Renault led Shakky and Hancock directly into the heart of Gran Tesoro.
"So this is Tesoro?"
"It certainly lives up to its reputation."
Even Shakky, who was used to seeing Renault's hoards of gold, couldn't help but sigh in admiration at the lavish decor before them.
"It is quite grand," Hancock agreed, her eyes scanning the surroundings. "If little Nami were here, she would definitely love this place."
Having spent so much time together, the sisters understood each other's personalities well. When it came to money, Nami was always the first to come to mind. If she saw this much gold, her eyes would surely be turning into Berry signs.
"Renault, why don't you build a Tesoro of your own?" Shakky suggested, leaning against his arm. "Actually, call it 'Ren-soro'! With your current wealth, it shouldn't be difficult, right?"
"I'm not interested in that kind of thing. Besides, this place isn't as wonderful as it looks," Renault shook his head with a smile.
The so-called Gran Tesoro was merely a gold-plated sinkhole for money. It was rife with black-market deals and shady business.
"Let's go. Business first."
Renault's eyes flickered with electromagnetic waves as his Observation Haki blanketed the entire golden ship. Every movement was within his grasp. He quickly locked onto a specific room and led the two women toward it.
In the largest room on the top floor of the Golden City.
The luxury here reached an entirely different level. The entire room was crafted from gold, white gold, and diamonds, with walls encrusted with priceless gemstones. Every item in the room belonged to the "gold series."
"Anything special happen today?"
On a soft sofa embossed with golden patterns, a tall man with grayish-green hair tapped the table with fingers covered in gold and diamond rings.
"Everything is normal."
Suddenly, a man with a massive head wearing a black bodysuit emerged from the golden wall.
"Rest assured, Boss. No one dares to cause trouble here," replied Mr. Tanaka, the Golden City guard and one of the Gold Emperor's top lieutenants.
"How was the casino business today?" The Gold Emperor crossed his legs and lit a cigar.
"Nearly a thousand people lost everything today. They've already been kicked out," Tanaka reported faithfully.
"Hahahaha... well done." A mercenary smile slowly spread across the Gold Emperor's face. "Tesoro only welcomes the rich. As for the poor..."
His expression turned cold and cruel. "If they have no money, tell them to get lost!"
"As you wish," Tanaka bowed respectfully. To them, only the wealthy had utility; the poor didn't even have the right to step on their golden floors.
"As expected of the profit-driven Gold Emperor!"
At that moment, a man's voice rang out abruptly from outside the door.
The expressions of the Gold Emperor and Tanaka changed instantly. The Gold Emperor uncrossed his legs, his heart racing with shock. His Observation Haki was always active; how could someone be so close without him noticing?
What was going on?!
"Who's there playing tricks? Get in here!"
As he spoke, he caught Mr. Tanaka's eye. Tanaka understood immediately and moved toward a golden wall.
Boom!
However, just as Tanaka prepared to use his Phase-Phase powers to pass through the wall and call for reinforcements, a bolt of lightning struck him. Smoke billowed from Tanaka's mouth as his eyes rolled back, and he collapsed unconscious on the spot.
Thud.
Simultaneously, the golden doors were pushed open. Renault walked in, flanked by the two women.
The Gold Emperor's pupils shrunk as he looked at the man approaching him. He subconsciously swallowed hard, though he quickly tried to mask his panic and the surge of killing intent within him.
"I didn't expect such... distinguished guests today!""Mr. Renault, to what do I owe the pleasure of this visit?"
Tesoro's subtle movements did not escape Renault's eyes. Renault replied with a half-smile, "I didn't expect that after disappearing from the seas for so many years, there would still be people who recognize me."
"But of course. Your name was legendary back in the day, Mr. Renault. There wasn't a soul who hadn't heard of you."
No kidding, Tesoro thought. How could I not know?
Years ago, the World Government had mobilized all its resources to find Renault and his crew. Gran Tesoro, being a melting pot of information and a hub for all sorts of people, was the perfect place to gather intel. Moreover, Tesoro himself collaborated with members of the World Government. It was unavoidable.
At this very moment, Renault's bounty poster was tucked away in a golden drawer nearby. Tesoro just hadn't expected the man to ever actively seek him out.
However, as a man who had seen the world, the Gold Emperor quickly regained his composure. He sized up this legendary figure—a man the World Government spoke of only with dread—his eyes gleaming with interest.
He knew quite a bit about the rumors surrounding Renault.
Renault was a contemporary of Rocks D. Xebec, the former overlord of the seas. He had defeated Rocks, played a pivotal role in the God Valley Incident, and slaughtered several Celestial Dragons. He was, quite literally, Public Enemy Number One for the World Government.
Yet, every time he caused a massive stir on the ocean, he would vanish without a trace. Aside from the powerful and influential who knew the history, the vast majority of people on the sea didn't even know Renault existed.
But...
As Tesoro scrutinized Renault, his brow furrowed deeply. If he's from the same era as Rocks, why does he still look so young? He couldn't see a single trace of aging on Renault. It was truly bizarre.
But under the current circumstances, he didn't have the luxury of overthinking it.
"Welcome to Gran Tesoro, Mr. Renault!" Tesoro put on his signature fake smile and rose to greet him. "I have heard much of your great name. To meet you today is truly my honor."
Looking at his hospitable attitude, an outsider might actually mistake him for a warm-hearted host.
Renault sat down naturally on the sofa. He glanced at Tesoro's jewelry-laden body, then at Mr. Tanaka, who lay unconscious on the floor. He vaguely remembered that Tesoro had a very beautiful subordinate—he'd forgotten her name, but she was a Luck-Luck Fruit user.
"I won't beat around the bush. I'll speak plainly," Renault said, getting straight to the point.
"Of course. Please, go ahead." Tesoro adopted an attentive posture, prepared for anything. A man like Renault didn't come looking for him without a purpose.
"I'm interested in you and your Golden City. From today onward, you will join my Renault Pirates," Renault stated bluntly.
"Wha... What?!" The smile on Tesoro's face froze. He spoke in disbelief. "What did you say?"
"Didn't you hear him?" Shakky, standing beside Renault with her arms crossed, repeated, "He said that from today on, you are a member of the Renault Pirates."
Having it confirmed, Tesoro instantly dropped his fake smile. He wasn't deaf; he had heard it perfectly the first time. He just found it impossible to believe!
He wanted his Golden City?
Was he joking? This city was Tesoro's lifeblood! It was the culmination of all his hard work over the years. Giving up the Golden City he had built with his own hands was no different from killing him.
No, it was worse. It was like killing him and then digging up his ancestral grave!
Since things had reached this point, Tesoro stopped pretending. He sat back down across from Renault, interlacing his fingers—adorned with nine rings—and spoke.
"Hehehehe... I know you are powerful, Mr. Renault, but making such a presumptuous request upon our first meeting seems a bit inappropriate, don't you think? You surely know what this city means to me."
"I know," Renault nodded slightly. "But what of it? Since I'm here, the outcome is already decided. You surrender, and the Golden City belongs to me. You refuse, I kill you, and the Golden City still belongs to me."
Renault paused, looking at Tesoro with a playful glint. "However... if you submit to me, I'll let you continue managing the place."
"Hehehehe... They say seeing is believing. You really are overbearing, Mr. Renault!"
As he spoke, the gold beneath Tesoro's feet began to flow eerily. Not only that, but the gold plating throughout the entire room began to churn.
"Are you sure you want to do this? Once you make a move, there's no turning back for you," Shakky warned. A chilling frost erupted from her body as she instantly transformed.
Ancient Zoan: Dog-Dog Fruit, Model: Okuchi-no-Makami—her strongest hybrid form!
Hancock blew a kiss from her fingertips, forming a pink heart before pulling it back like a bow and arrow, aiming straight at the Gold Emperor.
If Tesoro made even the slightest move, they would strike without hesitation. As for Renault, he sat there calmly, as steady as a mountain. If he had to do everything himself, what was the point of having a crew?
"The Okuchi-no-Makami and the Love-Love Fruit?!"
Tesoro's eyes narrowed. He recognized those two powerful Devil Fruits immediately. He didn't know these two women, but he hadn't expected them both to be such formidable ability users.
"Tesoro, I'm giving you this chance. You'd better think carefully. If you take this step, there is no going back."
Tesoro fell silent. The gold churning in the room slowed down. With his Gold-Gold Fruit and the surrounding environment, he could certainly amplify his power, but he wasn't a fool. He wasn't arrogant enough to think he could take on a man the World Government feared. Moreover, these two women were clearly no pushovers. He wasn't even sure if he could beat them, let alone Renault.
In short, if a fight broke out, he was doomed.
Once he realized this, his anger subsided slightly. If possible, he didn't want to push things to the end.
"Don't worry, I won't take your city for nothing. I can do you a favor for free," Renault continued, seeing Tesoro waver.
"What favor?" Tesoro asked, suspicious and confused. He had money and manpower. He didn't think he needed help. But he had to play along to find a sliver of hope.
"Don't be so tense. Relax." Renault waved his hand, and the two women stood down. "If I really wanted to kill you, you wouldn't even have the chance to speak to me."
Renault leaned back into the sofa. "Now, can you sit down so we can talk properly?"
Tesoro's furrowed brow slowly smoothed out. The flowing gold in the room returned to its solid state. The atmosphere, which had been on the verge of exploding, evaporated.
Tesoro had yielded. He sat back down across from Renault and said, resigned, "Speak."
"Tesoro, I know everything that happened to you. I understand why you crave money so much. You want everyone to bow to you—you even want the Celestial Dragons to crawl at your feet like dogs, don't you?"
These things weren't exactly secrets, but being poked in his sore spot made Tesoro's expression turn ugly. To him, his past was a shadow he could never erase. Only money—more and more of it—could numb the pain.
Tesoro remained silent. Since Renault had brought this up, there had to be more.
"As I said, I'll do you a favor. That favor is this: When I march upon the Holy Land, I will take you with me. I will give you the chance to slaughter those Celestial Dragons with your own hands. Isn't that much more satisfying than making them kneel?"
Renault's casual remark made Tesoro's eyes widen in utter shock.
March upon the Holy Land?
He wondered if he had misheard. He knew Renault had killed Celestial Dragons at God Valley, but could that even be compared to attacking Mary Geoise? That was no different from overthrowing the World Government's entire rule!
Even though this was his first meeting with Renault, he had never underestimated the man. Anyone who could be Public Enemy Number One was a monster. But to say he could overthrow the World Government? That sounded like a massive boast.
"Renault, do you... do you have any idea what you're saying?!" Tesoro felt that Renault was even more insane than he was. He wasn't just crazy; he was a lunatic.
"Tesoro, you don't need to doubt my words. I've laid out my conditions. Now, you have only two choices. Submit to me, and you continue to manage this Golden City. When the time comes, I'll take you to the heart of the Celestial Dragons' nest and give you your revenge. Refuse me, and I'll have to kill you."
Truthfully, Renault didn't want to kill him. In the world of pirates, besides the Celestial Dragons, Renault hated two types of people: human traffickers and pirates who slaughtered civilians for no reason. Those, he would never tolerate.
However, the gambling, the vice, and the arms trades of the Golden City? Those were "grey" businesses he could live with. And those businesses required someone like Tesoro to run smoothly. Even if Renault took over the place himself, he wouldn't manage it half as well as the Gold Emperor.
As he spoke, Shakky and Hancock moved to flank Tesoro. Renault had issued his final ultimatum. If Tesoro dared to say "no," they would end his life instantly.
Tesoro's face shifted between shades of pale and red. But he didn't dare move. In front of Renault, resistance was futile. Refusal meant certain death. Agreement meant a one-in-a-million chance at something greater.
"Three!"
The countdown began like a death knell.
"Two!"
"Fine! Fine! Stop counting! I agree!" Tesoro shouted, raising his hands. He couldn't take the pressure. It hadn't been easy for him to get where he was today; he had suffered immensely to build this empire. In a way, he feared death more than anyone. If there was even a slim chance to live, he would take it.
"A wise choice," Renault smiled.
[Ding! Congratulations, Host, on successfully recruiting Gild Tesoro!] [Crew Potential Assessment: A+ Rank!] [Congratulations! You have received 300,000 Sailing Points!]
The system notification arrived as expected. As the voice faded, Tesoro gave Renault a deep, meaningful look. For some reason, he felt a strange connection forming with Renault, as if the very idea of betrayal had become impossible.
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