Gild Tesoro.
A user of the Gold-Gold Fruit, known as the "Golden Emperor"—a man who built a massive entertainment empire with money and desire.
Fragments about this man flashed through Orion's mind.
A tragic childhood, a beloved taken by the Celestial Dragons, and that twisted, extreme craving for wealth and power.
In a way, Gild Tesoro couldn't be considered purely evil—he was merely using extreme methods to retaliate against the world that had once driven him to despair.
He built a floating city of gold, a den of extravagance that attracted the wealthy and pirates from across the globe.
He made those arrogant elites lose everything in his domain, ultimately becoming his slaves, all to soothe a heart trampled by the Celestial Dragons.
He never preyed on the poor, only sheared the fat sheep.
In Orion's view, most of those who squandered fortunes in Grand Tesoro and ended up manipulated by Tesoro hardly deserved sympathy.
However, Tesoro's emergence at this moment showed a lack of judgment.
Orion was sailing the training ship into the New World—even the Whitebeard Pirates were giving him a wide berth.
Not only did Tesoro not avoid him, but he was also boldly consolidating pirate forces across the New World!
"Fleet Admiral, this guy is practically begging for death!" Morgan stepped forward, his voice gruff.
"Right now, even Whitebeard is steering clear of your presence in the New World. How dare this upstart emerge to gather pirates at such a time? This is a blatant challenge to the Marines' authority!"
"Patience, Morgan." Orion set down his wine glass, smiling faintly. "He's just a speculator, thinking he can fill the vacuum left by Whitebeard's retreat."
"Since he wants to be the one to stick his neck out, I'll grant him that wish."
"Contact Intelligence immediately. Locate Grand Tesoro's current position." Orion looked at Morgan.
"If it happens to be on our route to Elbaf, I'll remove it as we pass. If not..."
He paused briefly. "Then send Kuzan from Whole Cake Island to handle it."
"Yes, sir!"
Morgan immediately picked up the Den Den Mushi and dialed the encrypted line to Marine Intelligence.
After Orion became Fleet Admiral, the Marine intelligence network had been completely restructured, its efficiency improved dramatically.
In just a few minutes, Morgan received an accurate reply.
"Reporting, Fleet Admiral!" Morgan's face lit up with excitement. "We've located it. Although the City of Gold isn't directly on the route to Elbaf, it's not far from our current position. We'd only need to make a slight detour to reach it."
Before Orion could respond, Luffy and the other trainees crowded around.
"City of Gold?" Luffy's eyes sparkled. "That sounds super fun! Are there lots and lots of delicious meat roasts?"
"Idiot! The point is the gold!" Nami had appeared out of nowhere, her eyes transformed into glittering Beri symbols, hands clasped together as if she were glowing.
"An entire moving city of gold... We're rich! This time we're really going to be rich!"
Orion rose from his deck chair and declared decisively, "Issue the orders."
"Change course. Destination—Grand Tesoro!"
"Full speed ahead!"
...
Meanwhile.
Somewhere in the New World.
A massive "island" bathed in sunlight, radiating a dazzling, blinding glow.
It wasn't actually an island but it was a ship.
The world's largest entertainment vessel forged entirely from gold—Grand Tesoro!
Viewed from high above, this colossal ship was itself a masterpiece of exquisite craftsmanship.
Its golden hull reflected dazzling rays across the sea, casting a lavish glow upon the surrounding waters.
At this moment, dozens of pirate ships of varying styles converged from all directions like pilgrims, slowly approaching this mobile golden kingdom.
"Is this really Grand Tesoro? It's blinding! Quick, pinch me—I need to know if I'm dreaming!"
On the deck of one pirate ship, a thick-faced pirate captain rubbed his eyes, his jaw hanging open wide enough to swallow an egg.
"Captain, it's real! The entire ship is made of gold!" His subordinate's voice trembled beside him.
Gulp.
Countless swallowing sounds rose and fell across the pirate ships like waves.
These were pirates of the New World—men accustomed to plunder, arson, and bloodshed, who had seen their share of treasures.
Yet the spectacle before them utterly shattered their understanding of wealth.
Under the guidance of Grand Tesoro's staff, the pirate ships docked orderly at the massive port.
Uniformed attendants in pristine white suits stepped aboard with polite smiles, creating a stark contrast against the scarred, liquor-soaked pirates.
"Welcome, honored guests, to Grand Tesoro! Here, you shall receive imperial treatment. Wealth, fine wine, power... whatever you desire, we have it all!"
Though initially bewildered by the grandeur, the pirates were quickly captivated by the intoxicating atmosphere of decadence.
They surrendered their weapons and, led by the attendants, stepped onto this city of gold.
Upon entering, they were greeted by deafening cheers, the crisp clinking of casino chips, and all manner of seductive melodies.
In the opulent casino hall, countless pirates and wealthy merchants gathered around gambling tables, eyes bloodshot as they recklessly squandered their fortunes.
High above, enormous golden chandeliers cast a soft glow from the vaulted ceiling, illuminating every trace of greed and desire in the room.
"Hahaha! Again! I'm winning back everything I lost today!"
"Big! Go big! It has to be big!"
The pirates swiftly immersed themselves in the frenzy, tossing bags of plundered treasures onto the gambling tables, completely lost in this golden fantasy.
Meanwhile, in the exclusive VIP areas beyond their sight, the luxury reached staggering heights.
Affluent pirate leaders and mysterious magnates enjoyed top-tier services in glittering private suites, watching brutal, thrilling gladiator matches.
The entire Grand Tesoro resembled a massive, sweet trap, steadily consuming all who stepped aboard.
At the ship's highest level, within a resplendent office, Gild Tesoro reclined against a throne of pure gold.
He gently swirled his wine glass while overlooking the ant-like crowds in the city below, listening to reports from two trusted executives.
"Lord Tesoro," Baccarat, the curvaceous Luck-Luck Fruit user dressed in a bunny girl outfit, bowed and reported.
"Thirty-seven pirate crews boarded today, totaling over five thousand people. Additionally, there's a group of wealthy individuals from around the world, all with considerable fortunes. Should I use my ability to make them 'luckily' sign debt contracts?"
"Hehehe..." Tesoro let out his distinctive chuckle. "No need, Baccarat. More than their money, I prefer watching their faces filled with despair and helplessness as they plummet from heaven to hell. Let them enjoy themselves first—let them indulge in this brief, illusory dream."
"As you wish."
As Baccarat withdrew, Tanaka, wearing roller skates and capable of phasing through any object, glided over.
"Lord Tesoro, several special guests have arrived. They've been escorted through the VIP passage and settled into the top-tier lounge."
The smile instantly vanished from Tesoro's face, replaced by an overwhelming icy hatred.
"Are they the trash from the Holy Land?"
"Yes."
"Excellent!" Tesoro clenched the golden wine glass in his hand, golden liquid seeping through his fingers.
His facial muscles twitched, his eyes burning with the flames of vengeance.
"Let them play! Let them enjoy themselves to the fullest! Give them as much money as they want! Send the 'luckiest' dealers from the casino to them!"
Tesoro stood up and walked to the massive floor-to-ceiling window, his voice growing low and hoarse.
"Once they've accumulated debts they can never repay!"
He spun around abruptly, a savage and insane grin spreading across his face.
"Send the anonymous IOUs to the Fleet Admiral's office! I want to see how the Marines' Fleet Admiral reacts when he discovers the 'gods' he protects are drowning in massive debt!"
"Will he repay their debts, or will he personally throw them into prison?"
"Kishishishi! I can't wait to see it!"
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