West Blue, Ririsi Island, Seta Town.
Dawn still had no idea that his bounty had skyrocketed several times over, propelling him into the ranks of the great pirates.
At that moment, he was attending a grand banquet held in his honor within a luxurious manor.
Wine flowed freely beneath dazzling lights. The hall was packed with guests. Mafia family heads from across the West Blue, kings of military powers, social elites, nobles, and even several underworld leaders from the first half of the Grand Line had gathered there, all wearing smiles both sincere and false as they paid their respects to the West Blue's new uncrowned king.
Dawn had changed into a tailored black suit crafted by a master artisan from Boot Kingdom, perfectly fitting his powerful yet trim physique. He held a wineglass in one hand as he moved through the crowd alongside Stella and Stussy.
Stella wore a regal sapphire-blue backless evening gown;
Stussy, meanwhile, wore a dark crimson mermaid dress, seductive and mysterious.
The two women stood on either side of him, smoothly handling the probing remarks and small talk from every faction, especially the ladies who had gathered around them.
Flattery rang out without end. Dawn maintained a faint, impeccable smile as he exchanged drinks with the leaders of various forces, his words giving nothing away.
Quite a few people openly or subtly proposed partnerships in gray-market fields such as arms trafficking and human trafficking.
After some consideration and weighing the pros and cons, Dawn readily accepted the portions that were profitable and did not cross his current bottom line. Expanding his power required immense funding and resource networks, and these partnerships were the fastest route.
Just as he finished dealing with a round of toasts and was about to excuse himself for a brief rest,