"Tesoro?"
Ren shifted his head, making himself lie a little more comfortably.
"It's me, Lord Ren."
Unexpectedly, Tesoro had changed the way he addressed Ren. There was a note of respect in his tone, even something faintly humble.
"I never expected to hear that kind of wording from your mouth."
Ren narrowed his eyes, somewhat surprised.
"That much should only be natural. As a prophet, you surely understand why."
"Of course. It's just that you changed a little quickly. It gives me the feeling that you've even thrown away your dignity."
"My dignity stopped existing after she died."
Tesoro's voice turned hoarse. "As long as I can complete my revenge, what does it matter if I abandon dignity that no longer exists?"
"Have you truly decided? You want to stake all your chips on me?"
Ren's expression became serious. "You should understand, right? Cooperation and joining are different.
"With the former, there's still room to maneuver. With the latter, once I fail, you'll be destroyed along with me.
"That was exactly why you previously provided financial aid intermittently, and why the help you offered was extremely restrained.
"But if you're joining, then the level you're offering now is far from enough."
"I simply feel that following you is the only way I have a chance to fulfill my obsession."
Tesoro's voice was calm and powerful, as though he was utterly certain. "If even you, who have created one impossible event after another, cannot overthrow the World Government, then even if I waited until I died of old age, I would never have a chance at revenge.
"In the end, I would be nothing but a coward who didn't even dare seek vengeance, a useless failure who couldn't face his beloved even after death."
"You're certain?"
"I'm certain!"
"Very good. Welcome aboard."
Ren said it with pleasure. "Then, what do you plan to do next?"
"A pledge of allegiance."
Tesoro said, "With the resources currently in my hands, I should be able to build another Water 7.
"I will provide the resources related to the shipyards required for Pluton's blueprints.
"And the equipment needed for large-scale armament can likewise be provided by me.
"In most situations, money is nearly omnipotent.
"If costs and losses are ignored, arming a resistance force like the Revolutionary Army is not a problem."
At this point, his tone shifted. "Of course, the authority over everything I just mentioned will be entirely in your hands.
"Lord Ren, your will is the direction I advance toward. My funds also belong entirely to you.
"As long as—my revenge can be completed!"
When a man whose obsession was revenge made his choice, the amount of energy he could unleash was unimaginable.
Tesoro was a typical example.
His tone, attitude, and words were equally humble. He placed himself in an extremely low position.
It was completely different from his previous status as a collaborator. In fact, the contrast was almost excessive.
And the root cause was, ultimately, the "deeds" Ren had displayed.
Tesoro knew about the Marineford War, because Ren had told him about it. Ren had even told him that several moves within it were his handiwork.
At that time, the Marineford War had not even begun.
When everything truly happened just as Ren had said, when the Celestial Dragons truly fell from their altar and were used as hostages to exchange for Ace…
Tesoro swore that he would seize this chance no matter what. He would cling to Ren's leg and use him to fulfill the lifelong wish he had held in his heart.
Only him. Him alone!
He was the one who could completely overturn that World Government, trample the Celestial Dragons beneath his feet, and crush them to pieces!
The resolve of an avenger was so clear.
After a moment of silence, Ren still said, "There's no need to be like that. You count as one of our crew members. That's enough."
"Understood."
Tesoro immediately nodded. Whatever the boss said was what it was.
Tanaka, who was waiting beside him for orders, had a strange look on his face. For a moment, he did not know what to say.
Who could have imagined that the tyrannical, self-centered Golden Emperor of the past would turn into a fanboy-like figure now?
However, because Tanaka did not want to be turned into a golden statue, he still kept a straight face and said nothing.
Tesoro's humility also depended on the person. Not just anyone was qualified to receive the Golden Emperor's devotion.
Afterward, Ren and Tesoro discussed some matters related to funding and support before ending the communication.
"Complete obedience, huh?"
Ren put away the Den Den Mushi and arrived at a conclusion.
One of the dividends from the Marineford War had clearly arrived. Tesoro, who represented resources and a network of connections, had completely fallen toward the anti-World Government camp.
"Just now… was that the Golden Emperor?"
Hancock's voice came from above his head, carrying a trace of hesitation.
Ren subconsciously raised his eyes, but his vision was blocked by two towering peaks. He could not see the beautiful face behind them at all.
But enjoying the view of mountains was not bad either. He said calmly, "That was him."
"…I do not understand. He believes in you just like that?"
After a moment of silence, Hancock still asked, "He believes you can give him revenge, when the target is the World Government and the Celestial Dragons?"
"Why wouldn't he?"
Ren yawned and said calmly, "Humans have one trait that is very good, but also very terrifying. Do you know what it is?"
"I do not."
Hancock frowned slightly and shook her head.
"It's their yearning for hope."
Ren's tone was emotional. "As long as even the slightest hope exists, people can endure inhuman environments and keep struggling to live.
"Even if they understand how faint that hope is, and that it may never fall upon them, they will continue to struggle because hope exists.
"Because there is a difference between zero and one.
"And what I gave Tesoro wasn't one. It was a success rate of more than half.
"For someone pursuing hope, that is enough for him to wager everything."
"…"
Hancock said nothing, but the look she gave Ren changed.
Toward Ren's ideals, plans, and actions, she had always held a pessimistic attitude.
Even though she hoped in her heart that he would succeed, the impression the World Government had left on her heart was already deeply rooted.
Yet at this moment, Hancock felt that perhaps she really could place some expectation in him.
She had heard of the Golden Emperor. He was said to control twenty percent of the world's Beli, and commercial legends about him were spread across the Four Blues.
Even she, the Kuja Emperor who did not pay much attention to the outside world, had heard a little about him.
If even a person like that would place a death wager on Ren, then it meant that Ren truly carried hope of success.
That caused even more changes in Hancock's heart, as someone who was already on the same boat.
Of course, she did not reveal any of it on the surface. After all, the hateful man in front of her was still hateful.
Touching her feet, using her lap as a pillow—she did not dare imagine in detail what he might do later.
The price she paid for her failure at Marineford was these red lips.
If Ren made a forceful demand, Hancock did not know how she would react.
Most likely, she would not be able to resist to the very end.
"I feel like you're thinking something very rude."
Ren suddenly spoke.
"My legs are numb. You're heavy."
Hancock said coldly.
"…Kicks capable of smashing steel would go numb because of me?"
Ren scoffed at this, and even shifted his head to another position.
Hancock's elegant brows furrowed. Her crossed legs had originally been meant to make him uncomfortable, but because he changed positions, the one who became uncomfortable was now her.
The effect of the hard object resting against the triangle made it difficult for her to adapt.
She could only give up on crossing her legs and change to a parallel posture.
However, this also made Ren even more relaxed and comfortable. He even closed his eyes.
This made Hancock wonder whether she should take this opportunity to do something.
But… her failure at Marineford still made her calm down.
Last time it was her red lips. If she failed this time, perhaps it would be her entire person.
She still did not want to climb into this bastard's bed. At the very least, not before she forgot what that woman named Nami had said.
Time passed little by little. Ren closed his eyes, then opened them again, rising from Hancock's body.
There was no movement. He turned his head and saw that the cold Empress had leaned against the great snake and fallen asleep.
That gorgeous face, one that anyone would score a perfect one hundred, now seemed a little cute and moving.
Did I wake up too suddenly? How could I think she's cute?
Ren rubbed his eyes, then stretched.
He did not tease Hancock. Taming a snake required taking things one step at a time.
He activated Combat Dispatch, and his entire body vanished.
When he appeared again, he had already arrived at Punk Hazard, ten thousand meters up in the sky.
The god's arrival immediately drew the angels' attention.
Under their guidance, Ren met with Robin, then began handling matters on the island of Punk Hazard.
In truth, there were no major issues. At most, they simply needed the captain's nod.
After all, the scale of Ren's crew was not actually that large.
However, when they met, Robin still appropriately showed that she was busy.
For example, eyes sprouted on her hands, and a pile of hands flipped through documents, displaying her ability to multitask.
It could only be said that Robin's wisdom was indeed no joke.
Ren naturally saw through it, but he had no intention of exposing her.
After chatting for a while, they shifted the topic to preparations for establishing a faction.
A "faction" rooted in the New World and continuously expanding outward was the main direction Ren had decided on.
During that process, all kinds of problems and troubles would inevitably arise. That was exactly why they needed to prepare in advance.
But Ren himself was not going to bury his head in handling all of that.
So Robin was the best secretary.
After they finished discussing these serious matters, the two became a little more casual.
"Looks like Vivi has already succeeded?"
Robin shifted the topic to this and covered her mouth with a light laugh. "Or did she and Nami deal with you together?"
"It should be said that they were both losers."
Ren shrugged. "Although I don't know what they told you, I have always stood in an undefeated position."
"As expected, you're very strong, in every aspect."
Robin blinked her beautiful eyes and said with a light laugh, "No wonder they're thinking about pulling other people in. Even I'm no exception.
"Violet, and Baccarat as well, seem to have been approached like that."
"Huh?"
Question marks appeared over Ren's head, and his expression turned dumbfounded.
No, wait.
What did she mean, "even I'm no exception"? And what was going on with Violet and Baccarat?
Had the hunting range been expanded a little too broadly?
"What, are they not to your taste?"
Robin's expression changed, as though she had been struck in a sore spot. Her expression turned somewhat gloomy, and a dark atmosphere radiated from her entire body.
She propped her chin up with one hand, her eyes turning cold. "That's true. After all, I'm already old."
Age would always be a sensitive point for women.
(End of Chapter)