Chapter 495: Chapter 495: Pirate King: Gold City (12)

"You CP0—since when did you become Tesoro’s lackeys?!!!"

Sakazuki crushed the cigar in his hand. Beneath his marine cap, a killing aura seeped from his face as he fixed a hostile stare on Rob Lucci across from him.

"This is not for Tesoro, but for the mission—for the balance between Saint Orin and the World Government, and for the underground-world that arose between them. After the Doflamingo incident, that system has already suffered a heavy blow."

Lucci slowly removed the mask from his face. Confronting the coldest Marine Fleet Admiral, his expression did not waver in the slightest.

"The World Government needs Tesoro’s money to maintain basic operations and the Celestial Dragons’ Heavenly Tribute."

"You don’t want the Navy’s budget to come up short either, do you..."

"..."

Sakazuki fell silent. Rolling magma burst from his clenched fist, reducing the crushed cigar to a pile of ash.

Bastard...

Though furious about this, Sakazuki had to admit he was helpless against it. As Fleet Admiral, and as a high-ranking member of the World Government faction, he naturally knew something about the underground world. Back when Orin seized control of the underground world, a meeting had been held on the Sabaody Archipelago, and the Navy had been responsible for maintaining order—put bluntly, helping guard the venue.

After that meeting, underground business order improved significantly. The World Government benefited as well: the Celestial Dragons gained Heavenly Tribute to squander, and the World Government gained funds for rule and operations. Orin’s direct subordinates, Doflamingo and Tesoro, had also seen the enormous profits of this system, and through business, tied the World Government to themselves to a certain extent.

That was precisely why, when Doflamingo and Tesoro faced the risk of downfall, the World Government chose to provide a certain degree of assistance—because they were not only Orin’s money trees, but the World Government’s as well.

"So all you need to do is shut up and obediently dispatch ten warships for me to command."

Rob Lucci spoke coldly. And although Sakazuki could understand the reasons, Lucci’s attitude still made him deeply displeased.

If those five Elders mocked me, fine—I endured it.

But what do you think you are, Rob Lucci?

"You think you know who you’re talking to? You’ve really made something of yourself, haven’t you... Rob Lucci."

...

Aboard the Gran Tesoro, atop the Golden Tower, on the very top floor.

A figure draped in a black-and-gold coat, a cigar clenched between her teeth, stood at the edge of the tower, overlooking the entire Gold City. This gigantic, extravagant mobile nation was, in Crocodile’s eyes, an ideal choice for a main base.

A colossal Sea King, second only to super-giant Sea Kings, with an island turtle used to tow the ship—and perhaps even for attacks; a city full of gold that could be used to purchase massive quantities of weapons and equipment; mobility that would allow a future military nation to avoid detection and create a situation where the enemy is in the open and we are in the dark...

Aside from the decor style not matching Crocodile’s tastes, it could be said to be the best possible place for her ambitions to be realized.

She smiled as she swept her gaze over the outline of the entire ship, then turned her head with the cigar still in her mouth to look at Orin, who was reading a newspaper.

"Hey, Orin, have you ever thought about what should be done with this enormous Gold City after Tesoro fails?"

"What do you mean, what should be done?"

Orin’s eyes slowly shifted as he cast a sidelong glance at Crocodile, whose face was full of ambition. His expression remained blank, as if he truly did not understand what she was saying.

"Isn’t it obvious?"

Crocodile crossed her arms and spoke as if it went without saying.

"If Tesoro loses here to Straw Hat, then according to the bet, won’t he lose all his wealth and this Gold City as well?"

This wasn’t Crocodile’s first time dealing with Tesoro. Back when he was still a poor nobody and had been sent by Orin to scrape together ransom money, she had already interacted with him.

"That’s a guy who values money more than his life..."

Perhaps because she’d spent so long around Orin, Crocodile had picked up a bit of a dark sense of humor. A gloomy smile surfaced on her face.

"Controlling over twenty percent of the world’s Belly—wealth that could practically buy anything. If he loses all that, he’d definitely be in unbearable agony, right~"

"Hahahahaha~"

But Orin did not laugh this time. Instead, his gaze lifted upward, as if he were pondering something.

"What would truly make Tesoro suffer unbearably probably isn’t losing his wealth~"

Within Orin’s Observation Haki, no movement escaped his perception, including the conversations between Tesoro and Stella.

Orin rubbed his brow.

Perhaps it was because back then, as the only authoritative figure in Tesoro’s life, Orin had left too deep an impression on him. That line spoken to make Tesoro work for him—

"Do you know why you can’t protect Stella? Because you’re a poor bastard."

Combined with Tesoro’s childhood experiences, the overall impact on him had been far too great. His worship and pursuit of "absolute financial power" had caused Tesoro to lose his way for a time. 𝓯𝓻𝒆𝙚𝒘𝓮𝙗𝓷𝒐𝓿𝙚𝒍.𝙘𝓸𝙢

Even now, that fool still hadn’t figured out what money was for, or what was truly most precious to him.

"This idiot..."

Hopefully Luffy, Zoro, Sanji, and those juniors would beat some sense into Tesoro on his behalf—hit him a few more times—so he could wake up completely.

"Hey!!! Are you even listening to what I’m saying?!"

Seeing Orin staring up at the sky as if lost in thought, Crocodile couldn’t help but shout angrily.

Perhaps finding it too noisy, Hawk-Eye, who had been wiping his black blade, lifted his head and looked at Crocodile.

"Don’t you understand this guy’s personality yet?"

"The more you want something, the less Orin will give it to you."

Toying with others was Orin’s basic operation.

"Tch..."

Crocodile bit down on her cigar, her expression darkening. But she had to admit—it was true.

In any case, she wasn’t in a hurry. She’d just wait for the result.

"But Tesoro probably won’t end up like Doflamingo, right? Otherwise it’d look far too ugly in the eyes of the world..."

Thinking of that man who had always been eager to ally with her—Doflamingo—Crocodile shook her head helplessly.

At this point, she didn’t even know what to say.

She both hoped Tesoro would win, and hoped Tesoro would lose.

Thinking this, she looked at Orin, who was still lying on a long chair, staring blankly at the newspaper.

"Orin, you’ve always been able to see far into the future. Who do you think will win in the end?"

"Oh???"

Hearing this question, Orin tugged his lips into a smile.

"Well~ if I say it now, wouldn’t it take away some of the mystery~"

"You bastard..."

...

Meanwhile, on the other side, the Straw Hat crew had already begun their operation, choosing to split into two teams to steal the black box.

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