Gran Tesoro, Golden Emperor Hotel.
Ding~
The elevator stopped, the doors opened, and Aeridar and the others stepped out into a lavish, spacious lobby. The lights in the lobby shimmered in a dazzling array of colors, and the room was filled with men in white suits and scantily clad women.
In a glance, they saw Tesoro in his pink suit and pants sitting on a large sofa on a raised platform, with Doflamingo beside him wearing his iconic pink feather coat. Standing below them were Mr. Tanaka, who looked like a large doll, and Dice, a large, muscular man in a suit and a turban.
Aeridar had heard of Dice; he was an undefeated champion in the dark world's Death Match. Because he was so durable and could take a punch, no one was willing to be his opponent. Aeridar had considered trying to recruit him, but then he suddenly disappeared, only to find out later that he had been scouted and recruited by Tesoro.
"Hmm?"
Seeing Aeridar and his crew arrive, Tesoro stood up, his brows furrowed slightly before quickly returning to normal. He clapped his hands and laughed. "Hahahaha~ Welcome, Aeridar-san. Your presence here is truly an honor!"
Aeridar noticed Tesoro's subtle frown and knew exactly what he was thinking.
"Oh really?"
Aeridar replied bluntly. "I don't see it that way. Right now, all I want to do is tear this place apart."
"Fufufufufu~"
Doflamingo, with one hand on the sofa's armrest and the other holding a goblet filled with golden champagne, tilted his head back and laughed loudly. "Tesoro, your little trick seems to have infuriated our partner!"
"Now, Aeridar-san, that little trick was just for safety. To get rid of a few naive idiots," Tesoro said, looking down at Aeridar with a smile. "After all, there are some secrets here that can't be discovered."
Aeridar knew what Tesoro was getting at.
The entire Gran Tesoro was filled with surveillance Den Den Mushi to monitor every corner.
This was because even with all his money, Tesoro couldn't have built a ten-kilometer-long golden ship like this. The buildings here were all a result of his awakened Gold-Gold Fruit ability. It was likely that if they were to travel too far from him, Tesoro wouldn't be able to control them, and they would revert to their original state, revealing his deception to the world.
"What do I care? You used that kind of trick on me. Do you think you have the strength to fight me on your own turf, you idiot?!" Aeridar's eyes widened, and an invisible, terrifying aura erupted from him, sweeping through the entire lobby like a gust of wind.
"This is..."
Doflamingo's expression turned serious. His fingers on the armrest unconsciously curled, and several transparent strings, invisible to the naked eye, shimmered.
Thump, thump~ thump, thump...
One by one, the people in the lobby fell, their eyes rolling back as they all passed out completely.
"Conqueror's Haki..."
Tesoro was startled, his pupils contracting sharply.
Everyone present, except for Doflamingo and Oliver, involuntarily held their breath.
In the New World, there were only two types of pirates with Conqueror's Haki: the first were top-tier pirates like Doflamingo, Aeridar, and the Yonko; the second were gifted rookie pirates.
A rookie with Conqueror's Haki was destined to rise, just like Aeridar was back then.
"Fufufufufu~ To release your Haki as soon as you arrive, Aeridar, it seems you've been in a bad mood lately! Fufufufufu~" Doflamingo said, swirling the golden liquid in his goblet with a smirk.
"Of course. I've been in a bad mood ever since I got here!" Aeridar's eyes widened, and he stomped his foot.
Boom~
The red carpet was torn apart, and a large patch of cracks appeared on the golden floor. Aeridar had already vanished from his spot, shooting toward Tesoro like an arrow.
"Nani?!"
Tesoro was shocked. He hadn't expected the man to suddenly attack.
Instinctively, Tesoro waved his arm. A flicker of electricity danced between his fingers, and the golden dragon on a nearby golden pillar seemed to come alive, extending its head and long body to block the path.
Thud
Aeridar's fist slammed into the golden dragon's body. The impact shockwave shook the air, and several cracks appeared where his fist had made contact, quickly spreading outward.
Bang
In the next moment, the golden dragon shattered. With a look of shock on Tesoro's face, Aeridar's fist landed squarely on his face. He felt a sharp pain and was sent flying backward.
Boom!
The flying Tesoro smashed through the sofa and was half-embedded into the golden wall behind it. The wall was riddled with cracks, looking as if it would collapse at the slightest touch.
"That punch felt so much better!"
Aeridar stretched his neck, a grim smile on his face.
"Tesoro-sama!!!"
Mr. Tanaka, Baccarat, and Dice cried out. As they prepared to rush to Tesoro's aid, they found a figure already standing in front of them, blocking their path.
"I wouldn't move if I were you!"
Oliver's hand rested on the hilt of his katana, Nagamitsu, his voice filled with an icy tone.
"The Slayer Oliver... Hiss~ What terrifying killing intent!"
Mr. Tanaka, Baccarat, and Dice felt a chill run down their bodies. They stopped in their tracks, all looking at Oliver with caution.
Meanwhile, Tesoro struggled to get up from the wall, wiping the blood from the corner of his mouth. He looked at Aeridar with the same wary expression. He had thought that on his own turf, he would be a match for the pirate, but that one punch had sobered him up.
A single, ordinary punch from Aeridar had displayed an extraordinary amount of power.
If a full-scale battle were to break out, the entire Gran Tesoro would be catastrophically damaged, and he might not even be able to win. What was certain was that a conflict between them would absolutely mean his end.
The Slayer, Oliver, who could rival an entire country alone, the Rain Scorpion, Betilla, who could match the power of the Sweet Commanders, and now Golden Ring Aeridar himself...
Oh no...
Thinking this, Tesoro decisively conceded.
"Did that get it out of your system, Aeridar-san? Do you want to hit me again?" Tesoro said, wincing at his right cheek, which had been hit by the punch, but still smiling.
"Tch."
Aeridar pouted dismissively and turned to Doflamingo, who was watching the show. He said with a displeased look, "Doffy, I didn't see your ship in the port, so I guess you knew what was going to happen."
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