"White-san, I truly apologize. Those children were out of line and disturbed your mood." Baccarat bowed lightly, her tone filled with apology.

White Flame exhaled smoke and flicked his cigarette. The butt arced through the air and landed perfectly in the trash bin. "Looking at those women, I doubt they'll be done shopping in less than three or four hours. Waiting is boring. Take me to the amusement park."

"As you wish. I believe you'll find our amusement park most entertaining." Baccarat's eyes shimmered, her lips curling into a playful smile.

—

At the top of Gran Tesoro, in the lavish private hall of the Tesoro family.

Gathered here were Tesoro's most trusted subordinates. Each one was a skilled fighter from across the New World, now living in extravagant wealth under Tesoro's rule, though working harder than ever to maintain it.

"Tesoro-sama, congratulations on another successful performance!" the men shouted in unison, raising their glasses.

Tesoro swirled golden wine in his tall glass, his eyes narrowing in amusement. "Tanaka. Earlier, when I was performing, a group of five pirate ships were crushed. Have you identified who they belonged to? To wipe out five crews from the New World so easily… they shouldn't have been nobodies."

A short man with an oversized head bowed. It was Mr. Tanaka, one of Tesoro's key lieutenants, and a Devil Fruit user capable of phasing through any obstacle.

"My apologies, Tesoro-sama. I investigated all well-known pirate crews in the New World, even some obscure ones. But I found no trace of them."

"No trace?" Tesoro's brows lifted in surprise. "To have such strength, yet remain outside my intelligence network… then they must be a newly risen crew. And yet, they dare to step onto my territory." He sipped his wine slowly, eyes narrowing.

As the king of the world's largest entertainment empire, Tesoro's information system was vast. Any pirate crew with even a sliver of fame, anyone who had defeated others in the New World, would have been noted. For someone unknown to appear here, strong and wealthy, was a rare anomaly.

Just then, Tanaka pressed a hand to his ear, listening to a report. He nodded and looked up. "Tesoro-sama, news from Baccarat. She is currently hosting that pirate crew. The captain himself is at the amusement park with her guidance. The others are shopping."

"Oh?" Tesoro's gaze sharpened.

Tanaka added, his tone lowering, "And Baccarat emphasized… this captain holds wealth exceeding two billion berries."

"Two billion?" Tesoro's golden eyes flashed with keen interest. "That is not a sum just any pirate crew could touch. Even in the New World, only a rare few hold such fortune."

"Strength, wealth… but no reputation. How mysterious. Now even I am curious." Tesoro chuckled darkly. "Bring him to me. With two billion berries, this time… I'll make a fortune. Hahaha!"

—

"White-san, welcome to the most popular attraction aboard Gran Tesoro—our amusement park!" Baccarat spread her arms proudly.

"Here, you can experience the ultimate satisfaction money can buy! That area is our casino, featuring every gambling method from across the world—dice, cards, roulette, anything you can imagine!"

"That side is for gladiatorial combat! Fighters from the New World battle to the death, until only one survives!"

"And there—our legendary no-rules turtle car races! Only on Gran Tesoro will you find such a thrilling, lawless contest. For those who seek speed and adrenaline, it is unmatched!"

White Flame's eyes flickered with a rare glint of surprise as he took in the grandeur. The movies hadn't captured this feeling. Standing here in reality, with the scent of gold and blood in the air, was an entirely different experience.

"For our VIP guests, Tesoro-sama has prepared this." Baccarat snapped her fingers. Immediately, security brought forth a chest filled with chips. "Twenty million berries in chips. A token of his appreciation. If this is not enough, say the word, and I'll have more brought at once."

"No need." White Flame's voice was calm, dismissive. "Those women may have drained two billion from me, but I still have enough left. I don't need to borrow Tesoro's money."

He took out a small pouch and handed it over. "Exchange fifty million into chips. The treasures from Jack the Drought and Cracker's ships will do. They had more than enough."

Indeed, White Flame had looted vast wealth from the Beast Pirates. Jack especially was infamous for extorting entire islands, stripping every village of its treasures before burning them to the ground. Now, all that fortune was reduced to chips in White Flame's hand—mere 'paper money,' as he called it.

"Understood. Here are your fifty million berries in chips." Baccarat personally handed them over with a bow.

White Flame nodded and turned. "I'll explore freely, then."

"Of course." Baccarat gestured gracefully, though her smile darkened once his back was turned.

One of her underlings sneered. "Baccarat-sama, this guy is too arrogant. Should I deal with him and drag him away?"

"Idiot." Her tone was cold. "Do you think I entertain just anyone? He's far beyond what you could handle. Keep your mouth shut."

Her eyes glimmered with intrigue and malice as she watched White Flame walk deeper into the gambling district.

"He can strut for now… but soon, Tesoro-sama will make sure he never struts again."

(End of Chapter)

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