North Blue, Minion Isnd

  Marine Chief Staff Officer Tsuru's fleet was stationed he isnd, but they hadn't taken any further a. They didn't dare ehe isnd to front Barrels directly. It wasn't because Barrels himself posed a major threat, he was far from a match for someone like Tsuru but because the Ope-Ope Fruit was in his possession. Any reckless move could push him to destroy the fruit, jeopardizing the entire mission.

  Minion Isnd was a filthy, wless p the North Blue. It served as a hub for pirates, criminals, and other shady figures, a true haven for the worst of society.

  On the warship docked at the port, Tsuru was sipping tea, her mind carefully analyzing the situation and running through the pn once more.

  By all ats, everything seemed in order.

  The only potential wildcard was Dofmingo. His unique position in the underworld and his knowledge of the Ope-Ope Fruit's true significe made him uable. The fruit's rumored ability to grant immortality might tempt him to take a dangerous gamble.

  Fortunately, Marine had reached Minion Isnd ahead of Dofmingo, redug the risks. Even if he tried to seize the fruit, Marine would have time to intervene.

  "Still," Tsuru murmured, toug her thoughtfully, "why do I feel uneasy about this?"

  There was no crete evidence n of anything amiss, but her instincts told her otherwise.

  Before she could dwell further on her uneasy premonition, the door opened, and Gion stepped ih a smile. "Dofmingo has arrived."

  Tsuru set her cup dowhoughts pushed aside, and walked out to the deck. From there, she could see the Fmingo Pirates' ship docked in the harbor. Dofmingo himself, dressed in his signature fmboyant style, desded from the ship with his usual fident swagger.

  As his eyes met Tsuru's, Dofmingo smiled and made his the gangpnk to the Marine warship. He first greeted Gion politely, then turo Tsuru.

  "Chief Staff Officer Tsuru, I trust I'm not te?" Dofmingo asked with his trademark grin.

  "We've been waiting for some time, Yhness Dofmingo," Tsuru replied with a faint smile.

  Thanks to Cudius's intervention, Marine and Dofmingo hadn't had a flicts. While Tsuru remained cautious around him, she didn't harbor any particur animosity. In fact, their cooperation during the operation in Totto Land had established a certain level of trust.

  "Fufufufu, my apologies. Dressrosa is quite far from here, after all," Dofmingo said with a chuckle.

  "I didn't mean to bme you," Tsuru replied gently.

  After a few polite exges, Tsuru got down to business. "Barrels is currently on the isnd. He insists on handing the Ope-Ope Fruit directly to you, provided the agreed payment of five billion berries is made in cash."

  As she spoke, Gion and a few Marines brought out several rge chests from the ship's , each filled with cash, five billion berries in total.

  Dofmingo the sight. "Don't worry. As a broker in the underworld, my credibility is impeccable. Once I receive the Ope-Ope Fruit, I'll hand it over to Marine immediately."

  "That would be ideal," Tsuru said, her toral.

  "Of course, I did have some thoughts about keeping it," Dofmingo admitted with a grin. "But my cousin made it clear that I should behave myself. If Mariill feels uneasy, perhaps you could send someoo apany me. What do you think, Vice Admiral Gion?"

  Tsuru raised an eyebrow. Dofmingo had brought up the issue himself, which made it harder for her to refuse. Sending someone along would undoubtedly increase the operation's safety, perhaps even ease her lingering unease.

  Just as she was about to agree, a sudden explosioed from the isnd.

  Fmes lit up the sky, and a powerful shockwave followed. The source of the explosion was the area where Barrels was supposed to be.

  But strangely, no sound apahe bst. There was only the sight of fire and smoke—no roar, no echo.

  "What's going on?" Dofmingo asked, his expression one of feigned shock.

  Tsuru's face hardened as fusio in. Then suspi crept into her mind. She turo Dofmingo, her tone sharp. "Did you leak information about this operation?"

  "How dare you accuse me, Chief Staff Officer Tsuru?!" Dofmingo shot back, his voice rising with indignation. His face twisted into an unkind scowl, as if deeply offended by the implication.

  Before Tsuru could press further, Trebol stepped forward and whispered something into Dofmingo's ear.

  The fmingo-cd pirate's expression darkened immediately, his brow furrowing as he absorbed the information.

  "Do you know something?" Tsuru demanded, narrowing her eyes.

  Dofmingo's voice dropped, and his tone grew cold. "I have a theory… but it's impossible."

  "What's impossible?" Tsuru asked urgently.

  "When this ission came to me, I was still on Cake Isnd. Before I received the dot, only my brother, Rosinante, had access to it. After reading it, he left Dressrosa. But it couldn't be him… could it? Damn it! He's my own brother! How could he betray me like this?!" Dofmingo roared, his voice filled with genuine anger.

  For a moment, his fury wasn't an act. The thought of Rosinante's betrayal stirred real rage within him, reigniting old wounds.

  Tsuru watched him carefully, his rea. After a moment, she cluded that his outburst wasirely fabricated. Her ow sank slightly. She had known Rosihrough her e to Sengoku and was aware of his unique position.

  But there was no time to dwell on it. Tsuru quickly took trol of the situation. "Regardless, we o assess the situation immediately. Gion, take a team and secure the Ope-Ope Fruit. Don't let it slip through our fingers!"

  Dofmingo didn't waste any more time. "Trebol, send our men onto the isnd. That fruit must not fall into the wrong hands!"

  With that, he left the warship alongside his crew. As Tsuru watched him go, she turo Gion and said softly, "Keep an eye on him."

  Gion nodded and led her team toward the isnd. Meanwhile, Tsuru returo her and picked up the Den Den Mushi, calling Sengoku directly.

  The call was answered quickly.

  "Tsuru, how's the operation going? Has it started yet?" Sengoku asked.

  "Sengoku, let me ask you something. Did ye for a hidden hand in this operation?" Tsuru asked sharply.

  Sengoku sounded surprised. "What hidden hand?"

  "Rosisuru said bluntly. "Did you send him to steal the Ope-Ope Fruit or interfere in any way?"

  "That's impossible. Rosinante would never—" Sengoku began but abruptly stopped mid-sentence.

  Tsuru's frown deepe his hesitation. "There's been an i on Minion Isnd. her we nor Dofmingo have nded yet, but there was a massive explosion. No sound, only fire and smoke. Dofmingo suspects Rosinante, and frankly, his abilities fit the circumstances perfectly."

  Sengoku was silent for a long moment before he spoke again, his voice tinged with uainty. "Rosinante wouldn't… would he?"

  But as the words left his mouth, Sengoku's fidence wavered. Memories of a ret versation with Rosinante surfaced in his mind, a versation about Minion Isnd and the Ope-Ope Fruit. At the time, Sengoku hadn't thought much of it. Now, though, he couldn't shake the feeling that he'd been pyed.