Currently, it was Griffin's consciousness controlling this body, while his true self remained at the Punk Hazard base.
During the six months at the training camp, Griffin had repeatedly used Kari's identity to appear on the seas, seeking opportunities to hunt Celestial Dragons.
But the Celestial Dragons had learned their lesson. Unless escorted by a large fleet of Marine warships, they absolutely refused to descend to the lower world.
Of course, they preferred having that Marine who was Kari's natural counter providing close protection.
Griffin constantly received summons from Celestial Dragons for protection duties while at the training camp, with Shalria's summons coming most frequently—basically every two or three days.
Even the Celestial Dragons who enjoyed descending to the lower world weren't this diligent—her intentions were obvious.
...
Initially, Sengoku had found various excuses to help Griffin decline these summons, but eventually grew so annoyed that he went to complain to the Five Elders.
No one knew exactly what he said, but similar incidents stopped occurring afterward.
...
Unable to find Celestial Dragons to farm for equipment temporarily, Griffin wasn't anxious.
These creatures were accustomed to luxury—they wouldn't tolerate such constrained living for long. Perhaps once the heat died down, they would descend in groups again.
The fact that the second Celestial Dragon he killed only provided one-third of a draw opportunity indicated that there were differences among Celestial Dragons.
If Griffin wanted to obtain multiple draw opportunities, he needed to find slightly higher quality Celestial Dragons.
Or slaughter a large group of Celestial Dragons and piece together fragments to obtain draw opportunities.
He had visited the Golden City several times previously for reconnaissance, never expecting the World Government to have discovered his movements.
If Kuzan hadn't mentioned it, Griffin would have thought the World Government remained completely unaware.
This was the advantage of having dual identities—no wonder various organizations in films and television shows loved planting moles within enemy forces.
...
After all, this was a powerful organization that had existed for eight hundred years and enjoyed hegemonic world status.
Coupled with this world's bizarre Devil Fruit abilities, it was understandable they could detect his traces.
Realizing it would be difficult to ambush a group of Celestial Dragons at the Golden City, Griffin approached his other target.
Gild Tesoro.
...
Like most commoners, Tesoro came from poverty and became a small-time hoodlum to survive.
While being caught stealing money one day, he encountered Stella at the human trafficking market—the woman who would influence his entire life.
She had been sold there because her father lost everything at a casino.
From their first meeting, Tesoro fell in love with this Stella who would gently listen to him sing.
She was the first woman who didn't mock his dream of becoming a singer.
He resolved to reform himself, working diligently to save money to buy her freedom. The two often leaned against the cold iron bars of her cage, dreaming of their future happy life together.
They would buy a ship, form a band, and tour the world performing.
Stella's existence gave Tesoro infinite confidence—he truly believed he could become a great star!
...
He almost made it.
Tesoro was so close to saving enough money.
That day, a Celestial Dragon took a liking to Stella. When Tesoro desperately tried to stop them, he himself was branded with the slave mark.
Later in the story, Stella died under torture.
...
Five years later, roughly four years ago from the present, Tiger stormed into the Holy Land, causing chaos and freeing the slaves. Gild Tesoro seized the opportunity to escape.
After enduring this series of blows, his beliefs became twisted. He became convinced that poverty was the root cause of all his suffering and grew obsessively fixated on money.
He then found a chance to steal the Gold-Gold Fruit from Doflamingo and gradually rose to prominence using the fruit's abilities.
His dream shifted from becoming a big star to hoping that one day, through the power of money, he could make even the Celestial Dragons bow at his feet!
There's nothing money can't buy!
Those without money can accomplish nothing!!
This was Tesoro's distorted obsession.
...
Griffin originally thought that if he approached Tesoro, the guy would immediately bow and acknowledge him as the boss.
After all, given what he'd been through…
But he underestimated the psychological damage caused by the slave experience and hadn't considered how such events could warp a normal person's mind.
Barladi, due to years of abuse, developed the belief that "one cannot survive without serving the Celestial Dragons"—a mindset that remained unchangeable until his death.
Even Hancock, the genius Empress who possessed the Three Colors of Haki, remained deeply trapped in those memories, unable to move on.
As for Tesoro…
The moment he laid eyes on Kari, his first thought was to capture him and exchange him for the bounty offered by the World Government!
Such a massive bounty would undoubtedly accelerate the realization of his dream!!
...
Over the following week, after being repeatedly pummeled by Kari's fists, Tesoro was finally knocked back to his senses.
He realized…
Money isn't all-powerful; strength is!
...
Griffin also came to understand one thing: recruiting followers ultimately relies on fists—talking about ideals is just empty talk.
Even a standard shonen protagonist like Naruto only gives his speeches after beating people up.
...
If it weren't for his interest in the Gold-Gold Fruit and Tesoro's business talent, knowing this guy would become a super-rich tycoon in the future, Griffin wouldn't have had the patience to subdue him.
He didn't interfere with Tesoro's operations, leaving professional matters to the professionals.
He only needed to collect intelligence on the Celestial Dragons, which Griffin would periodically retrieve.
Just like this time…
Tesoro learned in advance that Doflamingo was coming to see him and reported it to Griffin.
Even a deposed Celestial Dragon is still a Celestial Dragon.
...
Since he was going to meet Doflamingo, Griffin specifically projected his consciousness into Kari's body, because only he himself had the "Celestial Dragon Radar"—Kari didn't have that function.
As expected, the Celestial Dragon Radar didn't react to Doflamingo.
So…
Is it because of that identity chip?
Is that thing what certifies one as a Celestial Dragon? What's so special about it?
It seems next time I slay a Celestial Dragon, I could leave…
No!!
Griffin immediately dismissed this dangerous thought.
He suspected that thing was connected to the one seated on the Empty Throne and that carrying it might lead to being tracked.
If that's the case…
Could it be that the God's Knights and the Five Elders, who can be possessed by that being, also have similar "identity tokens"?
Perhaps… just like how I possess Kari, the Five Elders are merely that guy's "puppets"?
Forget it, I'll think about this later. There's no use pondering it without the strength—when the time comes, I'll naturally understand.
...
...
"You're the clown of the underworld, Doflamingo."
His crimson eyes lowered, he spoke with indifference.
The current Kari had a much more expressive face, carrying an aggressive aura that surpassed his demeanor on Sabaody.
Now, he was truly the Kari from the first worldwide broadcast.
Skreech—
Doflamingo's hands tightened with white threads, sweat beading on his forehead. "I'd be happier if you added 'Royal Seven Warlords of the Sea' before my name, Mr. Kari..."
...
Doflamingo was somewhat nervous. After all, he didn't realize that in Kari's eyes, he held no value. He thought this man was someone who took pleasure in killing Celestial Dragons.
I'm a Celestial Dragon too—how could I not be nervous?!
This was a monster specifically targeted by the World Government, one who had escaped from a Marine Admiral not once, but twice!
...
Griffin slowly sat down, resting his hands on his knees, and smiled faintly. "Don't be nervous. Didn't you just say it yourself?"
"You and I both despise those pigs on the Red Line. We can cooperate."
...
I didn't… put it quite so harshly earlier.
Doflamingo swallowed hard, forcing a smile. "Of course… I'd be delighted to cooperate."
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