"You know!?"
Who's-Who was shocked by Gusion's reply. "If you knew, why didn't you catch them?"
Gusion looked at him speechlessly. "Dude, I heard you used to work for CP9. Did you guys really get spy training?"
Now it was Who's-Who's turn to be confused and a bit indignant. "Mr. Gusion, what do you mean? Sure, I failed one mission, but that was just bad luck running into an Emperor. I'm a professional!"
"Professional... To be honest, I can't help but roast you CP types."
Gusion sighed. "Why do you spies act so high-profile? Take CP0 for example—afraid people won't know who they are, dressed all weird and flashy, everyone can spot them from a mile away!"
"Everyone can spot them?"
Who's-Who was confused.
"Yeah, I just mean they're obvious. Your whole spy system is a joke. The higher the rank, the more flamboyant. The lower-level agents at least try to keep a low profile."
Gusion continued, "As for who the spies are in the Beasts Pirates, I've got a good idea. As for Wano's civilians, I'm not sure, but don't worry about them."
Who's-Who was a little offended but also curious. "Why not?"
"Because it doesn't affect us. If the World Government really wants to infiltrate, there are too many ways—they'll find out anyway."
Gusion explained, "Actually, the World Government raising our bounties is just more free publicity. In the end, this level of spy activity can't shake our foundation—what matters is strength."
"I see... So you had it under control all along. Those agents are just clowns compared to your insight."
Who's-Who, as a former insider, knew how to flatter.
"But you really were unlucky—working so hard for years, then one failed mission and straight to jail."
Gusion sighed. Honestly, Who's-Who had rotten luck, and his story showed the World Government's stupidity.
The fruit Luffy ate wasn't actually the Gum-Gum Fruit. There was no such fruit in the Devil Fruit encyclopedia. What he really ate was the Human-Human Fruit: Mythical Zoan, Nika Form.
This fruit was the legendary Sun God Nika ability, a fruit with the name of a god.
Eight hundred years ago, the user was Joy Boy, a member of the Great Kingdom that opposed the World Government's founders. He awakened the fruit and fought like the Sun God Nika.
After Joy Boy's defeat, the World Government, fearing the fruit's legacy, erased its name from history but always sought to obtain it.
But the fruit seemed to have a will of its own, deliberately evading them for 800 years.
Who's-Who had gotten the fruit, but bad luck led to Red-Haired Shanks robbing him, with predictable results.
Shanks took the Nika Fruit, and Luffy ended up eating it.
When Gusion saw this part of the plot in the End Space, he found it absurd.
Especially after Luffy awakened Nika—he felt the story lost its meaning, as if Luffy's hard work was worthless and he was just a vessel for Nika, with everyone seeing him as the chosen one not for being Luffy, but for inheriting Joy Boy's will.
Gusion didn't like it—the Luffy he once admired as a kid had become a goofy, toon force clown, as if possessed.
And Joy Boy himself, with all the Great Kingdom's advanced strength, still lost to the World Government. Gusion imagined another "Oden" situation...
As for that hidden history, Gusion didn't dwell on it for now. After giving Who's-Who a little tip, he left the room.
The New World's weather changed even faster than the Grand Line's, with all kinds of bizarre sights.
Gusion felt that even if he didn't get his desired Devil Fruit this trip, it was worth it—such adventures had always been his childhood dream.
Those hundred-meter sea kings leaping from the water were a spectacle, and their meat was delicious.
Once, a sea king rammed the warship, and Kaido killed it with one swing. Gusion couldn't help but drool... ah, no, envy.
"Mr. Kaido, since there's nothing to do on the ship, I'd like some training. Could you help me out?"
After dinner, Gusion clinked cups with Kaido and voiced his wish.
"Training?"
Kaido set down his sake. "I see your Advanced Armament and Observation are pretty good—what else do you want me to teach?"
"I want you to use Advanced Conqueror's Haki, the coating technique, when sparring with me."
Gusion said. He didn't know if he had Conqueror's aptitude, but once his bounty rose, he was sure he'd have it.
So, before then, he wanted to learn as much as possible about it—otherwise, if he awakened it after leaving this world, he'd have no teacher.
"Awakened Conqueror's, have you?"
Kaido frowned. "There are more and more Conquerors these days..."
He'd been complaining for years, seeing more and more kids in the New World with Conqueror's Haki, making it feel less special.
"I'm not sure. I've triggered it once by accident. I want to learn systematically—maybe it'll unlock my potential."
Gusion explained—Conqueror's Haki was hard to control. Even those with the talent might never trigger it in their life.
And just triggering it once didn't mean you could use it at will. It needed guidance.
For example, Luffy's Conqueror's was unreliable—after two years with Rayleigh, he could finally use it at will, but only to knock out small fry.
"I see. Maybe you really do have the talent. Let's see."
Kaido didn't doubt him. Conqueror's was like that—unpredictable at first, and he'd felt some resistance when using Conqueror's against Gusion before.
Kaido was a man of action. Without waiting for Gusion to say "wait a sec," he stood up, grabbed his spiked club, and swung.
Bang—
And Gusion lost consciousness.
His last thought was, "Kaido really doesn't know how to hold back after a drink..."
…
Dressrosa, Donquixote Family
On the castle terrace, the sea breeze rustled the tea set and a man's hair.
A tall man in Hawaiian vacation clothes lounged in a chair, reading a newspaper. His eyes narrowed behind his sunglasses.
"News these days gets more ridiculous every day. Less and less believable."
Doflamingo muttered. Lately his mood had been terrible, mainly because a punk named Gusion had wrecked his business.
As an underworld king and Celestial Dragon, he'd once ruled both the light and the dark—living well indeed.
In the New World, only the Emperors could truly trouble him—he could get whatever he wanted.
Even the Emperors, like muscle-brained Kaido, could be used.
The artificial Devil Fruit scheme was his idea, and he'd made a fortune off the supply chain for years. Everything was fine, until two months ago, when Kaido suddenly said he was done with the Devil Fruit business.
At first, Doflamingo was confused. Then, he was terrified, realizing Kaido might have figured out the artificial fruits were a scam.
Kaido was a brute who didn't care about consequences, so Doflamingo worried a dragon might show up and torch his castle any day.
Plus, his officer Pica was still in Wano, adding to his anxiety.
This tension lasted over a month, until Kaido asked him to send a batch of water treatment equipment, for just 100 million Berries.
Doflamingo was frustrated, but relieved—at least Kaido wasn't after his head. Money could be earned back, but a lost life was gone forever.
So he contacted Caesar, quickly arranged the shipment, and settled things.
"All because of this guy... Gusion..."
Doflamingo glared at the face in the newspaper. If not for Gusion, Kaido would never have realized the artificial fruit scam, and he could have kept raking in money for years.
He wanted to kill Gusion, but didn't dare—he was Kaido's favorite. If he tried, Kaido would flatten him in an instant.
But swallowing this was hard.
"Doffy, the person you wanted is here."
A family officer's voice interrupted his thoughts.
"Send her in."
Soon, a bizarre woman wrapped in black bandages arrived on the terrace.
"You're the infamous Cursed Killer? Here for my job?"
Doflamingo eyed the petite woman. Her raw strength wasn't much by New World standards, but many had died to her strange powers—she could defeat even stronger foes if they let their guard down.
"You pay. I work. Simple as that."
Black Lily replied coldly. Recently, she'd struggled through the New World to reach Dressrosa, and now needed a big ship to travel further.
Doflamingo, to her, was a good tool—and she could guess who he hated most.
"You have a good underworld reputation. But answer me: do you dare challenge an Emperor?"
Doflamingo's eyes narrowed. Failure in assassination could bring trouble, so he had to check her professionalism.
"I said—you pay, I work. If I fail, it has nothing to do with you."
Black Lily's voice was flat as a machine.
"Alright. I'll give you a ship, sailors, and a navigator. Go kill this man."
Doflamingo pointed to Gusion's picture. According to his information, Kaido was likely out of Wano, making it a good time to strike.
He didn't know that Gusion was actually on this trip, not staying behind.
"Give me three months. You'll see his death in the papers."
Black Lily's tone was calm. In truth, she had no intention to kill Gusion—she just wanted a ship to reach Sky Island, Celestial Summit.
Based on her understanding of Gusion, he'd never miss such an event, and he was the most influential explorer in this world—she needed to ally with him to deal with Body Killer.