OPTC Chapter 240 Stay Steady
These two were members of the Donquixote Family—one of the top executives, Diamante, and the fighter Buffalo.
Tom's strange cries caught their attention. Such a distinctive cat could only be the one drawn on the Amber Travel Group's flag in the newspapers.
The two blocked Zhang Da Ye and his companions' path.
"Not hard to find you at all." Diamante smiled in a way that was hard to read. "So, should I call you 'Da Ye's Tavern' or the 'Amber Travel Group'?"
"Oh? You know so much about us? Are you fans?" Ye Yan brushed his bangs aside and said smugly, "We haven't even performed properly yet, and already fans are chasing us down. You're in luck—this is the first autograph I've given since coming to this world."
He pulled out a pen and notebook, signed his name, tore out two pages, and handed them to Diamante and Buffalo.
Hilariously, the two actually accepted them and studied them seriously.
"What's this say? I can't read it at all." Buffalo looked completely clueless, turning the paper over and upside down, not even sure which side was up.
Diamante was just as baffled.
It wasn't their fault—though Ye Yan had received the local language pack when he arrived, he still wrote his autograph in Chinese characters out of habit.
Watching their reactions, Ye Yan said smugly, "Not satisfied yet? Such passionate fans. How about a photo together? You brought a camera, right?"
"Brought… wait a second, how are you already doing peace signs? And Tom, stop joining in."
Zhang Da Ye grabbed Ye Yan with one hand and Tom with the other, then turned to Diamante and Buffalo. "And why are you two going along with this? Do you even know him?"
Feeling Zhang Da Ye pinch his arm, Ye Yan realized these two were trouble. He quickly hid his hands behind his back and gave signals to the others.
"Ahem." Diamante felt a little awkward, casually tossing away the autograph. His intel had said the group consisted of two women, one man, a robot, and a cat. But now there was also a teary-mole boy, a skeleton, and a pink-haired girl.
Still, those extras didn't look strong. Diamante ignored them and continued, "So you do know who we are?"
"Donquixote Family executive, Diamante, bounty ninety-nine million Beli. The other one, information unknown." Shark Chili rattled off the details, partly answering, partly warning his companions.
"Oh! You're a robot? That's awesome!" Buffalo, a true believer in manly romance, was impressed—but a little miffed that Shark Chili didn't know his info. "But why isn't there anything about me?"
Diamante laughed sheepishly. "So you know me but not Buffalo, eh? That makes me sound famous!"
Without Doflamingo there to back him up, he could only hype himself: "Yes, that's right, I'm the famous Diamante!"
Rui Meng Meng poked Ye Yan's shoulder and whispered, "He's as narcissistic as you."
"That's slander! When have I ever been narcissistic?" Ye Yan protested.
"Just now. Giving autographs, asking for photos." Rui Meng Meng mimicked his peace sign.
"That was artistic confidence!" Ye Yan retorted.
Zhang Da Ye sighed. His teammates and enemies were equally ridiculous. "So, what exactly are you here for?"
He worried the whole Donquixote Family might be nearby. If a fight broke out and Doflamingo unleashed his birdcage, this island would be ruined. He'd feel guilty about that.
"Let's talk somewhere quieter," Diamante suggested, noticing people nearby growing uneasy at Shark Chili's mention of a near–hundred million bounty. Talking further here could spark panic.
"Fine," Zhang Da Ye agreed. He didn't like the crowded street either—fighting here would be awkward.
"Buffalo," Diamante called.
"Yes!" Buffalo answered, his hair spinning like propellers. His body began to rotate and lift into the air. His legs bent upward, sprouting small propellers at the ankles, until he hovered face-down in the air with arms spread wide and feet tilted back.
Tom tilted his head, watching the spinning hair. Before long, his own head started spinning too—round and round until he got dizzy, his eyes turning into spirals. His chief's headdress slipped down over his eyes, and he staggered a few steps before Zhang Da Ye scooped him up.
Buffalo asked earnestly, "What's with this cat? Did it eat the Spin-Spin Fruit too?"
"Of course not. He's just… flexible," Zhang Da Ye brushed it off.
After that little episode, Diamante crossed his legs and sat on Buffalo's back as he flew slowly toward the shore.
At this point, Buffalo was about eighteen, six years older than his future partner Baby-5. Since he was here only as Diamante's transport, he hadn't brought her along.
If a petite Baby-5 sat on big, stocky Buffalo, it might have looked fine. But a five-meter-tall Diamante riding Buffalo… was quite the sight.
Trailing behind on foot, Zhang Da Ye flashed hand signals—the number sequence was the den-den mushi contact Rear Admiral Tsuru had once given Artoria. Everyone except Brook and Perona understood: if they got the chance, they should quietly call for backup.
Though confident in their strength, Zhang Da Ye preferred to be cautious. If things went bad, reinforcements could save them. If not, the bounties would be easier to collect later.
A near–hundred million bounty—tempting indeed. The government's last round of compensation had nearly run out, and this would be a nice refill.
Diamante, meanwhile, stayed wary. His observation haki was sloppy but good enough to notice Zhang Da Ye's subtle signs. He didn't understand the meaning, but he decided to play it safe—have Buffalo keep flying, and retreat if things went wrong.
He wasn't stupid. He knew at least one of them could fight Mihawk to a draw. Better to stay cautious.
Death itself didn't scare him—it was failing Doflamingo's plans that worried him.
And so, the two parties, meeting for the first time, silently agreed on one thing: staying steady was the smartest move.
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