Arlong closed the line on the Den Den Mushi, letting out a soft chuckle. Create a little chaos? What a joke. If he really wanted results, he might as well send Law and PX-Bruno to team up with Stussy and cleanly assassinate Du Feld. And while they were at it, leave some very intentional clues pointing to CP0 so the blame slid neatly back onto the World Government.
According to the World Government's blueprint, Stussy was supposed to assassinate the loanshark king on Big Mom's own territory, Cake Island, stirring up resentment within the Shadow Finance family toward the Big Mom Pirates. That friction would ripple outward, making the underground emperors even more wary of Big Mom. In the grand scheme of things, this could disturb the balance of power in the New World, which aligned perfectly with the Government's interests.
After all, while the World Government siphoned profit off the Shadow Finance family, they also needed to make sure underground organizations and the Four Emperors never became too chummy.
On his way toward the towering Charlotte family castle, Arlong actually did send Law and Bruno to assist Stussy.
...
Inside the Charlotte household, several of Big Mom's beautiful daughters were already dressed up, waiting for Arlong's so-called bride-selection ceremony. Even Charlotte Brulee and Charlotte Melizer, who weren't the worst-looking among their sisters, had been pushed forward by Big Mom.
If one of them caught Arlong's eye, she could use it as leverage to request several powerful Seraphim.
As Arlong stepped into the family's grand hall, a number of Charlotte daughters looked at him with eager eyes. They wanted to fulfill their mother's command, but they also wanted to become the woman of the New World's Dragon God.
"Ma ma ma ma! Arlong, if you want to marry my strongest daughter, Smoothie, then I'll need two Seraphim. Or one Seraphim and one Mythical Zoan fruit as a bride price. That's something you can absolutely afford."
Big Mom immediately laid out her demands. If Yamato hadn't shown up earlier, she would have named an even higher price.
Hearing Big Mom treat her like a bargaining chip, Smoothie kept her expression blank, though a quiet sadness stirred inside. As expected, to Big Mom, her children were nothing but useful tools.
"My Seraphim are not weaker than the Seven Warlords of the Sea, and they also carry Lunarian and Buccaneer blood. Their growth potential is huge. Two might be difficult, though. Still, since we're allies, I can offer one Seraphim and even allow you to custom-design it."
Arlong easily noticed Smoothie's resistance. Custard and Galette weren't thrilled either. Only Brûlée's three eyes gazed at Arlong with admiration, though he couldn't tell if it was genuine or just another performance.
Not that he cared. She couldn't create any real trouble anyway. As for the two or three unfamiliar but decent-looking women in the lineup, Arlong naturally ignored them.
"Fine! But I still want the devil fruits."
Big Mom agreed immediately, hungry for more Lunarian and Buccaneer bloodlines. A Seraphim was only slightly weaker than Smoothie and still growing. She wasn't losing out. Besides, the baby she was carrying now was the true heir she pinned her hopes on. If she lost Smoothie, she could always raise another Sweet Commander.
"But your daughter doesn't seem very willing to marry me."
Arlong shrugged casually, dropping a sentence that made Big Mom's face twist.
In the next moment, a chilling aura erupted from Big Mom as she fixed her glare on the beautiful and talented daughters in the hall. A suffocating soul pressure crashed over them.
"Who isn't willing?"
Her frosty voice echoed through the hall. Ever since Charlotte Lola's escape years ago, Big Mom had shown no mercy toward any child who disobeyed her. Any mistake or hesitation could cost them their lifespan.
"Mother! I'll obey whatever Mother decides!"
Brûlée was the first to speak, trembling uncontrollably. Fear of Big Mom had long been engraved into her soul.
"We're willing!"
Smoothie, Galette, and the other daughters lowered their heads immediately, not daring to show even a hint of resistance. Otherwise, Big Mom would mercilessly snatch away their souls.
"Ma ma ma ma! Arlong, my daughters are very obedient. None of that rough, unruly behavior like Yamato."
Big Mom, obsessed with acquiring Seraphim, couldn't allow this marriage transaction to fall through.
"Eheheh! Then I won't hold back."
"I'll give you one Seraphim right now. Prepare the blood samples and I'll authorize the creation of another. I'll also throw in a Pacifista and a Mythical Zoan fruit, plus five artificial devil fruits. In return, I want those four daughters."
Arlong pointed toward Smoothie, Custard, Galette, and Brûlée.
Smoothie was a natural pick; her strength was already at Sweet Commander level. Custard had a twin brother, Cracker, and both women were part of a triplet set. Bringing them into his faction meant gaining several interconnected Charlotte members at once.
Galette was both beautiful and a user of the Butter Butter Fruit, with the original story crediting her with helping capture Luffy.
Brûlée's Memory-Memory Fruit was incredibly valuable. Arlong and Vegapunk intended to develop that ability far beyond its current limits.
Overall, everyone gained something: both sides strengthened their alliance.
"Ma ma ma ma! Add one more Pacifista, the Kuma version. I want a matching pair for palace guards!"
Big Mom's eyes flashed. Arlong's offer wasn't bad, but she wanted to squeeze more out of the deal. Two cloned Buccaneer Pacifistas were too tempting.
"Fine."
Arlong smiled faintly. Mass-producible bio-weapons might be treasures to the outside world, but to him, they were just expendables. The last raid on the Empty Throne area of Mary Geoise had cost him a batch of Pacifistas anyway.
"Ma ma ma ma! Then we'll pick a good day and hold the wedding. Send over the Seraphim as soon as you can."
Big Mom could hardly wait to collect her rare Lunarian Seraphim. Its strength wasn't far from Smoothie's either. It might even replace Smoothie's position as a Sweet Commander.
Hearing their mother and Arlong finalize the marriage alliance, Smoothie and the others could only accept their fate. From now on, they were Arlong's women.
Only Brûlée showed a spark of anticipation.
Katakuri, Cracker, and the other siblings were powerless to oppose Big Mom's decision. They could only accept that their sisters would be married off.
Just as Big Mom and Arlong were celebrating their perfect agreement, a sudden explosion of chaos erupted outside Cake Castle.
Katakuri's eyes glowed red as he shot out immediately.
"Merde! Feld is dead!!"
The Storage King, Giberson, screamed in outrage and terror, darting behind the assassin butcher, Delago Peklo.
Feld had only gone to the toilet for a moment. Now he lay with a brutal hole in his forehead, clearly killed by a devastating technique. Not even a gunshot had been heard.
It resembled the deadly finger-gun techniques used by CP0 agents. They had witnessed such moves before.
Damn it. To think Cake Island's security was so weak that CP agents had infiltrated the heart of Big Mom's territory.
The underground emperors exchanged heavy glances. They were already preparing to flee the island.