[send power stones please]
After watching Rayleigh sail away with Granny Nyon and the three Hancock sisters, Shakky fixed her gaze on Chenos with clear interest.
"Letting your little wife go home all by herself like that," she teased.
"Aren't you afraid someone else might steal her away?"
Chenos smiled calmly.
"Of course I'm afraid," he replied.
"But I'm even more afraid that one day she'll be bullied… and I won't be strong enough to protect her."
"That feeling—watching helplessly—I've had more than enough of it."
Shakky exhaled a slow ring of smoke, studying him with growing admiration.
"Kid, if I were forty years younger, I might've fallen for you myself."
"Youth really is something special."
She flicked the ash from her cigarette.
"Since you're so likable, I'll give you three pieces of information for free."
Chenos's eyes immediately lit up.
Shakky was a professional information broker. With her help, he could save himself countless detours.
"Really?"
"Then I'd like to ask about the Gold-Gold Fruit. Can you help me with that, Sister Shakky?"
Being called sister clearly put Shakky in a good mood.
"What a sweet mouth."
"So—you want to help your companion obtain it?"
She closed her eyes, thinking for a moment, then suddenly opened them.
"I remember now. Not long ago, there were rumors from the North Blue."
"A pirate crew obtained a golden Devil Fruit—very likely the Gold-Gold Fruit."
"They're planning to come to Sabaody soon to sell it for a high price, then retire."
"But…"
She smiled faintly.
"Selling a Devil Fruit in Sabaody is a gamble."
"If luck is bad, that fruit might bring them nothing but death."
Chenos felt a surge of excitement.
The Gold-Gold Fruit—originally developed by Tesoro to the point of awakening—was practically being delivered to them.
Still, he caught the warning hidden in Shakky's words.
In the original timeline, the Gold-Gold Fruit eventually fell under Doflamingo's control, used as bait in his underground dealings.
And Sabaody… was firmly within Doflamingo's sphere of influence.
Meaning—
If they wanted that fruit, they would have to be wary of Donquixote Doflamingo.
This was 1507, fifteen years before the main storyline.
Doflamingo likely hadn't awakened his Devil Fruit yet.
If that was the case…
Chenos had confidence he could fight him.
"Shakky-sister," Chenos said politely,
"I'd like to save the remaining two pieces of information for later. Is that alright?"
She laughed softly.
"You sly little fox."
"No problem."
"I'm at Shakky's Rip-Off Bar, on Grove 13."
"If you ever need information, just come find me."
With that, she waved and left.
Only after Shakky was gone did Tesoro finally let out a long breath.
He had nearly suffocated earlier.
Rayleigh.
The Dark King.
The Pirate King's right hand.
And a woman who could casually stand beside him?
Tesoro hadn't dared speak a single word—he hadn't even dared breathe too loudly.
Now, finally relaxed, Tesoro suddenly froze.
"Wait… the Gold-Gold Fruit?"
He turned to Chenos in shock.
"How did you know that's the fruit I want most?"
Because in another life, you awakened it and became the Golden Emperor.
But Chenos couldn't say that.
Instead, he answered calmly,
"Your dream is to become richer than the Celestial Dragons."
"And honestly, with your current strength, training alone won't get you very far."
"The fastest path for you is a Devil Fruit."
"And the ability to freely control gold—there's nothing more suitable for you."
Tesoro stared at him, deeply moved.
He had only mentioned that dream once, more than a year ago.
And yet Chenos remembered—and had already planned his entire future path around it.
"…Thank you, Chenos."
Before Tesoro could say more, Chenos cut him off.
"We're partners."
"No need for thanks."
"If you really want to repay me—then help me achieve my dream."
Tesoro nodded solemnly.
"Alright."
The two walked deeper into Grove 13.
As an outlaw area with almost no Marine presence, it was relatively safe—for now.
Exhausted from their escape, they found a particularly hospitable pirate willing to lend them a place to stay.
That pirate was so generous, in fact, that he left them the house…
and even over a hundred thousand Beli as pocket money.
Lying in bed, watching the already-asleep Tesoro, Chenos fell into deep thought.
Back in Mary Geoise, he had constantly asked himself—
What path should I walk from here on?
He wanted revenge.
He wanted the Celestial Dragons to feel the world's pain.
But the Celestial Dragons were protected by the two greatest powers in the world:
the World Government and the Marines.
To oppose them, he would need a force capable of standing against both.
That left him with only two realistic choices:
Become a pirate.
Or join the Revolutionary Army.
He discarded the second option quickly.
Too slow.
Fifteen years from now, when Luffy set sail, the Revolutionary Army was still operating in the shadows—liberating only small islands, constantly on the run.
Chenos didn't have fifteen years to crawl forward.
With his growth rate, in fifteen years he would at least reach Admiral-level strength.
With that power, becoming a pirate and building his own force was far more efficient.
Later, he could even cooperate with the Revolutionaries.
Why suffer with them now?
That left only one road.
Pirate.
And a pirate needed a crew.
Strong.
Like-minded.
Reliable.
Two were already decided:
Tesoro, future awakened Devil Fruit user
Hancock, future Empress and Warlord
And if possible…
He wanted Fisher Tiger as well.
With so many Devil Fruit users onboard, sailing would be extremely dangerous.
A powerful fishman like Fisher would drastically increase their survival chances at sea.
But two problems remained:
Helping Tesoro obtain the Gold-Gold Fruit
Convincing a human-hating Fisher Tiger to join him
Neither would be easy.
Chenos sighed.
"…What a headache."
Then he grinned.
"Whatever."
"As long as the plan works—let's just do it."
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