Two days later, at the top-floor reception hall of the Temple of Sloth.
This was the place with the best view in the entire base, the most luxurious decoration, and also the quietest.
The floor was paved with entire slabs of obsidian, polished to a mirror-like sheen, reflecting the dazzling crystal chandelier above.
The afternoon sunlight streamed lazily through the massive floor-to-ceiling windows, spilling across the marble floor like a calm sea of light.
Renzo lay on his beloved floating sofa, a hardcover book titled How to Make Subordinates Automatically Solve All Problems covering his face.
Monet sat nearby, carefully peeling freshly airlifted crystal grapes, her focused expression making it seem as though she were handling priceless treasures rather than fruit.
Everything was peaceful. Harmonious.
Until, "Hehehe… so this is the legendary 'Temple of Sloth'? It's too, too, too luxurious! Hehehe!"
A sticky, wet, utterly unpleasant laugh suddenly shattered the silence.
Then came a nauseating stench, like something fermented in a sewer for three days.
The book covering Renzo's face twitched slightly.
His brow furrowed deeply beneath it.
"Who?"
His voice was lazy, but clearly laced with irritation and disgust.
"Lord Renzo!"
Rehn instantly appeared beside the sofa. For once, he wasn't smiling, instead, his face was green, and he was pinching his nose.
"It's… an envoy sent by Doflamingo."
He pointed toward the door with visible disgust.
"Says he's delivering tribute, the top-tier Devil Fruit we mentioned before."
"Oh?"
Renzo finally removed the book and sat up.
"The item's here?"
He looked toward the entrance.
A sloppily dressed man stood there, hunched over, wearing a spotted cloak, sunglasses, and, most notably, a long strand of snot dangling from his nose, swaying with each breath and occasionally dripping onto the floor.
One of the Donquixote Family's top officers, Trebol.
"Hehehe! First time meeting you!"
Trebol rubbed his sticky hands together excitedly.
"I'm Trebol! Doffy told me to send his regards! Hehehe!"
He stepped forward, his cloak trailing something suspicious along the floor.
"STOP RIGHT THERE!!"
A thunderous roar exploded in the room.
Rehn instantly appeared in front of him, his face twisted with fury and revulsion.
"You! Yes, YOU!"
He pointed at the dangling snot.
"SUCK THAT THING BACK IN!!!"
"Huh? Hehehe? You mean this?"
Trebol sniffed, slurping it back with a revolting sound.
"Disgusting! Absolutely disgusting!!"
Rehn looked like he might vomit.
As Renzo's chief steward, maintaining "absolute cleanliness" in the lord's presence was his sacred duty.
This man was a walking violation of hygiene.
"Look at the floor!"
Rehn roared, pointing at the sticky mess.
"This is Lord Renzo's sanctuary! A sacred pure land! And you dare drip… that here?!"
"I personally kneel and clean this floor three times every morning!!!"
"Hehehe, don't be so angry, fatty."
Trebol leaned closer, even trying to pat Rehn's shoulder.
"We're all friends here! Hehehe!"
"DON'T TOUCH ME!!!"
Rehn jumped back three meters, blue lightning crackling around him.
"If you smear that sticky stuff on my suit, I'll turn you into charcoal!!"
"Enough, Rehn."
Renzo yawned, stopping the chaos.
He didn't even glance at Trebol, his gaze was fixed on the heavily wrapped chest.
"The item?"
"Oh! Here, here!"
Trebol hurriedly placed the box, onto a disposable mat Rehn had insisted on laying down.
"Doffy went through great trouble, almost fought Kaido's men, to get this treasure!"
He opened the box.
Click.
A deep, dark aura spread instantly, as if devouring the light itself.
Even the sunlight dimmed.
Inside lay a deep-purple fruit, pineapple-shaped, covered in spiral patterns, faintly emitting black smoke.
"This is…"
Monet dropped a grape in shock.
Even Rehn grew serious.
As a lightning user, he instinctively felt a threat, a primal fear.
"Logia… the Dark-Dark Fruit."
Renzo spoke calmly.
Even he showed a hint of surprise.
Doflamingo had truly paid a heavy price this time.
This was the infamous fruit that once triggered war and crowned Blackbeard,
The nemesis of all Devil Fruit users.
"Hehehe! As expected, you recognize it!"
Trebol grinned.
"The most dangerous Logia! Gravity, darkness, nullification! Only such a treasure suits your greatness!"
Renzo raised his hand, the fruit floated into his palm.
Cold… yet filled with endless pull.
"A costly gift," Renzo remarked casually.
"Of course!" Trebol fawned.
"As long as you're pleased, the Donquixote Family will serve you-"
"Lord Renzo!"
Rehn leaned closer, eyes shining.
"That's the legendary fruit? Looks… tasty?"
"Tasty?"
Renzo glanced at him.
"It probably tastes a hundred times worse than your socks."
"And…"
He scratched his head.
"Who here wants to eat it?"
Rehn shook his head violently.
"No! I've got lightning already! And I don't want to explode!"
Ain adjusted her glasses.
"My current power is enough."
Monet smiled gently.
"My Snow Fruit suits me fine."
Sanji?
"I refuse to lose my ability to swim! I'm going to All Blue!"
Mihawk? He'd probably consider it an insult to swordsmanship.
"…Troublesome."
Renzo tossed the priceless fruit like an apple.
"Too valuable to discard. Too useless to keep."
"I'm not eating it."
"What about giving it to a soldier?" Rehn suggested.
"No."
Renzo shook his head.
"Too strong. Weak minds can't handle it. And if a schemer gets it… that's just annoying."
Silence.
Then, Renzo's eyes lit up.
That familiar spark of finding an easy solution.
"Rehn."
"Yes, Lord!"
"You said there's a tournament, right?"
Renzo pointed at the fruit.
"Make this the grand prize."
"…WHAT?!"
Rehn and Trebol shouted together.
"That's the Dark-Dark Fruit!" Rehn exclaimed.
"Too extravagant!"
"Who said it's for outsiders?"
Renzo yawned.
"Announce this: the tournament is open to the entire sea."
"Pirates, bounty hunters, even revolutionaries."
"But…"
He raised a finger.
"To claim the fruit, there's one condition."
"They must join G-5."
"And sign a lifetime contract."
"If they try to run…"
Renzo's eyes turned cold.
"Treat them as deserters."
Rehn trembled, with excitement.
"I understand!"
"Strip their power! Eliminate them completely!"
"Brilliant! Absolutely brilliant!"
He nearly burst with admiration.
"Using a fruit we don't even want… to bait out the strongest, most ambitious fighters!"
"Let them fight, and the winner becomes your most loyal… watchdog!"
Renzo waved lazily.
"Yeah, something like that."
"Now get that snot monster out of my sight."
"Yes!"
Rehn grabbed Trebol like a chicken.
"You heard him."
He grinned viciously.
"Now clean up your mess."
"…Clean it?!"
Trebol froze.
"I'm an officer-"
"Shut up!"
Rehn kicked him and handed him a rag.
"Here, you're pollution. Clean it, or you're not leaving."
"Waaah… Doffy… this place is terrifying…"
....
[email protected]/DaoistJinzu