Your swimsuit clung tightly on your body with how hot it was. An excellent day to have a barbecue, an excuse to put on light clothes, and have a volleyball match against the greedy navigator.
Well, Robin was the one who triggered the avarice and avidity of Nami by making a bet. And unfortunately, you were brought in by serving as a partner for the archaeologist while the ginger girl teamed up with Chopper.
The perverts like Brook and Sanji couldn't help but gape at the sight while drooling profusely. You could mistake them for adventurers that traveled a desert for a long time, and they finally found an oasis that wasn't a mirage. The others were sitting around the fire, waiting eagerly for the meat to be ready.
Of course, it didn't stop Luffy or Usopp from trying to have a bite. To which the cook quickly put them back in their place with a kick in the face.
"Here I go!" Nami grinned, tapping and serving the ball to your side.
Robin was the one to charge at the ball and tap it in your direction. You jumped high in the air and above the net to slam down the volleyball, earning a point without much difficulty.
"You're cheating! You're using your brute force" Nami pouted, crossing her arms over her chest.
"Your rules precised no 'Devil Fruit powers', never about our own skills" you smirked in a broad manner.
Now your turn in serving the ball, you tossed it in Nami and Chopper's direction. This match took longer than usual since you were holding back. Both women suddenly jumped in the air to hit the ball on one side, but the navigator was quicker.
You threw yourself on the ground in hope of catching the ball, but you were too late. That is until Robin decided to sprout an arm from your skin to send back the ball, earning yourself a point.
Brook blew on the whistle, having caught sight of the woman using her Devil Fruit:
"Match, set!" told the skeleton, and Nami sighed.
"I guess it's our loss, huh?"
"Winner...Team Nami and Chopper! Using Devil Fruit abilities is against the rules, Robin-san"
"Oh? That's too bad, then..." the woman shook her head, and you rolled your eyes at her while Nami and Chopper high-fived each other.
With the match set, the four of you decided to indulge yourselves in Sanji's cuisine to refresh and take a small pause. You sat against the mast on the bench, releasing a sigh through your nose.
"I can't wait until we get to Gran Tesoro, the City of Dreams!" smiled Chopper. "Especially the amusement park!"
"It has more than just an amusement park! A giant shopping mall with the latest, cutting-edge fashion...A colossal theater and amusement park..." Nami said as she named all of them. "...An enormous luxury hotel and spa resort...And to top it all, the casino!!"
"Ooh!" cried out the reindeer with stars in his eyes.
"Then, I'm going to head straight to the luxury hotel and stuff myself at the buffet!" Luffy grinned.
"I hear they have an all-you-can-eat imperial banquet open 24 hours a day!" said Brook.
"Just what kind of delicious food is waiting for us...?!"
"Not to mention...the unique show the dancers will put on for us..." the skeleton blushed perversely.
"I'm going to head straight to the bathhouse and drink the best sake the world has to offer" told Zoro with a smirk.
"In that case, I'll take care of the cola!" Franky added.
"For crying out loud, you guys have no taste for refinement" Sanji scoffed. "You can't even imagine how to live it up right? You're missing the best part..."
Without even the need of telling you, you could fathom the cook's fantasy with a clear image as a crystal. Surrounded by many beautiful women that helped to feed him. You deadpanned at Sanji while a weird expression appeared on his face.
"What a stupid fantasy" Zoro insulted bluntly.
"What was that, you punk?" Sanji growled back, headbutting the swordsman.
"Alright, alright" Nami ended the fight by pushing both of their heads away from each other.
"What are you going to do, Robin?" Chopper inquired.
"Let's see...Perhaps I'll unwind a bit and indulge in some beauty treatment" she answered.
"What about you, (y/n)?"
"I'll head for the casino. Someone has to break those roulette games, after all" you replied, smirking.
"Yeah. Because you keep loosing at them, so you can't help but get mad" the swordsman drawled.
"Want me to treat you like one of those, then?"
"All that sounds great and all, but where are we gonna get the money for it?" Usopp questioned before you could wrestle with Zoro.
"You got a point here. This is all the money we have to spend right now" Nami showed one berry coin of 100. "But listen up, everyone! With this one hundred coin, we're going to win a giant killing at the casino that we can splurge on!"
"Aye!!" the others yelled.
"And if we end up losing it?" you asked.
"If that happens...We'll just have to accept a small donation from the casino bank" the navigator's eyes transformed into berry signs.
"Oi, oi, oi, oi..." everyone waved their hands at that.
"Geez...I can't leave anything to you guys. Lucky for us, I just got a great idea! I call it.... The Hero Yokozuna Kintarou Show!" smiled Usopp.
"Show?"
"Please allow me to assist with the production!" Brook lifted his hand eagerly.
The crew created a dohyō in a short amount of time. The ringed arena was set at the center of the ship where everyone could witness the match. Even though Robin and Nami decided to sunbath in long chairs while Zoro slept through it all. Brook approached the exterior of the ring:
"Come one, come all! To the Hero Yokozuna Kintarou Show! Once upon a time...Deep in the mountains...There was a boy named Kintarou Luffy"
As the skeleton told the story, Luffy took place inside the ring in a weird outfit. Chopper stood aside, wearing a monkey suit, and Usopp stood in front of the captain, also wearing an equally weird outfit with rabbit ears. Franky looked like a giant, black bear.
"Everyday, Kintaro would use the animals of the forest as his own punching ba-...Err, I mean, played sumo with them" Brook cleared his throat.
Luffy scooped a huge amount of salt in his hand, and tossed it to purify the ring in one drop. This earned a pissed look from Sanji and a cry to stop wasting their salt. Usopp did the same, but only flicked a bit of salt in the ring.
"This isn't a serious fight. You get that, right?" Usopp demanded to a serious-looking Luffy. "We're just pretending!"
"I got it!" Luffy assured, but you knew better.
"Now, let's begin. Eh?" Chopper blinked when your captain suddenly, swung his arm back.
"EAT THIS!"
Luffy hit the sniper straight in the face, sending him crashing against the mast. Usopp groaned in pain, clutching his face where a hand print was forming.
"What happened? Weren't you supposed to dodge that?" asked Luffy.
"You're not supposed to start until the ref says, 'You're still in it~'!" yelled Brook.
"Oi! You're going to damage the ship! Tone it down a bit!" Franky warned.
"THAT'S WHAT YOU'RE WORRIED ABOUT?!" shrieked Chopper.
"ARE YOU TRYING TO KILL ME, YOU BASTARD?!" barked Usopp. "We agreed on me winning the first round, didn't we?!"
"But Usopp sure is sturdy..."
The two started once more, but this time Luffy was too close and invaded Usopp's bubble. And when it actually began, the sniper called the competition off because he was too thirsty.
"Are they really serious about that?" you sighed, leaning back against the railing of the ship.
"(y/n)-swan! Do you need more lotion against the sun?!" Sanji suddenly appeared by your side, holding you a bottle of sun cream.
"Sanji, could I get some over here too?" asked Brook, earning a irked look from the cook.
"YOU DO IT YOURSELF!"
"I want to protect myself from the sun too! Not that I have any skin in the first place though...Yohohoho!"
"I don't need it" you sighed as you threw the bottle directly behind the skeleton's head, who faceplanted on the ground at the impact.
"Let's stop with this silly farce already" spoke Franky, now done with Luffy and Usopp kidding around. "Sumo is a serious sport where two men face-off against each other using nothing but their own skill and power. How about you face me?"
"Alright!" Luffy grinned with a nod. "I'm not handing the title of yokozuna over to anybody!"
"The title is mine to take!"
The match grew in intensity as it went on for hours, with Luffy and Franky showing no signs of giving up. Both were sweaty, panting heavily as they stared at each other. The sun was about to set in the distance, and you were starting to get tired of their silly competition.
The guys on the sidelines continued to cheer for either their captain or the cyborg, taking wagers.
"There's no way I'm giving up the title of yokozuna!" stated Luffy firmly.
"Let's settle this with the next blow" Franky agreed.
Luffy entered Gear Third while Franky prepared his cannon to fire a laser. One mistake from the ebony male's part was to stretch his arm too far that it knocked down your lemonade you had yet the time to savor because of the two acting like morons.
Your eyebrow twitched, lips pulled into a snarl. You stood up slowly and cracked your knuckles, before moving in the direction of the fighters. They were too busy to notice you as they were about to land a hit on each other. That is, until you punched both Luffy and Franky at the same time while standing inside the dohyō.
Under the disbelieved stares of your comrades and the laughter of Robin filling the air, Luffy and Franky were knocked out with one single attack from your part.
"...IT WAS MY REALM OF GODDAMN LEMONADE!" you spat as you hovered their beaten up bodies. "JUST JUMP IN THE OCEAN AND GO DIE ALREADY"
"The yokozuna is (y/n)!" Chopper announced.
"I present you with the winning prize. The yokozuna rope is yours" Brook bowed his head while he showed you the prize in question. He started to bleed from the nose. "Now, if you would just lift your leg for me..."
You did lift your leg. By kicking the shit out of Brook and sending him flying in the starry sky. You thought you even cracked his jaw when your knee made direct contact with it. Suddenly, a light shone brightly in the distance, earning the attention of everyone.
"Nami, what's that light over there?" Luffy inquired.
"Looks like we've arrived" Nami grinned as she gazed down at the Vivre Card. "That's Gran Tesoro!"
The trio of Luffy, Usopp and Chopper ran up to the head of the Sunny, eyes wide in awe and wonder. Gran Tesoro was a massive, golden ship. Now that you have a close-up view, there was two gigantic sea turtles pulling the city built on it with chains. Without a doubt composed of pure gold, the bow looks similar to a cruise ship with a grand sign hovering the gates that led inside.
Loud music boomed from the ship as you passed them, glitters falling from the ceiling. Just like everything made on it, it was gold.
"Ooh! Let's get a move on, guys!" Nami encouraged, pointing forward.
"Your eyes are belly signs " you sweatdropped at her.
"I see an entrance, Franky!" yelled Luffy at the front.
"I've got this! Coup de Burst!"
The Thousand Sunny was propelled forward and passed through the bright opening at the end of the long tunnel. You arrived inside a large stadium that showed the city in its splendor, with a stage floating in the sea of gold. Many dancers were doing their routine on the golden pillars, with a weird guy dancing and singing at the center of the plaza.
"It's so amazing!" Nami gushed as she looked around.
"MELLORINE~!!" shouted Sanji, eyeballing the beautiful go-go dancers.
This moment of peace was short-lived as someone fired a cannonball in your direction. There was a pirate ship charging at you, with a strange crew boarding it:
"We are the Long Long Pirates! Hand over all your money! We lost in the casinos so we got no cash!" shouted what seemed like the captain of this ship.
"Really now?" you groaned, feeling a headache coming.
The lights in the stadium deemed down to focus on the Thousand Sunny and the long, enemy ship. The audience was riled up, cheering loudly and eager to see a fight. Well, if this is what they wanted, you will give one. As the pirates jumped on board and fought against your comrades, you casually demanded Sanji another lemonade. To which he eagerly accepted and turned into a love tornado while he dodged the attacks of a huge man with spiked knuckles.
"GIMME ALL THE MONEY, LADY!"
Some wannabe pirates charged at you with their swords, and you simply unsheathed one of your guns from your belt. Pointing directly at them, you muttered under your breath:
"Demi-God Realm: Black Bullet"
The men were engulfed by the dark tornado and sent flying across the arena and into the sea of gold. You blew off the black smoke coming out of the fuel from your gun, giving a smirk to the invisible camera. Another group went to attack you, but you pushed them back by showering those pirates with waves of bullets from both of your guns.
Your crew showed no difficulty in dealing with them, and soon enough the captain was taken care off by Luffy. The sea of gold became agitated, before long tunnels that resembled typhoons appeared all around the Long Long Pirates. The gold snatched them like living tentacles, toying and playing with the pirates.
"Could it be a Devil Fruit?" you mused to yourself, eyes wandering to the lone dancing figure at the center that was certainly the ringmaster of this whole show.
Their skins slowly turned into gold, trapping them forever and serving as statues for who knows how long. The tentacles entangled themselves to form some king of tree in the middle of the sea. Fountains erupted with the golden substance as did the tallest tower.
"This is the world's largest entertainment city! Welcome to Gran Tesoro!"
"They really didn't hold back at all!" shouted Usopp.
Once the Sunny was anchored, your crew were welcomed by a beautiful circular hall filled with golden pillars and a red carpet laid under your feet. You took this time to have a look around, whistling at the luxurious objects displayed in the shops. A red head, wearing an elegant gown, approached your group with a broad smile:
"Amazing~" she cooed, taking her sunglasses off. "Might you fine people be the Straw Hat crew? Pleased to meet you"
"Hello there, mademoiselle" Sanji was quick to react as he danced his way to the lady. "I am the chef of this ship, Sanji. It must be fate for us to have met each other here!"
"My, what a fine gentleman you are" the woman giggled. "It is a pleasure to make your acquaintance. I am the VIP room concierge, Baccarat"
"You know us?" Luffy wondered, tilting his head to the side.
"Why of course I do!" her reaction was theatrical. "The World Government's Marine HQ has famous pirates like you on this VIP list. See?"
"She's right..." you trailed as you eyed the content of her book, seeing everyone's bounties.
"So please allow me to take good care of you celebrities" Baccarat winked. "This way"
Some kind of luxurious car rolled and stopped behind her, and she introduced it as the Turtle Shuttle. They can carry a number of people at once and runs on turtle power, operated by the Lucky Turtle Squad. The canopy was soft as you sat inside, followed by your comrades. Luffy did his usual thing and sat on the hood of the car just like he would normally on top of the Sunny's lion head.
Baccarat drove you through the busy streets of the city, and before she led you to the casino, went to a close shop to buy you all new clothes for the night (). You tugged on your long sleeves, smirking at the end result. You thought you looked pretty hot in this one suit, just as the others did in their own white clothes.
"Wow~ Such fitting outfits for such incredible pirates!" Baccarat complimented, clapping.
"Are you really giving these to us?!" Nami stared at her in disbelief, not believing that she didn't have to pay for those expensive clothes.
"Indeed. You are VIP customers here, after all. This is a gambling city. No need to return them if you win. If. You. Win" she put emphasis on those words.
"Uh-huh!" nodded Luffy, and pulled down his shades. "So this is the casino?"
In front of you was a long tower heavily decorated with many star shaped forms and statues. It was probably one of the tallest towers in this city.
"Indeed! It's the eight-star hotel we at Gran Tesoro place our pride in! The Leoro! It's made entirely of gold" told Baccarat. "Gorgeous!"
"Like must of the place..." you mumbled to yourself.
Something tugged on your pants, and you looked down to see a little girl with a basket of roses. She wasn't the only one as other kids appeared around the corner, looking all dirty and wearing poor clothes.
"W-Will you buy me a flower, ma'am? P-Please do..." stammered the girl.
"You're VIP customers, ain't cha?! C'mon! What's the harm?" added a boy with a broken tooth.
"How much do you want?" you wondered, looking down at the children.
"5,000 berries!"
"That's too much!" cried out Usopp.
"We ain't gonna be free 'til we get money! So just help us out, wouldja?!" spat the boy, frustrated.
"What do you mean by that?" you inquired with a frown.
"Oh dear, kiddies. Why are you bothering my customers?" Baccarat wondered as she approached them, leaning down. "This is not a place people like you belong, right? So run back home"
The children seemed afraid of the red haired woman, as they anxiously glanced away. They retreated by taking a run to the dark alleys of the city, disappearing in the darkness. Baccarat turned to face you, a bright smile on her lips:
"Please excuse them! Now let us hurry along to the casino"
She led you inside the casino where you saw many attractions and games that any casino on earth would possess. Giant roulettes, slots machines, poker boards...They had everything here. Baccarat handed to Nami a silver case filled with blue chips:
"We'll start by lending you 20,000 berries worth of chips"
"20,000?!" shouted Nami. "We really get to use them?!"
"Indeed. Don't hold back" the woman assured, and blinked when Luffy snatched a pile of chips from the box.
"Thanks! I'm gonna give it a go!" he yelled while running to some place.
"LUFFY! WAIT!"
"Us too!" said in unison Chopper and Usopp, running after their captain. You let out a sigh before you decided to follow them.
"I will babysit those three idiots. As usual" you grunted, putting your hands in your pockets.
"God, those guys just do what they want! What's this game anyway?" Nami growled as she stared at the sign where the boys entered.
"This here is a free-for-all race using the Turtle Shuttles" told a young woman wearing a sexy bunny suit. "The winning bet claims 100,000 berries"
"100,000 BERRIES?!"
Just like that, you were brought in your first game in the casino with the three morons. The Turtle Shuttles were lined up at the starting line, with you ending up getting the blue car with the number '6' marked on the hood. Being older and wiser, you were the one driving (also because Chopper didn't reach the pedals since he was short, and both Luffy and Usopp are too idiotic to even consider to drive safely). The reindeer was sitting at the back with your captain while the sniper sat on the passenger's side.
The others came enjoying the show by watching in the stands, taking place in the audience.
"You guys! You'll see hell if you lose!" Nami threatened.
"Leave it to us!" Luffy waved at her. "We just gotta win! Win!"
"We have six participants! Check okay! Ready to go! Whoever makes it back first wins! The winning better receives ten times their investment! So all at once..." spoke the announcer.
The blonde who was holding torches in both hands dropped them down, which announced the beginning of the race. You pushed hard on the accelerator, starting the engine and taking off with the other contestants.
Car #5 took the lead once you were out of the stadium, driving through the railroad of the city. However, it didn't last long that it was bombarded by the contestants of car #3.
"And Jimmy drops out!" yelled the announcer as car #5 flips over. "And the one to take the lead is Marine Petty Officer Straight who hates leaving it up to others!"
"Are you kidding me?! He has cannons on his car!" you shouted angrily.
You did your best to dodge the bullets he shot in your way, using the best of your driving skills to stay on the road. The next turning point was approaching, and car #3 left the course by passing through the wall instead of turning. You released a sigh of relief, glad to not have those Marines in your path for the rest of the race.
"Oh?! Look who's taking the lead! It's the Turtle Shuttle riding participants, the Straw Hat Team! They're catching up to the quack doctor, Whitejack!"
You passed the red and yellow car like the blink of an eye, arriving behind the pink car. You were following the road who turned into a 360, and you were thanking the Universe that you were fast enough so your stomach wasn't aware of the sudden change.
But another surprise was waiting for you when a busty blonde standing at the other end of the pink car shoved a syringe in your face, filled with a green substance. She threw it in your way, the road turning slippery upon contact. You all braced yourselves as the car made several turns on itself while the other contestants surpassed you.
"Hurry, (y/n)!" shouted Luffy.
"I know, I know!" you replied, pulling down the lever and pressing the pedal.
"The current status of the race has our other participants desperately falling Team Whitejack! But Whitejack exist the course! What incredible power Kent Beef Jr. from the South Blue's Baltic possesses!"
You watched as the pink car from before fell down from where you were now riding on, the road circling around an artificial mountain before entering a dark tunnel. You were now behind car #4, which it had a giant bull standing at the back. It lifted a round hay bale, and sent it flying in your direction, hitting the hood of your car and blinding you momentarily.
"They emerge from the tunnel and quickly find themselves in the Dark Course! Can they keep it up?!"
"Damn that-!!" you cursed under your breath.
"(y/n)! WATCH OUT!" screamed in unison the trio.
It was too late for you to make the turn and exited the course, the car flying above the golf field. It landed hard on the ground, making several turns around the golf's course where people were trying to play. Luffy stretched his arms, and grabbed a part of the mountain:
"Gomu Gomu no...Rocket!"
Just like that, you were sent flying across the whole city, and even through the panel that spelled 'GRANTESORO' in big letters on the fake mountain. Your screams echoed from the sky as you crashed back on the road, and miraculously caught up with the two last participants.
"Oh, what is happening?! The Straw Hat Team is back!"
Now at the same level as the two opponents, you sent a fake smile in their way. Both men blinked in surprise and grew mortified when your expression turned darker, a snarl decorating your lips:
"Leviathan's Claw"
Two dragon claws appeared in front of the cars, and slammed one fist into the hood. This sent flying the last contestants out of your way and crashing somewhere on the road. Both Chopper and Usopp sweated, gazing at the damage you caused in such a short notice.
"OOHHHH! THE STRAW HAT TEAM ANNIHILATED THEIR OPPONENTS!"
"What?" you shrugged. "That's what they get from throwing hale on a woman"
"DON'T YOU THINK YOU WENT A LITTLE TOO FAR?!" shrieked Usopp.
You passed the finish line, causing your comrades in the audience to cheer loudly for your win. The trio of Luffy, Usopp and Chopper exited the car by jumping out, throwing their fists in the air. You exhaled loudly, pushing a strand of your hair that fell over your face.
"Please...That was beyond easy" you stated smugly.
Incredibly, your crew continued to win at numerous games in the casino. You weren't aware of how much luck you could possess until now, and that's why it gave you another reason that something weird was going on.
Each time you won the biggest reward on the charts, Baccarat was close to you. Said woman kept applauding your comrades each time they did, with an expression that didn't ease your mind one bit.
"Incredible! We've won 300,000 berries!" Nami cooed, nearly crying on the spot.
"Very impressive, you guys" smiled Baccarat. "Then shall we head for the VIP room?"
"What's that?" wondered Luffy, tilting his head.
"High risk, high return. Would you like to partake in a special gamble where the winners become billionaires?"
"What should we do, Nami?" Usopp turned to the navigator, who wore a confident smile.
"We take them on, of course!" she answered.
Baccarat led you to an elevator in the giant tower, and pressed the button to the VIP lounge. Once arrived, she knocked on the golden doors one time, and the face of a huge man passed through them.
"WHO THE HELL'S THIS GUY?!" shouted Luffy.
"He's the security guard of the casino, Tanaka-san" the woman introduced the huge man.
"Welcome" he greeted creepily, letting out a laugh that wasn't reassuring too.
"He can slip through anything using his Phase-Phase ability"
"Okay, let me have your hands please"
Everyone did as told, and you slipped through the VIP room while using his powers. You were now inside a Japanese stylized area, and probably one of those rare rooms that wasn't made entirely of gold.
"So this is the VIP room? What's up with this place?" Nami breathed, checking her surroundings carefully.
"So by 'special gamble' you meant rolling dice?" said Zoro, to which Baccarat nodded.
"Oi, even the Marines are here?" Sanji frowned at the sight of Marine officers walking around the room.
"Please do not worry. The Gran Tesoro is a special location permitted by the World Government. There's a rule forbidding them from touching pirates here"
In the center of the room was a huge cup with two giants standing from both ends. They walked toward the cup and placed two cubes that served as dice on the ground. Another man, who was no giant, but certainly bigger than everyone else in the room, stopped between the dice.
"Who's this clown?" sweated Usopp.
"He's Dice. He's got a reputation as the champion of the underground death match shows. He was so strong that he lost people to play against. So we've appointed him in charge of being the dealer here" explained Baccarat as the blonde bearded man threw the dice in the air like they weighted nothing.
"YES!" he exclaimed as he slammed the cup on the ground with the dice in it, before taking an axe that was laid beside him.
"He's going to strike that bell?!" breathed in shock Brook.
Dice jumped in the air with the axe, twirling in the middle before slamming his own head against the cup, breaking it under his immense strength.
"WHAT'S THE POINT OF THE AXE, THEN?!" yelled the skeleton.
"Feels good~!" drooled Dice with an expression of pure bliss.
"What the fuck" you said, coming out as a statement more than a question.
"So? Exciting, isn't it?" Baccarat grinned.
"I don't really get it" commented Robin.
"Well now, you'll have to bet three times your chips..."
"THREE TIMES?! This our big change to become billionaires!" said Nami, and you frowned.
"Are you really sure? Maybe we should hold back-" you started, but was cut by Luffy acting dumb once again.
"Alright, we bet it all!" the captain said determinedly.
"WAIT A DAMN MINUTE!!"
"YES!" shouted Dice, slamming his head against another bell/cup. "Feels good~!"
"And we have a winner!" announced the referee.
"Sweet!" Luffy cheered loudly with a laugh.
"JUST LIKE THAT?!" you faceplanted on the ground.
Now you knew there was definitely something wrong here. There's simply no way to have so much luck in those games. You didn't loose a single time! Baccarat approached the ebony male with a smirk:
"As expected of you, Master Luffy"
"We can do this!" yelled Nami, on the verge of hyperventilating. "I can really become a billionai-"
"Calm down!" sweatdropped Franky.
Suddenly, murmurs came from all around the room. You all turned to see a man wearing a pink suit descending the staircase with a purple haired woman behind him. From what you could tell from the looks he was receiving, he was another big head in this place.
"My, my. Welcome to the Gran Tesoro. Are you all enjoying yourselves?" the man inquired.
"Who the heck are you?" demanded Luffy.
"Pardon me. It's a pleasure to meet you. I am the owner of this ship, Gild Tesoro..."
"Oh! So you're that Casino King dude! Well, I'm gonna be Pirate King!"
"Wow, it's truly an honor to have the future Pirate King aboard my ship!" Gild chuckled and lifted his shades. "So how about it? Would you like to compete against me?"
"Compete?..."
"If we go about it, how about using these rules? If you should win, I'll give you an investment worth ten times your earnings...Of course, should you lose, you'll earn debt ten times your earnings. You see, I'm simply disgustingly rich"
"I doubt that it's the only disgusting about you..." you whispered to yourself, and you gulped when Gild narrowed his eyes at you. Did he hear?!
"It doesn't rustle any excitement if I don't raise the stakes like this" the Casino King continued calmly, faking a smile. "So what will it be?"
"Sounds good! I ain't gonna lose!" Luffy accepted, pulling all his chips forward. "I bet it all!"
"As expected of Master Luffy. What an admirable max bet" Baccarat trailed, pulling off one of her black gloves. She brought this delicate hand to rest on his shoulder as she leaned down: "I simply respect people like you"
"Wait, Luffy!" you shouted.
It was too late as Dice brought his head down on the bell, and revealed the results. Two dice that reflected the number '2' and '6'. Luffy lost.
Even the boy looked taken aback by this sudden change of luck, and blinked in confusion.
"I lost..."
"You're kidding..." whispered Nami. "Luffy lost?"
"Well, that was a fine performance" Gild clapped in sarcasm. "It was a very satisfying show, Baccarat"
"Show? What's that supposed to mean?!"
"You're an ability user, aren't you?" Robin mused, and the red haired woman chuckled.
"Yes, that's right. I'm a user of the Lucky Lucky Fruit. I steal away the luck of those I touch" she answered.
"So I'm not lucky right now? But I feel normal..." Luffy trailed.
However, as if on cue, his stomach started to growl. He became uncomfortable, clutching his guts as he bent down in half.
"M-My stomach hurts!" he cried out.
"You gotta be kidding me?! Luffy has a stomach ache?!" shouted in disbelief Sanji.
Your captain stepped backward, until his foot landed on a banana peel and made him slip and crash into a wall. Your comrades stared at the scene, completely stunned. That Devil Fruit was an insane ability to have.
"That's cheating!" the navigator cried out in outrage.
"Cheating?" chuckled Tanaka.
"Allow us to teach ya punks somethin' " stated Dice as he advanced forward.
"It's this city absolute rule" Baccarat enriched with a giggle.
"The people who are deceived here... are nothing but losers" told cruelly Gild Tesoro, earning a few cheers from the crowd of people that gathered around the VIP room. "Now then, three times your 200,000 berries loan...Won't you return it all?"
"We're not paying you a damn thing!" spat Nami.
"Then I'll have no choice but to have you work it off. The residents living in this city are all slaves working to pay off their debt. If you refuse, I'll have to forcefully collect it from you"
"Those children from before...You enslaved them?!" you shouted angrily.
"Now that sounds more fun..." smirked Zoro, unsheathing his swords.
"Give it a shot if you think you can" muttered Sanji, and Baccarat suddenly fell on her knees.
"Ow...My leg gave out..." she whined, and immediately the cook reacted.
"ARE YOU OKAY, BACCARAT-CHWAN?!" cooed Sanji, and blinked when she touched his chin.
"Indeed. Touch" she smirked.
"OH CRAP!" yelled the blonde, his cigarette falling from his mouth and putting on fire his white suit.
A banana peel metamorphosed under his left foot, and slipped on it, sending him crashing into another wall too.
"Too formidable!!!" cried out Brook.
"You're an idiot!!" spat Zoro.
"Suru Illusion"
The security guard used his Devil Fruit abilities to pass through the floor and reappear behind you, firing cheap bullets at your group. You dodged them at the best as you could, since that big rat was fast. Franky fired his Strong Right at Dice, who was unfazed by his hit. In fact, he was wearing this same blissful expression each time something hard hit him in the face.
He even demanded more, to the disbelief of the cyborg. Zoro faced head on Gild, stating that the fastest way to win a fight was to take down the boss. A big mistake on his part, as the moment he charged at the Casino King, said man clutched his hand and the swordsman's legs turned into gold.
"Zoro!" cried out Chopper as Gild turned one of his dragon statues into a sticky substance to stop Zoro's weapons.
"Stay back!" quickly yelled Zoro, stopping your comrades from helping him. The majority of his body had been transformed into gold.
"Good thinking" rumbled Gild . "Had they moved, they'd all be golden statues"
"What ability is it?" growled the swordsman.
"It's gold. I ate the Gol Gol Fruit. I can control any gold I've touched once to my whim!" the boss stated smugly.
"W-What did you do to Zoro?!" snarled Luffy, hunched over in the background.
"You were covered in gold when you entered this city, weren't you? Back then, your bodies were covered in gold shavings imbued with my ability. Once they enter this city, people are completely under my control. And I mean everyone!"
Gild kicked effortlessly Zoro on the ground, sending the swordsman crashing. Even though he knew it was impossible for your comrade to move in those conditions, the Casino King pressed his foot against Zoro's chest, pining him on the floor.
"Now then, I'll have you return the money we loaned you. With your 320 billion bounty, that is" stated Gild.
"So from the beginning you...!" growled Nami, realizing the scheme and Gild burst out an annoying laugh.
"No one can oppose me!"
"Don't cocky-"
"Don't move"
A dagger was held under Nami's chin, and the navigator froze up. She glared at the owner, seeing that it was the purple haired female from before.
"Who-?"
"Keep your mouth shut and obey" interrupted once more the mysterious lady.
"....Alright, we'll get your money! Just give us some time!" Nami decided.
"Very well. You have until 8:00 P.M. tomorrow. If you don't make it in time, this man will be executed before a live audience!" told Tesoro, shocking your comrades.
"What?!" snarled Usopp.
"Fine, we agree!" sighed the navigator.
"Of course you do. This is the ultimate gamble, after all" he mused. "Can you earn enough money by tomorrow? Or will you end up slaves for the rest of your lives? Be sure to entertain me thoroughly. I look forward to it" the devious man smirked.
You left the casino without Zoro, who was now held prisoner by the bastard. Luffy kept complaining about his stomach, stating that he was starving. As usual, your captain ignored completely the situation.
"Saving Zoro's more important than that!" Usopp frowned at the ebony male, crossing his arms over his chest.
"You're damn right but let's eat first!" Luffy argued.
"I must say it's important to take care of your body" Chopper enriched, blushing when his stomach started to growl loudly.
"I guess you're right..." sighed the sniper, hearing his own stomach growl too.
"OKAY, LET'S EAT!" the trio shouted in unison.
"Wait, Luffy-san!" Brook tried to stop them, but they were already running in the direction of the meat's scent.
"Guess we gotta cool our heads down" muttered Sanji, following after them.
"As long Luffy's hungry, he won't listen to anything else" you said, exasperated.
Someone brushed pass Nami, hitting her accidentally in the process. The stranger muttered an apology in her regards, but the navigator quickly caught his wrist. It was the woman from the VIP room, wearing casual clothes.
"Hold it" Nami narrowed her eyes at her.
"My, looks like you haven't gotten rusty, Cat Burglar" grinned the woman, holding onto Nami's purse she stole from her.
"How about you? Haven't you gotten rusty, Thief-Girl?" the ginger haired woman retorted, showing the woman's own purse. She let out a gasp of outrage, taking it back. "So it really is you, Carina"
"Been a while, Nami!" she grinned with a giggle.
"You guys know each other?" Luffy wondered.
"Yup, we do. Nami's like a rotten Cat Burglar friend to me" answered Carina, winking in Nami's direction. "Right?"
"No way!" she huffed. "Back in the East Blue, we just happened to steal the same treasure"
"Until you screwed up, you mean! Shishishi!"
"You screwed up way more than I did!" snarled back the navigator.
"What's that, you damn Cat Burglar?!" Carina narrowed her eyes at her.
"You rotten Thief-Girl!"
"Oi, c'mon!" Luffy interrupted their bickering by standing between them. "FOOD!"
Your newest encounter decided to invite you to the Wild Cow, a restaurant that served to no one surprise all kinds of meats. Taking your seats, you were soon served since there wasn't too much customers.
"Sorry for what happened at the casino. But I'm working undercover as one of Tesoro's lackies. I had no other choice" told Carina.
"Don't tell me you're after the Tesoro Money?!" said Nami, sweating lightly.
"Tesoro Money?" asked your captain between a mouthful of meat.
"It's said about 20% of the entire world's berries are hidden here in this city. They call it 'Tesoro Money'. Stealing that would be the ultimate glory for a thief. Countless thieves and burglars have tried already, but not a single person has been able to steal it"
"I've finally been given a spare key after approaching Tesoro" continued the purple haired woman, putting a golden key in the same shape of the tower on the dining table.
"A key?" Sanji raised a brow.
"It's a key to the giant safe atop the golden tower. I'm after 500 billion berries inside the safe!"
"500?!" cried out Usopp as the others gasped in shock.
"That's a lot of money..." you sweated.
"Is it really that awesome?" Chopper questioned.
"That's enough wealth to buy a small country" Robin explained to him.
"Tesoro plans to offer a chunk of it to the Celestial Dragons. With the power of money, the Celestial Dragons allow him to do as he pleases" said Carina.
"So that's why the World Government and the Marine are turning a blind eye to Tesoro"
"And pirates after the Tesoro Money pour in. He uses his gold to completely control the underground world. That's his true nature. Say, wanna team up with me? If we can steal the money, we can save your friend's life"
"Forget all that trouble!" scoffed Franky. "Let's just rampage and take him back!"
"Didn't you see? Our bodies are covered with the gold dust created by Tesoro's powers. Because of that, he feels no one can ever beat him. So we fool him and steal his money. We'll win using this city's very rules"
"......Guess it can't be helped" said Nami after a short pause.
"Nami, are you sure we can trust her?" you inquired.
"We don't have any better options right now"
"So we can save Zoro?" demanded Luffy, and Carina nodded with a smile.
"If we succeed, yes"
"Then it's settled! I'm in!" chuckled your captain, and Nami slammed her hands on the table.
"Our aim is 500 billion berries! We're stealing the Tesoro Money no one's ever been able to steal! This is a once-in-a-lifetime gamble!....However, we're spitting it so we get 70% and you get 30%" Nami finished slightly, earning a deadpan from Carina.
"Stop joking! I'm the one who has the key!" she snapped.
"But we've got more of us!"
"You couldn't do a damn thing without me!"
"Say what?!"
A loud sound came from the back, and you saw a little girl clutching a silver plate against her chest. She was gazing fearfully at a customer, to whom she accidentally ran into and stained his pants with the food she was carrying.
"You okay, Tempo?" the child with the broken tooth came running to her aid.
"Woah there. Don't ya know that we're Master Tesoro's subordinates?" the man drawled.
"I'm really sorry! Please forgive her!" pleaded the boy, about to clean the mess when the man stepped on the meat.
"Forget it! Consider that 20,000 berries added to your debt!"
"It's those kids from before..." you trailed.
"They're working to pay off their family's debt. They're Tesoro's slaves for the rest of their lives, like many others" said Carina.
The man was about to land a hit on the child when an employee stood between them, catching the bastard's fist at the last moment.
"Did these kids do something?" inquired the employee.
"Ya think you can make me overlook this just 'coz you're former soldier?" spat the subordinate.
"Please forgive them" he demanded, kneeling down and bowing his head at the man.
"Did ya forget what it means to oppose Master Tesoro? Our customers gotta keep smilin'!" the subordinate continued, stepping on the employee's head numerous times. "So c'mon, smile! If ya don't, your whole family's gonna be killed!"
You gritted your teeth as it continued for a long time, before Tesoro's subordinates decided to leave the restaurant. The employee was helped back on his feet with the aid of some of his men, the children gazing tearfully at him:
"Let's get back to work..." he sighed.
"Oi! Why didn't you guys fight back?!" shouted Luffy.
"There's no point in fighting back. We can't be free if we don't have money!" replied the boy, before running out of the room with his sister following behind.
"This Tesoro jerk's gonna pay for that..."
After a good night of sleep by renting a room in a random hotel of the city, you were ready to prepare yourself for the plan. Carina explaining in details your missions and objectives to achieve before the clock struck 8 P.M., and to do it you have to do some shopping.
You passed most of the day buying costumes, before returning to the hotel to try them out. With of course Luffy fooling around by wearing some kind of orange dress and a flower pin in his hair. Or Chopper deciding to wear a beard as a costume and Brook changing into purple women clothes that strangely fitted him.
The plan went in motion when night fell, and around one hour before Zoro's execution. Everyone were in their designed costumes, with you rocking one of those bunny costumes that you found in a cheap shop.
"Why do I have to be a bunny again?" you questioned your comrades, who seems to be too busy in admiring the way it was fitting you except for Chopper.
"I don't see why you shouldn't" Robin simply grinned, causing you to deadpan at her.
"You look so sexy in it, (y/n)-swan~" Sanji cooed, every limb becoming jelly.
"Anyway, we do this as planned. Ready to go?" inquired Carina.
"Okay!....Wait, so what're we doing again?" asked stupidly Luffy.
"God! I just explained it!" she huffed. "The giant safe is located at the Hyper Suite Area, kept inside a giant golden tank dome. And inside it lies 500 billion berries. The floor, the walls, the ceiling...Everything is made out of gold. It's impossible to infiltrate, created with Tesoro's ability, and it's connected to all the gold in this city. If his gold suffers a powerful hit, he'll notice immediately"
"Then how do we get inside the dome?"
"A spiral stairway leads up to the dome. But the entire thing is covered with video Den-Den Mushi, so we'll be spotted instantly. But there's an opening. First we have Team A (consisting of Franky and Luffy). They'll climb up to the tower from the hotel. And they'll infiltrate through the clock, thus getting into the control room. The host Den-Den Mushi lies above it"
"This will momentarily pause the video footage, and then we switch to Team B (which is pretty much everyone else). We use the elevator from the casino floor, then to the VIP casino. We pass through Tanaka-san's checkpoint, leading to the Hyper Suite Area. That will give us an opening to the spiral staircase. Once we break through security, it's a straight line there, and this will take us to the spiral staircase"
"During the time the video Den-Den Mushi are down, we'll climb all the way to the top and use this key to open the safe at the top. And that's that. We then sneak out using the hotel's laundry carts, and we can escape through the back door. And that's mission complete!" Carina finished her explanation.
"Next time give us a resume" you sweatdropped.
Following after Carina, your group went inside the casino where the cargo was taken. You waited behind some pillars until subordinates of Dice made their appearance, pushing one of the bells their boss used in his game. The purple haired woman used her charms to make a diversion while the others climbed inside the bell to hide into.
After passing Tanaka's checkpoint and making sure there wasn't anybody else close, Carina called up to you to come out from your hiding spot. You then followed her through a handful of hallways until you reached the security room.
"Looks like we won't make it" frowned Carina, taking a look around the corner to see two guards at the doors.
"Let's me handle this" told Robin.
She used her Devil Fruit to sprout arms behind their backs, cracking their bodies so they fell unconscious on the floor. Your group went pass the doors, entering a darker room.
"From here on out is territory I've never been to" warned Carina.
The hallways widened to let place to Red-Eyed Owls who were surveying the area, a bunch of them perched randomly on the pillars that adorned the room. If you are touched by the light of their eyes, they will scream.
"They're all moving their heads in different directions" the reindeer told. "Up...Down...Up...Let's go now!"
You advanced forward each time the way was clear, avoiding the red lights emanating from the owls' eyes. Until they suddenly changed the pattern and you had no choice but to make a run for it.
"Quick, Brook!" yelled Chopper, seeing the skeleton struggling in catching up with the others.
"It's hard to run in this!" panted Brook, and raised his arms in the air when the red lights fixed on him. "OH NO!!!"
"BROOK!"
The musician screamed loudly, waiting for the owls to release the alarm that would blow up the whole plan. Yet, it never came. Brook stiffened, blinking in confusion at the animals who remained passives.
"Looks like you're fine because you're not a living creature" you said.
"HOW SAD!" wailed Brook.
Your group made it to the spiral staircase, and contacted Team A. Both Franky and Luffy had reached the operational room with the Den-Den Mushi that controlled the video footage. But as you could expect, it didn't really went well.
The two were soon discovered as you overheard a fight through the Den-Den Mushi, and now you had enemies coming in your direction. You had no choice but to run away. Going back to the hallways filled with owls, you were met with a bunch of Tesoro's subordinates:
"There they are! Capture them!"
"Sanji-kun! (y/n)!" yelled Nami.
"Leave it to us!" you said in unison with the chef.
You charged ahead with Sanji, pulling out your guns and leaped above your opponents. You fired several bullets in their direction, before the cook took care of the rest of them by landing kicks. You went a bit overboard by destroying the doors when you got rid of some nuisance standing in your way.
"This way!" shouted Carina as she threw a smoke bomb to where more subordinates were coming in your way.
"You went overboard again, (y/n)!" the navigator spat angrily, following after her comrades.
"Well next time you do it yourself!" you barked back.
You soon found yourself into an unknown place, your group taking refuge behind a huge pillar. Nami looked at her new surroundings, arching one eyebrow:
"What is this place?"
"This is the Hyper Suite where the Celestial Dragons stay" explained Carina.
Speaking of the devil, Celestial Dragons descended the stairs and were coming in your direction. They had their bodyguards, slaves and soldiers with them.
"At this rate we'll get discovered..." you gritted your teeth, watching as they retreated away without catching sight of you.
"There's no choice if we want to get away. So we'll have to play the game" said Nami.
"I'm not volunteering myself..." you sweated, and deadpanned at the looks the others were giving you. "......I hate you all"
Walking behind the Celestial Dragons, you cleared your throat to gain their attention. That weird guy sitting on top of his slave turned to you, his head tilting wildly with jagged movements.
"Who are you-eh?!" he demanded, and you smirked.
"Your worst nightmare" you answered simply, summoning spectral dragon claws around you.
"This way-eh!" shouted dramatically Usopp in an exaggerated manner as you arrived in front of the destroyed doors that led to the spiral staircase.
As crazy as it sounds, you managed to wear the costumes of the Celestial Dragons and their bodyguards, with Brook wearing a dancer outfit to everyone's confusion. Robin, Sanji and you decided to wear the bodyguards' gear while Nami, Carina, and Usopp wore the outfits of the Celestial Dragons, even having the same ridiculous hairstyles.
"Whatever is the meaning of this-ehh?!" Usopp imitated the lord with the jagged head movements. "Is this true that there are people in here trying to steal my money-eh?!"
"Whatever are you people doing-amasu?!" spat Nami.
"This is why you peasants are so useless!" enriched Carina.
"W-We are sorry!" the guards bowed their heads. "We have heightened the security for the safe! Please worry not!"
"Not good enough-ehh! I cannot possibly trust you people-ehhhh! So all of you get away from my safe this instant-ehhh!"
"W-We can't!"
"What an insolent tongue! Then you people must be allies with the thieves-amasu!" the navigator narrowed her eyes at them.
"Or are you suggesting we have no right to watch it ourselves?" wondered Carina.
"Do you intend to defy the Celestial Dragons?" you stepped forward with your arms behind your back. "I'm pretty sure you're all attached to your heads...for the moment"
"Do you understand? Yohohoho!" laughed Brook, standing tall behind you.
"Y-YES! WE'LL LEAVE RIGHT AWAY!" panicked the subordinates.
Once they were gone, you all ran toward the spiral staircase and climbed the whole tower. There was no time until Zoro's execution, so you needed to act fast. The golden door in the shape of a star stood at the end of the staircase.
Carina stepped forward and pushed the key through the hole, opening the door. However, what was behind was no safe or 500 billion berries in cash. Fireworks colored the night sky as huge spotlights blinded you as they directed their attention at you. It was a stadium, an execution ground with Gild Tesoro standing in the center of the attention.
"It's showtime!" he yelled as the audience went wild.
"What...is this?" breathed in shock Nami.
"What's the meaning of this?" Usopp asked too as Tesoro laughed out loud.
"Surprised, are we?! This is the Sky Stage! Don't you think it's the perfect location for Roronoa Zoro's execution?"
Yellow lights illuminated the form of Zoro trapped inside a tree made of gold and shaped like a star. Nami cried out his name in worry, seeing that he couldn't move at all.
"A magnificent scene, isn't it? Not even my gold worth 500 billion berries could buy this! The Heavenly Tribute has already been placed in the Celestial Dragon's ship. You idiots were fooled! By my loyal servant, Carina!" told Tesoro as the young woman in question stopped by his side.
"Carina!" shouted Nami, desperate. "You didn't...?!"
"She was with them all along..." you growled.
"We told you at the start, didn't we? This is the Gran Tesoro: being deceived makes you the loser" she smiled smugly as Nami fell on her knees, cursing loudly for her naivety.
"You guys were being watched the entire time!" told Dice.
"It was a rigged gamble!" said Tanaka while picking his nose. "Like we'd tell anyone where the gold's hidden!"
"We play this game often with passing pirates" mused Baccarat. "Good work!"
"Fools betting their lives for money end up duped in the end. This is the greatest show! You guys really played your part well. As your reward, I'll let you see a fascinating show. This is the climax"
Tesoro snapped his fingers, and a screen appeared around the stadium, broadcasting Luffy and Franky with a few slaves of Tesoro. They were currently in the pipelines to access the sea water. With another snap of his fingers, the Casino King closed every access point of the room, trapping them in a prison made of water. Continuing like that, they will eventually drown, and Luffy was useless in sea water.
"Luffy! Franky!" yelled Usopp. "Damn it!"
"You piece of shit!" you snarled.
"The moment hope turns into despair! This alone is what makes for the ultimate entertainment! Money is power! Money is everything!" smirked Tesoro. "Those without money can't gain anything! Not love, nor dreams, nor strength, nor freedom! And that goes for hope as well...Now, shall we enter the finale?"
It was impossible to fight against Tesoro's Devil Fruit as tentacles of gold came out from the sea that separated you and the platform where your enemies were standing on. Gold enrolled around your waist and lifted you with your comrades above the sea of gold.
Just like Zoro, you will slowly turn into a statue of gold. You struggled, breathing ragged as the substance squeezed your windpipes.
"Now you get to watch from your special seats! As Roronoa Zoro meets his final moment!" stated Tesoro, two golden arms holding axes appearing beside Zoro. He lifted one finger in the air: "Now then, good people. Give a huge round of applause for the dead!...GOLD SPLASH!"
The fountains exploded with the golden substance, splashing all over the audience and everyone in the city. A grim reminder that they were prisoners of Tesoro.
"Farewell, Straw Hats. Now I win!" stated Tesoro. "It's...entertainment!"
That's when all the lights of the city turned off, along with the fountains. Tesoro and his crew blinked in surprise and disbelief, not understanding what was happening. The arms that were holding the axes had stopped at Zoro's throat.
Nami let out a giggle at the face Tesoro was making, earning her a scowl from his part:
"What's so funny?!" he demanded.
"Tell me again...who was fooled?" she smirked.
Sea water came out of the fountain at the top of the huge tower, soaking everyone and freeing you from Tesoro's Devil Fruit. It rained sea water across the whole ship with the help of the fountains. You and your comrades landed on the platform, followed by Franky and the prisoners from the video.
"Super Comeback!" the cyborg struck his pose. "Looks like I made it in time"
"What the hell...did you guys do?!" Tesoro demanded, stepping forward.
"We know you'd use your golden rain during the end of your little show. We were told that. By Carina" explained Nami.
"So sorry. I've actually sided with the Straw Hats" Carina stood by her side. "Everything you guys saw just now was our little act"
"Your gold and your money make no difference to us"! spat the navigator, throwing the golden key into the sea. "As long as we have this sea water, that is"
"Because you've got no chance of beating us as long as we have it" said Brook.
"See, it was part of the plan to get you to send me underground. So I could switch the underground pipeline with the pipes up here" continued Franky.
"Luffy naturally didn't know any of that" smiled Robin.
"Now we don't have to follow your crappy rules anymore" scoffed Sanji.
"And we can fight back!" cried out Chopper.
"While making up our own rules!" Usopp crossed his arms in front of him.
"Karma is such a bitch. We're pirates too, you know!" you smirked, removing your costume with the others at the same time.
Everyone was now wearing a leather suit with blue markings as did yours. You felt a bit better, now out of those sweaty clothes.
"We use force to take what we want!" told Nami as the Casino King gritted his teeth in anger. "So we'll be taking our friend back now!"
"TESORO!!!"
Your captain came flying from the top of the tower, propelled by the fountain. He crashed in front of you, spitting out a bit of sea water.
"You did it, Luffy! The plan's a success!" smiled Nami.
"Plan?" coughed the boy.
"Yeah. Now we've just gotta kick his ass!"
"You cocky bastards...." cursed the man, earning a scoff from the ginger haired woman.
"Oh my, you seem mad! This is the Gran Tesoro. It's your fault for getting deceived, right? A fitting show for the world's greatest casino, wouldn't you say?"
"This makes for the ultimate entertainment!" everyone yelled in unison.
"Now I'm gonna kick your ass!" declared Luffy as Tesoro became livid.
"How's the feeling down here?" inquired Zoro at the top as he unsheathed his swords. "The moment your hope turned into despair"
"...What's 'hope'?...What's 'despair'?...In front of me...In front..of me...!" Tesoro kept murmuring as his shoulders shook, Baccarat throwing a concerned look in his direction. "...DON'T EVER LAUGH IN FRONT OF ME!"
Tesoro slammed his fist through the platform, blue electricity coursing through his body. The Sky Stage started to tilt and shake badly, explosions echoing all around you. Waves of gold erupted from the ground and engulfed the audience who started to run through the exits.
"Who really gives a damn if you broke the curse? If you broke it, I'll cast it again! Everything in this city is mine to control!"
Your comrades used each other's help to get out of the Sky Stage as the whole place became chaotically golden. From the view up the sky, the tower looked like a volcano that erupted the golden substance as electricity filled the air. When Robin reached her limits in pulling you, Usopp and Chopper, you transformed into your panther form and used the flying debris as platforms to descend back on the ground.
"That guy's insane!" cried out Luffy as you landed with the others safely on the bridge that led to what was once the biggest casino.
"Let's commence the greatest show!"
A hand shot through the smoke, aiming to grab at you. You pulled back at the last moment as a colossus made of gold stood up from the tower's debris, the laugh of Tesoro resonating through the whole city.
"Do you understand now, Straw Hat. To me, everything in this entire world...All of you people are nothing but trash to be ruled! This is the form of God!"
"Just shut the hell up already!" snapped Luffy, bringing his fist on the ground as he entered Second Gear. "I already told you we won't be controlled!"
The two started to fight each other, with Tesoro having the upper hand since he was bigger. He sent flying Luffy across the ship, passing through many buildings in his path. Zoro went to fight against Dice, who was now wearing a golden armor to protect himself.
"They have armor now..." you groaned, blinking when you heard a familiar laugh.
"Surururu....It's not just ordinary armor" told Tanaka from a rooftop. "This Gold Armor was created by Master Tesoro's powers"
"Meaning...we've powered up exceptionally!" added Baccarat, appearing behind Usopp with a sword in her hand.
"Now then, you guys. You want money, don't you? I'll give special gold to whoever brings me the heads of my enemies! So get this show fired up!" stated Tesoro as you got surrounded by his subordinates. "As my loyal pawns!"
A gust of wind blew into your face, and you were forced to pull back. Jumping out of the way and out of the perimeter that surrounded Tesoro and his lackeys, you found yourself in a wide open area.
"Surururu!"
You dodged as rain of bullets was fired at you from behind, and you narrowed your eyes at the rat that was Tanaka. You pulled out your guns, prepared to fight back. He used his Devil Fruit to phase through the ground and walls, each times firing at you to which you avoided or replied with your own projectiles. There was simply no end to that, as the fight between Tesoro and Luffy grew heavier and wilder.
"Come out already!" you snarled as he disappeared again.
You howled in pain as a bullet pierced your shoulder, sending you on your knees. Tanaka reappeared in front of you and kicked your chin, sending you crashing against a wall. Whatever was inside that armor enhanced his strength. You spat blood on the concrete, facing your opponent who phased through the ground in front of you.
"Surururu. It's useless to fight" he stated, aiming his gun right at your forehead. "So I'm just going to end it quick"
"Yeah. You're right. I should too" you huffed, leaning your head back.
He didn't have the time to blink that you punched him straight in the face with a dragon claw. One thing he couldn't phase through, it seems. And you kept going on until you were satisfied with your bloody canvas. Tanaka laid there on the ground, completely beaten up. You walked out of the building you were inside, and blinked when you got soaked inside a sea of gold.
You lifted your head to see a bloody-looking Tesoro who was still standing, with Luffy in his Third Gear. Your body started to sink into the gold, and it was impossible to move your limbs freely.
"I make people happy. I'm the only one who can grant people joy...I trap them...Make them suffer...Tear them apart...Drag them into despair!"
"TESORO!" shouted angrily Luffy.
"Nice! Rage, Straw Hat! Everything precious you're trying to protect will be swallowed by my powers! That is the definition of this world. Everything is controlled by gold!"
"If that's so...try controlling me!"
Luffy charged forward, swinging his inflated arms at Tesoro who aimed a punch made of gold at him. The two clashed together, with your captain getting a bit overwhelmed on his part as the gold pushed him toward the ground:
"I've become God!" snarled madly Tesoro. "GOLD SPLASH!"
"What 'God'?! You're nothing but a giant monster! I'm the man who'll be King of the Pirates!" shouted back the young man, passing through the gold.
He punched Tesoro and in one hit, he sent him flying across the sky. The Casino King has been beaten by his own game, with a once-in-a-lifetime gamble. By putting all your trust in Luffy about winning this fight. Everything that was made of gold disappeared, freeing you and the others from your restraints. You thought that it was the end of this crazy journey, until you heard a strange sound coming from the ship.
The digital number of '100' appeared on a screen, and counted down from there.
"What is that now?!" Nami inquired.
"You have to hurry and get out of here!" shouted Carina. "Tesoro's trying to sink the ship!"
"Let's get on the ship, everyone! Get ready to set sail!"
It didn't take long for everyone to leave the ship, gaining some distance away from it as you waited the explosion. Strangely, Carina stayed back, stating that she would steer the ship away to avoid everyone getting killed. The counter hit '0', and you were taken aback at the sight of fireworks exploding high in the morning sky.
"I can see her!" told Usopp as he pulled out a telescope. "....Carina the Great Thief was here?! SHE REALLY SCREWED US! SHE STOLE THE WHOLE DAMN SHIP!"
"So she was really after the gold the whole time..." you sweatdropped with a sigh. "And we totally fell for it"
"Wow, she fooled us?!" laughed Luffy, but stopped abruptly when the Sunny began to be bombarded by cannonballs.
"THE MARINES FOUND US!" yelled the sniper.
"Alright, guys, let's run!" told your captain, earning screams from both Chopper and Usopp.
"You know, I think I need a small pause of gambling games" you told, walking back inside the girls' room to have a good night of sleep.