"My dear mother-in-law's Lineage Factor—where is it? And what about Kaido's? Has it begun?"
"Charlotte Linlin's Lineage Factor has been mostly decrypted. As for Kaido's, we've just begun."
"Excellent."
...
After inspecting all the projects, Doflamingo left the lab with a satisfied smile. Once these experiments were applied to his own body, he was going to shake the world to its core.
...
Marine Headquarters.
"They pulled out of Baltigo so quickly? That's not like the Five Elders." Fleet Admiral Kong crossed his arms, studying the latest intelligence report as he muttered to himself.
Hearing a critical keyword, Garp immediately grabbed all of Sengoku's senbei and stuffed them into his mouth before standing up and shouting,
"I'm taking leave!"
"That was my senbei!" Sengoku clutched his forehead in frustration. "Can't you just eat your own?!"
"Garp, what are you up to this time? Roger's already dead."
"I'm going to see my grandson!"
"Are you telling me Dragon defected just to give you a grandson?"
This conversation was going nowhere. That damn brat!
A vein bulged on Garp's forehead as he turned and walked off.
Sengoku watched his retreating figure, his eyes thoughtful.
...
Sabaody Archipelago.
"Tesoro, I'm here—oof!" Machvise hesitated for a moment as he looked at the heavily bandaged Tesoro.
"Come on, Machvise." Tesoro locked his gaze onto him.
"Boom!"
The ground beneath Machvise exploded as he vanished like a high-speed bullet train.
"Hundred-Ton Baiss—oof!"
Just as he closed in on Tesoro, his already abnormal weight surged under the Ton-Ton Fruit's power, instantly reaching a hundred tons. The momentum combined with the sheer weight of his attack could shatter ships and tear through streets.
"Too crude."
Tesoro moved like a feather caught in the wind, avoiding the attack with ease.
Machvise missed and crashed straight into a nearby wall.
"Boom!"
Just as he got back on his feet, a slicing attack tore through the dust cloud behind him.
"Tekkai!"
His exponentially increased weight made his Tekkai even tougher than standard Armament Haki.
"Clang!"
"Tesoro, you've mastered the Rokushiki so fast—oof!"
"I just want to do my part for the Boss. Shigan: Golden Bullet!"
A relentless barrage of golden bullets fired like sniper rounds from the distance.
"Thousand-Ton Baiss—oof!"
Using his immense mass, Machvise crushed each bullet to dust as he charged forward, plowing through the golden hailstorm.
"If that's all you've got, Tesoro, then you're about to lose—oof!"
"But Machvise, you talk too much. So…"
"Snap!" Tesoro snapped his fingers.
Machvise' charging body suddenly went limp, collapsing like a puppet with cut strings.
With a heavy thud, he face-planted into the ground.
"I win."
For the first time since the incident in Loguetown, Tesoro allowed himself a small, confident smile.
"Yes, Tesoro! You actually won—oof!"
Feeling his body return to normal, Machvise sat up and spat out a mouthful of dirt before asking curiously,
"How did you do that—oof?"
"The Boss granted me this power—the Gold-Gold Fruit."
Tesoro flexed his fingers, and specks of gold dust floated from Machvise' nose and mouth.
"Let's start round two, Machvise."
"What about tonight's concert—oof?"
"It's fine. I've got something new to show."
Gold surged around Tesoro, forming a gleaming suit of armor. But it didn't stop there—dark, menacing Haki spread across its surface.
"Armament Haki—oof?!"
Machvise' glasses nearly fell off in shock. He had spent all this time barely grasping it, while Tesoro—who had to balance training and business—had already surpassed him?
"That's right. Now, let's go!"
"Hellfire!"
The gold radiated intense heat, distorting the air around it.
Tesoro's fist glowed like molten lava.
"BOOM!!!"
...
Nightfall.
Sabaody Archipelago, Area 3. The mini-arena lit up as the much-anticipated concert began.
Excited citizens poured in, eager for the show.
Dressed in a pristine white suit with a top hat, Tesoro rose onto the stage.
"Boom! Boom! Boom!"
Golden confetti erupted into the air alongside fireworks.
"Whoa! It's real gold!"
A curvy woman gasped before dramatically stripping off all her clothes, throwing herself onto her seat.
"Shower me in gold!"
...
Amid the feverish excitement, Tesoro began to sing.
"Golden dance~ With cowboys~ Let's forget everything~"
...
"He made his dream come true!"
Stella trembled with emotion, tears of joy streaming down her face. In just a few short years, not only had they escaped their suffering, but Tesoro had finally obtained what he once longed for most.
"Stella, Tesoro's singing is amazing!"
Jora cupped her face, blushing as she swooned.
"I hohoho! It's a shame Tesoro didn't invite me. If I joined, the place would've exploded with excitement!"
"..."
The others fell into a stunned silence, utterly speechless at Jora's shamelessness. Tesoro's girlfriend was right there, far more attractive than her—how did she even say that with a straight face?
Only Yamato enthusiastically cheered her on. "That's right, Auntie Jora! You'd definitely be a huge hit!"
Kaido's daughter… seriously had this kind of taste?
"Fuffuffuffuffu. You all enjoy yourselves."
Doflamingo stood up and left for a quiet room. Concerts weren't his thing.
The real satisfaction came from making people's dreams come true.
...
North Blue.
Flevance.
In a secluded alley near the border, Luca cautiously retreated into the shadows.
Moments later, he slipped into a hidden underground tunnel.
As soon as he arrived, hushed voices filled the space.
"Well? Luca?"
"Is the border really sealed?"
"..."
"Hah…" Luca exhaled sharply before speaking. "Yeah. The royal army and neighboring nations have completely sealed the borders."
A heavy silence fell over the group, soon replaced by panic and despair.
"Damn it!"
"The doctors were right—Amber Lead Syndrome is real."
"Amber Lead really is poisonous. We're doomed!"
"If we stay here, we're finished."
"We have no choice but to rebel against the royals. Are you in?"
"Do we even have another option?"
"Our numbers are too few. We need to spread the word—wake people up from their fairy-tale dream."
...
In a dimly lit clinic, Trafalgar D. Water Law carefully peeled off his disguise.
"Stop getting involved, Law."
A quiet voice spoke from the shadows.
Law's hand froze before turning to face the speaker, forcing a smile. "Good evening, Lina."
"Stop getting involved in this!"
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+220 chapters on p@treon/tambeerg