"Collusion"

Snow Hag Granny endured the pain and maintained her Elementalization —the high temperature could damage the Elementalization of the Snow-Snow Fruit, but... it was still better than having her old bones directly hit by Sig's physical "Ora Ora".

On Seabird Island, as the old woman screamed in agony, at Germa headquarters, a middle-aged man was also filled with impotent rage.

However, Gage eventually connected to the concealed Den Den Mushi built into Sig's Battle Suit. Gage's voice came through automatically without Sig needing to answer.

"Sig!" Gage roared Sig's name angrily.

"Why are you yelling so loudly? Anyone who didn't know better would think I was going to ambush you." Sig scoffed.

Gage took a deep breath, then said in a low voice, "This time I miscalculated... Protect my children, and I can give you the Battle Suit."

"You think I'd believe that?" Sig scoffed.

The reason Sig dared to let Gage realize that he had "openly rebelled" was because he was certain that even if the Battle Suit had countermeasures, Gage wouldn't dare to use them.

Otherwise, if Sig's fighting ability declines and he is killed by the Donquixote Family, none of his children will survive either!

However, after this, Sig will definitely give up the Battle Suit. Although it's unlikely to be a way to completely subdue himself, especially judging from Gage's tone, Sig is increasingly certain of this—it's probably just a measure to make him "drop the ball" at crucial moments. But Sig won't leave such a time bomb by his side... especially one with surveillance capabilities.

Just as Gage was about to answer, a series of explosions were heard from the other side.

"What's going on?" Gage shouted into the Den Den Mushi.

Sig doesn't deserve to die, but his precious son and daughter are there too!

"This is a bit troublesome." Sig looked at the silver-haired, spiky woman in front of him who had interrupted his attack and saved Snow Hag, and said with a headache.

It wasn't just because another suspected cadre had arrived from the other side, but also because Sig began to sense that something was amiss!

Sig forgot this guy's name, but if I remember correctly, he should also be a member of the Donquixote Family and a user of the Boom-Boom Devil Fruit ability!

If Sig had previously suspected that the Donquixote Family was training their next generation, the appearance of another officer now clearly proves that something is amiss!

"Does your Battle Suit protect against Devil Fruit ability detonating?" Sig asked in a low voice.

"Is that Donquixote -style explosive guy here? No problem, the Battle Suit is made of semi-organic material!" Gage lowered his voice, then asked, "Why are there two executives here?"

The opponent's ability is to detonate upon contact with inorganic matter, and Sig doesn't want to have to constantly use Armament Haki to protect his Battle Suit during battle.

"Shouldn't I be the one asking you about intelligence?" Sig said, a hint of annoyance in his voice.

Suddenly, Sig thought of something and quickly asked, "Seabird Island... what other islands are nearby?"

After making a mental connection, Sig felt that the name Seabird Island sounded somewhat familiar.

"Nearby? Some other nearby Minion Island and Rubeck Island. What's wrong?"

Since it concerned the safety of his children, Gage a tentative answer.

When the Seabird Island was mentioned alone, Sig didn't immediately think of it. But now, hearing the three familiar names, Sig remembered why they sounded so familiar!

In the original work, a traitor in the Navy obtained the Op-Op Fruit and made a deal with the World Government to sell Op-Op Fruit for 5 billion bounties. The transaction took place on Rubeck Island.

After Doflamingo learned of the deal, the Donquixote Family gathered on Seabird Island. Then, Corazon, without permission, took Law to Minion Island, where Barrels was stationed, and preemptively stole the Op-Op Fruit. After that...

What happened next is not the point!

Sig finally understood why the Donquixote levels were too high on Seabird Island.

If this is the time when Barrels made the deal with the World Government, then the entire elite of the Donquixote Family should be on Seabird Island!

"Who are you talking to?" the masked man with the explosives asked.

Gladius, the Devil Fruit ability, is disfigured by his own fruit, so he always wears a mask and goggles, revealing nothing except his explosive hairstyle.

He was only in his early twenties at the time, a period of rapid improvement in his strength. He was not stronger than Snow Hag, but the sudden addition of another person still put a lot of pressure on Sig.

"Gage, you can notify Vice Admiral Tsuru to close the net!" Sig shouted.

Gage:???

"What did you say...?"

"Vice Admiral Tsuru? Damn it! The Vinsmoke Family is actually cooperating with the Navy?" Gladius exclaimed.

Gage:...

Gage didn't know what had happened either, but... the Donquixote Family actually believed them so easily?

"Hmph!" Gage snorted, offering no explanation.

It wasn't that Gladius was easily fooled, but rather that Vice Admiral Tsuru had indeed been keeping an eye on Doflamingo recently. While they were hiding on Seabird Island, preparing to intervene in the Op-Op Fruit transaction, they had also received news that Vice Admiral Tsuru's fleet was lurking nearby, which was why they were keeping such a low profile.

Sig knew that in the original work, Doflamingo was hunted down by Vice Admiral Tsuru for a while before and after killing Corazon, especially after the Minion Island incident, when he was cornered by Vice Admiral Tsuru... So he deliberately brought it up to bluff the other party.

Sure enough, Sig immediately noticed the other party's wavering!

"Let's leave, Snow Hag," Gladius said directly to Snow Hag.

"What? We..."

Just as Snow Hag was about to say something, Gladius leaned closer and said something to Snow Hag calmed her down.

Sig didn't hear what he said, but he guessed from the change in his expression that it was about to happen—the Don Donquixote Family was about to leave anyway, Gladius had come to find Snow Hag and the others. Seeing that they were fighting, Gladius wanted to finish the fight quickly...

If the Vinsmoke Family, the local tyrants of the North Sea, were to join forces with the navy, the Donquixote Family would not be able to linger here.

Doflamingo is no longer Shichibukai, and he is now a wanted fugitive, with Vice Admiral Tsuru of the Navy keeping a close eye on him!

Upon hearing from Sig that Vice Admiral Tsuru was about to arrive, Gladius told Snow Hag to leave immediately.

Furthermore, Sig also sensed a strong probing intent in Gladius's emotions—if the mask had completely covered his face before the "Telepathist" act was completed, Sig probably wouldn't have noticed anything. However, after the "Telepathist" act was completed, Sig's Observation Haki became more acute and leaned more towards mystical meaning.

"Trying to escape? Hold them off!" Sig commanded Reiju and the others, unleashing his full power and radiating heat, appearing ready to fight to the death...

Seeing this, Gladius was completely convinced—what this guy said was true!