Ten minutes later—
Under Buggy's surprisingly steady navigation, the Magic Eye Pirate Ship docked smoothly at Gran Tesoro's harbor.
What came into view—
Was a world drenched entirely in gold.
Massive cake-shaped lamps hung overhead.
At regular intervals, docking bays lined the port.
And directly opposite each bay—
Stood towering golden statues, their unmistakable sheen proving they were forged from pure gold.
Even the ground itself—
Was covered in rich red carpet.
Luxury. Extravagance. Blinding brilliance.
"Even the harbor is this outrageous…"
Buggy muttered as he secured the ship, his voice tinged with envy.
For the first time—
He realized something.
All the treasure he had spent his life collecting…
Might not even equal a few of the golden statues casually placed here.
Conrad carried the bound Tanaka—
Following behind Yuuki as they disembarked first.
Meanwhile—
Cabaji and Mohji approached Buggy, chuckling as they watched him stare obsessively at the golden statues.
They knew him far too well.
"Alright, Buggy, stop drooling."
Mohji slung an arm over his shoulder with a grin.
"Once we take down the Golden Emperor…"
"Snagging one or two of these statues shouldn't be a problem, right?"
Cabaji added with a laugh.
The moment those words were spoken—
Buggy's eyes lit up.
The three of them exchanged glances—
Then burst into identical greedy chuckles.
Marianne walked past them expressionlessly.
Hearing their conversation—
She rolled her eyes.
"Idiots."
"Even your dreams are small."
"If we're taking down the Golden Emperor…"
"Why stop at a few statues?"
"At that point, the entire Gran Tesoro will be ours."
Her blunt remark hit like lightning.
The trio's laughter froze.
Their pupils widened.
Gulp.
Gulp.
Gulp.
Three simultaneous swallows echoed.
Only now did they realize—
How utterly small-minded they had sounded.
The overwhelming wealth surrounding them—
Had subconsciously shrunk their ambitions.
"Move it!"
Buggy suddenly shoved Mohji and Cabaji aside—
Then sprinted after Yuuki with renewed excitement.
Golden King Hotel
At the very top floor—
Inside the only eight-star hotel in the world—
The surveillance room had descended into chaos.
"That's Mr. Tanaka!!"
"What happened?!"
"Notify Lord Tesoro immediately!"
Shouts filled the room.
As one of the three top executives—
And the head of security—
Tanaka was their direct superior.
In truth—
The moment the Magic Eye Pirates entered Gran Tesoro—
The news had already reached Tesoro.
Inside a lavish chamber filled with golden decorations—
Tesoro leaned back in a golden throne-like chair.
His fingers—adorned with golden rings—tapped lightly against the armrest.
On the screen before him—
Played the live feed.
There was no need for reports.
He had already seen—
Tanaka being carried openly through the streets.
"The Magic Eye Pirates…"
"The crew that escaped the World Government and vanished after entering the New World…"
"And now—they've come straight to me."
Tesoro raised his glass—
Draining the red wine in one gulp.
His shoulders trembled slightly—
As a chilling laugh escaped him.
"Fufufufufu… how interesting."
"This just got fun."
After losing contact with Tanaka at Sabaody—
Tesoro had already suspected something was wrong.
But he hadn't expected—
Tanaka to fall into their hands.
It seemed—
They hadn't come here as friendly guests.
And as it happened—
The World Government was currently searching everywhere for them.
Including—
Him.
"And yet…"
"They delivered themselves right to my doorstep."
A glint of excitement flickered in Tesoro's green eyes.
"A cross that can revive the dead…"
"Don't disappoint me."
"Lord Tesoro,"
Bakara spoke softly from the side, her slender arms folded elegantly.
"Should we inform the World Government?"
"The Celestial Dragons would love to capture them immediately."
"No need."
Tesoro waved dismissively, a meaningful smile forming.
"Even troublesome guests…"
"Are still guests, aren't they?"
Main Street — Gran Tesoro
Neon lights flickered along both sides of the street.
The entire city radiated heat, luxury, and indulgence.
But now—
The main street had been sealed off.
Armed soldiers filled the area—
Weapons trained tightly.
Amidst it all—
Yuuki sat casually on a bench, legs crossed, looking utterly bored.
Conrad stood beside him—
Holding Tanaka like baggage.
Buggy, Cabaji, Mohji, and Marianne stood at the four corners—
Eyeing the soldiers eagerly.
"Y-you pirates!"
"Release Mr. Tanaka immediately!"
The commanding officer shouted, his voice trembling.
He had clearly recognized them.
But—
He was ignored.
If not for Yuuki's lack of orders—
They would have already attacked.
"Looks like we'll have to wait a bit."
Yuuki glanced at Tanaka.
"Seems you're not as important as you thought."
Tanaka said nothing.
Beep! Beep!
Suddenly—
Car horns echoed down the street.
Moments later—
A line of luxurious turtle cars rolled in, neatly arranged.
The surrounding soldiers immediately stepped aside.
Many of them visibly relaxed.
After all—
The Magic Eye Pirates were no longer some unknown threat.
They were infamous across the seas.
And far beyond the level these soldiers could handle.
"So, he finally shows up."
Yuuki raised an eyebrow slightly as the vehicles stopped before them.
Click.
A door opened.
A young man in a white suit stepped out—
Approaching respectfully.
"Welcome to Gran Tesoro."
"Lord Tesoro has prepared everything."
"If you don't mind, I'll guide you."
Throughout the entire exchange—
He didn't mention Tanaka.
Didn't even look at him.
Yuuki stood up.
A faint, unreadable smile appeared on his face.
Things were getting interesting.
Their hostility had been obvious—
Yet Tesoro's response…
Was unexpectedly measured.
"Take me to Tesoro."
Yuuki said, patting the man lightly on the shoulder—
Before stepping into one of the cars.
No matter what Tesoro was planning—
Yuuki's objective remained unchanged:
The Luck-Luck Fruit…
And—
Gran Tesoro itself.
(End of Chapter)
Next Bonus Chapter at 5600 powerstones.