After discussing the matter of the disobedient young girl, Robin, Gion continued, "Oh, by the way, are you aware of Admiral Sengoku's political mission?"
"Of course. The Op-Op Fruit, right? What about it? Is there a lead?" Diarmuid asked softly.
"Yes, there is," Gion replied, then added, "Tsuru-nee just left Headquarters, leading a team to the North Blue."
Diarmuid's expression became slightly more serious. He said, "Give me all the details."
He was well aware of the Op-Op Fruit's true significance, but he was worried about potential complications.
After all, this concerned the life of Rosinante. Rosinante considered Diarmuid an older brother, and over the years, Diarmuid had received no small amount of care from Sengoku. He couldn't just stand by and watch Sengoku suffer the loss of a child in his old age.
Therefore, Diarmuid was determined to save Rosinante, no matter what.
Gion was a bit surprised. Why was Diarmuid so concerned about a simple political mission to retrieve a Devil Fruit?
But since he asked, Gion didn't hold anything back. She began, "Do you know about former Marine Headquarters Commodore, Diez Barrels?"
Gion asked casually. Barrels was not a prominent individual, nor was he part of Diarmuid's faction, nor did he have any backing—otherwise, he wouldn't have been foolish enough to defect from the Marines. There were many Commodores like him in Marine Headquarters. As a Marine Admiral, how could Diarmuid possibly know all of them?
To Gion's surprise, Diarmuid replied without hesitation, "I know of him. Just a greedy fool."
"Well, that's about right," Gion murmured, then continued, "While he's a greedy fool, he seems to have gotten lucky. Recently, he found the Op-Op Fruit in the North Blue, and he was greatly tempted by the World Government's five billion Berry bounty in the Underworld for it. So, he wants to sell it to the World Government."
"And Admiral Sengoku was informed of this, correct?" Diarmuid said with a slight smile.
"Exactly. That man used Doflamingo as a middleman. The World Government assigned Admiral Sengoku to handle the matter, so the Admiral sent the Chief of Staff to the North Blue to take care of it," Gion said, smiling.
Diarmuid frowned.
Judging by her tone, it seemed neither Sengoku, Gion, nor even Tsuru was taking this seriously. Did none of them think Doflamingo was someone to worry about?
In fact, the "future" Diarmuid knew had already changed regarding this incident.
In the original story, after Barrels used the Donquixote Family as a middleman, Sengoku immediately recognized an opportunity. On one hand, he suspected Doflamingo would betray them, but on the other, he also took the chance to request authorization from the World Government to arrest Doflamingo. The World Government readily agreed.
So, in that incident, the Marines not only wanted to secure the Op-Op Fruit but also wanted to take down Doflamingo.
They just failed in the end.
But now, perhaps because Doflamingo had been on his best behavior these past few years, or perhaps because Sengoku had become a bit too arrogant and felt that with the Marines' current strength, Doflamingo wouldn't dare provoke them.
Therefore, they didn't take Doflamingo seriously at all.
There was no intent to arrest him, and Sengoku didn't think Doflamingo would dare steal food from the Marines' mouths.
"I suspect Doflamingo will double-cross them," Diarmuid said gravely.
Gion paused on the Den Den Mushi. "No way, right? Would he dare steal our Marine goods?"
"Though the man has been quiet for a few years, don't forget he's not a good person. Whether he dares to target the Marines or not depends on whether the profit is large enough, and the Op-Op Fruit is worth the risk to him," Diarmuid said very seriously.
"It's only five billion Berries..." Gion said, sounding confused.
"It's not about five billion. What was the political mission description the Marines were given regarding the Op-Op Fruit? Do you know?" Diarmuid asked again.
"Uh, that the Op-Op Fruit is one of the most powerful healing abilities, and if Mariejois could acquire it, it would better secure the lives of high-ranking officials, nobles, and even the Celestial Dragons... That's what Admiral Sengoku told me," Gion said, frowning.
Diarmuid was stunned. He thought Admiral Sengoku already knew the Op-Op Fruit grants eternal youth!
So he didn't know the whole time?
Perhaps he only found out afterward?
The reason given by Mariejois was indeed reasonable. The Celestial Dragons were now lording over everyone, and apart from the reckless Dragon, no one dared to target them. Therefore, Celestial Dragons generally faced no external threats. Their lives were only truly threatened by illness and disease.
If they could obtain the Op-Op Fruit, it would significantly reduce this danger. Using this reason to issue a political mission to the Marines was perfectly justifiable.
At this point, the World Government probably hadn't realized that Doflamingo, a former Celestial Dragon, was involved. They likely assumed Barrels simply found an Underworld middleman. If they knew Doflamingo was involved, they absolutely wouldn't have kept the secret from the Marines.
In fact, this was the case: because Sengoku didn't take Doflamingo seriously, he didn't mention him in his report.
In the original story, it was only because of Doflamingo's involvement that Sengoku learned the secret of the Op-Op Fruit.
In any case, due to various reasons, the current situation was completely muddled.
Diarmuid took a deep breath and said, "The Op-Op Fruit has a hidden secret, one perhaps only the Celestial Dragons know, and one I only learned of by chance: this Devil Fruit can grant a person eternal life. Now, do you think Doflamingo will make his move?"
"He will!" Gion said, shocked to her core.
She didn't doubt Diarmuid's words, knowing he had no reason to lie to her or joke about such a matter.
"So, if Doflamingo gets the Op-Op Fruit from Barrels first, the Admiral's mission will have failed?" Gion asked.
"Pretty much," Diarmuid chuckled.
"And you can still laugh?" Gion asked, annoyed.
"Since the higher-ups didn't clearly state the importance of the Op-Op Fruit, even if the mission fails in the end, the Admiral will at most get a verbal scolding. Are they going to demote him? So, it's nothing to worry about," Diarmuid said with a laugh.
Thinking about it, that was probably the situation. Gion also let out a small sigh of relief.
"What do we do now?" Gion asked.
"Luckily, I'm already in the North Blue. Chief of Staff Tsuru might not make it in time. Of course, I'll have to go myself," Diarmuid said casually.
After a brief pause, before Gion could speak, Diarmuid said, "Alright, you stay out of this. The water here is deep. I'll contact Admiral Sengoku right now..."
Seeing his resolve, Gion didn't say anything more and quickly ended the Den Den Mushi call.
At this point, Hina quietly asked, "Admiral, is it very troublesome?"
"Extremely troublesome..." Diarmuid said softly.
With serious business at hand, Diarmuid and Hina both implicitly ignored the little "peck" from before. Neither of them brought it up.
Diarmuid was indeed unbothered; it was just an unintentional kiss, what's the big deal?
However, Hina's heart had experienced a subtle change, though she hadn't displayed it yet, or perhaps, she hadn't even realized it herself.
Wasting no time, Diarmuid quickly dialed Sengoku's Den Den Mushi.
"Diarmuid? I heard you went to the North Blue. Are you looking for trouble with Doflamingo? The Gold-Gold Fruit?" Sengoku asked, chuckling on the Den Den Mushi.
He seemed to be in a very good mood.
In fact, he was. The mission to find the Op-Op Fruit, which he thought was impossible to complete, had suddenly shown a lead out of nowhere. From Sengoku's perspective, things were already on the right track. Once Tsuru arrived in the North Blue, handed over the money, and the transaction was completed, his task would be fulfilled.
Before Diarmuid could speak, Sengoku continued, "If you're going after Doflamingo, hold off for a bit. We have business with him, too. Wait until our matter is concluded, and then you can—"
"Hold on a second, listen to me," Diarmuid couldn't take it anymore and directly interrupted Sengoku.
Sengoku was taken aback, then he heard Diarmuid say, "The Op-Op Fruit's true value lies in its ability to grant eternal life; that's a secret only the Celestial Dragons know."
Diarmuid only spoke that one sentence.
Sengoku's once cheerful expression instantly changed, filled with shock, fury, and perhaps a hint of sorrow?
With just one sentence, a man as clever as Sengoku immediately understood many things. Wasn't that Doflamingo fellow a former Celestial Dragon?
If he was the middleman, there was no way the fruit would ever reach the Marines!
A mission that was originally a sure thing suddenly became completely uncertain. It would be strange if he wasn't furious.
Are these World Government people out of their minds?
Something so important, and they were still being vague about it. Who were they guarding against? Me?
With this attitude, they expect to get the Op-Op Fruit? Go to hell, you old bastards!
They had bungled the whole thing by being so secretive!
After the shock and fury subsided, a trace of sorrow appeared in Sengoku's eyes. "Two hours ago, Rosinante asked me about the Op-Op Fruit. I told him, and when I asked what he wanted it for, he just said he was curious... That child betrayed me."
He was heartbroken about this. Since Rosinante was also a former Celestial Dragon, if Doflamingo knew the secret, Rosinante must have known it too. Yet, he hadn't told Sengoku; instead, he was gathering intelligence and details of the Marine's operation from him.
Sengoku could only conclude at that moment that Rosinante had betrayed his trust to gain eternal life. That's what caused his sorrow.
"Stop with the self-pity!" Diarmuid scoffed.
Sengoku: "???"
My own son betrayed me, turned into an unfilial child! Can't I be sad for a moment?
"Rosinante is not after eternal life, so you don't need to be overly sad. However, since he didn't explain the situation to you, it proves he did betray your trust. He's looking after a child with Amber Lead Disease, you know that, right?" Diarmuid quickly explained.
"I know," Sengoku nodded. He had even recommended Rosinante go to Drum Kingdom back then.
Thinking about it this way, the root cause might also lie with Sengoku?
The whole tangled mess was truly a complicated knot.
"When I contacted him earlier, I learned some secrets. Rosinante wants the Op-Op Fruit, that's true, but not for eternal life. He's an idiot who separates neither work nor private life and has indeed betrayed your trust, but he's not so despicable as to betray you for something like eternal life. How should I put it? He's having a saintly fit and wants to use the Op-Op Fruit to save that kid..." Diarmuid said without hesitation.
Though Rosinante had betrayed his trust, hearing that it was to save a life and not for eternal life made Sengoku's sadness significantly lessen.
In fact, he felt a hint of pride?
See? What a kind and upright child! He's willing to give up eternal life just to save someone. What does this show? It shows I, Sengoku, have taught him well!
Diarmuid had no idea what Sengoku was thinking. If he did, he might have spit in his face. Taught him well, my foot!
"I heard from Gion that Chief of Staff Tsuru just left Marineford, right? She's probably not going to make it in time. Tell me the rendezvous point. I'm already in the North Blue. I'll see if I can salvage this... But don't get your hopes up. What Rosinante is doing is not only a betrayal of your trust but also an attempt to crash Doflamingo's business. That guy is vicious enough to kill his own father. If Rosinante messes this up, he's dead for sure. I won't guarantee the Op-Op Fruit, but my main objective this time is to save Rosinante," Diarmuid said heavily.
The World Government hid the truth of the Op-Op Fruit from Sengoku, leaving him completely passive, and his son was now in grave danger in the North Blue.
Sengoku was naturally furious. He didn't care about the mission anymore. He immediately said, "Minion Island, North Blue's Minion Island... Diarmuid, I'm entrusting Rosinante's life to you."
He didn't mention the Op-Op Fruit at all, only entrusting him with Rosinante's life. Diarmuid naturally understood Sengoku's meaning.
Sure enough, it's Minion Island. The location hasn't changed...
"Don't worry. That guy practically grew up under my watch. I won't let you suffer the pain of a white-haired man burying his black-haired son, will I?" Diarmuid replied with a smile.