"You can eat that Fruit, Scarlett. Crocodile probably didn't have any subordinates he truly trusted, so he kept it until now." Alucard held the Den Den Mushi receiver. On the other end was Scarlett, the candidate he had chosen to receive the Swap-Swap Fruit's power.
It was decided that Alucard would give her the Swap-Swap Fruit. From Law's location in Alabasta to here, it would take at least two months, so Scarlett would have to wait a little while.
"Captain Alucard."
A request was made from the staircase. Alucard put down the receiver and looked out. Ivalis was walking toward him, holding a gilded letter.
Ivalis's golden hair, which was only shoulder-length a year ago, now reached his waist in a middle parting. His hair had grown increasingly long, and he had also formed the Golden Hair Pirates, a pirate crew under the Immortal Pirates' banner.
Ivalis walked to the steps below the throne and tossed the letter, landing it accurately on the small liquor table next to Alucard's left armrest.
"This is..."
Alucard picked up the letter. The word "Gran Tesoro" was written on it.
"One of Tesoro's subordinates delivered it just now. He says they hope to invite you to attend," Ivalis said.
Alucard tore open the letter and quickly scanned its contents. After dismissing the excessive flattery in the beginning, the most useful part summarized an invitation to Alucard to grace the celebration of the world's largest entertainment city, Gran Tesoro, with his presence.
"I'm probably not the only one invited," Alucard said, tossing the letter aside after reading it once.
"Yes. We saw the news earlier. This massive ship, named Gran Tesoro, has been acknowledged by the World Government as a neutral zone. Neither pirates nor the Government are permitted to fight on it. That means other pirates or high-ranking Marines might also be invited..."
Ivalis didn't finish his sentence, but his meaning was clear.
"It just so happens I've been rather bored lately. I hope this trip will be a little entertaining."
Alucard rose and walked down the steps. As he passed Ivalis, a flash of light reflected off Ivalis's sunglasses. "How many men should we bring, Captain? Other Yonko and even high-ranking Marines might be among the invited."
"No need at all. We're just going for fun."
Alucard instructed, "I'll leave the fort in your hands, Ivalis."
"Understood."
Alucard ultimately decided to travel to the giant ship Gran Tesoro with a single vessel led by Hancock, Marigold, and Sandersonia. Among the personnel was Koala, who was a subordinate of Sandersonia and was now in the prime of her youth.
Given the complicated circumstances, he did not bring Shirahoshi with him, and left Viola and Scarlett behind to protect her.
…
Bannila Island, in the territory of the Beasts Pirates.
Sshhrt!
Immediately after receiving the invitation from Elburn, Kaido impatiently tore it up with two fingers, clicking his tongue. "Boring."
"Kaido-sama, Tesoro currently controls the New World underworld with Doflamingo. You can't afford to dismiss him like that," Elburn said, frowning at the scattered pieces of the invitation.
"Huh?"
Kaido acted as if he had heard something absurd. He lowered his massive body, bringing his gruesome, ogre-like face extremely close to Elburn's, and demanded, "The underworld? What is that? Doesn't he know who the hell I am?"
Any other person spoken to like this by Kaido would have long since wet themselves. But Elburn's courage was extraordinary. Even with Kaido's breath hitting his face, he maintained a composed demeanor.
This was the time to stroke Kaido's ego.
"We just received word that the Immortal Pirates have already set off with a battleship from the Kuja to attend."
The previous arguments were useless, but Kaido's expression immediately changed at this. He muttered, "That Immortal bastard?"
"This time, the other Yonko and high-ranking Marines will likely be in attendance. After all, it is one of the world's rare Neutral Zones. It's not surprising that this is happening."
Elburn pressed his advantage. Excluding the World Government, Tesoro was arguably the world's richest man right now. Maintaining good relations with such a major power was immensely beneficial.
"Where's the address?" Kaido demanded.
"...Didn't you tear up the invitation with the address?" Elburn said, quite speechless.
"Then why didn't you put it back together?!" Kaido roared, speaking with righteous indignation, as if it were the most natural thing in the world.
The Beasts Pirates crew members scattered below looked utterly bewildered.
…
On the Moby Dick, the Whitebeard Pirates' flagship.
"Pops, are you really not going?"
The speaker held a massive ham in one hand and a gilded invitation identical to the ones Kaido and Alucard had received in the other. He directed the question to Whitebeard.
Lucky Roux, the former head of the Red Hair Pirates' guard unit, was now the Captain of the Whitebeard Pirates' 17th Division. Most of the members in his division were former crewmates of the Red Hair Pirates.
Whitebeard seemed uninterested. "I have no interest in money or treasure. If any of you are too idle, you can go take a look."
Lucky Roux's small eyes behind his sunglasses darted around. He had already heard that Alucard was heading to Gran Tesoro with a Kuja squad. This time... it might be a good opportunity.
"Pops, then let our 17th Division go take a look."