An air of conspiracy hung over Dressrosa, but its residents, blissfully unaware, went about their daily lives in peace.
Meanwhile, the architects of this very conspiracy were about to face their own first trial in the New World.
On a nameless island somewhere in the New World, several pirate crews with fearsome reputations had gathered. The infamous Great Maelstrom Spider Pirates were anchored here, alongside other notorious crews like the Mad Wolf Pirates and the Moonlit Night Pirates.
They hadn't assembled to fight each other. They were united by a common goal: the Donquixote Pirates. News of Doflamingo's crew entering the New World had reached them almost immediately.
For the Mad Wolf and Moonlit Night crews, the Donquixote Pirates were a stepping stone to fame, a juicy prize they were eager to sink their teeth into. The Great Maelstrom Spider Pirates, however, had little interest in defeating the crew as a whole. Their captain's focus was entirely on one man: the arrogant and flamboyant Donquixote Doflamingo.
The article Morgans had written about Doflamingo had been so outrageously boastful that when Squard read it, he was infuriated. He decided then and there that as soon as Doflamingo arrived in the New World, he would teach him a lesson. Many of the other crews under the Whitebeard banner felt the same way; even the Division Commanders were annoyed, but they were too busy to act. The subordinate crews, however, were free to move.
Squard had mobilized the moment he got the news. Though he was on good terms with his brothers, he wasn't about to share an opportunity like this to prove himself. Even among family, it was every man for himself. An unspoken rivalry simmered within the Whitebeard Pirates' ranks; the sons who failed to stand out naturally received less of their father's attention.
"Squard, are you the only one from the Whitebeard Pirates who showed up?" asked Okessy Gegil, captain of the Mad Wolf Pirates.
"Yeah, Squard," added Gray Lendosi, captain of the Moonlit Night Pirates, equally puzzled. "Aren't the Whitebeard Pirates supposed to be tight-knit? Why would you come alone for such a golden opportunity?"
"The Whitebeard Pirates are the most united crew on the seas, so don't you suggest otherwise," Squard said dismissively. "As for why I'm the only one here, it's because my good brothers are all too busy to bother with Doflamingo. They've entrusted the matter entirely to me."
Seeing his attitude, Gray and Okessy didn't press the issue. The Whitebeard Pirates were not a force to be trifled with. If they weren't worried about their own ability to take down the Donquixote Pirates, they wouldn't have allied in the first place. In the New World, most crews fought for themselves; alliances were rare.
"So, what do you know about the Donquixote Pirates?" Squard asked, turning the tables on Gray and Okessy.
"Well, we have the basics," Gray said, a hint of worry in his voice. "The captain, Doflamingo. The swordsman, Diamante. The Cloud Demon, Enel. The stone man, Pica. Those are their core fighters. I think even with our combined forces, we might be cutting it a little close."
"Never mind Doflamingo's actual strength, just look at his bounty!" Okessy added nervously. "The World Government has him at 660 million Berries!"
"Heh, what's this? Are you scared?" Squard sneered when he heard their concerns. "You're both pirates with bounties over a hundred million. You've got no nerve."
"This isn't about nerve, Squard, we're just being realistic. Putting Doflamingo aside, you've still got the Cloud Demon Enel, the swordsman Diamante, and the stone man Pica. All three of them have bounties over a hundred million. We like to think we're on their level, but the three of us would just barely be able to hold them off. What do we do about Doflamingo?"
"Squard, you should really call in some of your brothers," Gray suggested. "Or we could find a few other crews. It would give us a much better shot at this."
Their analysis made Squard's brow furrow. He hadn't expected the Donquixote Pirates to be this troublesome. He was the one who had contacted the Mad Wolf and Moonlit Night crews, with whom he had a working relationship. He had cooked up this whole plan for a chance to shine in front of Whitebeard. But in all his calculations, he had seriously underestimated Doflamingo's strength.
Though Squard had been keeping an eye on Doflamingo, he had always looked down on him. After all, his own starting point was so high—he was a son of Whitebeard, the World's Strongest Man. That title alone allowed him to move through the New World with impunity. Even Big Mom and Kaido would have to show him some respect.
It was this psychological underestimation that had led to the current awkward situation.
"It's my fault," Squard admitted freely. "I didn't realize the Donquixote Pirates would be this much of a hassle."
Yes, just a hassle. In Squard's mind, Whitebeard was number one in the world. What did Doflamingo's power matter in comparison?
"So, Squard, what do you think?" Gray and Okessy looked at him expectantly.
"Alright, alright, I'll call some of my brothers!" Squard said, annoyed.
"We'll be waiting for your good news, then."
Gray and Okessy were pleased that Squard had listened. Unlike him, they didn't have the World's Strongest Man backing them up. They could only rely on themselves.
Squard was a man of decisive action. Realizing his mistake, he immediately moved to correct it. He started making calls to the brothers he was closest with. He wouldn't dare bother the Division Commanders; they were already the closest to Whitebeard, and it wouldn't do to have them swoop in and steal his glory.
"Doma? I've got something big going on here. You in?" Squard asked.
"Oh? An opportunity like this is one in a million! How could I miss it?" Doma's voice boomed back, full of bravado. "These rookies need to be taught a lesson!" He clearly didn't think much of Doflamingo either.
"Great to have you on board," Squard said, pleased.
"Hey, Squard," Doma added, "you're not going to leave out Big Sis, are you?"
"Big Sis... Right, I'll call her next," Squard stammered. The mere mention of her struck a bit of fear in him. As the only female captain allied with the Whitebeard Pirates, the "Ice Witch" Whitey Bay was not someone you wanted to cross.
"Good," Doma said, relieved.
Soon, Squard had Whitey Bay on the line.
"Squard. To what do I owe the pleasure?" she asked, her voice laced with amusement.
"Haha, Big Sis, I was just thinking of you! It's been too long," Squard said, a cold sweat breaking out on his forehead.
"Heh, cut the crap," Whitey Bay scoffed. "You're all the same. You're not thinking of me, you need something from me. Spit it out."
"You really see right through me, Big Sis. I was just too embarrassed to ask," Squard said sheepishly.
"Hurry up, Squard. Stop dawdling or I'm hanging up," she said impatiently.
"No, no, don't! Big Sis, it's like this..." Squard quickly explained the situation.
After hearing him out, Whitey Bay chided him, "Well, well, Squard. Plotting something this big, were you? You've got some nerve, but at least you had the sense to include me."
"Of course! You'll always be our Big Sis!" Squard flattered.
"I'll let it slide this time," she said, her mood clearly improved. "I'll head over with my crew right away."
In the waters near the G-5 Marine base, a large fleet of pirate ships was converging.
Back on the nameless island, Squard finally felt at ease. He had now assembled the "Gallant Knight" Doma, the "Ice Witch" Whitey Bay, Makugai, and the Decalvan Brothers. Including the Mad Wolf and Moonlit Night Pirates, a total of seven crews were now preparing to ambush the Donquixote Pirates.
What a magnificent lineup. One could only wonder how Doflamingo would feel when he found out.
This was a calamity born of nothing. If Morgans hadn't hyped him up so much, the captains under Whitebeard would never have reacted so strongly.
If Doflamingo wanted someone to thank, it should really be Morgans. He was the one who had fanned the flames of this whole affair.