"One billion Beri? Is this my bounty?"
On the Pegasus, Carina held her bounty poster, reading the ten-digit bounty amount over and over again. She said in disbelief: "Aren't first-time bounties usually not that high? Why did my first bounty break Master's record?"
A rare quadruple question, showing just how complex Carina's feelings were right now.
"That's right! Why is my first bounty 500 million Beri? Master only got that bounty after escaping from an Admiral, and I didn't even fight an Admiral!" Perona chimed in tearfully.
"Ara ara... It can't be helped. Who told you to wipe out the elites of the largest-scale Buster Call?"
Robin teased with a smile: "In the eyes of the World Government and the Marines, you're our fifth main combatant. Your threat level might even be higher than Carina's or Nami's."
Hearing this, Perona immediately hugged Nojiko: "Nojiko, just let my real body stay inside you from now on. I'm so weak, if someone assassinates me, I'm done for."
"Heehee... Relax. With me and Carina around, who could get close to you?"
Nami patted Perona's delicate back and said comfortingly with a smile: "I'll protect you!"
"Nami..."
Perona looked at Nami with teary eyes. Even though her age was second only to Hancock and Robin, she was acting like a little sister.
Watching the affectionate girls, Yami, who was sitting in Shirahoshi's palm, had a smile on his face.
"Master, since the Marines have conceded defeat, the World Government probably won't send troops to attack Gran Tesoro again, right?" Hancock asked.
"Mm."
Yami nodded and said slowly: "This sea has rules. You can abide by the rules, or you can ignore them."
"Choosing the former maintains the current balance; choosing the latter breaks the existing balance and can start a new era at any time."
"I have the strategically deterring Fuwa Fuwa no Mi, Momo Momo no Mi, Doa Doa no Mi, and Teleport Fruit. The World Government and the Marines absolutely do not dare to fall out with me. Unless absolutely necessary, they aren't even willing to offend me."
"Because if I go crazy, it's more terrifying than the World's Strongest Man getting angry."
"But I blatantly conquered Gran Tesoro. To maintain their prestige as rulers of the world, they had to respond, which is why there was this so-called 'largest-scale Buster Call'."
"My showing mercy to the Buster Call was equivalent to giving them a way out."
"So, they won't cover up the news of the Buster Call's defeat. They'll hype me up as the Fifth Emperor, minimizing the damage to the Marines' prestige."
"Gran Tesoro is my spoils of war."
"As long as I don't continue to touch the World Government's bottom line, or as long as they don't have absolute certainty of eliminating me, they will definitely not move against me."
"From now on, I am one of the powers that balances the seas."
"...So that's how it is."
Hancock, who had always stayed in the Calm Belt and didn't understand the world situation, suddenly had a moment of realization.
Seeing Hancock's expression, Yami gave her an indulgent headpat.
Although she is an empress, Hancock is clearly not suited to managing a country.
In terms of management, her ability is not only inferior to Robin and Carina's, but even to Sandersonia's.
Therefore, Yami didn't plan to hand Gran Tesoro over to Hancock to manage.
Of course, he didn't plan to hand it over to Robin or Carina either.
As mentioned before, Yami didn't intend to turn Gran Tesoro into his main base.
If he really wanted a main base, Yami would only choose Amazon Lily.
He likes living on the Pegasus and sailing freely on the sea.
Furthermore, Yami didn't want Robin and Carina to be so preoccupied with business that they neglected their lives and training.
Thus, Yami decided to choose someone from the Kuja Pirates, make them the new Goru Goru no Mi user, take control of all the gold in Gran Tesoro, and then entrust the management of the Golden City to Doflamingo.
Doflamingo had helped Yami so much; it was time to give him a piece of the pie.
Doflamingo is very smart. He knows that strength is key on this sea, and he also knows Yami possesses the hidden Giro Giro no Mi ability. As long as Yami is alive, he wouldn't dare to try anything funny with the Golden City.
If the Golden City were attacked, Yami would only need one, or a few, teleports to arrive.
Therefore, Yami was very assured in handing the management of the Golden City to Doflamingo.
Having decided, Yami directly called Doflamingo and told him about the cooperation...
Doflamingo, who received Yami's call, was extremely excited, agreeing to cooperate without a second thought.
Doflamingo had no designs on Gran Tesoro.
If he did, he would have long since hated that guy Gild Tesoro to the bone.
After all, Tesoro got the Goru Goru no Mi from him.
But Doflamingo didn't make an enemy of Gild Tesoro; instead, he established a cooperative relationship with him.
It must be said, Doflamingo was indeed broad-minded in this respect.
So, whether Yami gave him a piece of the pie or not, Doflamingo didn't care.
What he cared about was that Yami, after becoming an Emperor, had not forgotten him, and had immediately invited him to be a shareholder in Gran Tesoro, solidifying their partnership.
As long as the Donquixote Family's flag flew alongside the Yami Pirates' flag over Gran Tesoro, everyone would know that Doflamingo was under Yami's protection.
At that time, Doflamingo would be the only underworld king backed by two Emperors, a presence dominating both the light and the dark.
He would absolutely be the undisputed ruler of the underworld.
Thus, after hanging up, Doflamingo immediately mobilized his resources, contacting the world's best construction companies to send people to Gran Tesoro to survey and rebuild the Golden City.
At the same time, Doflamingo also hired a large number of outstanding management talents, ready to restart operations as soon as the Golden City was rebuilt.
Not only that, Doflamingo mobilized the Donquixote Family's various large and small forces, spread across the world, to consolidate Gild Tesoro's worldwide industries under Yami's name.
As the world's richest man, Gild Tesoro, of course, didn't just have the Golden City. His industries were actually more numerous than Doflamingo's.
Because the Donquixote Family's industries were all illegal, with arms being the main one.
Gild Tesoro's industries, in contrast, were all legitimate ("white") industries: hotels, currency exchanges, and so on...
If Yami hadn't brought Doflamingo in, he would have had neither the time nor the ability to consolidate these industries, and they would have most likely been swallowed up by the World Government and local powers.
But with Doflamingo making a move—an alliance of the strong between the Underworld King and the Pirate Emperor—no one dared to touch Gild Tesoro's legacy..
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