Barrels's plan was not entirely useless, but it was full of holes.
Part of his analysis was correct: Doflamingo would indeed not tarnish his reputation for 6 billion Berries.
However, Barrels equating the Ope-Ope no Mi to 6 billion Berries did not mean Doflamingo thought the same.
In his eyes, the Ope-Ope no Mi should be equivalent to the Immortality Operation, equivalent to eternal life.
More importantly, Doflamingo understood some information related to the national treasure; the Ope-Ope no Mi could be utilized to a much greater extent by him than by anyone else.
On the other hand, from Doflamingo's perspective, the Barrels Pirates were not a powerful force, so if he wiped them out, wouldn't no one know he had double-crossed them?
That's right, eliminating all witnesses is a perfect crime.
The gain was an Ope-Ope no Mi, the risk was damage to JOKER's reputation in the black market.
The risk and reward were completely disproportionate; how could Doflamingo not be tempted?
So when Barrels's call reached Doflamingo, he was completely stunned.
At the Donquixote Family's base in Spadamirz Harbor, Doflamingo was idly lounging with his legs crossed, lazily reclining in a large chair, reading his favorite newspaper, utterly at ease.
He casually took the transponder snail handed to him by a subordinate and, in his distinctive tone, said:
"Moshi moshi, this is JOKER, any good business to attend to?"
Barrels tried to suppress his excitement and revealed the news of the Ope-Ope no Mi.
A glint flashed in Doflamingo's eyes hidden behind his sunglasses, and Conqueror's Haki unconsciously released, then was quickly suppressed by him.
His tone returned to its casual demeanor, as if he were discussing an ordinary transaction:
"Fufufufufu..."
"Six billion Berries... the World Government is really willing to spend money."
"No problem, I will be responsible for contacting the high-ranking officials of the World Government, but I need ten percent of the transaction amount."
"No, no, no, my dear friend, this share is not high at all, I am taking a very big risk!"
"Alright, alright! Five hundred million Berries, no lower."
"That's right, your concerns are very reasonable, but please trust JOKER's reputation; with the scale of my business, reputation is my most valuable asset."
"So, can you tell me the time and place of the transaction now?"
Barrels let out a long breath and slowly said:
"One week later, Minion Island."
"No problem, I will contact the World Government for you immediately."
Doflamingo readily agreed and quickly hung up the phone.
The moment he put down the receiver, the relaxed businessman's demeanor instantly vanished from his face, replaced by the cold ruthlessness and excitement of a hunter locking onto prey:
"Trebol! Immediately notify all family members in the vicinity to drop what they're doing and gather at Minion Island!"
He leaned forward, his gaze sweeping over everyone in the room from behind his sunglasses, lingering for a moment on Rosinante, before continuing:
"Diamante, you are responsible for preparing weapons and ships, the fastest ones!"
"Lao G, go pick a group of reliable men to bring along! This operation requires absolutely trustworthy people!"
Doflamingo's lips curved into a cruel smile:
"Remember, we must get this cargo intact!"
"As for those pirates..."
He let out a brief, cold laugh:
"Fufufu... let them stay on that island forever!"
"Don't worry, Doffy, I'll go prepare right away!"
Trebol and the others clearly realized the importance of this operation and dared not delay, immediately beginning preparations.
Only Doflamingo and his younger brother Rosinante remained in the room.
Doflamingo stood up, his tall figure casting a shadow across the room.
He slowly walked in front of Rosinante and placed a hand on his shoulder:
"Rosie, this mission... is different from other missions."
Rosinante was currently pretending to be mute, only showing a bewildered expression.
As an undercover agent planted by Sengoku within the Donquixote Family, Rosinante naturally wanted to seize this rare opportunity to gather more of Doflamingo's thoughts and intelligence.
Doflamingo paused for a moment, seemingly weighing his words.
A moment later, he gently patted Rosinante's shoulder and suddenly brought up an unrelated topic:
"Do you remember everything we lost, Rosie!"
"I will never forget Mother's death! Never forget the hardships we endured! All of this was caused by that guy's foolishness!"
Even after so many years, Doflamingo still gritted his teeth when Homing was mentioned.
Rosinante, however, remained unfazed.
Compared to Homing, he hated his brother even more for shooting their father in front of him.
Doflamingo shed his usual cruelty, adopting a rare, sincere expression:
"Once we get our hands on the Ope-Ope no Mi, I need you to eat it immediately!"
Rosinante's body stiffened slightly, confusion and shock clearly written on his face.
He looked up in disbelief, his expression full of astonishment.
On one hand, during his years in the Marine, he had already become a user of the Calm-Calm Fruit, making it impossible to eat another Devil Fruit.
On the other hand, news about the Ope-Ope no Mi had been circulating wildly on the seas a few years ago, so he was naturally well aware of the information regarding the Immortality Operation.
It required not only superb medical skills to awaken the Ope-Ope no Mi's power but also the life of the user to grant another person eternal life.
A life for a life.
In other words, Doflamingo's decision meant sacrificing him.
Doflamingo, of course, understood what Rosinante was thinking, and he tried his best to make his tone sound sincere:
"Rosie, you understand what the Ope-Ope no Mi represents."
"The future of the Donquixote Family needs a trustworthy person to control this power."
"Those people..."
He gestured towards the door:
"They are just family members."
"But you, you are my own brother!"
"This power, only when held by true family, can it unleash its greatest value."
"Do you understand, Rosie?"
His gaze was fixed intently on Rosinante:
"I need your help!"
The astonishment in Rosinante's eyes vanished, replaced by an unprecedented resolve.
He nodded vigorously.
Got it! I'll tell the Marine all your plans right away!
Seeing this, Doflamingo nodded in satisfaction:
"Thank you, Rosie!"
Turning around, Doflamingo's eyes, hidden behind his sunglasses, flickered indeterminately.
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