Pirates: Usurping a Kingdom Is Surprisingly Easy

Urged on by the battle-hungry Aramaki and Zoro, and with Nami also eager to win money at Crocodile's casino, the fleet's speed increased. They quickly sailed toward the port of Alabasta.

Meanwhile, in Emperor Kael's office, the Den Den Mushi in his hand had already connected to the private Den Den Mushi of Stussy, the Underground Dark Emperor known as the "Queen of the Pleasure District."

"Oh~, which distinguished guest is this? Are you looking to book a courtesan? Or perhaps you require our 'Girls' Ship' for in-home service?" A charming, mature female voice came through the Den Den Mushi.

The snail immediately mimicked the caller's appearance, its head donning a white hat and short golden hair. Stussy looked at the Den Den Mushi in her hand, unable to immediately identify the caller. However, anyone who could reach her private Den Den Mushi was certainly not an ordinary person. As the Queen of the Pleasure District and a CP0 spy, Stussy was not as overbearing or arrogant as the other Underground Dark Emperors.

"It's me, Kael. I have something I need to discuss with you. Please have everyone around you leave to ensure a completely confidential conversation." Kael spoke directly, with a white anti-eavesdropping Den Den Mushi placed in front of him. After all, the World Government and Marineford possessed many black eavesdropping Den Den Mushi, and that fellow Kizaru often carried one. Dragon and the Revolutionary Army always used a white anti-eavesdropping Den Den Mushi when communicating.

"Oh, it's our Exiled Emperor, Emperor Kael~." Stussy's face tensed, but she quickly spoke sweetly. She immediately left the noisy red-light district and returned to her highly confidential office, also taking out an anti-eavesdropping Den Den Mushi.

"Are you sure it's secure, Stussy? This could be a matter of your life." Kael's voice made Stussy's expression even more serious. She didn't believe an Emperor like Kael would be joking with her.

"Emperor Kael, please don't scare this humble girl. What do you want? Beautiful women? Or information?" Stussy maintained her madam-like tone, seemingly unfazed by Kael's implied threat. Her public identity was that of an Underground Dark Emperor; even the East Blue Overlord couldn't casually threaten her.

"MADS Clone Experiment Success Subject Number 1, please tell me Vegapunk's private Den Den Mushi number—the highly confidential one. I know the Gorosei are monitoring Vegapunk. Don't try to refute this, Stussy. I know all your secrets. As a spy within a spy within a spy, you, this Underground Dark Emperor, are not only a CP0 agent for the World Government but also Vegapunk's ultimate spy. Oh, and I also know about Vegapunk's secret research into the Void Century. With just one word from me, the Gorosei would immediately eliminate Vegapunk. Alright, I'll give you a minute to calm down and process this information. Please rephrase your words. Perhaps your next sentence will determine your and Vegapunk's lives or deaths."

Kael, like a high and mighty judge, slowly delivered the terrifying news that made Stussy's scalp tingle and her body go rigid.

"... "

Only Stussy's heavy breathing remained on the Den Den Mushi. At that moment, she was drenched in cold sweat, her body trembling uncontrollably, her pupils constricted into black dots, and her mind went blank with a loud 'boom.'

She had been exposed! And completely exposed, with not a single secret left. As a clone, she wasn't afraid of death. But the meaning of her life was Dr. Vegapunk, who created her. Now, Kael not only held her secrets and life in his hands but also Dr. Vegapunk's. If Kael reported her—a spy within a spy within a spy—to the Gorosei, she would face endless pursuit from the World Government. The most terrifying thing was that even she didn't know Dr. Vegapunk was researching poneglyphs, yet Kael did. As a CP0 agent, Stussy deeply understood the terrible crime of researching poneglyphs.

"You... want to control me and Dr. Vegapunk?" After a long silence, Stussy disregarded the cold sweat on her forehead. She thought about denying Kael's words, but he knew her identity so clearly that she dared not refute him. If she angered him, her and Dr. Vegapunk's secrets might truly be exposed, and then it would be irreversible.

"No, no, no, I am just a good person who makes friends. How could I, like the Celestial Dragons, attempt to control you and Dr. Vegapunk? I just want to secretly cooperate with Dr. Vegapunk. My beautiful Ms. Stussy, I didn't mean to threaten you just now. I just wanted to quickly gain your trust so we could have a good conversation. After all, Dr. Vegapunk is a treasure to all humanity. How could I destroy him? Miss Stussy, in my eyes, you are also a shrewd, capable, and loyal talent. If you are willing, I want to become your family, just as Vegapunk treats you."

Kael's tone instantly shifted from serious and domineering to a gentle, refreshing one. The tense atmosphere immediately eased.

In Stussy's mind, she was rapidly analyzing Kael's words. Secret cooperation, benefits... these were all very reasonable. This was likely Kael's true goal. As for his remark about becoming family, Stussy merely chuckled. She was just a clone, not a real person at all. Dr. Vegapunk was her creator; she considered him her 'master,' not family.

"I will report this thoroughly to Dr. Vegapunk. Please await my news, Emperor Kael." Stussy thought for a moment. Realizing that Kael had no immediate intention to harm her or Vegapunk, she regained her composure and responded seriously. After all, she was just a clone, a subordinate, and had no right to make decisions for Dr. Vegapunk.

"I understand. Discuss it with Dr. Vegapunk first, and please convey everything I said to him. Also, please thoroughly analyze the pros and cons with him. I don't wish to become enemies with you two; we can be very good secret allies." Kael spoke in a relaxed tone, allowing Stussy to feel less pressured.

Kael and Stussy's secret conversation ended in less than 30 minutes. As he put down the Den Den Mushi, a faint smile appeared on Kael's face.

Gorosei, if you won't sell, there are plenty of others who will. And it's direct from the source, without these middleman vampires taking a cut. As long as he connected with Dr. Vegapunk, Kael would be able to extract even more technology from him in the future.

That fellow Dragon had been friends with Vegapunk for decades, yet he didn't gain much benefit. Vegapunk was a scientist who responded to toughness, not softness. Dragon wanted to move him with the idea of world peace, but Vegapunk didn't pay him any mind.

In that case, it was better to directly find Vegapunk's weakness and threaten him. Vegapunk believed that he should use his limited life to create more useful inventions. So, he didn't want to die. Although he wasn't truly afraid of death, he just didn't want to die, didn't want to die early, and couldn't die senselessly. Therefore, it was fine to threaten him with his life, because he really would yield.