Seventeenth Meeting Gift

Seeing the Den Den Mushi was already connected, Bater and Brother Kun and the others tactfully left the private room, leaving Cifer and Doflamingo to talk alone.

"Fufufufufu~" The Den Den Mushi on the other end paused for a moment, then Doflamingo's signature laughter came through, "A man like you, why would you go to such a remote place?"

"Just earning some extra cash," Cifer casually placed the package on the table, "There's something I need your help with."

"The Small-Small Fruit? What a useless fruit I've never seen before~ So, what are you planning to offer as payment?"

After a bit of conversation, Doflamingo was naturally willing to do Cifer this favor, but he also needed some benefit in return.

"When the time comes, I can make a move for you once, whether the opponent is a Marine Admiral, a Four Emperor, or a Celestial Dragon."

"Uahahahaha, deal struck, Black Winged Great Demon!" In Doflamingo's eyes, trading a nearly useless fruit for a single strike at the Admiral level was an absolute steal!

The conversation ended, and Cifer and Doflamingo had no reason to chat further. He returned the Den Den Mushi to Bater, who was waiting outside the door. Bater took it and scurried off to a corner, nodding and bowing as he listened to the instructions coming through.

When Bater hung up and returned to the private room, he was a completely different man. Gone was the panic from when he first met Cifer, replaced by a spring in his step and deep respect.

"Mr. Cifer, the young master asked me to give you this Den Den Mushi for your convenience in contacting each other," Bater said, handing over the Den Den Mushi with utmost deference. "Also, he said if you fancy anything from this auction house, you can take it as a welcome gift from him."

"Oh? Then I'll have to take a look."

Since Doflamingo was being so accommodating, Cifer was happy to accept his goodwill.

With Bater leading the way, Cifer and Brother Kun arrived at the backstage of the auction house, where the goods yet to be auctioned were stored.

"Daddy! I'm here! Daddy, save me!"

In a cage, a little girl about five or six years old, dressed in fine clothes with a cute face, cried out when she saw Brother Kun.

"Little Sunflower!"

Brother Kun ran toward the cage in disbelief. He had only come out to make some quick cash, and now his daughter had been captured and brought to the auction house!

Brother Kun turned to kneel before Cifer, but Cifer grabbed him and pulled him up. It was natural for the weak to kneel to the strong, but he didn't want a father to kneel in front of his child.

"Let the kid go. I still don't like seeing human traffickers."

"Understood!"

Bater immediately ordered his men to release Little Sunflower from the cage, and also instructed his subordinates to deal with the traffickers on the island.

For Bater, the trafficking business on a remote island like this was nothing. If it disappeared, so be it. He would soon be heading to the New World anyway. Right now, his priority was to please the man before him.

Freed from the cage, Little Sunflower threw herself into Brother Kun's arms, sobbing. From the moment she was captured until now, she had screamed herself hoarse, but no one paid her any attention. She thought she would never see her father again.

Brother Kun's eyes reddened too. He suddenly felt that the best thing he had ever done in his life was running into Cifer today. If he hadn't guided him and had gone off to do something else instead, he dared not imagine what would have become of Little Sunflower.

Cifer walked a lap around the backstage and found it full of useless junk—Good Fast Swords, jewelry, trinkets—nothing that caught his eye.

"Are there any bounty criminals on this island?"

Cifer turned his attention back to the bounties.

"Uh... Mr. Cifer, this island is called Crime Island in name only. In reality, it's just a place where small-timers who can't make it in the Grand Line hang around for a long time."

Bater broke out in a sweat, thinking that someone with a bounty as high as yours staying in the first half of the Grand Line was almost unheard of.

The answer was within Cifer's expectations. It seemed he would have to keep moving. He had no plans to return to the New World just yet.

"A head worth 37 million—you can convert that into cash for me, no problem?"

Cifer tossed the package toward Bater. If he could settle it here, it would save him the trouble of finding a Marine base, especially since he had two Marines stowed away on his ship.

"Of course! In fact, I already sent someone to fetch the money."

Bater pulled out a handkerchief to wipe the sweat from his forehead, handed the package to a nearby guard, and then had someone bring over what he had ordered prepared earlier.

When Cifer was talking to the young master earlier, Bater had already learned about what happened at the Colosseum. It was easy to guess that Cifer was after the bounty.

Operating in the underworld, Bater wasn't strong, but he had managed to join Doflamingo's ranks because he was good at reading the room.

In many matters, you don't wait for your boss to tell you to do something before doing it. You do it when you see he needs it done, and you have it ready before he even asks. That's what makes a good subordinate.

"Here are the Belly you asked for, Mr. Cifer. Inside, I've also prepared some fine jewelry and gold as a gift for you."

Cifer took the bundle, as large as several men, from the two guards and slung it over his shoulder. Gifts offered to him were freebies he wouldn't refuse.

"We'll part ways here. This place is too dull."

Cifer had originally thought he could earn at least a hundred or two hundred million on this island, but not only were the pirate bounties low, there was only one bounty criminal here.

It seemed he had overestimated the strength of the first half. Only places King Luffy passed through had a decent number of bounty criminals.

Still, he had made Doflamingo's acquaintance and gained quite a bit. Cifer estimated that the bundle on his shoulder was worth over a hundred million.

"Benefactor, I, Sang Kun, will never forget what you've done today!"

Brother Kun's voice came from behind, but Cifer just waved his hand. This matter was a simple favor. As for whether they would face retaliation from Bait's men after he left? Bater would know how to handle it.

Cifer lightly traced his finger through the air, and a massive crack split the space before him. Under the astonished gazes of the crowd, he stepped inside.

"You've been keeping a good watch on my ship, right?"

At the dock, space shattered, and Cifer emerged carrying his bundle.

"Yes sir! Reporting to you, sir, we've been guarding it well. Two groups came trying to mess with your ship, and we drove them both off."

The middle-aged man who had taken the money stood at attention, reporting to Cifer like a soldier addressing his commanding officer.

Looking at the few injured men scattered among his subordinates, Cifer knew he wasn't lying.

"What's your name?"

Cifer looked at the man who had been chewing on a blade of grass earlier. His shirt was tattered, but he appeared uninjured.

"Charlotte Will."

Will showed no fear, locking eyes with Cifer directly. He even wanted to test the gap between himself and the man before him.

"What relation is Big Mom to you?"

"Don't know her!"

A stray bloodline of that woman?

Cifer couldn't be sure, but his physical ability was the best Cifer had seen since setting out to sea.

"I still need a helmsman on my ship. Are you interested?"

He couldn't keep having Hina serve as both navigator and helmsman forever! Besides, if he really did become a Shichibukai, he'd have to return her eventually.

Say yes already!

Everyone present silently urged him. Boarding this man's ship would be a meteoric rise!

"I refuse!"

To everyone's astonishment, Will only thought for a moment before giving his answer.

"You're strong, but I can be even stronger! One day in the future, I'll have my own ship, find my crew, and surpass you!"