The Lurking Serpent Department was an intelligence and undercover organization Wilder had long considered establishing. Its purpose was similar to that of the Monitoring Unit, but with a key difference: the former would focus primarily on intelligence gathering and infiltration, while the latter specialized in investigation, surveillance, and tracking.
The next day, the Lurking Serpent Department was officially founded. Dana was appointed as its Director, with Kaneshiro as her second-in-command.
Following its establishment, Wilder secretly summoned both Dana and Kaneshiro to his private chambers in the palace and gave them their first major assignment.
A few days after they departed from Morass, Wilder received a thick file from Dana. It was filled with detailed information on the intricate connections between the underworld and Doflamingo's various enterprises.
Holding the file, Wilder grinned and issued a new order through a Den Den Mushi. "Begin."
"Yes, sir," Dana's solemn voice replied from the other end.
In less than a day, a rumor began to circulate throughout the underworld.
"Did you hear? Turns out Joker's machine guns came from Lucifer—Wilder."
"Damn it! That bastard is selling them at such a high price. I heard Wilder sold the weapons to Joker for only half of what he's charging us."
"Maybe we should try to get in touch with Lucifer's people. After all... a deal's a deal, no matter who it's with, right?"
"Machine guns are good business, but Joker's prices are just too damn high. I think it's time we made contact with Lucifer."
In Dressrosa, Doflamingo stood in the royal palace, reading the latest intelligence report. A vein throbbed on his temple, and a low, furious voice, thick with suppressed rage, echoed through the hall. "Who leaked this information? Or... is this your doing, Lucifer—Wilder?"
Doflamingo's face was so dark it looked like ink was about to drip from it. He strode into a room, picked up a Den Den Mushi, and dialed a number.
Not long after, in the distant nation of Morass, Wilder's Den Den Mushi rang. The moment he answered, Doflamingo's sinister laugh crackled through the receiver. "Fufufufu... It's been a while, Wilder. I wonder if you've heard the news making the rounds in the underworld today?"
"Are you talking about the weapons?" Wilder replied calmly, lounging on a beach chair. He casually flipped through an investigation file as he spoke.
"Fufufufu... So you already know," Doflamingo's voice continued. "Then... who could have possibly leaked this information?"
"Who knows?" Wilder smirked, his eyes, hidden behind sunglasses, glinting with an inscrutable light. "I'd like to know who's spreading these rumors myself. It's damaging the friendship between us, after all."
"Is that so?" The voice on the other end paused. "Fufufufu... I hope you're right. I've been putting a great deal of effort into my friendship with Mr. Wilder, you see."
Click! The line went dead.
Wilder set down the Den Den Mushi, his gaze returning to the file in his hands. It was a report from the Monitoring Unit, the result of an order he had given several days ago.
The intelligence was accurate; everything was proceeding as planned. The report's main subject was the arrival of the Straw Hat Pirates at Punk Hazard.
Caesar hasn't called. It seems the situation isn't looking good for him, Wilder mused. Then again... he probably didn't take my words seriously. In that case, it's time I got involved personally.
Wilder threw on his greatcoat and strode out of the palace.
An unseen undercurrent was beginning to stir in the New World, set in motion by Wilder's actions. At that moment, no one else had noticed it.
Only Wilder himself knew that the great tide of the world had shifted the moment the Straw Hat Pirates reappeared. He had waited for this opportunity for far too long. Now, he had to accelerate his plans and ride this tide to the very top.
"Doflamingo, Big Mom, Kaido... I hope things don't deviate too far from the path."
Wilder took a small, single-person vessel, charting a course from the Calm Belt toward Punk Hazard.
At that very moment, the world-renowned Straw Hat Pirates had already encountered Trafalgar Law—another member of the Worst Generation from two years ago—on Punk Hazard. The two crews had just declared an official alliance.
It was then that they discovered the island's dark secret: experiments in gigantification.
At the same time, Smoker, now a Marine Vice Admiral, and Vergo, Doflamingo's top subordinate and deep-cover agent within the Marines, had also appeared on the scene.
A chaotic battle erupted.
In the ensuing melee, Law managed to get his hands on the heart of the event's central figure, Caesar Clown.
A fierce battle broke out between Law and Vergo.
Meanwhile, Doflamingo, having been alerted to the situation, was already on his way.
And it was at this moment that Wilder, too, arrived at Punk Hazard.
"Hah..."
Amidst the snow and ice, Wilder stepped onto the frost-covered land. A cigar was clenched between his teeth, and his calm, unwavering eyes gazed at a white facility in the distance. The sounds of battle drifted to his ears.
"Heh..." A grin spread across his face as he began to walk, unhurried, toward the sounds of the fight.
"Hey... Hey... Who's this?" A tall figure appeared behind Wilder, causing him to pause and turn around.
Dressed in white clothes with a long gray coat, a sleep mask pushed up on his forehead, stood Kuzan, the former Marine Admiral Aokiji. His hands were stuffed in his pockets as he stared intently at Wilder.
"Hmph." Wilder exhaled a puff of smoke, his expression placid. "What... inconvenient timing," he said slowly.
"A member of the Blackbeard Pirates—Kuzan. What do you want?" Wilder asked, turning his body slightly to face him.
"Geez, I should be the one asking you that," Kuzan replied. "You heading over to join the party? A man like you, Lucifer—Wilder, showing up in a place like this... it's not exactly appropriate."
"Tch. Did you get nosy after you quit the Marines?" Wilder asked, his expression turning sour.
Kuzan scratched his messy hair. "Well... you know how it is. What's that saying again? Ah, right. 'Seeing injustice on the road and drawing your sword to help.'"
"Nyahahaha! I haven't done anything unjust," Wilder said. He had no desire for a troublesome confrontation with this man. He had only one goal here: to take Caesar.
If this guy really intended to interfere, things could get very complicated.
Kuzan stared at Wilder for a moment before asking a direct question. "What are you doing here?"
"Just taking a look around."
Kuzan was silent.
The two men stood in a tense standoff for a long while. Finally, Kuzan broke the silence. "Well... I won't keep you. To be honest... I'm just taking a look around, too." With that, he turned and walked off in a different direction.
Wilder let out a quiet sigh of relief, his expression growing serious. He didn't remember the details of the original story perfectly, only that Kuzan had indeed appeared during the Punk Hazard arc. He had no idea when or where on the island he would show up. This made the former Admiral the single most unpredictable factor in his operation.
Fortunately... it seemed Kuzan was as laid-back as ever.
But Wilder didn't let his guard down. He watched Kuzan's retreating figure for a long time before finally turning his gaze back toward his destination.
Inside the white facility, the battle had reached its climax. Trafalgar Law and Vergo were locked in a desperate struggle. Overall, Law was at a disadvantage; his physical attacks were largely ineffective against Vergo's full-body Armament Haki. Only his Devil Fruit abilities could truly harm the man, but they were incredibly taxing on his stamina. From the beginning of the fight, Vergo had held the upper hand.
In the end, however, Law was victorious.
Vergo's body, sliced into several pieces, was left stuck to a metal railing.
Law knelt on the ground, his face pale as he gasped for breath.
Caesar, bound in Seastone cuffs, had a look of utter despair in his eyes. The Straw Hat Pirates and Law's crew had regrouped and were now fighting their way out.
They dragged Caesar along, who roared and struggled the entire way. But every time he acted up, Law would give his heart a sharp squeeze, instantly silencing him.
"I regret this... I regret this so much! That man! Please, come save me!" Caesar wailed, tears and snot streaming down his face.
"Shut up!" Nami snapped, smacking him on the head. "You can pray all you want! After all the cruel, inhuman things you've done, no one is coming to save you!"
"Nami-swan is right!" Sanji cooed, hearts floating around his head.
"Hahaha!" Luffy laughed heartily, while the others just looked at Caesar with exasperation. Did he really think calling for help would work now? Besides, with his heart in someone else's hand, not even Doflamingo's arrival could guarantee his safety.
Just then, as they ran down a corridor, a voice echoed from ahead.
"Excuse me... would you mind waiting a moment? That idiot you have there... he's a subordinate I've already claimed."
Everyone's expression changed. They skidded to a halt. Trafalgar Law, Monkey D. Luffy, Roronoa Zoro, and Sanji all stared ahead with extreme vigilance, their faces grim. At the same time, the ceiling above them began to secrete a thick, swamp-like substance. The muck dripped down in front of them, pooling and churning on the floor before finally coalescing into a human shape.
As the figure took form, an oppressive aura washed over them, weighing heavily on their hearts.
"What's happening?" Nami covered her mouth, her voice tight with fear as she watched the viscous liquid writhe on the floor.
"A... a monster?"
"This is trouble," Trafalgar Law gritted out, his eyes fixed on the swampy mass as it solidified.
Hearing his words, the others looked at him in surprise, their eyes filled with questions.
"This guy is a big deal," Law said, his voice grave. "If I'm not mistaken... he's... Lucifer—Wilder."
The instant Law's heavy words fell, the swamp finished forming. Wilder now stood before them, a smile on his face.
With the exception of Luffy and the other main combatants, everyone's pupils contracted the moment they saw him. Only Caesar's eyes widened in ecstatic disbelief, a cry of joy nearly escaping his lips.
I'm saved! I'm saved!
In the corridor, one man and a group of pirates were locked in a tense standoff.
Luffy stared at Wilder for a long moment, then clapped his hands together. He pointed, his face a mask of surprise. "You're... that mister!"
"EHHH!?"
Luffy's exclamation stunned everyone. Even Zoro and Law turned to look at him in shock. Nami, terrified by Wilder's reputation, trembled as she asked, "L-Luffy, you actually know him?"
"Nyahahaha! It's been a long time, Mr. Luffy," Wilder said, greeting Luffy with a wide smile.
Seeing this, everyone's jaws dropped. They looked from Luffy to Wilder and back again in utter disbelief.
"L-Luffy, you really know him?"
"How did Luffy meet someone like him? A person like that... how is that even possible..."
"Hehehe!" Seeing their confusion, Luffy grinned and explained, "I met this mister in Impel Down! He's the one who helped me get down to Level 6."
"Seriously...?" Everyone stared at Luffy, amazed.
"Mr. Luffy is right," Wilder said, smiling as he walked closer. "And besides... doesn't Mr. Luffy have a grudge against Blackbeard? After we escaped Impel Down, I went ahead and blew the place up, burying Blackbeard and his crew inside. It's a shame, though. I didn't manage to kill him then and there."
"..." Everyone was speechless. Only a monster would blow up Impel Down, and to think there was such a story behind it.
"Hahaha!" Only Luffy found it hilarious, clapping his hands with laughter.
Wilder's smiling gaze swept over the group, taking in their reactions. Nami and the others had relaxed slightly, but Trafalgar Law, Zoro, and Sanji remained tense, their bodies coiled and ready. They clearly hadn't lowered their guard. Wilder felt a twinge of frustration. To be honest, he had no intention of making an enemy of the "Child of Destiny."
If he could achieve his goal while maintaining a friendly relationship, that would be for the best. But if... that wasn't possible, then he had no choice. He would do what he had to, even if it meant leaving a bad impression.
Wilder maintained his smile. "So, everyone... could you please hand over Caesar, along with his heart? I have a use for him."
As soon as he spoke, the corridor fell silent. Even Luffy's smile vanished, replaced by a serious expression.
"No!" Luffy's refusal was instant and absolute, leaving no room for negotiation. His words immediately changed the atmosphere.
Nami, Usopp, and Chopper tensed up again. So did Caesar.
Zoro's hand went to his sword, the blade sliding out just a fraction. Trafalgar Law, Sanji, and the other fighters all shifted into combat stances.
A tense, heavy atmosphere filled the corridor.
Wilder's smile disappeared completely. He turned to Trafalgar Law. "You're planning to take on Doflamingo, aren't you? I can help you. In exchange, how about you give me Caesar and his heart?"
Trafalgar Law's pupils constricted. He had to admit, Wilder's offer was tempting. Everything he was doing now was for the sake of taking revenge on Doflamingo. If he had Wilder's help... then things could...!
The others were taken aback as well. They looked at Wilder, then at Caesar. The deal seemed reasonable enough. It wasn't like Caesar was of any use to them.
"No!" But it was Luffy who spoke again, his face completely serious. He looked up at Wilder. "We'll beat Doflamingo ourselves."
The others stared at Luffy, stunned.
"Is that so..." Wilder took a step forward, droplets of swamp falling from his body. A casual smile returned to his face, but a shadow was slowly creeping over it. "It seems we can't reach an agreement."
"Then let's settle this with strength."