One piece: Dark Smoker

In the Navy, high-ranking officers each have their own ships.

These ships, depending on the officer, come in different styles.

Take this one, for instance. From the outside, it seemed like an ordinary warship, but inside the captain's quarters, luxury was on full display.

The walls and ceiling were paneled with fine wood, and beautiful paintings from famous artists decorated the walls. Surrounding the room were exquisite porcelain ornaments. In the center, there was a massive leather sofa that looked more like a bed, with lavish colors and delicate materials that oozed opulence.

At first glance, it didn't feel like the room of a military vessel; it looked more like a private mansion.

On the sofa, a golden-haired female officer lounged lazily, her Justice Cloak casually draped over one side.

A Navy soldier stood in front of her, reporting.

"Rear Admiral Zéon, the suspicious structure has been destroyed!"

"The new type of shell has met the expected power levels!"

"They're asking if they can end the mission and return to base as soon as possible?"

Zéon rested her chin in her hand, not responding right away. It wasn't clear if she was even listening.

Once the soldier finished his report, he didn't dare to interrupt, standing at attention and waiting silently.

After a long pause, Zéon finally lifted her glass.

"Tell those old men that Navy-developed shells shouldn't only consider power."

"Safety, storability, and even ease of transport—all of these need to be taken into account!"

"This mission was a field test, not just shooting off a few dummy rounds. Tell them they can leave whenever they want, but I won't sign off on the report until those shells have been battle-tested!"

The young soldier gulped and bowed. "Understood! I'll take my leave now!"

He turned to go, but was stopped by Zéon.

"Hey!" she called out.

The soldier froze, quickly spinning around. "Rear Admiral Zéon, do you have more orders?"

Zéon flicked her thumb, sending a gold coin flying into the soldier's hand with a soft *clink*.

"Good work. Here's a little something for you."

The soldier caught the coin, his eyes wide with excitement. It was worth two months' pay...

With a beaming smile, he straightened up, giving a quick salute. "Yes, thank you! Rear Admiral Zéon!!"

Zéon waved him off, and the soldier quickly exited.

Before leaving, he glanced at a strange figure standing in the corner of the room.

The person was tall and thin, draped in a cloak with exaggerated face paint and a long sword at his side. Through the window, he was watching the results of the artillery test.

After the soldier had gone, the strange figure stepped forward, waddling with an exaggerated gait before plopping down on the sofa opposite Zéon.

"Just as expected from the pride of the North Sea—Rear Admiral Zéon. I heard you've only been with the G2 branch for six months, but you've already earned the respect of your subordinates!"

"Someone like you is exactly the kind of person we need for a partnership!!"

The figure spoke with a flamboyant gesture, his words full of exaggerated praise, though his tone was respectful when addressing Zéon.

"A partnership?" Zéon straightened in her seat.

"Isn't it a bit early to talk about that? I haven't agreed to anything yet."

"From where we stand right now, it wouldn't be surprising if I threw a shell onto your ship at any moment."

"Don't you agree, Diamante?"

The strange figure was none other than Diamante, a high-ranking member of the Donquixote family, codenamed "Block."

Diamante blinked, taken aback by Zéon's calm yet piercing gaze. Despite her lazy demeanor, it felt as if a predator was watching him, ready to pounce at any moment.

He chuckled nervously. "Rear Admiral Zéon, you certainly know how to joke!!"

"Whether we're allies or enemies, we'll have to wait until you meet the young master to find out. But for now, at least we're not enemies!!"

Zéon gazed at Diamante for a moment before giving a small, knowing smile and relaxing back into the sofa.

"You have a point... Anyway, I'm quite curious about Donquixote Doflamingo's intentions."

"I've heard you've been developing your influence in the North Sea, and yet here you are, voluntarily abandoning everything to come to the Grand Line."

When Doflamingo was mentioned, Diamante immediately stiffened.

"Hahahaha, two years ago, the young master personally went to Rogge town to witness that grand event. How could the mere North Sea contain his ambition!"

"However, with your assistance, we can quickly establish our power here in the Grand Line!"

Zéon's expression remained a smile, but there was an edge to it. "I'm in the Navy. Why would I help pirates?"

"Don't be so heartless, Lord Zéon!" Diamante leaned forward, his smile growing more meaningful. "Our previous collaboration was quite pleasant, wasn't it?"

Zéon's eyes narrowed slightly, then she turned to smile at him.

"I recall warning Doflamingo not to ever bring this up again."

The cloak behind Diamante fluttered gently.

"Lord Zéon, you should understand. If it weren't for our cooperation back then, you wouldn't be..."

Before he could finish his sentence, Zéon's left hand transformed into a sharp spike and shot toward Diamante's neck.

Diamante quickly swung his cloak to shield himself. His ability, the "Flap-Flap Fruit," allowed him to transform anything into soft, fabric-like material.

Although the cloak appeared light and flowing, it was actually made of steel and could transform into a shield at any moment.

What Diamante didn't expect was that the spike went straight through the shield and pressed against his throat. Even through the metal, he could feel the chill from the tip.

The spike slowly extended, seeming to pierce into the shield, and Diamante could even feel a slight warmth from it.

A shiver ran down his spine as his throat tightened, and he muttered, "Haki…?"

Zéon didn't answer, her expression calm.

"Since arriving in the Grand Line, I haven't been idle..."

"This is the last time I'll warn you. If you bring this up again, I'll put a hole in your throat."

Diamante quickly relented, retracting his power and allowing his shield to return to its soft, fabric-like form.

"Apologies, Lord Zéon. I didn't mean to overstep... I wasn't trying to pressure you."

Zéon returned her hand to normal, the spike disappearing, and she once again leaned lazily into the sofa.

"Just teasing you. No need to get so worked up... I believe your young master wouldn't make such a foolish move!"

"You're not angry, are you?" she added with a playful smirk.

"No, no, not at all..." Diamante touched the small wound on his neck, repeatedly denying it.

Inwardly, however, he cursed, *"That damn woman... just like before!"*

"Anyway, we know each other well, which is why the young master sought you out."

Zéon didn't deny this.

The people who know you best are often your enemies, especially those you can't defeat no matter what tricks you use.

Back in the North Sea, neither she nor Doflamingo could gain the upper hand. Doflamingo, seeking to expand his influence and rid himself of a troublesome rival, had offered to collaborate with Zéon. Together, they eliminated dozens of underworld organizations.

With that accomplishment, Zéon was promoted to junior admiral and transferred to the Navy headquarters. A few years later, she rose rapidly to become a rear admiral, taking the position of deputy base commander at the G2 branch.

Meanwhile, Doflamingo, having removed his biggest enemy and several competitors, easily unified the underground world of the North Sea.

On the surface, it seemed like a win-win situation.

But Zéon always had a nagging feeling that she had been used…

She never expected to meet Doflamingo again. Yet, here he was, on the Grand Line, seeking her out for another collaboration.

What a confusing guy...

'This guy… he's insane...'

Both Zéon and Diamante thought the same thing.

.....

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