"So it really is him."
Fragments of Ronan's memories of the original story rapidly pieced themselves together in his mind. He vaguely recalled that Gild Tesoro hadn't obtained the Gold-Gold Fruit through normal means, but had actually stolen it from an auction run by Doflamingo. And now, everything lined up perfectly.
So this was the Donquixote Family auction where he was supposed to snatch the fruit—only to have Ronan cut him off halfway and take it instead.
No wonder these thugs were so bold. Clearly, Gild Tesoro had been planning this for a long time.
Ronan watched Tesoro struggle back to his feet. In those eyes full of unwillingness, Ronan could clearly see how deep the man's desire for the Gold-Gold Fruit ran. It wasn't just a hunger for power; this was the starting point of his future empire of gold, the first step in his revenge against the Celestial Dragons.
But understanding was one thing. Ronan had absolutely no intention of handing over the fruit he'd just acquired.
Tesoro's future tragedy might be worthy of sympathy, but what did that have to do with Ronan? In this world where the weak are prey to the strong, pitying others was just another way of hurting yourself.
Ding.
"Mission: Recruit Gild Tesoro. (C-rank mission. Time limit: one hour. Reward for completion: 40 Quest Points. Penalty for failure: -60 Quest Points. Accept mission?)"
"Hm?"
A mission had triggered? Ronan hadn't expected yet another mission to pop up, though the rank wasn't high. That meant the difficulty wasn't too great either—definitely much easier than trying to recruit Lucci.
Ronan thought about the massive Gran Tesoro that Tesoro would someday build—the largest entertainment city in this world. At the very least, the man's ability was unquestionable, and his personal combat strength was nothing to scoff at either. His Devil Fruit ability had even reached Awakening in the future.
"Add another 40 Quest Points on top… that's actually pretty good."
The more he thought about it, the more profitable it looked. Without further hesitation, Ronan accepted the mission.
He looked toward Gild Tesoro in the distance, then rose from his seat and walked forward at an unhurried pace until he stood before him. Beth and Alicia moved up with him, one on each side, ensuring that no one could lay a finger on him.
"Gild Tesoro," Ronan said, his tone carrying a faint sigh. "I know you. I've heard about what happened to you. I also know why you want this fruit so desperately."
Tesoro lifted his head with effort, his purple hair a mess. He stared at Ronan, eyes filled with shock at having his secrets exposed. This brat… how could he know his name? It was as if he even knew his past.
"Who are you? How do you know my name?"
Ronan ignored the question. He hadn't planned on explaining anything anyway. Instead, he continued,
"You had everything taken from you by the Celestial Dragons—including 'her,' the one you cherished more than your own life… Stella."
Ronan's words ripped open the memories Tesoro had buried deep inside. His whole body trembled violently.
Stella…
That name was the deepest scar in his heart, one he had never revealed to anyone. How could this stranger possibly know it?
Could he read minds?
A thread of fear crept into Tesoro's heart. It felt like he had no secrets at all in front of Ronan.
"You long for money. You crave the power of the Gold-Gold Fruit because you believe that if you'd had enough money and strength back then, you could have saved Stella from the Celestial Dragons—that you could have changed that tragic ending. You've poured all of your pain and hatred into your own powerlessness and convinced yourself that money is the only thing that can make up for it all… and the only way to take revenge on the Celestial Dragons."
Tesoro's breathing grew heavy.
"You're talking nonsense. Who the hell are you?"
He looked at Ronan as if staring at a monster. He wanted to refute him, but he had no idea where to even start.
"In a sense, your thinking isn't wrong," Ronan said. "In this twisted world, money and power are indeed the tools for survival—and for revenge."
Then his tone suddenly sharpened.
"But, Tesoro, have you ever thought about this: even if you get the Gold-Gold Fruit and control endless gold, can you really, by yourself, shake the Celestial Dragons who've been perched at the top of this world for eight hundred years? Can you truly overturn the World Government that protects them?"
"What do you know? Do you even understand how those bastards treat ordinary people? They're not even human. You don't understand a thing. At the end of the day, you're just a kid!"
He started off roaring, but as he spoke, his voice grew weaker and weaker.
By now, tears were flowing freely down Tesoro's face. Memories of the past, of his dead lover, came flooding back, pushing him to the brink of collapse.
"As for how you feel, it's true I can't fully share it," Ronan said calmly. "But I know what you want. And what you want… only I can give you."
Tesoro did not waver just because of that claim. Right now, all he felt as he stared at his own failure was a heavy, suffocating sense of guilt.
"You want strength? I can give you the Gold-Gold Fruit. You want a powerful force behind you? My guards— even the Golden Lion died under their blades. Is that strong enough? You want authority? I'm a prince of the Lulusia Kingdom. Sure, right now it's just a small country, but give it a few years—it'll become the strongest nation in the first half of the Grand Line."
Ronan boasted all this without the slightest shame right in front of Tesoro.
As for turning the kingdom into the strongest in the first half of the Grand Line… well, it wasn't like bragging would kill him. And with the panel's existence backing him up, Ronan wasn't worried in the slightest about failing to make his big talk reality.
"What?! The Golden Lion… Shiki?! They… killed him?!"
Tesoro's eyes flew wide open.
Over the past period, in order to prepare for this heist, he had been hiding in the shadows, mobilizing every resource he could, and was almost completely cut off from the outside world. He hadn't been following the news or the papers at all. He had no idea that something so earth-shattering had already happened on these seas.
The Golden Lion, Shiki—
Killed by their swords?
Tesoro looked at Teresa and the other two with utter shock. He didn't really doubt whether Ronan was lying; this kind of news was easy enough to verify once he went to check.
Now, when he looked at Beth and Alicia, his eyes were already filled with awe.
Seeing the look on Tesoro's face, Ronan knew the groundwork was done. He slowly opened his mouth, his voice carrying a seductive pull.
"Your hatred, your obsession—I understand all of it. But trying to challenge the entire World Government with just one Devil Fruit is nothing more than a moth throwing itself into the flames."
"If you join me, you will no longer be alone. And when the time is right, I will give you the chance to take revenge with your own hands."
Ronan's words were like a ray of light piercing through the darkness of Tesoro's despair, striking directly at the softest, most painful part of his heart.
(End of Chapter)
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