Tesoro's Loyalty

Guran Tesoro Golden Palace

In the palace bathed in golden light, the atmosphere gradually shifted from initial extravagance and ostentation to a subtle and somber one.

Despite Luo's coldness, Tesoro showed no displeasure; instead, his smile deepened, and he casually waved his hand, saying, "Sit down, let's have a good talk."

The waiters immediately served the fine red wine and pastries, attentive yet mechanical, like meticulously programmed puppets.

After several rounds of drinks, the lights in the hall dimmed, and Tesoro gently raised his hand, his voice slowly lowering. "You may all leave."

All the attendants, including Mr. Tanaka, bowed and quietly withdrew from the palace. The golden doors slowly closed, and the heavy rumble seemed to completely isolate the entire space from the outside world.

The smile vanished as soon as Kinmen closed in.

Tesoro's arrogant expression vanished instantly, replaced by a solemnity and... respect rarely seen on him.

He slowly rose, standing ramrod straight, and suddenly bowed slightly to Roy: "--Mr Roy."

Luo suddenly turned his head, his pupils contracted, and even the hand holding the rim of the wine glass unconsciously tightened for a moment.

One second he was the "Gild Tesoro" who could shower the sky with golden rain at the slightest provocation, but in an instant he showed an attitude of near submission!

The contrast was so stark that it almost made one wonder if Tesoro had been replaced by a different soul.

Roy merely chuckled, leaning back in the gold-embroidered sofa with a languid and casual expression. "Honestly, why bother pretending in front of your own people?"

He lazily raised his chin, gesturing for Tesoro to sit down.

"Tell me, you didn't contact me just to show off your empire built of gold, did you?"

Tesoro sat down again, a playful smile playing at the corners of his eyes, his golden pupils gleaming under the crystal chandelier.

"Of course not."

He tapped his fingers on the edge of the gilded coffee table, his voice low and cautious. "Back then, you personally handed me the Gold-Gold Fruit... From that moment on, everything in this city was truly yours."

Luo was slightly moved; he hadn't expected that their secret friendship from years ago would be so deeply ingrained in Tesoro's heart.

Even now, as the head of one of the world's top powers, the latter still regards Roy as the source and core.

Over the years, Roy's private projects have been largely funded through Tesoro, and Roy also secretly supported Tesoro's initial capital, armed forces, security, and intelligence channels.

The two were already two sides of the same coin, "unofficial covenant partners" who remained hidden from the world.

Tesoro continued, "I originally thought this castle was the end of my ambition, but after hearing about your battle with Shanks and Kaido, I truly understand..."

"Your statement about 'changing the world' was not just a joke."

His eyes narrowed, and he said seriously, "Therefore, there is something that happened recently that I must report to you in person."

He took a file folder from under the table and handed it to Roy.

Roy didn't look at it; he simply flicked it lightly, and Spatial Cutting Wave instantly unfolded, causing the paper to flip automatically in front of him.

Tesoro lowered his voice. "As my business has grown rapidly, the World Government has sent people to contact me."

"They hope to formally designate 'Gran Tesoro' as an 'independent nation' and grant it the status of a 'demilitarized neutral zone,' giving it an 'absolute sanctuary' status similar to that of the Holy Land Mary Geoise."

Luo's expression changed slightly; he gasped and frowned.

This is not just political recognition; it means that Gran Tesoro will become a 'special political entity' under the protection of the World Government, and its status may even be comparable to that of the Shichibukai!

Once implemented, this "golden city" will become the core of global political and business exchanges, attracting both the Underworld and high-level government officials to vie for a piece of the pie.

But Roy simply waved his hand, his gaze still languid. "You're the expert in this area."

"If you think it's worth betting, just go for it. I'll always support you."

This one sentence is worth more than a thousand words.

Tesoro's tense shoulders finally relaxed. He picked up his glass and drank again, but this time he was no longer as flamboyant as before.

"Thank you, Mr. Roy."

His voice was deep, yet tinged with a genuine ease.

Roy's Trust carried more weight than any promise, position, or power.

Tesoro's smile gradually faded, and a rare hint of seriousness flashed in his golden eyes.

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 raised his head, his gaze lingering on Roy's face for a moment, and said earnestly and solemnly, "One of the two fruits you asked me to secretly search for all these years, I... have found it."

The moment the words left his mouth, it was as if the air had been instantly sucked away!

Roy's previously languid, reclining posture instantly straightened, and his eyes, which always carried a hint of nonchalance, suddenly revealed a sharp edge, so cold it seemed capable of cleaving the world in two.

"... Sure?"

He spoke softly, but those two words sounded like a heavy hammer striking the air.

Tesoro instinctively held his breath, then slowly nodded, his voice tinged with suppressed excitement. "One hundred percent!"

He slowly took out a small but heavy box—made entirely of Pure Gold, engraved with thorns, Moon Wheel, and ancient characters, its surface shimmering with a faint yet eerie blackish-purple luster, like a whispering eye in the night.

Seeing this, Luo unconsciously held his breath.

As a doctor, he was extremely sensitive to vital signs, yet he sensed a strange aura emanating from the box—a feeling of being neither alive nor dead, as if some sealed will was gently knocking on the door of his soul.

Tesoro presented the golden box with both hands and whispered, "Based on the information you provided, I spent a great deal of money hiring explorers and scholars to search for it. The place is perpetually dark, and even birds and beasts dare not approach... And this fruit is sealed in a stone sarcophagus deep within the Church."

Roy didn't speak, but stared at the box for a long time. He slowly reached out, and the moment his fingertips touched the lid, the temperature in the entire space seemed to drop by one degree.

"Click--"

With a soft click, the golden box opened.

An indescribable, strange aura slowly emanated like mist.

The aura carried the sweetness of blood, the chill of the night, and a certain "ancient will" that sent shivers down one's spine.

It doesn't resemble a fruit; it's more like something that has been sleeping in the night, quietly awakening.

Inside the box lay a deep purple Devil Fruit, its spiral patterns entwined like Vines, its peel covered with dark purple textures, and at the edges of those textures, faint, almost imperceptible shadows flickered.

This is no ordinary Devil Fruit; it is as if a conscious heart has been temporarily sealed in this moment.

"This... this is!" Luo's pupils contracted sharply, and he exclaimed in disbelief.

He couldn't describe his feelings at that moment: oppression, fear, curiosity, and even a hint of attraction.

Roy, sitting opposite him, finally smiled slightly.

"Good..."

He murmured softly, his fingertips gently tapping the lid of the box, and the air quietly returned to normal.

Roy leaned back in his chair, closed his eyes, and chuckled softly. Behind that smile, it seemed, lay a torrent of destiny, quietly surging.