"You should already know," Kaito said with a faint smile. "Perospero just said it."
"Of course," Tesoro replied with a warm smile, pretending not to hear anything beneath the surface. "Captain Kaito is joking. How would I know such things?"
"If you don't know, then I'll tell you directly," Kaito said calmly, losing patience with small talk. "The Golden City is impressive. Our pirate crew has taken an interest in it."
"And not just the city," he continued lightly. "Even you. I want you to join our pirate crew."
Tesoro's expression remained unchanged, his smile steady.
"Captain Kaito jokes too much," he replied. "Although Golden City is a city, it is also a country, officially recognized by the World Government."
So this was outright poaching from the World Government's territory.
"You don't need to worry about that," Kaito shrugged indifferently. "The World Government is my problem. I'll handle it."
"I don't think so," Tesoro said slowly. "I'm quite comfortable here. If I ever feel like joining, we can talk then."
"A rejection," Kaito said flatly. "Can you afford the price of rejecting our pirate crew?"
Tesoro frowned.
"This is a World Government member nation. If you want to attack Golden City, you must first deal with the World Government."
"Hmph," Kaito snorted. "Don't hide behind them. At most, they'll send Marines."
"If you send a distress signal now, Marine reinforcements won't arrive in time. The most you'll get is Kizaru."
Tesoro's face darkened.
Kaito's meaning was obvious.
Refusal meant immediate conflict.
And what he said was true.
Even if the Marines responded, Golden City would already be ruins by the time they arrived.
"And Kizaru," Kaito added calmly, "won't be enough."
"Is there no other option?" Tesoro asked, his voice heavy. "Joining your pirate crew is impossible."
"Then Golden City will stand against our pirate crew," Kaito replied. "You might be destroyed easily, and you won't gain a single Berry from your wealth."
"Then change it," Tesoro said quickly.
"Eighty percent of Golden City's income goes to my crew."
Tesoro's face turned grim as he spoke again.
"Impossible. At most, ten percent. Your appetite is too big."
After a pause, he continued.
"You should know that many people hold shares in Golden City. Even as its owner, I only receive thirty percent."
"Good," Kaito nodded. "You keep your thirty percent. The remaining seventy percent goes to us."
Tesoro's pupils shrank.
"That seventy percent includes nobles from across the seas and Celestial Dragons. Taking their shares means becoming their enemy."
"You don't need to worry about that," Kaito replied calmly. "Just tell us the location and timing of the dividend."
"They'll send people to collect it. We'll send people to take it."
"This won't embarrass you."
"If this still doesn't work," Kaito said softly, his voice turning icy, "then Golden City really doesn't need to exist."
Tesoro clenched his teeth.
"…Fine," he said after a long silence. "I won't refuse a mutually beneficial choice."
"But it must be done after they leave Golden City, preferably when they're about to leave the New World. That way, we won't be implicated."
"Agreed," Kaito replied.
"Then, Captain Kaito," Tesoro said, raising his glass. "Happy cooperation."
"Happy cooperation," Kaito replied.
The two clinked glasses, sealing the deal.
"To show my sincerity," Tesoro continued, "dividends are distributed once a year. They arrive one month in advance and leave afterward."
"Right now, it's almost time."
"The three Celestial Dragons you saw earlier were here to play, not to collect dividends."
"The end of the year?" Kaito said. "That's only ten days away."
"That's right."
"How much is the dividend this time?"
"Thirty billion Berries."
"Alright," Kaito nodded.
He placed a phone bug on the table.
"Use this to contact me in the future."
"My sincerity is clear," Tesoro said. "What about yours?"
"If anything happens in Golden City," Kaito replied, "contact us."
"But we'll handle it discreetly."
"No problem," Tesoro nodded. "I have one more condition."
Kaito gestured for him to continue.
"Whitebeard's challenge is shaking the seas," Tesoro said. "My request is simple."
"In your battle with Whitebeard, you must win."
"If you lose, everything we discussed becomes void."
"If you win, I'll inform all shareholders that due to your battle, the dividend will be postponed until after the war."
"No problem," Kaito agreed without hesitation.
After finalizing the cooperation, Kaito and the others resumed exploring Golden City.
Instead of luxury escorts, they chose to wander freely.
"Tesoro still feels untrustworthy," Issho said quietly, frowning.
"Trust isn't necessary," Kaito replied calmly. "Tesoro is capable. With the Gold Fruit, he turned Golden City into this."
"Killing him now would be a waste."
"And more importantly," Kaito continued, "with the Gold Fruit, he's a walking treasury."
"We're not certain his Devil Fruit would reappear if he died."
"So we keep him," Kaito concluded. "Tens of billions of Berries each year is enough."
Golden City lived up to its reputation.
After the agreement, the crew truly enjoyed themselves.
A week later, Kaito and his crew departed.
From afar, Tesoro watched them leave, finally breathing a sigh of relief.
Those monsters were gone.
Returning to Totto Land, the crew chatted excitedly the entire way.
The joy of Golden City still lingered.
More importantly, their bond had grown stronger.
Three days later, they fully arrived in Totto Land and immediately entered a busy period.
Territories, Beast Pirates lands, and former Red-Hair territories all required Kaito's attention.
With help from Perospero, Issho, and others, the burden was manageable.
Only now did Kaito truly understand Sengoku.
He even felt a trace of sympathy.
Once everything was settled, he vowed to live freely.
Time flowed quietly.
More than a month passed in the blink of an eye.
The seas boiled with discussion, especially over Kaito killing Celestial Dragons.
Yet neither the Marines nor the World Government dared act.
Not even a word.
The world realized something terrifying.
They were afraid.
Totto Land.
Inside the familiar wooden hall.
Kaito sat at the head of the table, surrounded by his core cadres.
---