Upon hearing Wood's words, Diez Barrels' expression immediately shifted. It was evident that if Wood dared to make such claims, he must have somehow uncovered information that Diez Barrels wasn't privy to.
"The allure of eternal life brought by the Ope Ope no Mi is something very few can resist. Doflamingo is no different," Wood continued calmly. "So, while he's orchestrating your transaction with the World Government, he's already planned to double-cross you. In other words, neither the Ope Ope no Mi nor the five billion Berries will leave this island in your possession. Your pirate crew may very well be wiped out here."
At this point, Diez Barrels had already begun to suspect the possibility of Doflamingo betraying him, especially after hearing Wood's accusations. But he never imagined that Doflamingo would be bold enough to target the World Government as well!
"This can't be! Doflamingo may be a notable figure in the underworld, but he's still just a rising star. There's no way he'd have the guts to cross the World Government," Diez Barrels objected, his initial shock giving way to the reasoning he thought would refute Wood's claims.
It wasn't long before he considered that perhaps Doflamingo wasn't yet powerful enough to openly defy the World Government, which reassured him slightly.
"Seems like your strength isn't the only thing lacking; your brain's not working too well either," Wood mocked with a hint of amusement. "If Doflamingo were to take the Ope Ope no Mi from you, do you really think the World Government would just let him walk away? Sure, he could hand it over and pocket the five billion Berries. But do you honestly believe that he'd pass up the chance for eternal life for a mere five billion Berries?"
Wood leaned forward slightly, his eyes glinting with calculated intent. "If I were Doflamingo, I'd eliminate both sides. That way, I'd get the five billion Berries and the Ope Ope no Mi. Then, I'd simply pin the blame on you after you're dead."
Diez Barrels tried to interject, but Wood was already anticipating his argument. "Maybe you think the World Government wouldn't believe Doflamingo's story. But that's where you're mistaken. You don't know Doflamingo's true background, do you?"
Wood continued, unfazed. "He might be known as the 'Heavenly Demon' and a 'Joker' in the underworld, but he's also a former World Noble, with the blood of the Donquixote family—one of the Celestial Dragons—running through his veins. Doflamingo has his connections within the World Government and can easily manipulate them to believe his version of events."
The more Wood spoke, the colder Diez Barrels' back became. He suddenly realized that if everything was indeed as Wood claimed, he and his crew had been nothing more than puppets in Doflamingo's hands from the start.
Whether or not he received the five billion Berries was irrelevant now. The likelihood was that they wouldn't leave the island alive.
Diez Barrels considered fleeing, but he quickly dismissed the thought. If he ran now, neither the World Government nor the underworld would spare him. And he was sure Doflamingo wouldn't just let him go after all the planning that had gone into this scheme.
Simply put, Diez Barrels was trapped in Doflamingo's game, with no choice but to play his part.
"Wood, the so-called 'Marine Traitor'—what exactly do you propose? Since you knew so much before coming here and sought me out to collaborate, you must have a plan," Diez Barrels asked, his voice laced with a mix of desperation and curiosity.
Neither the World Government nor the Donquixote Family were forces that Diez Barrels believed he could contend with on his own. After thinking things over, he realized that his only chance of survival might lie in teaming up with Wood.
"It seems you've finally understood the situation," Wood said with a smirk. "If you want to survive the clash between these two powerful forces, your only hope is to work with me. After all, I wouldn't leave you empty-handed for your efforts. Once this is over, I'm willing to give you two billion Berries out of the five billion. The remaining three billion and the Ope Ope no Mi will be mine."
Hearing Wood's proposal, Diez Barrels' initial reaction was one of disbelief. Wood was practically taking everything—six out of ten shares of the total loot, including the Ope Ope no Mi, which belonged to Diez Barrels' crew in the first place. If the fruit were valued at five billion Berries, Wood would be walking away with eighty percent of the haul.
"This is what you call a collaboration? Forgive me, but I don't see any sincerity in your offer," Diez Barrels said, laughing bitterly. He had thought Doflamingo's demands were outrageous, but Wood seemed no better.
"Diez Barrels, let's be clear. Without my involvement, you wouldn't even be able to leave this island alive, let alone negotiate for a share of the loot," Wood retorted, his tone growing more assertive. "The fact that I'm offering you two billion Berries is already generous on my part. You think the Ope Ope no Mi is yours? If it weren't for the risk of raising suspicion, I'd have no need for you at all. Do you really think you'd be standing here, bargaining with me if that were the case?"
At this stage in his career, Doflamingo's strength wasn't quite at the monstrous levels it would reach later, particularly with his Devil Fruit powers not yet fully awakened. However, his top officers were still formidable, and when combined with the World Government's involvement, Wood wasn't confident that he could directly take on both forces at once.
The system's mission required Wood to secure the Ope Ope no Mi, but he was equally tempted by the five billion Berries. If he wanted to achieve both goals while minimizing risks, Diez Barrels would need to play his part.
Although Diez Barrels continued to haggle with Wood for a long while, Wood remained firm on his terms, ultimately forcing Diez Barrels to concede.
As Wood had pointed out, Diez Barrels had no other viable options left. His attempts to negotiate weren't just out of dissatisfaction with the terms but also a way of testing Wood's intentions.
Wood's refusal to budge also suggested that he wasn't planning to betray Diez Barrels after the deal, as being overly generous with the split would've raised red flags. Wood's insistence on his share indicated that he didn't plan to discard Diez Barrels after using him, which slightly eased Diez Barrels' fears of being a mere pawn.
Despite his suspicions, Diez Barrels knew he had no choice but to trust Wood—for now.
*******
P/S: If you are interested, you can read up to chapter 320+ at p@treon.com/Betek and change @ to a