As Big Mom tea party began, other guests gradually appeared on Cake Island as well.
Most of the guests didn't dare to be as carefree as Sherwin, arriving several days early to sightsee around Totto Land.
They all timed their arrival precisely. Even those who came a bit ahead of schedule chose to linger in the seas outside Totto Land, only sailing in once the time came.
Only a small number—those with closer ties to the Big Mom Pirates, as well as members of some affiliated pirate crews—landed on Cake Island in advance.
By then, however, Sherwin had already been wandering all over Totto Land, so he hardly ran into any of them.
It wasn't until the tea party officially began, and Sherwin returned to Cake Island with the cats, that—through Pekoms introductions—he met several pirate crew members who didn't appear in the manga, yet, like Capone Bege, had entered into marriage alliances with Big Mom…
Among them, there were two whom Sherwin had a faint impression of they should have been Supernovas from earlier years.
Compared to Big Mom sons-in-law or daughters-in-law, however, the marriage-alliance members were actually far more often her husbands…
Although Big Mom advocated a "use and discard" approach toward her "husbands," there was still some residual connection left behind.
Among them, those with decent strength could still manage to take on some minor officer positions within the Big Mom Pirates.
Aside from these characters who didn't even qualify as extras in the manga—at most mere background setting—there were naturally others whom Sherwin recognized, or at least knew of. And the first among them was—
"It Uncle Morgans, meow!"
(=`=)
Klee Meow stood on Sherwin shoulder, one paw resting on his head while the other waved high in the air, enthusiastically greeting the white bird-man walking toward them.
"Wahahahaha! We meet again, little Klee! How have you been lately?"
Morgans jogged over to Sherwin, using his wing to lightly rub the little ragdoll cheek.
"Mhm! Klee has been having so much fun here!"
(=`=)
The little ragdoll answered energetically.
"Hello, Mr. Morgans."
Shirahoshi, who had always been deeply grateful to Morgans for helping publicize the Fish-Men, immediately stepped forward to greet him as well.
Sherwin and the other cats also politely greeted him.
Although some sharp-minded people had already guessed, from the World Economic Journal recent series of moves, that there was a cooperative relationship between Sherwin and Morgans, seeing how close they actually were still left them greatly shocked.
Especially the other figures who entered the city alongside him—the remaining members of the Six Emperors of the Underworld, each as famous as Morgans.
"Ara~ I really didn't expect you to be so familiar with little brother Sherwin, Morgans~" Stussy moved closer, looking at Sherwin with a hint of regret as she said, "If I'd known you were this impressive, little brother Sherwin, big sister would have put more effort into you."
Though it sounded rather calculating, coming from Stussy mouth it carried a sense of naturalness, and didn't provoke any dislike at all.
"Ah! It that auntie who stuffed a little note to big brother Sherwin before, meow!"
∑(=ΦДΦ=)
After tilting her head and thinking for a moment, Klee Meow suddenly spoke up.
"A… auntie…" The smile on Stussy face stiffened slightly, but she quickly adjusted herself and corrected Klee Meow wording. "That not right, little Klee should call me big sister instead."
"Gujiji gujiji gujiji! This cute little kitty obviously didn't say anything wrong at all… oh puff!"
Wearing a clown mask, the "Big Shot Undertakers" Drag Peclo let out a strange, mocking laugh as he tried to stir things up…
And then he was promptly punched in the ribs by Stussy.
"Do you want to die?"
Stussy threatened calmly, showing no concern at all for the fact that the other party made his living in assassination.
After all, compared to an official assassination force like the CP organization, the killer group under Drag Peclo was nothing more than a mob of rabble.
In fact, Peclo assassins had once accepted a mission to assassinate Sherwin and seize Nico Robin.
However, before they could even make contact with Sherwin, they were driven off by a fleet led by Katakuri and Jack.
Peclo knew very well that Sherwin most likely had no idea about this matter—or even if he did, wouldn't care—but he still took the initiative to come over and build some rapport.
He even voluntarily revealed that Joker had once placed a bounty on Sherwin through him, and that his subordinates had taken the job.
"But now, all bounties concerning you and Nico Robin have already been withdrawn. And even if there are any related to you in the future, I won't get involved."
Excluding Stussy, the CP organization spy, Peclo was probably the strongest among this group.
Precisely because of that, he understood better than anyone the true value of Sherwin—someone who had escaped from Kaido grasp and even managed to make him suffer a minor loss.
He had once personally planned an assassination attempt on Kaido and had witnessed with his own eyes how Kaido single-handedly slaughtered more than a dozen of his top-ranked assassins, along with hundreds of ordinary killers providing support, with effortless ease.
If Peclo hadn't chosen to play it safe back then—staying hidden and observing instead of joining the attack—the "Big Shot Undertakers" might have belonged to someone else by now.
Next, under Morgans introduction, Sherwin was introduced one after another to the smuggler known as the "Hidden Master" Giberson, the maritime shipping magnate "Deep Sea Current" Umit, and the loan shark called the "King of Loan Sharks," Du Feld.
Giberson and Umit were both quite enthusiastic toward Sherwin, but it wasn't because of his strength. Rather, they had their eyes on the technology used aboard the Dodo Advance.
Whether for smuggling or maritime transport, if they could obtain the propulsion system used by the Dodo Advance, it would undoubtedly greatly increase the efficiency of their businesses.
"Unfortunately," Sherwin said, spreading his hands and tilting his head to lightly bump the small doll on his shoulder,
"the power our ship relies on is built upon Klee Meow Devil Fruit ability.
Unless you can find a similar power source, it would just be an empty shell."
The propulsion system created by Purah Meow was, of course, far from that simple.
They naturally had other means to drive the Dodo Advance, but there was no way Sherwin would casually reveal his trump cards to others.
What more, this explanation was also the version he had deliberately leaked over the past few days to Brûlée, that little spy.
Although Du Feld himself didn't have much direct interaction with Sherwin, one person who had come along with him—hoping to use this opportunity to apply for research funding from BIG MOM—was a different matter entirely: a former member of MADS.
"Smiley! Is that you? Smiley?! It me, Caesar!"
Only after staring at the Sherry perched atop Haibara Meow head for quite a while did Caesar Clown finally confirm that this little thing, whose color and size had changed, seemed to be the very pet he had "lost" back on Punk Hazard.
However, Sherry merely glanced at him once, then withdrew her gaze and continued to stay obediently atop Haibara Meow head.
"Is that someone you know, meow? Sherry."
Although Sherry showed no reaction, Haibara Meow could not remain indifferent. She picked Sherry up, held her facing Caesar—who was staring at her with an excited expression—and asked seriously.
"Ba-ao."
Sherry decisively shook her head like a rattle drum, then turned around and leaned in to lick Haibara Meow cheek twice to show her loyalty.
What Caesar? She didn't know him at all, okay?