After Accino joined the crew, he didn't immediately board the ship. Instead, he returned home first to arrange care for his third son and youngest daughter. To show his sincerity, he left Campacino and Brindo behind on Buggy's ship.
By leaving his two sons as a pledge, Accino demonstrated his loyalty and made it clear he wouldn't betray Buggy. Buggy, knowing that Accino still had other children to look after, trusted that he wouldn't flee. He agreed at once, and when Accino proposed leaving his sons with them, Buggy accepted without objection. In the end, they arranged to reunite at the Sabaody Archipelago, the final stop of the first half of the Grand Line.
With Accino gone, the Splendor once again set sail, heading toward Sabaody.
Meanwhile, within a dingy slave market on Sabaody, a young man with short green hair—seventeen or eighteen years old—clutched the hand of a girl in front of him, his eyes burning with determination.
"Stella, I've almost saved enough beli. Soon… you'll be free."
The girl, Stella, looked at him with tender affection, her voice soft and gentle.
"Tesoro, don't push yourself too hard. I can wait. Please don't wear yourself out."
Tesoro grinned brightly, raising his muscled arm as if to prove his strength.
"It's nothing, Stella! Look—I'm strong. A little work won't kill me. I'll free you soon, I promise."
Stella only smiled, pulling out a handkerchief to wipe the sweat from his brow. Their love glowed so brightly that even in the filthy, crumbling slave market, the world around them seemed to fade away.
Two days later, the Splendor arrived at the final destination of the first half of the Grand Line—the Sabaody Archipelago.
For Buggy, this place was familiar. Other than Loguetown, Sabaody was the location he knew best.
He directed Iceburg to steer the ship to Area 50, where there were rental docks specifically for coating and safekeeping. Renting a dock ensured the safety of the Splendor from thieves and opportunists—Sabaody was no safe place. It also meant the ship could later be coated for underwater travel.
After paying the fee, they secured a private dock. Buggy's entire crew disembarked and followed him out into the bustling archipelago.
"Excuse me, sir—do you need a guide?"
A young man with green hair appeared before them as soon as they left the dock.
Buggy squinted at him, a strange sense of familiarity stirring. "What's your name? Are you a guide here?"
The young man bowed respectfully.
"My name is Tesoro. I've worked as a guide here for several years. I know every corner of Sabaody. And, I can guarantee—I'm the cheapest you'll find."
At the name, Buggy's mind flashed with the image of a man gleaming with gold from head to toe—Gild Tesoro, the Golden Emperor of the future.
"You… are you Gild Tesoro?" Buggy asked, studying the youth closely. The resemblance was unmistakable.
The boy's eyes widened. "You… you know me? How do you know my full name?"
Buggy's eyes glimmered. He hadn't expected to meet the future Golden Emperor here.
"I once spent some time on Sabaody. I saw you a few times back then, and heard your name from others."
At that, Tesoro's shoulders sagged with disappointment. He had hoped Buggy might have recognized him for something more. But quickly, he forced a smile. "I see. I'm honored you remembered me. Forgive me for disturbing you."
He turned to leave, assuming Buggy did not need a guide. But Buggy stopped him at once.
"Hold on. It just so happens we do need a guide. Why don't you show us around? I never really had the chance to explore Sabaody before. I'm not as familiar with the place as I'd like to be."
Buggy wasn't about to let the boy slip away. This was Tesoro—the future wielder of the Gold-Gold Fruit, a man with not only great power but also extraordinary financial genius. If Buggy could recruit him into the Yanhuang Pirates, their crew would never lack money. And once Tesoro obtained the Gold-Gold Fruit, he would become yet another powerful combatant.
But for now, Buggy planned to win his trust—step by step.
Tesoro's face lit up with joy. "Thank you, sir! I'll make sure you have the best day you've ever had here!"
For him, this was another step closer to his dream. If he could earn money as a guide, he'd be that much closer to freeing Stella.
Tesoro led them first to Areas 40–49, home to the shopping and sightseeing districts. There, the crew sampled some of Sabaody's specialties—rice crackers, donuts, and other famous treats of the Grand Line.
Then he took them to Areas 30–39, the amusement parks, where they visited the famous Bubble Park and rode the unique soap bubble cars. Buggy, Shiryu, and a few others stayed behind, while Kuro, Jessica, Iceburg, Weevil, and the Campacino brothers went on the ride, laughing like children.
During their sightseeing, Buggy carefully pried into Tesoro's personal situation. From the young man's words, he learned about Stella.
And then Buggy remembered. In the original tale, it was Stella's tragic fate—being cruelly murdered by a Celestial Dragon—that drove Tesoro to seize the Gold-Gold Fruit and become obsessed with wealth, eventually transforming into the Golden Emperor.
Buggy's gaze hardened. He knew what Stella's end would be. And he also knew—Tesoro's future was inseparable from her.