraping by in the shadows because you couldn't survive in the open sea.

You fear the Navy and the World Government, but do you think I'm afraid? Every year, the World Government and Navy come begging me for help. So do you really believe we're on the same level?"

Doflamingo had hoped to unite the other underworld emperors in pressuring Wood.

But he hadn't expected Wood to be this fearless, not only taking up the challenge but openly mocking all of the underworld emperors, likening them to stray dogs.

"You may be a famous traitor of the Navy, Wood, but don't get too full of yourself!

Perhaps no one here in the underworld can rival your weapons company, but if we all join forces, even you won't be able to handle it!"

It was the Undertaker, a giant man holding a scythe, who was the first to stand up in response to Wood's taunts.

As one of the Six Kings of the Underworld, he had been around long before Wood even made a name for himself.

Though Wood had gained the reputation of a fearsome "Ancient Weapon," the Undertaker refused to believe that his strength was really all that impressive.

"Oh? Is that you itching for a fight? Too bad you're the only one who's stepped up—it won't be enough.

Since you're all nothing but stray dogs, why not come at me all at once instead of barking from the shadows?"

Wood's challenge was clearly directed at Doflamingo, but it also implicated the other underworld emperors in the room.

Shipping King Umit and Loan Shark King Du Feld, who had been glaring at Wood with fury, were about to join the Undertaker's side. But when they noticed that Morgans, the president of the World Economy News Paper, and Stussy, the Queen of the Pleasure District, were calmly watching from the sidelines—along with the fact that Doflamingo hadn't made a move—they quickly reconsidered.

The Undertaker also noticed the others' reluctance but had already backed himself into a corner. As one of the Six Kings of the Underworld, if he sat back down now, he would lose face completely.

"Join me! Even if he's an 'Ancient Weapon,' I'm still a king of the underworld!"

As one of the underworld's leaders, the Undertaker naturally had subordinates of his own. At his command, a figure clad in black, wearing a hood, stepped out to confront Wood.

"Trash is still trash, no matter how many of you there are."

Wood took a step forward, and the solid stone floor beneath him cracked into fragments, sending spiderwebs of fissures outward from his foot.

Before the Undertaker or his men could even get close, they felt a massive force bearing down on them.

In the next second, all of the Undertaker's men, except for the Undertaker himself, collapsed to the ground, their eyes rolling back as they lost consciousness.

Thud—Thud—Thud—Thud…

As Wood's overwhelming presence spread across the island, more and more people, even those scattered across Whole Cake Island, began to fall unconscious without even realizing what was happening.

"Conqueror's Haki…" the Undertaker mumbled, his mind reeling as he looked around at his fallen subordinates.

Then, in the blink of an eye, Wood disappeared from his sight. Before the Undertaker could react, his vision was filled with a blazing slash of blue flames.

"Hyakki Yagyō Style—Elemental Sword: Aoandon!"

As the sound of a sword being sheathed echoed, Wood reappeared behind the Undertaker, who stood frozen in place.

The onlookers were still in shock, unsure of what had just happened, when the Undertaker's massive scythe split in two, and a blue flame erupted from a deep slash across his chest.

Before any blood could spill from the wound, the intense heat of the blue flames evaporated it, and the flames quickly engulfed the Undertaker's body, turning him to ash.

For a brief moment, the onlookers swore they saw a beautiful woman, holding a blue lantern, guiding the Undertaker's soul to the afterlife.

The irony of it all was not lost on them—the Undertaker, who had made his fortune dealing with the dead, now had his soul ferried away by another.

As the realization dawned on the crowd, they turned their terrified gazes toward Wood, who stood with his sword drawn.

One of the Six Kings of the Underworld, the Undertaker, hadn't even lasted a single round against Wood.

Though not all of the underworld emperors were renowned for their personal strength, they were still powerful figures in their own right.

Yet here, in front of Wood, one of their strongest had been cut down with barely an effort. And Wood possessed that rarest of powers—Conqueror's Haki.

This meant that Wood wasn't just a powerful traitor of the Navy—he had the qualities of a king!

"Looks like the Six Kings of the Underworld will soon be the Five Kings. What do you say, Doflamingo? It's been a while—care to step in and give it a try?"

The other underworld emperors felt their hearts skip a beat as they watched Wood challenge Doflamingo directly.

Shipping King Umit and Loan Shark King Du Feld, who had been prepared to fight alongside the Undertaker, now counted themselves lucky. Had they joined him, there would be two more bodies on the ground right now.

As for Wood's direct provocation, the rest of the emperors simply watched, waiting to see what would happen. There was no way any of them would dare make a move now.

In fact, they hoped Doflamingo would step in—after all, with one less giant, there would be more spoils left for the rest of them.

Doflamingo's expression was dark and furious.

Ever since their battle over a decade ago, he had mastered the awakening of his Devil Fruit powers. But now it seemed that Wood had grown even stronger than before!

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