"Achoo! B-boss, I'm done here. We got them all. Should I bring them back?"
"You're done? I'll have Kuma make a trip and bring them in," Dante said, looking at the Mock's Den Den Mushi. It had snot dripping from its nostril, its face was a little blue, and its whole body was trembling. He frowned. "What's wrong with you? Did you catch a cold?"
"N-no, I'm fine. Boss Kuzan accidentally froze me along with them!" Despite the chattering, the snail's voice was surprisingly carefree. "His Devil Fruit is incredible, but the range is massive. I don't think he's got full control of it yet, it's easy to get caught in the crossfire. It's no big deal, though. I'll just soak in a hot bath when I get back. Boss Kuzan already apologized, too. Said he'd take me to Romance Dawn for a proper soak. Ow! Can you believe these guys are still cursing me out? And the things they're saying... Boss, I'm gonna go shut them up. Hanging up!"
*Clack*
"..." Dante stared at the disconnected Den Den Mushi, a baffled look on his face. 'A Marine Admiral who can't control his own power?'
He couldn't help but smile. 'Kuzan... he can be so petty. Some Marine Admiral he is.'
Still, if Kuzan wanted to throw a little tantrum, Dante would let him. At least he was getting the job done, and judging from Mock's tone, things hadn't gotten too out of hand.
As for the Donquixote officers... it was a shame.
The Family's officer structure was similar to Baroque Works agent system, but with one crucial difference. In Baroque Works, only Daz Bonez knew the president's true identity. With his cooperation, it had been easy to bring the rest of the organization under control.
But the Donquixote Family was different. Their officers had known who leader was from the very beginning. Their loyalty was to him, and they were organized as a family with Donquixote Doflamingo at its head. Trying to win them over was practically impossible.
But that was fine.
If they couldn't be used, they could be sent to Vegapunk as research material. Devil Fruit users were rare test subjects, after all. Vegapunk would be thrilled. In fact, there was one particular ability user in the Family that Dante had his eye on.
He thought of the man with the Stone-Stone Fruit and sighed. He would have been a perfect man for building bridges and roads, but he hadn't come this time. No matter, he was bound to show up sooner or later.
Right now, something else was more important...
Right now, something else was more important.
Dante turned to Viola, who was lost in thought. He smiled. "I'll be leaving the rest to you. You know what to do, right?"
His voice snapped her out of it. She looked at Dante with a strange expression before nodding. "Don't worry. I know."
'This man,' she thought, 'how does he know so much about the Donquixote Family? Can all of this really be from Baroque Works intelligence?'
--**--**
At the same time.
Inside the dimly lit royal palace of the Kingdom of Dressrosa.
*Purupurupuru, purupurupuru~*
A Den Den Mushi began to ring.
Doflamingo, who had been quietly waiting for news, frowned and picked up the receiver. "Yes?"
"Doffy, it's me."
"Fufufufu, Viola, is that you?" Hearing her voice, Doflamingo let out his signature laugh and spread himself out in a bold, relaxed pose. "Baby 5 said she couldn't get a hold of you. I take it the mission was a success?"
"I've completed it," Viola's voice came through the snail, followed by a brief silence. "That Corrupt Marine was exactly as you predicted. After he captured me, he deliberately kept me behind."
"Fufufufu, that's excellent news," Doflamingo laughed, satisfied. "It seems even one of Marine Headquarters so-called geniuses can fall." The corners of his mouth curled up. "I'm happy to hear it, but be careful, Viola. I'd hate for one of my most important officers to become some corrupt Marine's plaything."
"...You don't need to worry."
"Of course I'm not worried. Some washed-up Captain in the East Blue is no match for you. He'll probably end up as your toy."
Doflamingo paid her silence no mind. His good mood was proof enough: the plan was already halfway to completion. All that remained was for Gladius to succeed, and everything would fall perfectly into place. "So, you called to bring me the good news? You should give Gladius and the others a call later. They've been worried about you."
"I already tried."
"Oh? Is that so? How hurtful. It seems I'm not the fir-"
He was still smiling, his tone light and teasing, but he never finished the sentence.
Viola's Den Den Mushi was quiet for a heartbeat before she said, "But I couldn't reach them."
The excitement vanished from Doflamingo's face. He uncrossed his leg and sat up straight, his eyes fixed on the Den Den Mushi. "You couldn't reach them? You mean..."
"Yes. The mission failed." Though he hadn't finished, Viola understood perfectly. She sighed. "When I couldn't connect, I had that Marine captain help me investigate."
"How are Gladius and the others?"
"All of them were captured."
"All of them captured?" Doflamingo let out his signature laugh again. "Fufufufu, that's quite a joke, Viola."
But the snail remained silent, its expression grim. He knew Viola would never lie to him about something like this. Not unless she planned to betray the Donquixote Family.
'But how is that possible?' he thought. 'She goes to the East Blue for a few days, seduces some Corrupt Marine, and suddenly she's ready to betray the Family? Not a chance. Not for a mere Captain. A Vice Admiral wouldn't even be enough to turn her. There's no way... unless she really did become his plaything in just a few days?'
Doflamingo's face grew furious. "All of them, captured in a single day? Not one escaped? Is Bartholomew Kuma really that strong? And what about the East Blue Overlord?"
"I heard the East Blue Overlord escaped with serious injuries."
"Fufufufu, Viola, do you know what you're saying?" Doflamingo's tone turned cold. "The East Blue Overlord is arrogant, but he isn't weak. They say he fought Kuma for three days and got away. But this time, with Gladius and five others at his side, they couldn't even last a day? Tell me everything."
"I don't know the details. I haven't been able to gather much intel yet," she said, then hesitated. "Because this Captain is unhappy about having his jurisdiction surrounded, he's been secretly collecting evidence of Kuma's crimes, trying to find a way to get the World Government to strip him of his Shichibukai title. I've managed to gather a little information from the Marine side through him. I don't know how important it is."
"Strip him of his title? An interesting Marine. Go on. What did you find?"
"Bartholomew Kuma recruited a new partner in the East Blue, known as 'Kuro of a Hundred Plans.' There's a confidential file on him in the Marine 16th Branch. Rumor has it he's exceptionally intelligent. Even the Hero of the Marines, Garp, publicly praised his intellect, saying it was second only to that of the Red-Haired Pirates first mate, Benn Beckman."
'What? Praised by Garp? Second only to a Yonko's first mate? Someone like that is in the East Blue?'
Doflamingo froze, but before he could speak, Viola continued. "According to the file, he was supposed to have been arrested. But after the 153rd Branch's Captain Morgan was taken down, the investigation showed he was never actually captured. It seems he colluded with Morgan to fake his arrest. By the time the Marines prepared to go after him again, they discovered... he'd already joined Bartholomew Kuma."
Doflamingo's grew even more furious. 'Another corrupt Marine?' he thought. 'How did the weakest sea end up with so many of them?' He took a deep breath. "My mistake. I misjudged the situation. That's why Gladius's group failed."
His expression was grim. 'A Shichibukai and a subordinate whose intellect is second only to a Yonko's first mate. What is Kuma planning?' At last, he let out a long sigh. "Forget it. You withdraw immediately, "
But before he could finish, Viola's conflicted voice came through again. "I found something else. Not long ago, Kuma recruited another partner, a pirate from the North Blue. He seems unremarkable. There's no detailed record of him at the 16th Branch."
She paused. "But I feel like I've heard his name in the Family before. Oh, right, Baby 5 mentioned it once. Trafalgar D. Water Law. For now, that's all the intelligence the 16th Branch has on Kuma. I'm sorry, Doffy."
Before the stunned Doffy could respond,
"Oh, and Doffy," Viola added, sounding puzzled, "what was it you wanted me to do again?"
"You've done very well. Maintain your cover and continue to lie low," Doffy said seriously, his train of thought completely diverted. "I'll send more officers to assist you."
"Yes, Doffy. That corrupt Captain is looking for me again. He's so clingy. I'm hanging up."
"Stay safe. I don't want to see any more of our family captured."
*Clack*
The line went dead. Behind his sunglasses, Doflamingo's eyes narrowed. He was silent for a long moment.
Beside him, Trebol let out his unique laugh, snot dripping from his nose. "Behehehe, you found that brat, Doffy?"
"Fufufufu," Doflamingo answered with his own familiar laugh.
'So, the brat was hiding in the East Blue all this time? That Devil Fruit... you gave it to him, didn't you, my dear little brother?' His gaze sharpened. "I have to say, this is quite an unexpected windfall."
"Want me to go there myself?" Trebol asked.
"It looks like I'll have to ask you to make the trip. I didn't expect Gladius's group to fail," Doflamingo sighed, his expression turning grim. "And that arrogant East Blue Overlord actually ran away? I need to have a proper talk with him."
He looked down at the Den Den Mushi and dialed another number, his tone dark. "Captain Mock, you-"
"Doofus Bro! What the hell is wrong with your Family? You sent me a bunch of useless trash!" Mock's furious shout blasted from the other end. "I almost got captured because of them! You'd better have a damn good explanation, or our deal is off!"
The anger on Doflamingo's face froze, the reprimand dying in his throat.
'This bastard... doesn't he have it backwards? I'm the one whose men were captured!'
===============
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