The meeting had been called without much warning, which was enough to make the executives of the Donquixote Family wonder what their captain had in mind. Doflamingo rarely summoned all his senior subordinates unless he had something important to discuss, and the timing was particularly unusual. The family had several ongoing businesses to manage, along with the usual disputes and opportunities that came with maintaining a position in the underworld. There was always something that required their attention, yet Doflamingo had insisted that everyone put their other responsibilities aside and attend.
By the time the meeting began, Trebol, Diamante, Pica, and the other senior members had gathered in the designated room. They were accustomed to Doflamingo's unpredictable decisions, but none of them could say with certainty what this particular meeting concerned. Trebol leaned on his staff, his long tongue occasionally moving across his lips as he considered the possibilities. Diamante sat with his usual confidence, while Pica remained silent. The others exchanged a few quiet remarks before the door opened.
Doflamingo entered with his familiar grin, his sunglasses concealing his eyes as he took his place at the head of the table.
"Fufufufufu! Everyone seems to be here. Good. I've got something interesting to tell you."
Trebol leaned forward immediately. "Behehehe. Doffy? Have you found another opportunity for the family?"
"Something better than that, Trebol. At least, potentially." Doflamingo rested his hands on the table and looked around the room. "Do you remember the gathering I attended recently?"
The executives exchanged glances. They knew that Doflamingo had been away, although the details of his absence had not been shared with everyone. Those closest to him understood that their captain occasionally dealt with matters that extended beyond the ordinary affairs of the Donquixote Family. When he chose to explain something, they listened. When he chose not to, they had learned not to press him unnecessarily.
"I've told you a little about the place," Doflamingo continued. "It's called the Nexus. Think of it as a meeting ground connected to worlds beyond our own. People from entirely different worlds can gather there, exchange information, undertake missions, and obtain things that would otherwise be impossible to acquire."
Diamante raised an eyebrow. "Different worlds? You mean different islands?"
"No, Diamante. Different worlds." Doflamingo chuckled at the distinction. "Places with their own histories, their own powers, and their own rules. Some of the people I've met there could turn this entire world upside down if they decided to pay us a visit."
That attracted everyone's attention.
The Donquixote Family was not easily impressed by stories of powerful individuals. They had survived in a world filled with extraordinary Devil Fruits, monstrous pirates, and Marines capable of destroying entire fleets. Yet Doflamingo's tone suggested that his description was not an exaggeration intended to entertain them.
Pica finally spoke. "And you can travel to these worlds?"
"Not quite as freely as you might imagine. The Nexus has its own rules, and it doesn't simply give people everything they want. But it provides opportunities that would be difficult to find anywhere else."
Trebol's expression became increasingly animated. "Behehehe! Then there must be some incredible things available there, Doffy! Powerful abilities, rare treasures, perhaps even things that could make the family stronger!"
"Exactly." Doflamingo leaned back in his chair. "The possibilities are worth investigating, but we shouldn't become distracted by every shiny object we see. An opportunity is only valuable if you understand how to use it."
He allowed the statement to settle before continuing. He explained the existence of missions and rewards, the distinction between those invited directly by the Nexus and those who might eventually gain access through its wider membership, and the importance of understanding its rules before attempting to exploit its opportunities. He did not provide every detail of his experience at the Conference of Kings, nor did he explain everything he had learned about the other participants. The executives received enough information to understand that the Nexus was real, that it possessed resources beyond their world, and that their captain intended to make use of it.
For Doflamingo, the conversation served another purpose. He wanted his executives to understand that his activities might occasionally extend beyond the ordinary operations of the family. If he disappeared for a period or returned with information that could not be explained through conventional means, they would not waste time speculating about matters that did not concern them. The Nexus was a resource, and he intended to treat it as one.
"What matters most," he said, "is that we learn to recognize opportunities before someone else takes advantage of them. The world is full of people who believe their power, wealth, or reputation makes them untouchable. Most of them are wrong. They simply haven't met the person who knows where to apply pressure."
He then turned the discussion toward Drug Peclo and the Blood Tavern. The name was familiar to the executives, though their individual knowledge of Peclo's business varied. Doflamingo explained the importance of the organization, its position within the underworld, and the opportunities that might arise from understanding its operations more thoroughly. He spoke about information as a source of power and the advantages that came from knowing how other people conducted their business.
He also made it clear that he expected the family to cooperate with his broader intentions.
The details of what followed were discussed privately. Doflamingo outlined his plans to his executives, and each of them listened carefully before offering their observations. Trebol was particularly enthusiastic about the possibilities, while Diamante considered how the developments might affect their existing operations. Pica remained characteristically reserved, but he understood the importance of following their captain's instructions precisely.
The conversation continued for some time, covering responsibilities, preparations, and the matters that would need attention while Doflamingo pursued the next stage of his work. By the time the meeting ended, the executives understood what was expected of them, even if the specifics of their captain's larger objective would remain confined to that room.
Doflamingo dismissed them with a final reminder to continue their regular duties and avoid drawing unnecessary attention to any unusual developments. The executives departed in groups, discussing the possibilities that the Nexus might offer the Donquixote Family. Doflamingo watched them leave with a satisfied expression. He had no intention of revealing every detail of his plans to the wider world, but his closest subordinates needed to understand enough to help him carry them out.
Once the room was empty, he collected a few papers from the table and placed them in a drawer. His business in this world would continue as usual, and the family would not suddenly abandon its existing operations. The next step required something that even his most trusted executives could not provide through their ordinary contacts.
He needed a master spy.
Someone capable of investigating Drug Peclo's entire business without alerting the man that his organization was being examined. Someone who could distinguish between the information Peclo allowed others to see and the secrets he had carefully concealed. Most importantly, the investigation had to cover the Blood Tavern in sufficient detail to reveal how it functioned, who maintained its various branches, and which relationships were essential to its continued operation.
Doflamingo had no intention of relying on rumors or incomplete reports. If he was going to make a move against an organization as deeply established as the Blood Tavern, he wanted to understand precisely what he was dealing with before committing himself.
He left the room and made his way to a private area where he could contact the Nexus. The process was familiar now, and he had grown more comfortable with the strange transition between his own world and the pocket space that connected its members. Within moments, the surroundings changed, and Doflamingo found himself once again in the Nexus Guild.
The place possessed a peculiar atmosphere that he had not entirely grown accustomed to. It was neither a conventional building nor a location that followed the familiar rules of geography. The Nexus existed according to its own logic, bringing together individuals and opportunities that should never have intersected. Doflamingo found that fact more interesting than unsettling. A world with different rules was simply another place where a sufficiently intelligent man could find an advantage.
He made his way toward the area used for issuing tasks and rewards, where Kitse was available to attend to the guild's affairs. The Guild Master regarded him as he approached, apparently unsurprised by the visit.
"Back so soon, Doflamingo?" Kitse asked. "I take it you've found something worth pursuing."
"Fufufufufu! You could say that. I've decided to make use of the privilege you told me about."
Kitse listened as Doflamingo explained the task he wished to commission. He was looking for a master spy capable of conducting a comprehensive investigation into Drug Peclo and his business interests. The investigation would cover Peclo's entire commercial operation, but the principal objective was to obtain detailed business intelligence on the Blood Tavern itself.
The task would require more than identifying Peclo's associates or discovering where he conducted his meetings. The investigator would need to examine the organization's structure, its methods of gathering information, its network of intermediaries, its assassination contracts, and the relationships that allowed it to operate without exposing its entire network to any single client or rival. The objective was to understand how the Blood Tavern worked, where its strengths lay, and which parts of its business were most important to its continued success.
Doflamingo made no request for Peclo's death or for the organization to be seized. He wanted intelligence, and he was prepared to pay an appropriate price for it.
When Kitse asked about the reward, Doflamingo's grin broadened.
"A Devil Fruit."
He named the prize he was willing to offer: the Cat-Cat Fruit, Model: Thunder Cat. It was a valuable reward, and he expected that it would attract someone with the necessary skill and experience to complete the assignment. The fruit's exact properties were less important to him than its value to the right candidate. A capable spy would have good reason to accept the mission, and Doflamingo would receive the information he needed without exposing his own involvement in the investigation.
Kitse considered the request, examining the requirements and the reward that had been placed on offer. The Nexus had access to individuals from many different worlds, including people whose abilities were exceptionally well suited to covert operations. Finding the right candidate would require more than selecting the strongest person available. The mission demanded patience, discretion, and the ability to gather information without allowing the target to realize that an investigation was underway.
After a brief pause, Kitse looked back at Doflamingo.
"I think there is someone who is perfect for the job."