OP: My Aircraft Carrier Evolves#212+213: Doflamingo: Am I the Clown? Poaching from Big Mom After the Tea Party!

"How are you?" Jin's voice was low. "Can you move?"

Tesoro's Gold-Gold Fruit hadn't reached the advanced stage of Awakening—the point where it could permanently alter the nature of matter.

After he had been sent back to the demonic carrier for "execution," his power had vanished.

Naturally, the gold encasing Reiju dissipated.

She opened her eyes. A quick scan of her surroundings and the figure standing before her was all it took—she understood everything.

Jin had saved her.

Hearing the concern in his voice, a wave of gratitude washed over her. She gave a small nod and reached out, letting Jin pull her to her feet.

Nearby, Law staggered up on his own.

In his bid to save Tesoro, Doflamingo had abandoned his attack on him, giving Law a precious few moments to recover.

He still couldn't beat Doflamingo, but he was no longer at risk of being taken out in an instant. Law was satisfied with that progress.

Snack scrambled out of the rubble he’d been thrown into. A single glance from Jin was all it took. A cold dread washed over him, and he froze, not daring to move an inch.

Though Snack was a Sweet Commander, he lacked true courage. In the original story, after being defeated by the Supernova "Mad Monk" Urouge, he had been stripped of his title.

Now, having witnessed Jin kill Tesoro and crush Doflamingo with his own eyes, he was terrified.

In his mind, the handsome, composed man before him was wreathed in an aura of bloodlust and brutality—the unmistakable presence of a demon from the battlefield.

When you fear someone, a single look can be enough to bring you to your knees. It was the same principle the Celestial Dragons used to domesticate the world, the same "terror" the World Government ruled with.

"Let's go," Jin said, turning to Reiju and Law. "It's time to leave."

"Right," they both nodded.

Just then—

"Hey, brat!" a booming voice echoed across the ruins. "You raised hell, trashed my home, and now you think you can just walk away?"

Reiju and Law stiffened.

'She's awake?'

The resilience of a Yonko was truly monstrous.

Jin stopped and looked up.

Amidst the dust swirling around the collapsed chateau, a colossal figure slowly rose from a sitting position.

THUD.

She took a step, emerging from the smoke, casually brushing off her dress. Her clothes were scorched and torn in several places.

"Mama..."

Katakuri, Smoothie, Cracker, and Oven, who had been scattered across the battlefield, were spurred on by her presence and began to stir, pushing themselves up.

Big Mom's gaze swept over the utter devastation of her home, finally landing on Jin.

Their eyes met across the ruined landscape.

"You want another round?" Jin asked, his voice calm, unyielding.

The world seemed to fall silent.

An oppressive aura radiated from the two of them, a palpable tension that hung in the air.

"MAMAMAMA... MAMAMAMAMAMA!"

Suddenly, Big Mom tilted her head back and let out a booming laugh.

Eh?

The guests, like Du Feld, were completely bewildered. No one knew what she was laughing about.

"Mama?" Smoothie and Cracker exchanged a look. They could tell it was a genuine, hearty laugh. She didn't seem angry at all.

Why?

"Linlin..." Stussy froze, her eyes fixed on the Yonko. Though she was just a clone of Bakkin, she occasionally had flashes of memory from her time on the Rocks Pirates.

She only ever laughed like that for two reasons: when facing a true powerhouse, or when she'd found someone who had earned her respect.

Like Kaido. She had always had a soft spot for him.

Big Mom's laughter subsided. She looked down at Jin. "Well now, you're quite the handful, aren't you, brat!"

"That was a delightful little pre-dinner game."

"Hey, Streusen! It's time to eat!"

From the crowd, the head chef, Streusen, emerged. "Right away, Linlin! It's just that... some of the dishes were destroyed. It will take a little time."

"How can we keep our guests waiting?" Big Mom declared, plopping down on the ground. "Let's have a picnic! A unique Tea Party!"

"It'll be ready in a moment!" Streusen said, directing the other chefs to get to work.

Seeing that no one was moving, Big Mom looked around. "What's wrong? You're not all scared by a little commotion, are you?"

Everyone was silent.

A little commotion??

What an understatement.

They were all terrified.

And what was with her reaction? Did she not care at all? No anger? No rage? It was impossible to understand.

"MAMAMAMA! It was just an appetizer for the Tea Party, wasn't it..." she said, her eyes once again fixed on Jin. "King Jin."

Jin raised an eyebrow. In that moment, he saw a glimpse of the woman she had been twenty or thirty years ago.

In her later years, Big Mom's body and mind were ravaged by her sugar addiction, her eating disorder, and her soul-sickness. By the time she fought Luffy, she was in a state of near-constant madness, a pirate in her twilight years. She'd even lost her memory.

But years ago, she hadn't been like that. She had been powerful, intelligent, and, though a woman, she had possessed a bold, almost heroic spirit.

Now, he was seeing a shadow of that younger self.

He didn't know why.

Maybe the "electrotherapy" had shocked her back to her senses.

Maybe his strength, his youth, had reminded her of the old days.

Or maybe, at this point in time, she hadn't yet descended so far into madness.

In any case, it wasn't a bad thing.

Big Mom wasn't enraged. She was even offering a way out, a chance to put this all behind them.

The host had extended an olive branch. If Jin were to throw it back in her face, he would be a poor guest indeed.

He smiled and took it. "That's right," he said. "It was... a very beneficial appetizer."

Huh??

Wha...???

The onlookers were dumbfounded.

Doflamingo pushed himself into a sitting position, wiping a smear of blood from his lips. Their words hit him, and his mind reeled.

'Fuck. Am I the fucking clown here?'

No. There was an even bigger clown, one who had no idea what was going on.

BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOM!

A pillar of fire erupted from the direction of the port.

Everyone looked over.

Ace, soaring through the air, had just unleashed a Fire Fist, blowing Tesoro's golden ship to smithereens.

When he had arrived, he had found Wyper, Raki, and Wilson fighting Tesoro's grunts. Jin had sent them a signal through their crests to intercept the ship and prevent them from returning to Gran Tesoro and causing any more trouble.

That was his property.

His money.

Ace's intentions were clear. At a time like this, he had to make a good impression, to curry favor before asking for help.

With their ship destroyed, and on Big Mom's territory, even Baccarat, with her Luck-Luck Fruit, couldn't escape.

"MAMAMAMA... Fire Fist Ace? All the guests have arrived! The Tea Party... has begun!" Big Mom laughed, delighted.

Her children who were seriously injured were taken to the doctors. The rest quickly directed the Homies to clean up the ruins, clearing a large open space.

A massive tablecloth was spread out. In the center was a giant cake, surrounded by all manner of delicacies, desserts, and fine wines.

The invited guests all sat on the ground. Jin did as well, feeling as if he were at a child's tea party.

<><><><><><><><>

In attendance, besides those already mentioned, were two other heavyweights: the "Godfather" of the mortician world, Drug Peclo, and the "Shipping King," Umit.

They, along with Stussy, Morgans, Giberson and Du Feld were known as the "Six Kings of the Underworld," the rulers of the pirate black market.

Peclo, for example, was supposedly in the mortician business, but his real trade was collecting bodies and selling organs. He had also been one of Big Mom's childhood friends, taken in by Mother Carmel.

Stussy, Morgans, and Du Feld needed no introduction.

Giberson controlled the underworld's logistics hub. His warehouses were filled with all manner of contraband, from Poneglyph rubbings to weapons blueprints to wanted criminals.

"Deep Ocean Current" Umit's business was vast, ranging from civilian shipping to transport contracts with the World Government, as well as some black-market smuggling. He was the one who handled the transport for arms deals like the one between Doflamingo and Kaido.

To run a shipping business in the world of One Piece, his strength aside, his connections had to be top-notch.

These two were interested in Jin, but they kept their distance, wary of getting involved in something they didn't understand.

Doflamingo was nowhere to be seen. He had either left or was hiding, keeping a low profile. Jin had no plans to deal with him for now. Doflamingo's status was a complication. It was better to leave him for Law to level up on.

—————————

Big Mom, while stuffing her face with cake, shared stories of her childhood, even mentioning Mother Carmel.

Jin listened patiently.

Big Mom's acquisition of the Soul-Soul Fruit was similar to the demonic carrier's: she had "eaten" the previous user.

But the demonic carrier, having been altered by temporal energy, had had the accumulated wills of all the Munch-Munch Fruit's past users erased.

Big Mom had not. A fragment of Carmel's soul still lingered within her, subtly influencing her.

As he listened, Jin's mind was on another matter: what to do with Gran Tesoro.

This wasn't part of the plan. But plans change. Who could have known that Tesoro would show up and, for some reason, make a move on Uta?

He'd brought it on himself. He had to die.

Taking over his business was a given.

The question was, who would run it?

A place like Gran Tesoro attracted all sorts of people, from Celestial Dragons to common pirates. It needed someone who could command respect and was smart enough to handle it. Besides himself, the only person under his command who fit the bill was Crocodile.

Law was too young. He couldn't command that kind of respect. And his Op-Op Fruit was too dangerous to have around the Celestial Dragons.

Reiju? She was smart, a skilled diplomat, and not weak. But she was a woman. She lacked the intimidating presence needed for the role. In other words, she wasn't strong enough. If she had the power of Big Mom, Jin wouldn't have to worry.

Kuma was out of the question. He was on the World Government's and the Marines' shit list. The moment he showed his face, he'd be a dead man.

The others—Robin, Maya, Wilson, Wyper—they weren't strong enough, and they all had their own roles to play.

He was short on talent. Expanding too fast was a problem. If he couldn't keep up with the training and management, it would all fall apart.

Suddenly, an idea flashed in his mind. He was short on talent... so he could just poach it.

With the right leverage, he could even poach a Marine Admiral.

With that thought, a plan began to form. And he had the perfect person in mind.

Jin's gaze shifted to Katakuri, who was wrapped in bandages. As if sensing his stare, Katakuri looked over.

Jin gave him a small smile.

Katakuri was confused, and a little creeped out. Then he remembered. Was this about the three Devil Fruits? He scoffed. The Big Mom Pirates didn't welsh on their debts. The three fruits were ready. They just hadn't had a chance to say so.

Jin, focusing on Katakuri, had inadvertently read his thoughts. He chuckled. He'd almost forgotten about that.

—————————

By the time the Tea Party ended, it was evening. None of the guests had left.

The regulars knew that the real business happened after the meal.

The people here were all giants in their respective fields. This was where they exchanged information, where they made their backroom deals.

Doflamingo, for example, had a private meeting with Big Mom to discuss his plans for Punk Hazard.

Katakuri was the first to approach Jin, delivering the three Devil Fruits and declaring their debt settled.

Stussy, under the pretext of discussing business, hinted that she had obtained a portion of the information he wanted and had left it on a certain island. With so many intelligence agents around, she obviously couldn't carry it on her person.

Umit and Peclo also came to greet Jin, but they didn't stay long, just long enough to exchange contact information.

Finally, there was Ace.

He said he had an urgent matter to discuss and requested a private meeting. Whitebeard's health was a serious issue. He had to be cautious.

After Jin had dismissed his attendants, Ace took a deep breath, dropped to his knees, and pressed his forehead to the deck in a deep bow.

He explained his reason for coming.

Jin sat, his fingers tapping on the arm of his chair. He didn't answer immediately.

The silence was heavy.

Ace could hear his own heart pounding.

Just as he was starting to think it was a lost cause, Jin spoke. "My fee is one Devil Fruit. And Law has to agree to go. And his safety must be guaranteed."

"Alright! Thank you!" Ace said, overjoyed.

"Don't thank me," Jin said. "If Whitebeard were to die now, the world would be a hundred times less interesting."

Ace didn't understand. He thought it was a matter of respect between two powerful men.

"Go," Jin said. "Ask Law."

Ace thanked him again. He was confident he could persuade Law.

—————————

Doflamingo left with a smile on his face. The meeting had gone well. Big Mom had agreed to invest in his plan, on the condition that it was successful.

After he had left, Stussy emerged from around a corner. Introduced by Smoothie, she and Big Mom were old friends.

She brought a gift, and they reminisced for a while. Then, she casually asked why Big Mom had let the events of the day go so easily.

"He's strong," Big Mom said with a smile.

"Is that all?"

"Yes," Big Mom nodded. "Anyone who can fight off Whitebeard and go head-to-head with me deserves special treatment. Besides, it's not like it was a life-or-death battle. And he didn't kill Katakuri or Oven. And one more thing... Tesoro is dead. Gran Tesoro is now a city without a master. That's a big cake."

She stuck out her tongue and licked her lips. "I'm going to have a talk with him. About how to divide that city. He can't eat it all by himself. Are you interested, Stussy?"

Gran Tesoro was indeed a sweet cake. It was no surprise that Big Mom was eyeing it.

"Divide it? Of course," Jin said. "I'm not one to eat alone. In fact, the next ruler of Gran Tesoro could be Katakuri. But... he would have to leave the Big Mom Pirates. He would have to 'defect' and join my crew."

"Why?"

"Gran Tesoro is a high-class establishment. On the surface, it can't have any ties to a Yonko. That's the only way to make real money. If Katakuri joins my crew, I can use my Warlord privileges to freeze his bounty, and then I can put him in charge. Procedurally, there would be no problem. Then we get Morgans to spin the story in the news. Not exactly a whitewash, but not a black mark either. As for a reason to 'defect'? We can come up with a dozen," Jin said dismissively. "He can 'take responsibility' for what happened today, be 'punished' for it... we'll invent something."

Big Mom hesitated. Jin's proposal challenged her dreams, her ideals. It crossed a line.

"Linlin, he's right," Stussy said. "Gran Tesoro absolutely cannot be associated with a Yonko. Its success is dependent on the backing of the Celestial Dragons and the World Government. If it's tied to a Yonko, it's doomed."

Big Mom frowned, thinking it over. It was true. The title of Yonko was both an honor and a set of invisible shackles.

"It's not a real defection," Jin said. "It's just a show. Like a game. And arguments are part of the game. Real family doesn't have to be together. And being together doesn't make you family. If you're not interested, I won't share. And if you try to take it... I'll just destroy it. As if it never existed."

An entertainment city... Jin didn't really care about it.

Big Mom glared at him, annoyed, but she knew she was beaten. "I'll think about it," she said.

"Think fast," Jin replied. "With Tesoro dead, we're not the only ones who will be after his legacy. I'm heading out now, to take Gran Tesoro."

He stood up and left.