Chapter 106: Tesoro's Loyalty
Gran Tesoro - The Golden Palace
Inside the radiant palace, the atmosphere slowly shifted from extravagant flamboyance to a heavy, secret intimacy.
Despite Law's cold demeanor, Tesoro didn't seem the least bit offended. Instead, his smile grew wider. He waved his hand. "Sit. Let's have a real talk."
Attendants immediately served fine red wine and pastries, their movements polite but mechanical, like precision-tuned marionettes.
After a few rounds of drinks, the lights dimmed. Tesoro raised a hand, his voice dropping. "Leave us."
Every attendant, including Tanaka, bowed in unison and silently exited the palace. The massive golden doors slowly closed, the heavy thud sealing the space from the outside world.
The moment the doors shut, Tesoro's smile vanished.
The arrogant "Gold Emperor" persona evaporated instantly. In its place was a solemnity and... reverence... rarely seen on his face.
He stood up straight, then suddenly bowed his head slightly to Roy.
"—Mr. Roy."
Law stared, his pupils contracting, his grip tightening on his wine glass.
A second ago, this was the "Gold Emperor" who would rain gold on people for fun. Now, he was showing almost total submission!
The contrast was so stark it was like Tesoro had been possessed by a different soul.
Roy just chuckled, leaning back lazily into the golden sofa. "Come on, Tesoro. No need for the act when it's just us."
He gestured with his chin for Tesoro to sit.
"So, spill it. You didn't call me here just to show off your empire of gold, did you?"
Tesoro sat back down, a playful glint returning to his golden eyes. "Of course not."
He tapped the edge of the gold-inlaid coffee table, his voice low and careful. "Years ago, you personally handed me the Gold-Gold Fruit... From that moment on, everything in this city has belonged to you."
Law was moved. He hadn't realized the bond between these two ran so deep. Even now, as one of the world's top power brokers, Tesoro still saw Roy as his origin and core.
Over the years, Roy's private projects were largely funded by Tesoro, while Tesoro's initial capital, armaments, security, and intelligence network were secretly provided by Roy.
They were two sides of the same coin, "unofficial allies" hidden from the world.
"I thought this city was the end of my ambition," Tesoro continued, "but after hearing about your battles with Shanks and Kaido, I finally understood..."
"When you said you wanted to 'change the world,' it wasn't just a joke."
His expression turned serious. "That's why I have to report something to you personally."
He pulled a file from under the table and handed it to Roy.
Roy didn't touch it. He just flicked his finger, and a spatial ripple opened the file, turning the pages in front of him.
Tesoro lowered his voice. "With the rapid growth of my business, the World Government has made contact."
"They want to officially designate 'Gran Tesoro' as an 'Independent Nation' and grant it the status of a 'Demilitarized Neutral Zone,' similar to the 'Absolute Sanctuary' status of Mary Geoise."
Law's face changed. He took a sharp breath.
This wasn't just political recognition. It meant Gran Tesoro would become a "Special Political Entity" protected by the World Government, with status comparable to the Seven Warlords!
If this went through, the "City of Gold" would become the center of the world's political and commercial exchange, a place where both the underworld and the highest levels of government would vie for influence.
But Roy just waved his hand, still looking lazy. "You're the expert on that."
"If you think it's a bet worth taking, go for it. I'll always support you."
That one sentence carried more weight than a thousand promises.
Tesoro's tense shoulders finally relaxed. He drank his wine, no longer with the performative flair of before.
"Thank you, Mr. Roy."
His voice was low, but filled with genuine relief.
Roy's trust was worth more than any promise, status, or power.
Tesoro's smile faded, replaced by a rare gravity in his golden eyes.
He took a deep breath, as if preparing to release a secret he had held for a long time.
"The real reason I contacted you is—"
He looked up, meeting Roy's gaze, his voice serious and heavy. "One of the two fruits you asked me to secretly search for all those years ago... I found it."
The air seemed to vanish from the room!
Roy, who had been lounging, instantly sat up straight. His usually lazy eyes became sharp as blades, cold enough to cut the world.
"...You're sure?"
He spoke softly, but the two words hit the air like heavy hammers.
Tesoro held his breath, then nodded slowly, his voice trembling with suppressed excitement. "One hundred percent!"
He slowly brought out a small but heavy box—cast from pure gold, engraved with thorns, moons, and ancient text. The surface shimmered with a faint, eerie black-purple light, like a whispering eye in the dark.
Law held his breath. As a doctor, he was sensitive to life signs, and he could feel a strange "neither living nor dead" aura coming from the box, like a sealed will gently knocking on the door of his soul.
Tesoro presented the golden box with both hands. "Based on your intel, I spent a fortune hiring explorers and scholars. The place was in perpetual darkness, where not even birds or beasts dared go... The fruit was sealed in a stone sarcophagus in the deepest part of a church."
Roy didn't speak. He stared at the box for a long time. He slowly reached out, and the moment his fingertip touched the lid, the temperature in the room seemed to drop.
Click—
With a soft sound, the golden box opened.
An indescribable aura drifted out like mist—
It smelled of sweet blood, cold night, and an "ancient will" that made one instinctively shudder.
It didn't feel like a fruit. It felt like a presence sleeping in the darkness, quietly waking up.
Inside the box lay a dark purple Devil Fruit. Spiral patterns wound around it like vines, and the skin was covered in black-purple textures. Along the edges of those patterns, faint wisps of shadow seemed to float.
It wasn't a normal Devil Fruit. It felt like a conscious heart, temporarily sealed in time.
"This... This is...!" Law's pupils contracted violently, and he gasped in disbelief.
He couldn't describe what he was feeling: pressure, fear, curiosity, and even a strange sense of attraction.
Opposite him, Roy finally smiled.
"Not bad..."
He whispered, gently closing the lid. The strange atmosphere vanished.
Roy leaned back in his chair, closing his eyes with a soft laugh. But behind that laugh, the currents of fate were quietly surging.
♧♧♧
-> SUPPORT ME WITH POWER STONE
-> FOR EVERY 200 PS = BOUNS CHAPTER
♧♧♧
-> 30 Advanced chapters Now Available on Patreon!!
-> https://www.patreon.com/c/Segais
(Just remove the hyphen to access patreon normally)
If you like this novel please consider leaving a review that's help the story a lot Thank you