Starting from One Piece: Multiverse Simulation

Upon hearing Wood's refusal, Stussy felt a bit disappointed but wasn't too surprised.

If Wood were so easy to recruit, Big Mom and Kaido wouldn't be fighting over him.

The World Government had long wanted to bring Wood into their fold—or more specifically, gain control over his weapons company.

Wood's Weapons Company produced vast quantities of arms every year. Not only could this increase the military power of the World Government, but the endless stream of orders would also bring in a fortune.

The World Government had already sent multiple delegations to recruit him, but all had failed without exception.

When it came to status, wealth, or sheer power, Wood had already reached the top of the world, and the World Government simply couldn't offer anything that would interest him.

Stussy had noticed by chance that Wood had a bit of a "weakness" for women, so she decided to play to her strengths and make a move.

Failing wasn't a problem, but if she had succeeded, it would have been a huge victory for her.

The current leader of CP0 was nearing retirement, and the position of Chief had yet to be filled. If she could bring Wood to the World Government's side, she would undoubtedly secure that role.

"Big Mom takes your participation in her tea party very seriously. In fact, from what I've heard, she's planning to make you a part of the Charlotte family.

I've also leaked the news of your attendance at the tea party through the underground network. By now, Kaido and the Beasts Pirates should know about it too."

Upon hearing this, Wood's expression darkened. He turned to Stussy with an icy glare and grabbed her by the throat, lifting her off the ground.

"Who told you to make that move? I only agreed to help the navy complete this mission, but that doesn't mean you can go behind my back and manipulate me!"

Wood's task was to provoke conflict between the Big Mom Pirates and the Beasts Pirates, but that didn't mean he lacked other ways to accomplish this.

Stussy's decision to spread the news in the underground world had effectively pushed Wood from his neutral position straight into Big Mom's camp.

"Even if… I didn't make the move… the news of your attendance would have leaked anyway. Someone else already informed Kaido before I did…"

Choked by Wood's grip, Stussy struggled to speak. Hearing her words, Wood calmed down and released her.

"Others in the underworld, like Loan Shark King Du Feld, have long been hostile to you. It's unclear who leaked the intel to Kaido, but regardless, their actions have only made our plan more effective, haven't they?"

Rubbing her reddened neck, Stussy smiled confidently once again.

The Big Mom Pirates and the Beasts Pirates had long been at odds due to conflicting interests. But despite their rivalry, neither side was eager to go to war, fearing that it would benefit the other Emperors or the navy.

But if Big Mom and Wood were seen as aligning, how would Kaido react?

There was no doubt that the delicate balance of power between the two crews would be disrupted. Kaido would likely assume that an alliance between Big Mom and Wood was meant to target his Beasts Pirates.

If this rivalry escalated into a full-blown conflict, it would be exactly what the World Government wanted, tipping the scales in their favor.

However, this situation provided no benefits to Wood, as it would destroy his neutral standing.

Whether Wood left Whole Cake Island or not, Kaido would likely believe that he and Big Mom had struck a deal. Knowing Kaido's nature, he would probably make the first move against either the Big Mom Pirates or Wood's company.

Big Mom's crew would be difficult to tackle, so it was more likely that Kaido would target Wood's weapons company first.

"In a sense, the moment you set foot on Whole Cake Island, our mission was already half complete. Even if we don't actively stir up trouble between Big Mom and Kaido during the tea party, Kaido won't sit idly by.

Or perhaps, after leaving Totto Land, you could pay Kaido a visit and share a drink with him?"

With that, Stussy decided not to linger any longer. She handed over some documents the navy needed and quickly left, wary that Wood's temper might flare up and lead to her demise.

"Damn it! I knew this mission wouldn't be simple!"

As Stussy had pointed out, even if Wood tried to make amends with Kaido later, would Kaido believe him?

If Big Mom continued to exploit the situation, Kaido might decide to kill Wood the moment he stepped onto his territory.

The next morning, Wood was woken by the sound of Baron Tamago knocking on his door. It was time for Big Mom's tea party.

The party was being held at the largest castle on Whole Cake Island, where Big Mom herself resided.

Though it was called a "tea party," it was more like a grand banquet. Only those with a certain status on the seas were invited.

As one of the Four Emperors, Big Mom was one of the most powerful figures in the world. Unlike Wood, who reluctantly attended the party, many others had gone to great lengths just to be there, hoping to curry favor with powerful figures.

When Wood and Robin, both dressed to impress, arrived at the venue, they recognized many familiar faces.

The guests weren't just pirates or underworld figures—there were also princes and princesses from various kingdoms dressed in formal attire.

In the Grand Line, with its countless islands and nations, many kingdoms preferred to place their trust in powerful pirate crews rather than the navy.

Though the navy's influence was strong, they couldn't be everywhere, while the flag of a pirate crew could offer immediate protection. For some islands, a pirate flag was a greater deterrent than the presence of marines.

It wasn't surprising to see princes and princesses at Big Mom's tea party. Some of their kingdoms were under her protection.

The tea party wasn't just a gathering for fun—it was more like the annual meeting of a massive corporation.

Underworld figures weren't just showing up to pay their respects to Big Mom; many were there to deliver the protection money they owed her.

That's right, among the Four Emperors, both the Big Mom Pirates and the Beasts Pirates had a hand in controlling the underworld.

Without strong enforcers, there was no way to maintain order in such a lawless place, and even powerful figures like Doflamingo couldn't do it alone.

Both the Big Mom Pirates and the Beasts Pirates collected large sums of protection money from the underworld every year, and the princes and princesses attending the tea party were there to pay their annual tributes.

Some were also there to seek protection from Big Mom's crew.

After all, the Big Mom Pirates weren't just any crew. Their reputation alone was enough to deter most threats, but protection didn't come cheap. It depended on what you could offer to earn the right to fly their flag.

For instance, Fish-Man Island, located 10,000 meters beneath the Sabaody Archipelago, had once been under Whitebeard's protection.

After Whitebeard's death during the Paramount War, Fish-Man Island turned to Big Mom for protection.

In exchange, the island had to deliver large quantities of sweets and treasures to the Big Mom Pirates every year. It was through this arrangement that the Tamatebako eventually ended up in Big Mom's hands.

But with Wood's arrival, the situation on Fish-Man Island had changed. With heroes like Fisher Tiger and Queen Otohime still alive, and under the protection of Wood's Weapons Company, no one dared to touch the island, even without flying the flag of an Emperor.

At the tea party, aside from guests from all corners of the sea, several members of the Big Mom Pirates were in attendance, though not many.

The reason was simple: Big Mom had too many children and husbands, more than she could remember, and not everyone was qualified to attend such an important event.

Aside from a few powerful combatants, only the Three Sweet Commanders and some high-ranking ministers were allowed to attend.

Today, Pudding was especially happy. At only 15 years old, she wore a white lace dress, her chestnut hair tied into cute twin tails, with long bangs covering most of her forehead.

Though she was still young, her figure had already developed quite attractively.

As Big Mom's 35th daughter, Pudding had never been one of her mother's favorites due to her young age and average strength.

Despite her talent for deception and the fact that she was the second most beloved sister in the Charlotte family, she was rarely invited to such important occasions as Big Mom's tea parties.

But just a few days ago, her brother Perospero had told her that their mother wanted her to attend this tea party, and that she should dress up nicely. Naturally, Pudding was thrilled.

As a member of the Three-Eyed Tribe with average strength, Pudding had always been disliked—if not outright despised—by her mother, Big Mom.

This time, however, it seemed Big Mom had changed her mind about her, finally valuing her as a member of the family.

Normally, Big Mom's tea parties were reserved for her most promising children or key members of the family. Not being one of the 34 ministers, Pudding had never qualified before, so it was understandable that she was overjoyed.

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P/S: If you are interested, you can read up to chapter 400+ at [email protected]/Betek (@->a)