"I came uninvited—you don't mind, do you, Orin?"
In the top-floor office of the hotel, Rayleigh poured himself a drink without asking and was already halfway through the expensive liquor Orin had Sammi acquire from the Kingdom of Wine.
Orin's mouth twitched, but in the end, he could only shake his head.
"You really treat me like a bottomless barrel, huh, Rayleigh-san. How many years have you been mooching off my liquor?"
"Uh... hahahaha, don't sweat the details, Orin. Anyway, you've got more money than you can spend, right?"
Rayleigh gave a sheepish laugh. It was clear that, as the legendary Dark King Rayleigh, relying on a former intern from his ship to get by wasn't entirely without shame.
But what could he do?
At the rate he earned money through coating, no matter how many years he worked, he'd never get to enjoy such luxurious alcohol so freely.
He was already semi-retired. If Orin didn't keep supporting him like this, he might really have to sell something off to pay for booze.
Still, Orin didn't really mind.
Not to mention, Rayleigh had spent all these years in the Sabaody Archipelago. Whenever Orin wasn't around, he helped Sammi keep shady people in check.
Whether public or private, there was no problem with Orin supporting Rayleigh in his old age.
...
"Orin-sama."
At that moment, Sammi walked in, greeted Rayleigh, then turned to report to Orin.
"Shipping King Umit and Heavenly Yaksha Doflamingo have both requested a meeting with you. They said...they have a gift for you."
Hearing this, the corners of Orin's mouth slowly lifted.
Because he had a hunch what these two might bring—or rather, it was something he had hinted at earlier.
He just didn't expect these two to be this efficient, finding what he wanted so quickly.
"I see. Have them wait for me separately in Rooms One and Two."
In a flash, Orin's figure vanished from the office.
Rayleigh and Sammi didn't even blink—they were long used to Orin's unpredictable comings and goings.
"Let me tag along and see for myself. It's been ages since I enjoyed some drama."
Rayleigh said as he picked up his glass and stood up.
Sammi looked a bit surprised.
She understood what Rayleigh meant—he was going to accompany her to the meeting. Though he didn't spell it out, it was clearly a show of support.
All those years of letting Rayleigh drink on her tab without ever asking for a single Belly had finally paid off!
Don't be fooled by the peaceful appearance of the underworld under Orin's rule—it might look like a unified empire, but...
He was also the kind of boss who didn't micromanage.
Many already knew the inside story: although Orin nominally controlled the underworld, he didn't intervene in everyone's business and turf.
Sammi had Orin's backing by default, but she couldn't summon him at will.
However, with Rayleigh—a half-mentor to Orin—by her side, his name alone carried weight and broke no rules.
...
"An honor to meet you, Orin-sama!!!"
Inside Room One,
A tall man lounged on a sofa, one leg crossed over the other. In front of him stood another man, dressed like a ship captain, scruffy beard and all, giving a slight bow.
"Shipping King Umit. I know you. After Morgans sent the signal, you were the first to submit."
Orin looked at the perceptive man in front of him. Honestly, just bowing immediately earned Umit a few favor points in Orin's eyes.
Not to mention, he seemed to have brought good news.
"You flatter me, Orin-sama. That was simply the obvious choice for any intelligent man."
Then, understanding why Orin had chosen to meet him alone, he slowly pulled out a fragment of a Vivre Card.
"Could it be..."
"That's right. This Vivre Card points to the legendary treasure— Pure Gold!!!"
Hearing those words, Orin couldn't hold back anymore. With a flick of his hand, the Vivre Card fragment appeared in his palm.
Back when he first accepted Umit's allegiance, Orin had secretly instructed him via Den Den Mushi to track the movements of a giant anglerfish.
As the king of maritime transport, Umit's shipping empire spanned all four seas and the Grand Line.
If anyone was most likely to spot a unique Sea King in the vast ocean, it would be him.
And sure enough, he didn't disappoint—or rather, his luck was sky-high.
Just a few months after issuing the order to watch for a giant golden anglerfish along the trade routes, one of his fleets actually encountered signs of it.
The fleet leader abandoned all cargo on the spot and made a full-speed charge toward the anglerfish's body, carrying a Vivre Card.
Before leaving, he ordered another copy of the Vivre Card to be sent back to Umit.
All this for one reason:
Umit had offered a fifty billion Belly reward to whoever completed Orin's task.
And publicly guaranteed with his industry reputation that, in case of accident, the money would go to the sailor's family and their safety would be ensured.
In the shipping world, reputation is worth more than life itself.
That's why even in this chaotic sea, countless people still chose to sail.
After listening to Umit explain everything, Orin fell silent for a moment.
"I've decided—the reward is doubled... And announce to the sea: that man's family is now under my protection. If he returns alive, I'll grant him hereditary nobility."
This decision served two purposes: to win loyalty and reward devotion among his subordinates, and because the whereabouts of Pure Gold were indeed worth that much—maybe even more.
Despite the name "Pure Gold," it wasn't actual gold—just resembled it.
It was a miraculous substance created by a scientist trying to save his terminally ill daughter. It could slow aging and freeze vital signs in time.
Just a piece the size of a red bean could make a hundred years pass like a few days.
Though not as absolute as the Op-Op Fruit's Youth Surgery, it was still a type of pseudo-immortality—and to Orin, an irresistible treasure.
If it truly froze biological aging, then his sixty or seventy years of life enjoyment would be multiplied indefinitely.
He could live forever at the peak of pleasure and freedom!
Even someone as used to luxury as Orin couldn't help but feel tempted.
And time was of the essence—if that sailor's body or the Vivre Card dissolved in the anglerfish's stomach acid, it would all be for nothing.
"You've done well, Umit. If everything checks out and the mission succeeds... I'll grant you eternal life!!!"
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Pls Drop some Power Stones
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