In the Holy Land of Mariejois, Claudius sat leisurely by the lake. Mero and Lenny, having returned from Fish-Man Island, were joyfully splashing around in the water after a long absence.
Watching the two mermaids play, Claudius felt his mood brighten. A glass of juice in hand, he sipped through a straw as a Den Den Mushi sat on the table before him. Its voice buzzed faintly as Claudius engaged in a casual conversation.
"I already said it's useless to you. Make a copy if you like, but send me the original," Claudius said with a smirk.
"And what do I get in return for this favor?" came the voice of Monkey D. Dragon from the Den Den Mushi.
"What more do you want? The incident in Totto Land worked out for you, didn't it? I don't know what kind of deal you struck with Kuma, but it's clearly more than just a Road Poneglyph or a scrap of history text. Plus, Big Mom's locked up in Impel Down now, and her empire is in shambles without leadership. You've got a golden opportunity to expand your influence over there, haven't you?" Claudius replied, his tone dripping with mockery.
Dragon's reply was vague, skirting the question as if amused. He didn't elaborate on the benefits he'd gained, though Claudius suspected they were substantial. Not that he cared much to find out.
"Still," Dragon asked, curious, "why do you want the Road Poneglyph? It's not like it's useful to you."
"Can't I collect it?" Claudius quipped, grinning.
"Try again. Give me a reason I might actually believe," Dragon said, exasperated.
"Fine. Honestly, I've taken an interest in these things. Not just the Road Poneglyphs, but the historical texts in general. You've seen the library on my ship, haven't you? I want to fill it up with these artifacts. Maybe even make it as significant as the Tree of Knowledge. Enlightening the world, you know?" Claudius explained, his voice carrying an air of nonchalance.
Dragon was silent for a moment before he responded, sounding incredulous. "Only someone like you could say that so casually. Anyone else would've lost their head already for collecting such 'dangerous' things."
"Exactly. So, little fish in a big pond, send me the Poneglyph or risk losing your head," Claudius teased, laughing.
"Alright, alright. I'll have someone deliver it," Dragon finally agreed, his tone half-amused, half-resigned.
After exchanging a few more words, Claudius noticed Stussy approaching. She carried a photo in her hand, her expression playful.
"Well, if that's all, I'm hanging up. I don't have time to listen to you brag about your spoils," Claudius said into the Den Den Mushi.
"You're as cold as ever," Dragon joked before the call ended.
Claudius turned his attention to Stussy, smiling. "What's this about?"
"Your Highness, someone managed to take a very clear photo of you during the Totto Land operation. Don't worry; our CP-X agents intercepted it before it could spread. It's quite the striking picture," Stussy said, handing him the photo.
Curious, Claudius took the photo and examined it. He burst into laughter.
The image was sharp and dynamic, capturing Claudius mid-battle against Charlotte Linlin. It showed him stepping on Big Mom's fallen form, delivering a devastating punch. Linlin appeared utterly defeated, her face contorted in pain as she was clearly overpowered.
As for Claudius, his upper body was bare, his muscular frame glistening with sweat. His expression was wild, his fists blurred as if from the sheer speed of his strikes. He looked untamed, powerful, and dangerous—completely unlike the refined demeanor he usually presented.
"Hahahaha! This is me, sure, but it doesn't look like me at all," Claudius said, still laughing.
Stussy nodded in agreement. "True. You look completely different here. The muscles, the intensity, it's not the Claudius I'm used to seeing. Honestly, if I hadn't been there myself, I might not believe it."
Stussy smiled and added, "By the way, Morgans from the World Economy News Paper offered 1.5 billion berries for this photo. He wants it for a front-page story about the events in Totto Land."
"You turned him down?" Claudius asked, amused.
"Of course, Your Highness. I know how much you hate having your image out there. And besides, we don't exactly need the money," Stussy said matter-of-factly.
Claudius glanced at the two mermaids still playing in the water, then rubbed his chin thoughtfully. "Tell him two billion."
Stussy blinked, confused. "What?"
"Two billion berries," Claudius repeated. "Tell that bird-brained Morgans that if he wants this photo, that's the price. Then it's his to do with as he likes."
For a moment, Stussy was too stunned to respond. "Two billion berries for a photo? That's outrageous!"
"Is it?" Claudius countered, leaning back in his chair. "Sure, it's an insane price. But think about it. Morgans might lose money on the initial purchase, but this photo is worth its weight in gold when it comes to selling information. This single picture will elevate the World Economy News Paper's reputation. Everyone will want to know more about me. And when Morgans sells that intelligence, he'll make his money back and then some. By the time he publishes the story, it'll already be old news, and he'll still have profited. Two billion is a bargain."
Stussy still looked skeptical, but before she could protest further, Claudius reached over and flicked her forehead playfully. "Stop worrying. Just tell him what I said."
Stussy sighed, but a smile tugged at her lips. "Alright, if you say so, Your Highness."
Lenny swam over from the lake, her voice chiming in. "Your Highness, if this photo gets out, we'll finally be able to hang one of you in our house on Fish-Man Island! We've wanted to for so long but were too scared to ask before."
Mero laughed, swimming up beside her. "Exactly! It's about time. Your photo deserves to be displayed."
Stussy suddenly had an idea. "Why don't we take a group photo? I'll call Nia over, and we can make it official!"
Before Claudius could respond, Stussy was already rushing off to find the butler, leaving him scratching his head. "Why is everyone so excited about this?" he muttered.
---
Meanwhile, at Marineford, Sengoku sat in his office, his face dark as he studied a document in his hand.
"This is a disgrace to the Marines," Sengoku growled, slamming the paper onto his desk.
Tsuru standing nearby, spoke calmly. "I understand your anger, Sengoku, but we need to focus. Once the situation is resolved, we can deal with him."
Sengoku took a deep breath, reigning in his frustration. "Fine. According to this, Barrels has contacted Doflamingo to act as a middleman for the Ope-Ope Fruit. He's clearly wary of us."
"What he doesn't realize," Tsuru added with a faint smile, "is that Doflamingo is on our side. As the Joker of the underground world, only the top figures know his true identity as a Warlord. Barrels clearly isn't in that circle."