Your Song Is My Salvation...

As soon as he said that, everyone present froze on the spot, looking at Gilder Tezzolo with eyes that seemed to think he was an idiot.

At this moment, even Baccarat and Mr. Tanaka, who had rushed over, looked anxious.

"Wait, boss, he's Four Emperors! Even if we all joined forces, we wouldn't be a match for him..."

"Damn it, Mr. Tanaka, you buy me some time. I refuse to believe that my luck will be defeated by the Four Emperors. This is a truly challenging goal."

"Hey, hey, Baccarat, Bakala, the boss's gone mad and you've gone mad too. Go ahead and go crazy however you want, I'm not playing along..."

No sooner had he finished speaking than Mr. Tanaka, headfirst, was about to escape this troublesome place by passing through the wall when an unexpected event suddenly occurred.

Thump!

A large bag bulged out from the already comical chibi-style figure, and Mr. Tanaka stood there, tears welling in his eyes.

"What? What happened? My ability, how could my ability stop working?!"

"Idiot, you only know how to fight by relying on Devil Fruits. You don't even know when you were enveloped in Haki. How could I let such a precious specimen like you go?"

The Five-Color String, as thin as hair, were wrapped around Mr. Tanaka's wrist, fixing him firmly in place, unable to move.

"Thirty billion Beli, most of your bounty, to release Mr. Tanaka..."

Like a peacock regaining its confidence, Gilder Tezzolo said loudly, his eyes full of determination.

"Three... three billion Beli?!"

A gasp escaped Carina's lips; everyone else was shocked and instinctively looked toward the figure blocking the doorway.

"This is outrageous! A whopping 3 billion Beli! Even businessmen might not earn that much money in their entire lives!"

"Damn, I'm tempted to make a quick buck!"

"Go wash up and go to bed early, you'll be dreaming about it..."

"I refuse."

Click!

The joints cracked and popped, and countless people nearly dropped their eyeballs.

"What? You're refusing! That's three billion Beli! Don't give it to me!"

"Hey, hey, hey, am I hearing things? That's a whopping 3 billion Beli! That's enough to buy an entire island!"

"You wouldn't..."

A sense of foreboding rose in Carina's heart. She subconsciously took two steps back and looked around, searching for a way to escape.

"Three hundred billion Beli! Release him now!"

"I refuse."

Gilder Tezzolo's face grew increasingly dark, and the gold ring on his finger subtly swelled.

"Three hundred billion Beli, release Mr. Tanaka, apologize to me, and buy the wealth of an entire country. As long as you're willing to bow your head, all three hundred billion Beli are yours!"

After a while, Huayue slowly shook her head, her face showing a mocking expression.

"Not enough, I want it all: this golden ship that's ten thousand meters long, Gran Tesoro, and the abilities of Luck, Travel, and the Gold-Gold Fruit."

"What a joke! There's nothing money can't buy, and nothing a person without money can do. I, who control 20% of the world's Beli, am the god of the New World!!!"

Swoosh! Swoosh! Swoosh!

A sudden whooshing sound erupted, followed by a crisp ringing sound, and the three golden rings turned to dust.

"God? To become a god, you need a magnificent outer garment to conceal your inner self, instead of letting the rules created by monkeys bind your heart."

"Money can't buy back everything you've lost, nor can it buy back the tears of your soul. Want to try? You self-proclaimed god, you monkey."

Anger, an unprecedented anger welled up inside me.

This was purely devoid of any anger, and it had been buried deep within him from the moment he fled Mariejois.

"Don't underestimate me, Golden God Fire!"

The Kuma golden flames burned endlessly, instantly melting the entire Golden Bell Tower, forming a colossal golden giant that stood tall and imposing, its eyes blazing with golden light.

"So what if I'm one of the Four Emperors? So what if I'm the Pirate King? I possess the greatest wealth, and I am the true ruler of this world!!!"

Ding! Ding! Ding!

A gentle breeze blows, and the clear, melodious sound of silver bells rings softly in your ears, lingering for a long time.

"Is this your final resolve? What a pity, an existence you couldn't even see yourself clearly. Farewell, Gild Tesoro."

In a daze, feathers fell from the sky, swirling around my vision.

"Where... where am I? Where is this place...?"

"I really like your singing, Tesoro!"

"That voice, that voice is... Stella! Stella!"

Waking up in a sweaty, rudimentary bed, Gild Tezzolo looked back and saw a blond man, whose image he could only vaguely recall in his dreams, standing right before him.

"Stella, it really is...it really is you...how is this possible? You, and me...we're not..."

"What are you talking about? Haven't we always lived here, poor but happy? Are you out of your mind?"

"Sing it one more time, your voice is my salvation. I pray to God for salvation and happiness for the rest of my life."

Ding ding ding~

"ROOM: Slaughterhouse".

The world was silent, with only three voices echoing in her ears. Huayue turned around, a smile playing on her lips.

"Now, it's your turn. The world will be engulfed in a massive war, a war that will engulf the entire world, leaving no peaceful land behind."

"Choose: follow me or perish in the flames of war. The power of choice is in your hands."

In an instant, Carina, who was about to slip away, froze on the spot, while Baccarat's lips twitched and she subconsciously looked around.

"What about them? What about Gilder Tezzolo?"

"He has returned to his paradise, so Gild Tesoro's ship is mine. Paramecia Type Lucky-Lucky Fruit Ability User, Baccarat, do you want to submit to me now, or do you want me to kill you with my own hands and take your Lineage Factor?"

At this moment, realizing that the situation was irreversible, Baccarat's eyes darted around, and she smiled again.

"To be able to bear the title of one of the Four Emperors is truly a great honor. After all, my deal with Gild Tesoro is a monetary one. As long as I can save my life, I can accept paying the price..."

"Me! I'm not Ability User. What use would you be to me if you took me under your wing? You wouldn't happen to be after my beauty, would you?"

Carina instinctively shrank to the side, her face full of vigilance, Huayue smiled gently and looked indifferent.

"Your intelligence gathering ability is not bad. Wano Country, and relying solely on the Hollows to gather information is too Menos Grande. Hiyori also doesn't have the ability to use the paper butterflies that are spread all over the world..."

"So, do you want to come with me, or let me throw you into the Impel Down, or perhaps..."

Thump!

"Four Emperors, spare my life! If there's anything I can do to help you, just ask! Please don't kill me, my flesh doesn't taste good!"