The Kingdom of Kotal.
This place is often called the source of chaos and disorder in the North Sea.
Many pirates in the North Sea originate from this chaotic nation.
The Kingdom of Kotal, which hardly engages in production, buys most of its food from the neighbouring Kingdom of Ishtar, using weapons and iron resources for trade.
However, in recent years, Ishtar has become saturated with weapons and iron resources due to excessive trade. While food is continuously consumed, well-maintained weapons can last a long time.
Even though the Kingdom of Ishtar has a strong military, it hasn’t engaged in wars with other North Sea nations in recent years.
The most frequent battles are small-scale skirmishes with pirates, so the consumption of weapons is not rapid.
Since these are small-scale pirate encounters, swords and other weapons don’t easily break, and the stored weapons and iron resources are sufficient for Ishtar’s military and civilian needs for a long time.
With the recent surge in pirate activities due to the advent of the Great Pirate Era, countries are more focused on defending against pirates rather than waging wars. Most conflicts are minor skirmishes with pirates.
Even though soldiers might suffer casualties, as long as the weapons remain intact, they can be reused. Consequently, the demand for firearms and iron resources from surrounding nations has decreased.
This has put the Kingdom of Kotal in a difficult position.
Even when mercenary jobs exist, they mostly involve defending against pirates. As a result, Kotal has been experiencing a deficit for the past two years.
Surrounding countries now prefer to trade with Beli (currency) instead of weapons and iron resources. King Kotal Rad doesn’t have enough money to buy supplies, which makes him extremely agitated.
He is the king of this nation, a country named after his surname. As a king, he should enjoy the glory and power that comes with it.
But now, he is plagued by the problem of insufficient food supplies.
Launching a war is not an option because Kotal’s meagre food reserves are insufficient to sustain a war.
Even if Rad wanted to shift the country’s focus by waging war, letting mercenaries fight for spoils, plunder, or even die to reduce pressure, it would not be feasible.
Thinking of this, Kotal Rad downed a glass of red wine and remembered the cooperation offer from a pirate family a few days ago, his expression turning grim.
Collaborating with pirates isn’t honourable, but he isn’t a good person, especially when Kotal desperately needs a war.
If he could use their help to conquer another kingdom…
Licking his cracked lips, Kotal Rad indulged in his greedy thoughts.
After all, mercenaries were just a facade. Many mercenaries also engaged in pirate-like activities, with some being former pirates themselves.
Inevitably, the country’s top leader was no different. He was a true tyrant.
With these thoughts, Rad waved his hand and said, “Bring me the Den Den Mushi. It seems we need to have a good talk.”
Time flew by, and while Michion was heading to Sky Island for his plan, a peculiar guest arrived in the southern Kingdom of Kotal.
Today’s weather was terrible, with dark clouds hanging over Kotal.
Darkness enveloped the cabin of a ship docked near Kotal, with occasional flashes of lightning providing brief illumination.
Amidst these intermittent flashes, a man with a manic smile was revealed.
“Buhihihi, Young Master, we’ve arrived,” Trebol said with his strange laugh, appearing before Doflamingo.
Trebol wore a dark green hat, two bead necklaces, and a cloak resembling a sticky quilt with circles on it in his younger days.
He wore ugly small sunglasses, had snot hanging from his nose, and looked quite shabby.
His hair hadn’t yet covered his face, drooping like water droplets below, with sparse teeth.
Barefoot and holding a wooden staff, his moustache and snot made him look worse than a shabby uncle.
Yet, no one could ignore him, as he and other top executives helped shape Doflamingo’s power.
After recognising Doflamingo’s kingly abilities, Trebol played a significant role in establishing the Donquixote family.
He provided Doflamingo with the String-String Fruit and a pistol, enabling Doflamingo to kill his father and become the powerful Joker of the underworld.
“Fuffuffuffuffu, we’ve arrived. It’s time to have a proper talk with our king,” Doflamingo said, dressed in a black suit, a wicked smile on his lips.
The North Sea was Doflamingo’s base, but due to Vice Admiral Tsuru’s relentless pursuit, he had to flee, leaving his control over the area tenuous.
Now, Doflamingo was planning to establish his underground empire, and Kotal’s abundant iron resources were crucial for his arms smuggling operations.
Even for smuggling arms, stable weapon production resources were necessary.
For this reason, Doflamingo targeted the chaotic Kingdom of Kotal, seeing it as nothing more than a large pirate crew.
The king was just a foolish figurehead who, despite controlling armaments, only understood short-term gains. If Doflamingo were in charge, Kotal would rival Ishtar in power.
By instigating wars in the North Sea, other countries would rely on Kotal for weapons, and hiring Kotal’s mercenaries would yield even more profits.
But this short-sighted king had run Kotal into the ground, making it easier for Doflamingo to seize control.
Even Doflamingo felt a pang of greed towards the prosperous Ishtar Kingdom but quickly suppressed it.
He knew Ishtar’s close ties with the Navy meant that provoking Ishtar would first bring the wrath of the Navy.
Gaius, the older man of Ishtar, had such a strong alliance with the Navy that the Navy wouldn’t allow Doflamingo to harm Ishtar, even with his former Celestial Dragon status.
Recalling his past as a Celestial Dragon stirred unpleasant memories, making Doflamingo more agitated. His eyes reflected madness.
“Fuffuffuffuffu, the Kingdom of Kotal…”
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