When King Riku saw that Tesoro's expression had changed, he quickly followed his gaze and discovered his secret son-in-law, Kyros.
"Mr. Tesoro, what's wrong?" King Riku asked nervously.
He thought Kyros had somehow offended Tesoro...
"Nothing, just saw someone I know..." Tesoro said through gritted teeth.
However, he didn't say it explicitly, since the reason he "became acquainted" with Siegfried wasn't something that could be discussed openly.
King Riku then extended a warm invitation to Tesoro to a banquet, but Tesoro refused without giving him any face, saying he needed to rest.
As for the place to "rest briefly," it was a luxurious estate that Tesoro had already sent people to buy...
"Monet, you go and make contact with the Riku Royal Family first. I need to rest for a bit." After Tesoro went into the house, he also sent his secretary, Monet, away.
Monet joined the Donquixote Family after Corazon's death, which was only two years before Doflamingo died from his "treatment".
Although she was grateful to Doflamingo, they had spent far less time together than in the original story. Even after Doflamingo's death, she was still taken in by Tesoro, and while she wasn't exactly loyal, she was at least acting as his secretary and on duty for the day...
Monet had been working for Tesoro for over a year, and she knew Tesoro somewhat, realizing that he might have something to do to get her away from him.
This was Monet's first time in Dressrosa, but Monet was very familiar with the local customs and even the information about the Riku Royal Family. Before Doflamingo died, he was going to send her to Dressrosa as an undercover agent, so she had read a lot of information.
Moreover, this wasn't a room for rest, but an office, more like a place to meet someone... but Monet didn't ask any further questions.
Right after Monet left, Tesoro remained seated in his boss's chair with the air of a big boss, and another chair had already been placed opposite his desk.
Sure enough, the shadow of the bookshelf by the wall soon Distortion and spread to Tesoro's desk. Then, a cloud of black mist emanated from the shadow, which revealed Sig in his fully human form.
When not using the "Tyrant Path" to mutate, Sig, in his pure human form, is about the same height as Tesoro.
"It's amazing you can still recognize an old friend," Sig said, pulling out a high chair and sitting down without asking.
"Sig? Siegfried, I recognized you from the first wanted poster of the Sun Pirates... But it seems your reputation on the seas isn't quite legendary yet," Tesoro sneered.
Indeed, when you think about it, the difference between Sig's fully human appearance and when he Oldest One had "Phantom Scales" is the smallest. Similarly, the difference between his appearance when he first had "Phantom Scales" and when he was first identified as Half Fish-Man and put on the wanted list is not too big.
With the names "Siegfried" and "Sig" added, Tesoro had Sig's identity locked in from the very beginning!
When the two parted ways, Sig yelled, "If you manage to keep your head this time, you can listen to my legend on the high seas from now on."
Based on Sig's performance...
Well, if Doflamingo's death, the Wano Country incident, the Whole Cake Island mass maternity leave incident... were exposed, it could be called a "myth." However, if only what has been revealed to the outside world is available, it's still lacking—just a "mere" 430 million ordinary pirate officer.
Sig didn't boast about anything, simply crossing his legs and leaning back in a similarly tyrannical posture, saying, "Don't be so harsh! An average bounty of over 80 million Beli a year is already quite 'legendary'."
"Eighty million? In the time it took you to say those few words to me, I've already earned more than eighty million!" Tesoro said disdainfully.
Are earning 80 million and getting an 80 million increase in bounty the same thing?
However, Sig didn't bother arguing with him about that. Instead, he said slowly, "That's right, money... it's a really good thing. With money, you can make the devil turn the millstone, or you can make... yourself turn the millstone for the Celestial Dragons!"
It's unlikely that the Celestial Dragons would actually work the millstone, but it's certainly possible for Celestial Dragons to take me in as their dog and make me work the millstone.
Upon hearing Sig's sarcastic words, Tesoro's expression changed, and a golden light flashed in his eyes. It was as if a golden light began to spread from his chair, the floor beneath his feet, and the table in front of him!
If you look closely, you'll find that it's not just golden yellow, but that these objects have actually turned into "gold".
"And what about you? You went to sea with Captain Fisher Tiger, but Fisher Tiger still died, and then you followed a Captain caused trouble everywhere... What? You can't make it now? In this world... only money is eternal! Money can buy everything!" Tesoro retorted in a muffled voice, and the golden power continued to spread towards Sig.
Sig remained seated, but his shadow seemed to flow like ink, or like tentacles, constantly extending, wriggling, and even climbing up the table legs in violation of optical principles.
Ultimately, between the two, the "shadow" held back the spread of gold...
"Eternity? In exchange for everything?" Sig scoffed.
Although he was facing the Awakening power of the Golden Fruit, Sig completely restrained it using only his own "Shadow" ability.
Sig didn't say anything like, "You can only use gold to curry favor with the Celestial Dragons," because Sig knew perfectly well that in the arrogant Tesoro's mind, he was currently using the Celestial Dragons...
Whether that's true or just his own self-deception, at least he firmly believed it in his heart, so Sig couldn't provoke him with that.
What's the point of insulting someone if you don't expose their weaknesses and hurt their feelings?
Tesoro stared intently at Sig, Sig simply smiled slightly and said, "Stella."
Tesoro:!!!
"After you left there, how many times did you live like a stray dog? Captured by Germa, captured by the Navy, captured by pirates... Didn't anyone say you were either being captured or on your way to be captured?"
Stella.
"You trash! You good-for-nothing! You eunuch!"
Stella.
"You can only watch helplessly as your Captain, your benefactor, is killed by the navy to claim credit!"
Stella.
That enormous golden fist came straight at Sig's face—he panicked, he panicked, he broke through his defenses.
The next instant, a muscular arm crackling with lightning slammed into Tesoro's face, pinning him to the floor—in a contest of Devil Fruit ability, Sig's Shadow-type powers were enough; in a physical contest, Tesoro was no match for Sig!
However, it wasn't just Tesoro was breaking down; Sig also grinned smugly at Tesoro, while tears streamed down his own scaly cheeks.
Tesoro was even more furious—only half of his face was sticking out of the floor, desperately trying to glare at Sig, while... tears of despair streamed down his face.
There is nothing more harmful than this...