Stussy had left Mariejois, setting out oask Cudius had assigo her. It wasn't anything too plicated; just a return to her "old business." Cudius had tasked her with establishing a forown as "Happy Street."

  In the inal timeline, had Cudius not intervened, Stussy would've likely received this assig from CP-0 anyway. After all, as Cudius khis was the period during which the future heavyweights of the dark world were beginning to carve out their empires. Mans, the bird-man, had already aligned himself with the Wover. Umit, as Cudius had retly learned, was starting his dealings in Mariejois. The others hadn't crossed his path yet, but Cudius had a sehat his cousin Dofmingo was also beginning to make his way into the underworld. It was all unfolding around the same time.

  With the support of a Celestial Dragon like Cudius, he was fident that Stussy's development wouldn't g behind her inal trajectory. In a few years, "Happy Street" would undoubtedly rise to bee a major intelligence power in the dark world. By then, CP-X would have no real weakness when it came to information gathering.

  Meanwhile, in North Blue, the young Dofmingo was also expanding the reach of his Donquixote Family.

  Although Dofmingo was only fourteen, he was cruel and ruthless in his as. His subordinates, many of them siderably powerful, had already decred their loyalty to him as their king. His reputation in the dark world was steadily growing.

  On his ship, Dofmingo sat listening to a report from one of his lieutenants. Despite his youth and somewhat immature appearahere was a certain gravitas to the way he carried himself. He was already showing signs of being a future kingpin.

  "Young Master," Trebol, the man who looked like a slug, reported, "I've gathered some intel on the leader of Germa 66. His name is Vinsmoke Judge. He was a wanted man not too long ago, but somehow, he's returo Germa 66 and taken over as their new leader. What's strange is that, despite being a fugitive, Germa 66 is nnized as one of the Wover's allied nations. They don't have a fixed territory, but they still enjoy the privileges of a member nation. Even Vinsmoke Judge's waatus has been lifted."

  Dofmingo frowned, clearly puzzled. He didn't uand how things had ged so drastically.

  North Blue didn't have many big pyers, and his Donquixote Family had been flourishing in the region. Whehey entered trouble, they could always use the bag of his cousin Cudius, a Celestial Dragon. Most people wouldn't dare provoke the Donquixote Family.

  But retly, this anization called "Germa 66" had emerged. Though teically an anization, it flew the fg of a Wover-affiliated nation, which made things tricky. Dofmingo couldn't just go up against them head-on, so he had to iigate them carefully.

  Though some intel had been gathered, Dofmingo still couldn't piece it all together. How had this Vinsmoke Judge, once a wanted man, bee a king?

  Dofmingo found the situation frustrating. He wasn't yet powerful enough to openly challenge a member nation of the Wover. Germa 66's affiliation forced him to tread carefully in any petition with them.

  Just as Dofmingo was mulling over the issue, the phone snail oable beside him began t.

  Dofmingo turned his head, and upon seeing the caller, his frustrated expression instantly vanished. A grin spread across his face as he quietly muttered, "It's him."

  Trebol, his young master's joy, couldn't help but feel a bit helpless. While Dofmingo was exceptionally capable, he relied on his cousin a little too much. Whenever he entered difficulties, his first instinct was to sult Cudius. Though it was a little strao them, none of his subordinates dared to ent on it. After all, they knew very well Dofmingo's cousin was her than a true Celestial Dragon!

  Fortunately, this cousin of his had always treated Dofmingo well, helping him and his family on many occasions. Ae Dofmingo's occasional relian his cousin, he had grown into a sharp deaker on his own.

  Pig up the phone snail, Dofmingo greeted enthusiastically, "Cousin! I read the papers. I heard you had quite the csh in the New World and even mao ihe legendary pirate Golden Lion, Shiki! That's incredible!"

  Cudius chuckled oher end. "It wasn't as dramatic as the papers made it seem. They exaggerated things a bit. How are you, Doffy?"

  Dofmingo shared a few details about his family's expansioioning how they were making steady inroads into the dark world.

  After chatting for a while, Dofmingo hesitated for a moment before speaking up, "Cousin, you're on Mariejois, so your intel is probably more reliable than mine. I've got something I need your help with. Could you check it out for me?"

  Cudius smiled. "Of course. What's going o's hear it."

  "It's about this anization called 'Germa 66' that's retly popped up in North Blue. The leader's name is Vinsmoke Judge. It's strange because not too long ago, this guy was wanted by the Wover. But suddenly, he's bee a king of a member natiohink Germa 66 might also be getting involved in the dark world, but we don't know if they're going to be a friend or a foe. Could you look into them for me?"

  Cudius paused for a moment, reizing the name. "Vinsmoke Judge, huh?" He thought for a moment before asking, "Are they using those massive snail ships?"

  Dofmingo immediately replied, "Yes, their floating base is called the 'War House'..."

  Cudius ughed. "Well, I happen to know a bit about this. Let me fill you in."

  Dofmingo's eyes lit up, and he leaned forward with excitement. "Cousin, you're amazing!"

  Cudius chuckled before tinuing, "Vinsmoke Judge is a top-tier stist. Based on the info you gave me and what I already know, I'd bet he art of a private stific team alongside Dr. Vegapunk. Their research was so dangerous that the Wover couldn't just leave them to their own devices. They wa the whole team uheir trol and form a Marine sce division. Vegapunk has already been taken in and is now leading that division. But Judge mao escape with some of their researd is now ba Germa."

  Dofmingo was stunned. "A stist? And he's also a king?"

  "Yes, Judge's background is det he's a prince from the Germa Kingdom. Based on what you've told me, it sounds like he's mao elevate himself to king. But because Germa 66 is teically a Wover member nation now, the gover won't take any drastic as against them. That's probably why their status has shifted so much," Cudius expined.

  The details clicked into p Cudius' mind. Though his knowledge of the Marine sce division and Vegapunk was limited, he had pieced together enough from Dofmingo's intel. His dedus weren't far off the mark Vegapunk had indeed been forcibly brought into the Wover's serviot too long ago. Now, he led the newly formed Marine sce division.

  Dofmingo, still processing the information, said, "So he's that powerful? A stist?"

  "Yes. From what I know, even though Germa 66 is an allied nation, they arely liked by the Wover. In the distant past, the Vinsmoke family ruled North Blue with military force, which made the Wover wary of them. The Vinsmokes have been trying to get the Wovero give them a fixed territory, but so far, that request hasn't been approved. And you're right they are looking to move into the dark world. They pn to sell 'war' and operate as meraries."

  Cudius had just id out the Vinsmoke family's entire background for Dofmingo.

  Dofmingo took a moment to process all of this before responding, "So, they're not really on good terms with the Wover?"

  "That's right," Cudius firmed.

  "In that case, they might not be enemies. In fact, we might be able to work with them. If they're selling war, I could be from that maybe even branto the arms trade," Dofmingo mused.

  Cudius was impressed. His cousin was only fourtee he was already showing sharp business instincts. He had a strategid.

  "You're n, Dover," Cudius said, amused. "They might not be enemies. And speaking of business, I've got a proposition for you. I've retly gaihe trust of the Five Elders, and they've authorized me to establish an anization called CP-X..."

  Cudius went on to expiails of CP-X and what he had in mind.

  Dofmingo listened carefully, then excimed, "That's incredible, Cousin!"

  "As my cousin, I'd like to invite you and your Donquixote family to join CP-X. What do you think? I see it as a mutually beneficial arra. You're already making moves on your end, and when it es to business, this could serve as a protective cover, making everything seem legitimate."

  Dofmingo didn't hesitate for a sed. After all, the Donquixote family wasn't a major power yet more like a small seedling still growing. As his cousin had pointed out, this partnership would give him more freedom to take bold as.

  Using the Wover's bao bolster his own strength, while secretly plotting to elimihose arrogaial Dragons sitting high above… wasn't that a thrilling thought?

  "Cousin, since you've invited me, of course I'll agree," Dofmingo said without dey.

  "Hahaha, that's what I expected from my younger brother. That's all I wao say. If you need anything, don't hesitate to reach out," Cudius said lightly.