Whether changing the location of the trade posed any danger wasn't something that concerned the World Government's fleet. As agents of the World Government, they carried a certain pride with them.
They had already investigated Diez Barrels. A former Navy officer, now just the leader of a third-rate pirate crew—hardly worth noting in the New World. In a place like this, his crew wasn't even considered second-tier; they were mere small fry.
As for Doflamingo, sure, he was a former Celestial Dragon, but that was in the past. He might be doing well in the underworld now, but everyone knew it was because of the World Government's backing. As long as he had any sense, he wouldn't dare to make a move against them.
With this misplaced confidence, a hundred-man team led by several Navy Vice Admirals and CP0 agents disembarked on Minion Island.
The Vice Admirals accompanying them weren't from Navy Headquarters but from various large branches in the New World. Among them was Vergo, the original "Corazon" and Doflamingo's mole within the Navy.
When the World Government's team arrived, Doflamingo greeted them with a smile, but the CP0 agent leading the group showed no interest in pleasantries. He asked curtly, "Where's the pirate crew we're supposed to trade with? And the Ope Ope no Mi? You're not planning to change the terms at the last minute, are you? The higher-ups in the World Government are getting impatient. You know the consequences of toying with us, don't you?"
Seeing that the CP0 agent was in no mood to be polite, Doflamingo dropped the pretense of humility. In his mind, these people were already as good as dead.
However, he couldn't help but feel annoyed that Diez Barrels hadn't shown up yet. The World Government and Doflamingo had both arrived early, but the man they considered a small-time pirate was keeping them waiting.
Just as Doflamingo was about to send Pica to fetch Diez Barrels, the pirate crew finally made their appearance. Diez Barrels strode forward, carrying a small case, and stood before the World Government and Doflamingo.
With both sides in place, all that was left was to confirm the contents of the case and proceed with the exchange. However, Diez Barrels didn't follow the usual script. As soon as he appeared, he tossed the case straight to the World Government's representatives.
Everyone instinctively assumed that the case contained the valuable Ope Ope no Mi, worth five billion Berries. As the case flew toward CP0, Doflamingo acted without hesitation, using his String-String Fruit ability to shoot a sharp wire toward the case.
The sudden attack caught the World Government's people off guard. But understanding the importance of the Ope Ope no Mi, the CP0 agent endured the injury to his shoulder and managed to catch the case.
When he opened it, though, his anger flared—it was empty. He had been tricked!
"It was all Doflamingo's idea," Diez Barrels declared loudly. "He has the Ope Ope no Mi. This whole trade was just a ruse to get your five billion Berries and pin the blame on me. You saw for yourselves; Doflamingo really did plan to attack you. I'm not making this up."
Diez Barrels' words not only infuriated the World Government's agents but also sent Doflamingo into a rage. He had thought he had everything under control, but he hadn't expected this small-time pirate to have the guts to play both sides.
Just as Doflamingo was about to lash out and kill Diez Barrels, Corazon suddenly grabbed him from behind, an urgent look on his face.
As Doflamingo moved to shake him off, Corazon handed him a note. Since Corazon was known in the Donquixote family as someone who couldn't speak, this was the only way he could communicate.
Reading the note, Doflamingo's anger only grew, but he managed a bitter laugh. According to Corazon, while monitoring Diez Barrels' crew, he had discovered that the pirate's first mate was attempting to flee the island with the Ope Ope no Mi.
The note explained why Diez Barrels had acted the way he did. Throwing the empty case to the World Government was not just a way to provoke them and create a conflict between them and the Donquixote family; it was also a diversion. His first mate was trying to escape with the real Ope Ope no Mi while everyone's attention was elsewhere.
If the battle ended and the Donquixote family scoured Minion Island without finding the fruit, they wouldn't kill Diez Barrels. With the Ope Ope no Mi in hand, Diez Barrels could negotiate for his life and maybe even strike a deal with the Donquixote family.
Diez Barrels had planned his escape cleverly, but unfortunately for him, Corazon had spotted the plan in time. With the first mate trying to flee, there was no way Doflamingo would let them get away.
"Birdcage!"
Doflamingo unleashed his attack, sending countless threads shooting into the sky like a volcanic eruption. As they reached a great height, they rained down like a meteor shower, forming a massive dome over the island.
The threads formed an enormous birdcage that encompassed the entire island, their sharp edges cutting through anything in their path. Not only did the threads form an impenetrable barrier, but they also began to close in, shrinking toward the center of the island. The threads were sharp enough to slice through the island's vegetation and even the hardest rocks.
The Birdcage technique was one of Doflamingo's most powerful moves, typically reserved for desperate situations. But this time, he used it right from the start. He couldn't afford to let Diez Barrels' first mate escape with the Ope Ope no Mi.
With the Birdcage in place, the entire island was now trapped. No one inside could escape; their lives were entirely in Doflamingo's hands.
*******
P/S: If you are interested, you can read up to chapter 330+ at p@treon.com/Betek and change @ to a