Gran Tesoro, Golden Palace
In the palace of flowing gold, the atmosphere, initially one of extravagant flamboyance, gradually settled into a hidden gravity.
Facing Law's coldness, Tesoro showed no displeasure. In fact, his smile widened, and with a casual wave of his hand, he said, "Sit. Let's have a good chat."
The servants immediately served fragrant red wine and pastries, their service attentive yet mechanical, like precisely programmed marionettes.
After a few drinks, the lights in the hall dimmed slightly. Tesoro gently raised his hand, his voice slowly lowering. "You may all leave."
All the servants, including Mr. Tanaka, bowed in unison and quietly exited the palace. The golden doors slowly closed, and the heavy, booming sound seemed to completely isolate the entire space from the outside world.
The moment the golden doors closed, the smile faded. The flamboyant expression on Tesoro's face was instantly replaced by a solemnity and... respect that was rarely seen on him. He slowly stood up, stood straight, and then suddenly bowed his head slightly to Roy.
"—Mr. Roy."
Law turned his head abruptly, his pupils constricting, even the hand holding the edge of his wine glass tightening for a moment. The "Gold Emperor," who just a second ago could have rained down gold from the sky at a whim, had in an instant shown an almost submissive posture. The contrast was so great it almost made one wonder if the Tesoro before them had had his soul replaced.
But Roy just chuckled lightly, leaning back in the gold-threaded sofa, his expression lazy and casual. "You too. Is it really necessary to put on a show in front of your own people?" He lazily lifted his chin, signaling Tesoro to sit down. "Go on. You didn't contact me just to show off this empire you've built out of gold, did you?"
Tesoro sat down again, a playful smile on his lips, his golden pupils shining in the crystal light. "Of course not." His fingers tapped the edge of the gold-inlaid coffee table, his syllables low and cautious. "Back then, you were the one who personally handed me the Glim-Glim Fruit... From that moment on, everything in this city was actually already yours."
Law was slightly moved. He never expected that the secret friendship between the two of them from years ago was so deeply rooted in Tesoro's heart. Even now that the latter was the master of one of the world's top forces, he still regarded Roy as his source and core.
Over the years, most of Roy's private project funding had been supported by Tesoro, and Tesoro's initial capital, armed forces, security issues, and intelligence channels had all been secretly supported by Roy. The two of them had long since become two sides of the same coin, "undisclosed allies" hidden from the world.
Tesoro continued, "I had originally thought that this city was the end of my ambition, but after hearing about your battle with Shanks and Kaido, I truly understood..."
"The 'change the world' you once spoke of was not just a joke."
His gaze sharpened, and he said seriously, "So there is something that happened recently that I must personally report to you."
He took out a file bag from under the table and handed it to Roy. Roy didn't look at it but just flicked a finger. A spatial cutting wave instantly spread out, and the papers unfolded and automatically turned pages before him.
Tesoro lowered his voice. "As my business has developed rapidly, the World Government has sent people to contact me."
"They hope to officially list 'Gran Tesoro' as an 'independent nation' and grant it the status of a 'non-armed neutral zone,' with a 'absolute sanctuary' status similar to that of the Holy Land, Mary Geoise."
Law's face changed slightly. He gasped, his brow furrowed. This was not just political recognition. This meant that Gran Tesoro would become a 'special political entity' under the protection of the World Government, with a status comparable to that of the Shichibukai system. Once implemented, this "golden city" would become the core of world politics and business, and both the underworld and the high levels of government would be vying for a foothold.
But Roy just waved his hand, his gaze still lazy. "You're the expert in this area."
"As long as you think it's worth betting on, go for it. I'll always support you."
That one sentence was worth more than a thousand words. The tension in Tesoro's shoulders finally relaxed. He raised his wine glass and drank again, but it was no longer the flamboyant, theatrical drinking from before. "Thank you, Mr. Roy." His voice was low, with a hint of sincere relief.
—Roy's trust was worth more than any promise, status, or power.
Tesoro's smile gradually faded, and a rare gravity flashed in his golden pupils. He lowered his head and took a deep breath, as if to release a secret that had been weighing on his heart for a long time. "The real reason I contacted you to come here is—"
He slowly looked up, his gaze lingering on Roy's face for a moment, and said seriously and heavily, "These past few years, one of the two fruits you asked me to secretly search for, I... have found it."
The moment his words fell, the air was as if it had been sucked out. Roy's originally lazy, reclining posture instantly straightened. Those eyes, which always held a hint of carelessness, in a flash became sharp, so cold they seemed to be able to cut the world.
"...Are you sure?" he asked softly, but the two words were like a heavy hammer striking the air.
Tesoro subconsciously held his breath, then slowly nodded, his tone filled with a suppressed excitement. "One hundred percent."
He slowly took out a small but heavy box—it was cast from pure gold, its body engraved with thorns, a crescent moon, and ancient characters. Its surface shone with a faint yet eerie black-purple light, like a whispering eye in the night.
Seeing this, Law also unconsciously held his breath. As a doctor, he was extremely sensitive to life signs, but he actually felt a strange "neither alive nor dead" presence from this box, as if some sealed will were gently knocking on the door of his soul.
Tesoro presented the golden box with both hands and said in a low voice, "According to the information you provided, I spent a large amount of money to hire explorers and scholars to search for it. That place is without light all year round, and even birds and beasts dare not approach... and this fruit was sealed in a stone coffin in the deepest part of a church."
Roy didn't speak but just stared at the box for a long time. He slowly reached out, and the moment his fingertips touched the lid, the temperature of the entire space seemed to drop by a degree.
"Clack—"
With a light sound, the golden box opened. An indescribable, strange presence slowly overflowed like a mist—that presence carried the sweetness of blood, the coldness of the night, and a certain "ancient will" that made one instinctively tremble. It was not like a fruit, but more like a being sleeping in the dark night, quietly awakening.
In the box, a deep purple Devil Fruit lay quietly, its spiral patterns like intertwined vines, its skin covered in black-purple textures. And at the edges of those textures, a faint, almost imperceptible shadow of aura was floating. This was no ordinary Devil Fruit. It was like a conscious heart, temporarily sealed in this moment.
"Th-This is...!"
Law's pupils constricted violently, and he let out a gasp of disbelief. He couldn't describe his feelings at this moment: oppression, fear, curiosity, and even a hint of a pull.
And Roy, who was sitting opposite him, finally smiled slightly. "Not bad..." he murmured to himself, his fingertips gently closing the lid, the air quietly returning to normal.
Roy leaned back in his chair, closed his eyes, and chuckled lightly. Behind that smile, it seemed, was a torrent of fate, quietly surging.
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