"Cough... Cough..."
Tesoro nearly choked on his own saliva, a sea-faring powerhouse disguised as a tycoon almost meeting his end because of it.
"Ah... uh... then... congratulations?"
At this moment, he could no longer maintain his deep and profound demeanor, his mind racing through various possibilities in just a few seconds.
'What did this mean?'
'Naruto-san is missing? His whereabouts have always been unpredictable, haven't they?'
'The Pirate Empress is pregnant... with Naruto-san's child? So, they are lovers finally united... Oh no, wait, Naruto-san is missing.'
'-Wait, did he run away? That shouldn't be right. Naruto-san isn't that kind of person, is he?'
It must be said, gossip is probably the deepest instinct hidden in everyone's genes.
Even with Tesoro's current steady personality, he couldn't help but entertain various associations.
Fortunately, Hancock didn't let him continue his wild thoughts and began explaining her reason for coming here.
"You know about the incident in Totto Land two months ago involving Naruto, right?"
"Oh yes, I've heard. That caused quite a stir."
Tesoro very naturally picked up his glass and took a sip, though the liquid inside didn't seem to decrease even after a while.
How could Tesoro, whose reach even extended into the World Government, not have heard about the [Whole Cake Island Incident]?
One could say his organization's intelligence-gathering capabilities were no less than those of the Queen of the Pleasure District sitting nearby.
In the underworld, his status far surpassed that of Joker, the Shipping King, or the Loan Shark King.
"If I recall correctly, you also attacked the Marines during that battle, didn't you? What, have they already decided to list you as a wanted criminal?"
Thinking this, Tesoro was already considering whether to use his influence to help Hancock.
"No, on the contrary. Not only did they not strip me of my 'Warlord' title, they even requested that I be responsible for on-site security during the execution of [Fire Fist] Ace in two weeks."
Hancock gently shook her head, her hand unconsciously resting on her lower abdomen.
Only two months pregnant, it wasn't enough to cause a bulge. The baby at this stage should still be only the size of a grape.
"Is that so..."
Tesoro propped his chin with the hand adorned with gold rings.
"Exactly. I think you should also be aware of the relationship between [Fire Fist] Ace and Naruto. Rather than being about severing the Pirate King's influence, the upcoming execution is more likely a trap set for Naruto."
Stussy, having put away her smile, explained from the side.
"And this woman-"
She pointed at the Pirate Empress beside her and continued.
"The reason she hasn't been stripped of her Warlord title is very likely so she can be used as another means to restrain Naruto."
After all, during the battle on Whole Cake Island, Hancock had unambiguously chosen to stand on Naruto's side.
This was the World Government's open scheme, intending to use Hancock as a hostage.
Hearing this, Tesoro nodded, then looked up and asked,
"I understand that part. But what does that have to do with you being pregnant, Hancock?"
"Nothing. I just mentioned it in passing."
The Pirate Empress cast a disdainful glance at Stussy beside her, her meaning clear.
A vein involuntarily bulged on Stussy's temple, and she silently clenched her fist.
She was not pregnant… or rather, as a clone of Miss Buckin, Stussy did not have the ability to become pregnant.
This was something she herself knew.
The transaction Stussy had proposed was to use her identity as an agent to provide cover for Hancock.
In return, Hancock would cooperate with her in an attempt... an attempt to allow Stussy to also have a child of her own.
However, this transaction hadn't been successful, because both Garp and Kizaru, upon their return, didn't seem to deliberately mention Hancock's involvement.
Apart from Vice Admiral Tsuru objectively mentioning it in the mission briefing, nothing more was said.
Therefore, Hancock was only placed on the suspect list, and the World Government hadn't yet made the connection to the 'mother of the child' identity.
Otherwise, what awaited Hancock wouldn't be a Warlord summons, but a Buster Call from the Marines.
"What do you need me to do?"
Understanding the context, Tesoro immediately offered his assistance.
"On one hand, I need you to help evacuate the citizens of Amazon Lily at the appropriate time."
Hancock spoke with a serious look in her eyes.
"Has the situation deteriorated to that extent?"
"Yes. After this war, it's highly likely Amazon Lily will be targeted by the World Government. We must prepare in advance."
Despise the enemy strategically, but take them seriously tactically. Although Hancock always looked down on the World Government, she took the power they wielded very seriously.
"Understood. That's not a problem."
Tesoro nodded directly in agreement.
The Country of Gold also possessed the ability to sail in the Calm Belt. Using it for this task wouldn't be difficult.
He wouldn't even need to stop the ship, as he could just have the Kuja Kingdom's citizens secretly board ships docked at the City of Gold.
"On the other hand, we also wanted to ask if you have any means of contacting Naruto."
However, faced with this question, Tesoro could only offer a slight, bitter smile.
"Don't you know Naruto-san's temperament?"
"He's simply not someone willing to stay in one place for long. Back then, I told him to treat this place as his own home and live here freely, but he still found an opportunity to leave without saying goodbye, didn't he?"
As he said this, he seemed to remember something again, turning his gaze to Hancock's abdomen.
"No... perhaps this time, he will stay."
The implication was clear.
Hancock, not getting the desired answer, wasn't particularly disappointed.
If they couldn't contact him, then so be it. At most, it would be two weeks before that wretched man had to appear at Marine Headquarters, Marineford.
She stood up directly, ready to leave.
But before leaving, she turned back and said to Tesoro with meaningful emphasis,
"If it becomes necessary, we might need you to take action."
Hearing this, Tesoro was first stunned, then a smile actually appeared on his face.
"Good."
His reply was just one word, but it conveyed his resolve.
Seeing this, Stussy, who had also stood up to leave, suddenly fixed her eyes intently on Tesoro, her tone carrying a hint of pressure.
"Aren't you worried? Perhaps because of these actions, you'll lose everything you've accumulated over all these years… this country, this wealth."
But Tesoro's reply was even more resolute.
"You don't understand. I've waited for this day for far too long."
Tesoro also stood up, his hand suddenly clenching. The gold rings on his fingers instantly shattered, yet under the control of his ability, they transformed into a serpent coiling around his arm.
Just as this meeting was about to conclude, Baccarat's somewhat anxious voice suddenly came from outside the door.
"Tesoro-sama! Tesoro-sama!"
Hearing the knocking, Tesoro hooked his finger, and the golden door automatically opened. Baccarat rushed in, flustered.
"There's news!"
"There's news!"
"The one you asked us to monitor... [Great Hero] Uzumaki Naruto has made another move!"
Instantly, the gazes of all three people in the room converged on Baccarat.