"Just one of many lovers, huh?"
Doflamingo twitched the corners of his mouth. He said nothing, but he thought it was likely true. He believed what Monet had told him. Arton definitely knew both Viola and Monet, and he seemed to be fond of them. If he also knew one of Tesoro's employees, it wouldn't be surprising if he had feelings for her, too.
"A real womanizer, huh?"
That was the thought that crossed Doflamingo's mind.
"Anyway, if that woman really knows Arton, one way or another, I should probably show a little courtesy to this high-profile figure of the seas. Now I'm kinda hoping this Baccarat really is Arton's lover. That way, I can work with Arton in the future," he mused silently.
Just then, Tesoro said aloud, "Right, Morgans—whatever intel you get on Arton, send it my way first. Don't worry, we can negotiate the price."
"No problem," Morgans replied with a smile, perfectly happy to do business.
Suddenly, the small Den Den Mushi in Morgans' arms began to ring. Without concern for Doflamingo and Tesoro's presence, he pulled out the tiny snail.
"Hello? What is it?"
"Boss Morgans, we intercepted a Marine transmission with our surveillance Den Den Mushi—something I think you'll find very interesting."
"Oh? What news?" Morgans asked.
"It's about Arton."
"Arton? Did you learn where he's headed next?" Morgans's eyes lit up at once. He thought of Stussy, recalling his promise to inform her about Arton's destination. Nearby, Tesoro and Doflamingo both perked up with interest.
"No, we're still not certain about his next port of call. All we have are guesses—there's a high likelihood he's heading to Loguetown. But that's not the main point. The critical info we intercepted from the Marines is… it appears Arton ran into a World Noble and forcibly took him away."
"And now… no one knows if the World Noble is alive or dead."
Boom!
It was like a bolt of lightning thundered through the minds of Morgans, Doflamingo, and Tesoro. They were all stunned speechless.
"You're serious? Arton actually attacked a World Noble?" Morgans exclaimed. World Nobles were backed by the Navy and the World Government. Morgans had been amazed by Arton's defeat of Shiki, his victory over Mihawk—those feats, while sensational, were still comprehensible. But a World Noble was a different matter entirely. They might be weak themselves, but behind them was the most powerful organization in the world.
And now the source said this World Noble's fate was unknown—possibly dead. That was even more shocking to Morgans. If a World Noble really had been killed, Arton would undoubtedly face the Navy and the World Government's full wrath.
"This is no mistake?"
"Not at all. I even know the World Noble's name—Saint Charlos. And I recently confirmed he really was in the East Blue. The timing makes it entirely possible he ran into Arton. Boss, let's put this out as a story—this will be huge news."
On the other end of the line, the employee's voice trembled with excitement. Clearly, he was eager to break the scoop. But the moment he mentioned publishing the news, Morgans became more composed.
"Do we have any photos?" he asked.
"Uh, no, Boss Morgans."
"Any hard evidence to back up the story?"
"N-no."
"Then how do we publish it? Even if I put this out and risk the World Government's retaliation, who's going to believe it without solid proof?"
"I—I don't know…"
"In that case, gather all possible resources to find evidence confirming this rumor. Got it?"
"Y-yes, sir!"
Morgans hung up, his expression lost in thought. Doflamingo stroked his chin, muttering, "He really is a gutsy guy… going after a World Noble."
Then he, too, sank into silent contemplation.
"Guess beating Shiki and Mihawk gave him the confidence," Tesoro remarked, shaking his head wistfully. "But it's a pity. If he really took on a World Noble, I can't very well work with him now."
He still needed the World Nobles' favor via his wealth; he couldn't afford to collaborate with someone who had enraged them. What Tesoro didn't realize was that in Arton's Diary, Tesoro himself was destined to be yet another man who'd dare lay hands on a World Noble. Compared to Arton—who had the power to fight back—Tesoro's own acts against the World Nobles would be even more extreme, and thus more dangerous. Even if Luffy hadn't defeated him, the Government's agents would eventually come knocking.
Hearing Tesoro, Doflamingo's hidden gaze flickered behind his shades. As a former World Noble himself, he knew better than anyone how terrifying the World Government could be. The moment Arton touched a World Noble, in Doflamingo's mind, the man was basically dead. Approaching Arton now would bring nothing but trouble, so he fully agreed with Tesoro's stance on not joining forces with him.
Suddenly, Morgans let out a hearty laugh. "Hahaha! This is just too interesting. Actually, interesting doesn't begin to describe it—this guy is a complete madman. It's a shame, though—I figured he'd keep giving me big stories. Now it looks like he's destined to be taken out by the Navy and World Government before long. Ah well, at least he's provided some entertainment."
He paused, then added, "Anyway, don't forget to pay up, you two. The intel I just gave should be worth a nice sum, right?"
Tesoro sighed at Morgans fiddling with the Den Den Mushi. "Always with the strong-arm business. Fine, I'll have my people send you the Berry. By the way, you're not going to sell this intel to the rest of the underworld, are you?"
"Of course!" Morgans replied, nodding. "I'm sure plenty of people will want to buy it. Besides, I also need to pass this along to Stussy."
At present, even Morgans wasn't optimistic about Arton's future. This was the East Blue, not the New World. The New World might be a playground for pirates, but the first half of the Grand Line and the Four Seas were effectively under Navy and World Government control. If Arton had kidnapped a World Noble in a region where those institutions were strongest, the outcome was all but certain. Morgans figured if he didn't pass the information on to Stussy now, he might never get another chance.
"Hello? Morgans?" came Stussy's voice from the other end of the line almost immediately.
"Stussy, I've got breaking news on Arton—figured you'd be interested," Morgans said, brimming with confidence. Until now, Stussy had always beaten him to any scoop about Arton. At last, he had a chance to one-up her. But part of this was also fulfilling his deal with her—he wanted to demonstrate his capabilities.
"You're talking about the World Noble matter, right?" Stussy responded.
"Huh? You… you knew already?" Morgans stared at the Den Den Mushi in disbelief.
"If that's all you've got, I'll just hang up. I've got other things to handle," Stussy said dryly.
"…You sure are invested in Arton," Morgans grumbled, rubbing his temples. "Alright, how about this, then? There's a high likelihood Arton's next destination is Loguetown. You know that, too?"
A light laugh came from the receiver. "Now that is useful info—thanks, Morgans."
Her appreciative tone perked him up a bit. They talked a little longer before hanging up. Eventually, both Morgans and Tesoro left. Only Doflamingo, Pica, Sugar, and the other Donquixote Family members remained in the room.
Doflamingo took out another Den Den Mushi and quickly dialed. Soon enough, Monet's voice came through.
"Young Master, is something wrong?"
"There's been a change of plans, Monet. Return immediately."
"Return? But I'm still supposed to be looking for Arton!"
"That man is finished—he messed with a World Noble, and the World Government will never forgive him. He's got no future now."
"But… if Viola finds Arton and convinces him to go against us—"
"There won't be time for that," Doflamingo cut in solemnly. "I know precisely what power the World Government holds. Trust me, Arton is as good as dead."
Monet fell silent for a long moment. Finally, she said, "Young Master, how about I keep searching for Arton for a little while longer? If he's truly done for, I'll head back. But if he has enough power to withstand the World Government's pursuit, then finding him might help our family."
...
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