Leaning back on the couch, Diarmuid thought for a while. Fisher Tiger had only just returned to Fish-Man Island. After all, Jinbe was well-connected there, and he'd only gotten the news yesterday.
So, it was likely that Tiger had just recently escaped from Mariejois. His physical condition probably wasn't great. If he planned to set Mariejois on fire, he'd need some time to rest and get back in shape. After all, he was going to climb the Red Line with his bare hands and sneak into Mariejois. He couldn't do that if his body wasn't at its best.
This meant he still had to wait a while before making his move.
"Admiral, I'm going to take these files to the Fleet Admiral's office," Hina said, picking up a stack of papers from the desk.
Diarmuid didn't say anything, just waved a hand dismissively. Hina didn't mind. Humming a little tune, she walked out of the office with the stack of files.
Once Hina was gone, Diarmuid suddenly picked up the Den Den Mushi from his desk. His expression was a little hesitant, as if he was thinking something over. But after a moment, Diarmuid smiled and dialed a number.
At the same time, in the East Blue, at the Isshin Dojo in Shimotsuki Village.
Dragon was sitting in the dojo's courtyard, watching his good friend, Koshiro, teaching some students in the distance. Two of them stood out and seemed to be the most important to Koshiro.
One was a little girl whom Dragon knew was Koshiro's daughter. Koshiro had high hopes for her and planned for her to inherit the dojo. The other was a green-haired boy who had only recently joined the dojo. He was a hard worker and seemed to be Koshiro's favorite. When they'd had tea together, Koshiro couldn't stop praising the boy's talent.
His name, if Dragon remembered correctly, was Roronoa Zoro?
Dragon didn't think too much about it. He was simply enjoying the peaceful, familiar feeling of the dojo's harmony.
As Dragon sipped his tea and enjoyed the breeze while watching his friend teach his students, the Den Den Mushi he kept on him rang.
Dragon's eyebrows rose. He always carried two Den Den Mushi: one for the Revolutionary Army and one he had taken with him when he left the Marines. Only a select few knew the signal for that Den Den Mushi. He took it out and looked at it, a smile on his face. He then looked up at Koshiro in the distance before answering. "It's rare for you to contact me directly. Normally, you have Stussy-san relay everything, don't you, Diarmuid?"
That's right, it was Diarmuid calling him.
"Hahahaha, it's been a while since I've heard your voice. I missed you a little. Where are you?" Diarmuid asked with a laugh.
Dragon chuckled and lied easily. "Baltigo?"
His answer was a question, and Diarmuid naturally heard the teasing. "You never tell the truth! The newspaper this morning said you were in the East Blue two days ago. How could you be in Baltigo already?"
"Hehehe, I can fly," Dragon said with a smile.
"Speaking of which, where is Baltigo anyway? We haven't seen each other in a long time. Aren't you going to invite me to be your guest?" Diarmuid asked, laughing.
"Forget it. You're a busy man, you don't have the time. Besides, Baltigo is a desolate place with nothing to see. I don't even like going back there myself," Dragon said, brushing him off.
"You're just giving me a bunch of excuses because you don't want me to see it, aren't you?" Diarmuid said, sounding suspicious.
"You got it. I'm afraid you'd sell me out," Dragon said with a chuckle.
"You bastard..." Diarmuid laughed, cursing him playfully.
It was true, though. Dragon had a great deal of trust in Diarmuid. He didn't believe the man would ever betray him, and they'd always worked together, like with Bartholomew Kuma, who had now gone to Punk Hazard.
Punk Hazard was a no-log island, just like Baltigo. Under normal circumstances, even if Bartholomew Kuma became a Warlord of the Sea, the Marines wouldn't tell him the location of such an important island. But the thing was, Bartholomew Kuma didn't need the Marines to tell him; Dragon already knew Punk Hazard's location. This was a source of great frustration for the Marines. What could they do? That scoundrel Dragon had been a high-ranking Marine himself.
But putting that aside, even though Dragon's relationship with the Marines was relatively friendly, he still had to have a backup plan. There was no way he was going to tell Diarmuid where his base was. What if that bastard suddenly turned on him? Who would he complain to then?
After a bit more small talk, Diarmuid asked again, "So, are you still in the East Blue?"
Dragon was silent for a moment. "Yeah, at the Isshin Dojo in Shimotsuki Village."
He trusted Diarmuid enough to tell him his exact location, which was a huge sign of trust.
"Is that so? Then I wonder if I can make it in time..." Diarmuid murmured, then added, "Oh, by the way, say hello to Koshiro-sensei for me. Tell him I was supposed to visit a long time ago, but one thing led to another and I never got around to it."
"Got it. Not like he was expecting you to come back anyway, so it doesn't matter," Dragon said calmly.
"Couldn't you at least show some respect to me, a Marine Admiral?" Diarmuid said, annoyed.
Dragon ignored Diarmuid's complaint and instead asked, "What do you mean 'make it in time'?"
"I've got some major information. How much are you willing to pay?" Diarmuid asked with a grin.
"How major?" Dragon's expression grew a little more serious.
"Something that hasn't happened in eight hundred years. The World Government is about to face an unprecedented humiliation. Is that 'major' enough?" Diarmuid said with a hint of malice in his tone.
A smile appeared on Dragon's face, but then he seemed to realize something. "Are you telling me the Marines are going to make a move against the World Government?"
Diarmuid had just mentioned something unprecedented in eight hundred years and an unprecedented humiliation. Diarmuid had always seemed to have issues with the World Government, and as he rose through the ranks, his beliefs, influenced by Garp, led most of the current Marine officers to feel very frustrated with the World Government.
So if Diarmuid were to suddenly attack the World Government, Dragon wouldn't be surprised at all. In fact, he felt that Diarmuid was bound to do something like this sooner or later!
"What are you talking about? The Marines and the World Government are a single, loving family. As a Marine Admiral, why would I make a move against them? We might be friends, but if you keep making accusations like that, I'll sue you for slander!" Diarmuid said, sounding annoyed.
"Right, right, you and the World Government are a loving family, so why are you contacting me, the World Government's mortal enemy?" Dragon shot back.
"Hahahaha, it's good to have friends..." Diarmuid said evasively.
Dragon finally asked, "So, what is it?"
"You haven't made an offer yet," Diarmuid said with a look of disdain. After all that, he's trying to get information from me for free again?
"Is it really that big of a deal?" Dragon hesitated before asking.
But as soon as he said that, Diarmuid hung up.
"Hello? Hello?!" Dragon looked at the disconnected Den Den Mushi, bewildered, then smiled. "That guy is a complete bastard..."
But Diarmuid's confident act had Dragon feeling restless. Looking at the disconnected Den Den Mushi, he rubbed his chin, wondering if he should call back.
But if I call back now, won't I lose all my dignity? Won't it look like I'm begging Diarmuid?
After a few moments, Dragon smiled again. When haven't I had to beg this bastard? Whatever, I've already lost my dignity around him. Besides, we're friends. We've bathed together naked in the hot springs...
After coming up with a million reasons to reassure himself, Dragon finally called Diarmuid back.
In Marine Headquarters, Diarmuid calmly lit a cigar and leaned back on the couch. A few dozen seconds later, the Den Den Mushi on his desk rang. It was Dragon, of course.
"Hehehe, I knew I could get you," Diarmuid said to himself with a grin. He exhaled a puff of smoke and answered the call. "What's up?"
"Give me a chance, my liege?" Dragon said with a laugh.
"Make your offer," Diarmuid said, also laughing.
"At least give me a ballpark," Dragon said, sounding exasperated. The Revolutionary Army doesn't have a lot of money or people. What do you even want, Diarmuid?
"The location of Baltigo," Diarmuid said softly.
"Have some dignity, will you?" Dragon complained, rolling his eyes.
"Tch..." Diarmuid clicked his tongue in annoyance, then said, "I'll provide the information. You'll take the risk. My Marines get a seventy percent share of the profit, and your Revolutionary Army gets thirty. How's that?"
When Dragon heard this, he started to laugh. He finally had a handle on the situation.
"Hehehe, it must be something the Marines can't be seen doing, but you're too greedy to let it go yourself, right? That's not right, Admiral Diarmuid. As allies, wouldn't a fifty-fifty split be better?" Dragon said with a laugh.
"Don't get too cocky. Do you think you're the only one we can call for dirty work?" Diarmuid said calmly.
Dragon was silent for a moment. That was probably true. In the past, he might have thought the Marines wouldn't stoop so low. But since that bastard Diarmuid was an Admiral now... Dragon wouldn't be surprised if he had a whole network of people to do his dirty work.
In fact, Diarmuid did. For example, Commodore Smoker. But what Diarmuid was planning wasn't suitable for Smoker to handle. Only Dragon, the world's most dangerous criminal, could take on such a huge burden.
But there was no need to be that honest with Dragon. It was better to trick him.
After thinking for a bit, Dragon said, "You get sixty, I get forty?"
"Deal! It's a done deal!" Diarmuid said without hesitation.
Dragon: ???
I feel like I've been played.
He felt a pang of resentment. He thought he could have held out for a fifty-fifty split, but he had been outwitted by that scoundrel Diarmuid.
However, Dragon quickly regained his composure. "Alright, tell me. What exactly are you going to do?"
"How about we team up and wipe out Mariejois?" Diarmuid said softly.
Dragon: ?
Wait... Are you sure you're a loving part of the World Government family? Don't you feel the weight of that "Justice" greatcoat you're wearing? Am I the world's most dangerous criminal, or are you? How do you have the nerve to call yourself a member of the World Government? Do you see the World Government as toilet paper—something you cherish and are careful not to tear when you need it, and then throw away when you're done with it?
Dragon had a million things to say in his head, but his mouth was very honest. "I'm all ears."
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