Chapter 1331 - 42: Asking for the Moon

Chapter 1331: Chapter 42: Asking for the Moon

Redd Force, on the deck.

Red Hair, Charlotte Lingling, and Doflamingo were sitting a few meters apart, forming a triangle, with one or two people standing behind each of them.

Behind Red Hair Shanks were Benn Beckman and Lucky Roo, behind Big Mom was Katakuri, and behind Doflamingo was Pika.

No one spoke from the three sides, Big Mom’s eyes swept across and soon noticed Su Xiao sitting on the ship’s rail.

"You, come over here."

Big Mom raised her large hand and pointed at Su Xiao. Compared to the hatred towards Doflamingo, Big Mom had an obviously higher level of hatred towards Su Xiao.

From the intel reported by Katakuri, Big Mom knew that if Doflamingo was the number one figure of the opposing side, then Su Xiao was the second, and Jack was a distant third.

Su Xiao not only killed Big Mom’s eldest son, Perospero, but was also closely associated with the death of Sweet Commander Cracker, which made Big Mom’s hatred towards him understandable.

Red Hair glanced in the direction Big Mom was pointing and looked puzzled. Benn Beckman whispered a few words, and Red Hair understood the situation.

"If you want to negotiate, you need to be sincere. Doflamingo, I won’t talk with just you. Let that guy come forward too."

It was clear that in Big Mom’s eyes, Su Xiao was even more despicable than Doflamingo, hence her strong insistence on Su Xiao’s involvement in the negotiation.

Was Big Mom showing respect to an enemy? Don’t overthink it; Big Mom just wanted to maintain her own dignity.

Rather than calling this a negotiation, it was more of Big Mom’s formal extortion of Doflamingo. The so-called formal extortion meant that Doflamingo didn’t have to give up much in substance, but he had to publicly admit defeat in his war with Big Mom and offer appropriate ’compensation.’

This wasn’t anything glorious, but Doflamingo had no choice. Without negotiations, Dressrosa would already be engulfed in flames, and having lost his territory, he’d be hunted to the ends of the earth by the Big Mom Pirate Group unless he left the New World.

Big Mom agreed to negotiate partly because of issues within her own territory and also due to being somewhat weakened by Apollo’s assault.

"Doflamingo, do you have anything to say?"

Red Hair’s tone was calm, not aggressive. Doflamingo hesitated briefly and ultimately agreed.

Red Hair’s men brought up another chair, placing it next to Doflamingo.

Upon seeing this, Su Xiao squinted. He originally came to help Doflamingo hold up appearances, but given the current situation, it seemed he would need to participate in the negotiation.

Jumping down from the ship’s rail, Su Xiao smiled at Big Mom. If the planned strategy worked, she could be a major benefactor.

Seeing Su Xiao’s ’sincere’ smile, Big Mom was momentarily stunned but soon returned to normal.

Su Xiao took a seat, and Red Hair stood up.

"Everyone, the reason we are gathered here today doesn’t need repeating. We are pirates, so feel free to speak your mind."

Red Hair first looked at Doflamingo, who nodded, then turned his gaze toward Big Mom. Big Mom grinned, but eventually nodded as well.

"Then let’s begin."

Red Hair returned to his seat. He was the mediator, and unless conflict broke out, he would merely watch during the negotiations. Ultimately, Red Hair was not directly involved in this matter, so it was surprising he was willing to step in.

"Joker."

Big Mom’s first words in negotiation caused Doflamingo to frown. Joker was his underground world alias, and Big Mom addressing him this way certainly had extraordinary meaning.

"Our conflict was caused by your misjudgment. Back then, I sincerely wanted to cooperate with your Donquixote Family, but not only did you reject me, but you also challenged me afterward. Wasn’t it reasonable for me to retaliate?"

Big Mom may seem impulsive and irrational, but once the negotiation started, her words of reversing black and white made everyone view her in a new light.

In fact, Big Mom had experienced many such negotiations. She’d negotiated with Kaido, with Whitebeard, and even with the Navy at the New World’s entrance. Could Charlotte Lingling really reach such heights without intelligence?

Upon hearing Big Mom’s words, Doflamingo’s eyebrow twitched, and even Katakuri behind Big Mom turned his head. It seemed... they were the ones who tried to extort the Donquixote Family first. After failing their extortion, they lashed out in anger, provoking a war.

"The conflict arose from issues between both sides, regardless of the source of the issue; discussing it now is meaningless. It’s in our mutual interest to quickly resolve this conflict."

Doflamingo didn’t criticize Big Mom for reversing black and white, but directly skipped over the origin of the conflict.

"Exactly."

Big Mom immediately responded. She wasn’t foolish, and Doflamingo not mentioning the issue’s origin was quite courteous, offering her Big Mom Pirate Group a graceful exit. Persisting in it would be meaningless.

"Since discussing the cause is pointless, Joker, both my precious sons died in the war. This matter cannot just be dismissed."

"War inevitably leads to casualties. My subordinates Lao G and Dellinger died on the battlefield, and Machvise is still in your hands. Release him, and I’ll compensate you for all industries in the Shapodi Archipelago."

Upon hearing Doflamingo’s words, Big Mom’s face turned a deep shade of green. Indeed, Machvise was captured by her people, but before he could be presented to her, he was tortured to death by some pirate. When Machvise was finally presented before Big Mom, over 40% of his body had been chopped off to feed fish.

"What’s the matter, can’t you hand him over?"

Doflamingo’s expression also grew grim. He knew deep down that Machvise wouldn’t survive; it was inevitable, much like Big Mom’s captured subordinates. Doflamingo had repeatedly ordered not to kill the captives, but his underlings were pirates, not a regular army.

Big Mom was at a loss for words. Her sons dying in battle was clearly not something that could be used to further extort the opponent.

At this point, Red Hair obviously sensed something was amiss. He already understood the situation between both sides, and in his view, no substantive compensation would occur, only nominal at best.

Dressrosa was indeed indefensible, but the Donquixote Family already had the qualification to engage in a fight to the death with Big Mom, not to mention there were sharks outside the net biting at it.

Yet from the current situation, Big Mom clearly intended to carve out meat from Doflamingo.

"Then let’s call it even. However, Joker, you ultimately lost, and defeat comes with a price. It’s something all pirates acknowledge."

"..."

Doflamingo could also see Big Mom was attempting to ’carve out meat’ from him.

"I want half of the profits from your Shapodi Archipelago enterprises and at least half of your underground world stakes."