Episode 10: Golden Gilding! Rikishi's motives!
Wealth, Fame, Power. Monkey D. Luffy, King of the Pirates, had finally achieved it all, his discovery of the legendary treasure One Piece sent millions of men home from the sea as the treasure hunt for Gol D. Roger's fortune came to a close. However not all were spurred to return to land, as for one new group of pirates, now was the time to return to the call of the sea. Luffy may be the Pirate King, but that doesn't mean he can't be overthrown, right?
Come aboard, and bring along...all your hopes and dreams!
Together we, will find everything, that we're looking for!
ONE PIECE!
Compass left behind, it'll only slow us down!
Your heart will be your guide, raise the sails, and take the helm!
That legendary place! That the end of the map reveals! Is only legendary 'till someone proves it real!
Through it all! Through all the troubled times, through the heartache, and through the pain!
Know that I will be there to stand by YOU...just like I know you'll stand by ME!
So come aboard, and bring along...all your hopes and dreams!
Together we, will find everything, that we're looking for!
There's always room for you! If you wanna be my friend!
We are, we are on the cruise!
WE ARE!
[Gild Arena Colosseum - Golden Capitol]
"TAKE THIS!" yelled a large man, bringing down a massive axe onto another contestant's skull and causing blood to gush onto the stone floor, "Hmph, WEAK!" he roared as he booted the corpse. [Former Marine Captain - "Axe-Hand" Morgan]
"THAT'S ANOTHER ONE DOWN FOR 'AXE-HAND MORGAN'!" yelled the announcer, "THERE'S NO DOUBT ABOUT IT FOLKS, IT LOOKS OUR BOY MORGAN WILL CONTINUE TO REIGN AS THE UNDISPUTED CHAMPION OF THE FRUITLESS DIVISION!"
The crowd erupted into cheers, calling out Morgan's name as the gladiator swung his axe hand to slice another contestant in half. "HA! Cower and learn, for rank means EVERYTHING in this arena!" Morgan yelled to some contestants that were cowering in a corner, "Naturally as the highest rank here, I alone am the one that decides who lives and dies!" he roared again, charging at the group and raising his axe.
However right before he could make contact, a large horn was sounded signaling the end of competition. "Tch, you're lucky the bell saved you!" Morgan scoffed, turning around and stomping to the middle of the arena to face his adorning fans. His blood soaked axe reflected the faintest of light as he raised his arms triumphantly.
Sitting in a private booth that oversaw the entire arena, Rikishi softly clapped his hands together in a slow fashion. Leaning forward, he began to speak into a microphone that was broadcasted to the loudspeakers. "Ladies and Gentlemen...it would appear we have a new champion. Congratulations Morgan, to think in such a short amount of time you've gained such a high status within our community...remarkable." said Rikishi, "Please, make your way to the Gilded Tower once night has fallen...we have much to discuss."
Morgan laughed, looking up at the VIP booth with a smirk before heading for the exit corridor and waving to his fans. Sitting next to Rikishi, Flynn scratched his head. "Man, talk about brutal, huh? Is it always like this?" asked Flynn. Rikishi sighed as he turned off his microphone, "No. Typically most of my fighters have a 40% chance of death in the arena...even my top subordinates in the devil fruit division know to hold back. After all, you can hardly advertise fan favourites who are dead. A merchandise line in honour of someone's death can only last so long." he explained.
"Hmph. So you're sayin' this Morgan guy killing everyone ain't good for your business model, right?" added Flynn. "Precisely. Rest assured, him and I shall a good chat tonight that will dictate whether he lives or dies." explained Rikishi, "After all...heh...Morgan himself believes rank dictates power...and the last time I checked, I hold all of the cards on these islands."
Flynn nodded, as he pulled out a cigarette from his pocket, "Yeah yeah, I getcha. Y'know I got something a little samey with the navy" he muttered, "Believe me, I fuckin' hate being treated like I'm playin' second fiddle, but this whole Strawhat Huntin' shtick is at least puttin' cash in my pockets."
"I see, I see...well...you know I can always squeeze you into my operations here somehow?" offered Rikishi, "If you'd be interested of course. I consider you and I as...heh...friends, so I'd never force you into the arenas like those who live in the barracks on the surrounding islands." he explained, "After all, it's not everyday you know a man with a water logia power. I know for a fact it would bring in a lot of traffic."
Flynn laughed, "PAH! Not a chance, bucko, at least with the marines I can get an idea of what to expect. I'd have to be special in the head to sign a contract with your shady ass" he chuckled, puffing smoke from his cigarette. Rikishi softly laughed too, resting his hand against his face.
A door into the booth was swung open as Gasparde entered, coughing to signal the men's attention. "*Ahem*, pardon the intrusion Sir, but there's been word of a ship off the coast of Ten-Cent Island." he grumbled, "Pirates, from what it seems."
Rikishi raised an amused eyebrow, "Pirates, eh? An identifiable crew? Or perhaps some fresh faces who've taken to sea for the first time?"
Gasparde shrugged, "Haven't a clue, Sir. Drago is on his way to greet them. He said he'd drop by your office later." Rikishi nodded, "I see. And, tell me Gasparde, why aren't you intercepting these potential invaders? Surely you would be a perfect fit with your logia abilities?" he mused, clasping his fingers together and shooting an eerie look at the man with his piercing red pupils.
Gasparde shuddered, but regained his composure, "W-Well, I...I thought I should at least inform you about it, Drago claimed he'd handle the situation alone." he stammered as Rikishi creepily stood from his chair. Sauntering over and invading Gasparde's personal space, he flashed a tiny smile as he gently patted Gasparde's cheek. Leaning in close, he eerily whispered, "I believe you."
Flynn raised an eyebrow watching this event unfold, as Rikishi laughed and Gasparde grumbled while swatting his boss' hand away. "Hmph, fuckin' weirdos..." Flynn thought to himself.
[Ten-Cent Island Coast - Flavium Archipelago]
A cloudy mist hovered over the cold waters as the Sawtooth was drifting towards the docks. Out on deck, Arlong and Chew were working on preparing lines to tie up the ship once they reached land. Hachi was attempting to steer as carefully as he could to avoid running aground, while Bellamy stood at the ship's prow to make sure the way was clear, shivering in a woolly trench coat and pulling a scarf around his neck.
"Keep us on course Hachi! Looks like we're nearly there!" Bellamy called out, eyeing up the shoreline with a pair of binoculars.
"Cor, it's freezing out here!" Buggy grumbled, coming out of the galley and buttoning up his coat, "Hey Slinky! Are we nearly there or what? Emperor Buggy wants some hot soup!" he snapped. Bellamy rolled his eyes, "It's tough to see through the fog, but we're nearly there. Maybe about an hour of sailing before we reach land" he explained, extending a spring arm to give Buggy the binoculars.
"An hour? Tch! What a joke, y'know maybe we'll need to discuss with Arlong about getting a better ship, eh boy?" pondered Buggy. Bellamy shrugged, "Meh, I don't see a need to change, this ship has done us fine since we left the East Blue, hasn't it?" he said, before pausing for a moment, "Although...I did read in a paper the other day that the guys at Water 7 have been working on some new kinda boat. They said it's built from steel and has a propeller, no sails!" he exclaimed.
Buggy laughed, "A metal ship? Powered by a propeller? Be serious now lad! Use that flashy brain of yours, metal can't float, you nitwit!"
"Maybe not with your science, but those shipwright guys are fucking magic when it comes to making stuff float!" snapped Bellamy.
They both shrugged and leaned against the railings as the Sawtooth slowly sailed further into the mist. Drumming his fingers on the side, Bellamy was feeling awkward about the silence, "So...uh...how's...uhm...y'know the uh...business...doohickey...what's it called again?"
Buggy raised an eyebrow, "You mean...hmm...you're talking about Cross Guild? Meh, haven't really thought much about it. Galdino and Daz got left in charge while I was gone, so it should be fine"
Bellamy nodded, "What about those two warlord guys who teamed up with you? Who was it again? Alligator and Bird's Eyes?"
"Crocodile and Mihawk, they just both vanished out of nowhere a few years ago" said Buggy, "Apparently they wanted to get stronger, so they went off to learn some kinda martial art technique"
"Ah...cool...coolio, mhm..." replied Bellamy, realizing the conversation had once again hit a standstill. Looking through the binoculars, Buggy could see they were only a few hundred feet away. However he noticed something odd, a large figure in the mist on the shore.
[Ten-Cent Island Shore]
"Hrmmmmm...there they are..." growled El Drago, as he planted his feet firmly into the dirt. "W-What are you gonna do, E-El Drago-sama?" asked a man. "Hmph, isn't it obvious? I'm going to...blow them up!" Drago laughed, thumping his fist against his golden armor. A crowd of guards and gladiators from the surrounding barracks had begun to gather, curious at what was happening since Rikishi's executives normally never ventured to the more desolate places on the archipelago.
Lining himself up with the silhouette of the ship in the fog, El Drago took a deep breath through his nose as he lifted his arms into the air. A bright gold aura surrounded him, as the bystanders yelped and ran for cover. "G-GET OUTTA HERE! QUICKLY!" yelled one, ""HE'S ABOUT TO USE HIS DEVIL'S POWER!" screamed another.
~EEEEEURRRRRAAAHHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAWWWWWW!~
Releasing a piercing scream deep from his lungs, a GIGANTIC laser came shooting straight from El Drago's mouth at an incredible speed, blasting straight through the mist and splitting the sea.
[Sawtooth - Approaching Doom]
"Hmm..." muttered Buggy, "Hey, d'ya hear something?" he asked, turning to face Bellamy, Arlong, and Chew who were twiddling their thumbs on the ground.
Arlong put a hand around his ear, "Uh...hmm...y'know now that you mention it, I do hear someth-"
~EUUUURREEEEEEEHAAAAAWWWWWWWWWWW!~
Before Arlong could even finish his sentence, the laser beam hit the Sawtooth dead on, causing a large explosion as it tore through the wooden frame like paper.
"WAS THAT A FUCKING DEATH RAY?!" the four men yelled in anguish, as the ship began collapsing around them. Bursting out of the galley, Cabaji, Mohji, Richie, and Alvida were clad in all the treasure and jewelry they could find. "WE'RE HIT! EVERY MAN FOR HIMSELF!" Cabaji shouted, jumping overboard...and slamming straight in a plank of wood floating on the water's surface.
Scrambling to find a way to potentially save what they could, Kuroobi and Chew began smashing open any crate that they could find to swipe food and supplies. Bellamy stumbled backwards, using a spring to grab the crumbling mast so he didn't fall in the water.
"Shit, this is bad...like REALLY BAD!" Bellamy thought, "Where the hell did that thing even come from? Was it some kinda weapon? Or a devil fruit ability? Or are we all just drugged up and seeing things?"
"Welp, guess this is it..." sighed Hachi, gripping the helm, "The helmsman always goes down with the ship."
"Tch, HACHI WHAT THE FUCK ARE YOU DOING? C'MON!" Bellamy yelled, shooting a hand up to the octopus and grabbing one of his tentacles, retracting the spring to pull Hachi away. Bellamy laughed, "You think I'd just watch you die? To hell with that, we're getting off this thing!"
Hachi gasped, "B-But Bellamy! I'm supposed to go down with the ship!"
Bellamy rolled his eyes, "That's...not how it works dude, the captain goes down, which means...ARLONG, KEEP YOUR ASS ON THIS BO-"
"Arlong? He jumped off, like...the second that beam hit the ship *chew*" replied Chew, stomping on another crate as sea water starting sweeping onto the ship.
"DAMMIT!" snapped Bellamy, face palming.
As wood splintered, and the destroyed hull groaned, the Sawtooth gradually began to slip beneath the waves. Buggy and his men were lucky enough to find some debris to float on, while Hachi had to keep a hold on Bellamy in the water to prevent him from drowning.
Poking his head up from below the water, Arlong sighed as the mast with his old jolly roger crashed into the water. Salluting, a single manly tear fell from his eye, "Farewell, Sawtooth...you were the sea beneath my ass."
~Bonk~
A helmet hit the back of Arlong's head, having been thrown by Kuroobi. "So much for a mighty captain, you ditched us at the first sight of the trouble, ya big wuss!" snarked Alvida.
"First a regular human boxer, then a dude with a jets, I'm starting to wonder why you're in charge considering you keep embarrassing yourself *chew*" added Chew.
Arlong scowled, "SHUT IT! It was just my fight or swim reactions kicking in, I'll find the bastard who shot that beam and tear him to pieces!" he roared.
[Ten-Cent Island - Shore]
"ALRIGHT! A DIRECT HIT, SIR!" cheered a man, the crowd returning as El Drago folded his arms proudly.
"See? That's how a REAL man gets rid of intruders!" Drago boasted, "None of this stupid contracts and fighting pits, just BLOW 'EM UP BEFORE THEY COME! Ohoho! Just wait 'till Bossman gets a loada this!"
[Later that evening, Gilded Tower - Golden Capitol]
"...You...did...what, Drago?" whispered Rikishi, who was sitting behind his desk with a seemingly calm expression but had a twitchy eye and sense of anger in his usually relaxed voice.
"I...w-well I, Sir, I..." Drago stammered, "Y-You know, I...I...*sigh*...I-I blew them up Sir, I can't lie."
Rikishi sighed, dragging his fingers across his face and trying to regain his composure, "Drago...you know that if you're doing anything on or indeed outside of these islands, you are to come to me and receive approval. You do not send Gasparde to come and inform me like a messenger pigeon, especially while I'm supervising a tournament." he snapped coldly, trying not to raise his voice but still asserting his authority.
Drago nodded, "Y-Yes Sir, I'm sorry...I'll let you know next time, I...I just wanted you to say I did good."
Rikishi sighed yet again, standing from his desk and slowly walking to Drago, placing a firm hand on his shoulder, "Drago, Drago, Drago...you're one of the most vital pieces of this larger puzzle I have in mind. No word of a lie." he explained, guiding Drago to the large window that overlooked the golden city and the setting sun., "Your methods could have been better...however...I was told the ship you intercepted was indeed pirates, your quick thinking prevented something nasty" Rikishi assured, "And for this...good job, chap." he smiled.
Drago smiled, folding his muscular arms, "T-Thanks Bossman! I promise I'll do better next time!"
Rikishi nodded, "There's a good lad. Now, be off with you for the evening, I have an important meeting soon."
Giving a thumbs up, Drago laughed as he walked away, bumping into Eric who was entering through the large double doors with Morgan.
"Ah! If it isn't 'Axe-Hand Morgan', welcome to my humble abode." Rikishi smiled. "He's been causing a right ruckus, Sir. Keep an eye on this one." grumbled Eric, pushing up his sunglasses before leaving the two men alone.
Morgan looked around the solid gold room, "Swanky place you got here! How'd you manage to make everything so shiny in this city?"
"HmHm~...wouldn't you like to know?" mused Rikishi, approaching a large cabinet and pouring a drink, "Can I interest the big, strong man in a glass of wine?"
Morgan raised an eyebrow, but shrugged and accepted, "Huh, I was expecting a real man's drink like an ice cold beer, but this'll do."
Clinking his glass against Morgan's, Rikishi sipped his wine as he sauntered to his desk, "Now, getting to business. Tell me Morgan, how do you feel you've done so far in your endeavors here?"
"Huh? Doing alright I guess, I got hundreds of fans and get show everyone that STRENGTH ranks above all!" Morgan laughed, his axe reflecting the faint shine of gold around the room. Rikishi nodded, "Very interesting. You enjoy fighting in the arenas, but mayhaps you wish for something...more? Tell me, where do you see yourself in say...oh I don't know...6 months?"
Morgan scoffed, "Enjoy it? Pfft, I just fucking love war! I wanna fucking KILL people for money, and destroy cultures and history, kid!" he bellowed, standing up and thumping his chest.
Rikishi raised an eyebrow, unimpressed at this reveal of Morgan's character. "I see, I see...no shame? No honor? Just a desire to mindlessly destroy and take what you want? Sounds to me like...a pirate?" he mused.
"Pirate? Ha! Maybe I SHOULD become one...and YOU can be my sidekick!" Morgan boomed, walking over to the window, "I'll have it all! We can harvest this city for it's gold and live like Gods!"
Sighing, Rikishi stood up from his seat, placing a hand on Morgan's shoulder and guiding him to a large bookcase, "Your ambition seems veryyy unique" he muttered, with a hint of sarcasm, "Come, I wish to show you something Morgan, something that will determine your future here."
Tugging on a book, there was a quiet rumble as the bookcase slid to the side, revealing a dark corridor. Without fear or hesitation, Morgan followed Rikishi through the passage, the only sounds being the clacking of Rikishi's shoes and Morgan's boasting about his plans for the future.
Entering through a small door, was a dimly lit room of what appeared to be golden statues lined up on pillars and inside display cases. Morgan whistled as he looked at them, "Fancy collection! This must be your private stash, huh?"
"You could say...it's a sort of...memory hall for all the people I've known in the past that didn't quite stroll to my tune. As you can see, I keep these statues polished, twice a day to ensure they stay crisp and shiny." Rikishi explained, as he showed Morgan an empty pedestal near the end of the room, "I love gold, you see. Besides pinball, it's the only thing that I believe can bring joy to the world. The way it shines, and defined edges and curves, the soft yet cold touch...truly remarkable." he shuddered, dragging his fingertips across a gold statue.
The statue looked like a man in a fighting pose, though the face seemed twisted in terror, as if a scream had been trapped. The golden nameplate at the bottom read, {BYRNNDI WORLD}. "This chap was a fiercely powerful man, certainly took a great effort to defeat him after he refused to uphold his end of a deal" Rikishi explained, "A shame...his More-More Fruit could have been useful."
Morgan nodded, not really understanding, "Riiight, you like money, big deal, so does everyone else! Hah, you probably have a new statue being made for that empty spot there, right?" he asked, pointing at the empty podium next to the statue of Byrnndi.
"Of course...it's actually planned to be filled quite shortly" Rikishi chuckled, approaching Morgan, "Now...I think before our...meeting, can go any further, there's something I'd have to confirm, just for my own conscious." he whispered, "Say if you had to make a choice...between working for me, under my orders and my word alone...or...to live a life of gold and be admired by many eyes...which would you choose?"
Morgan paused and thought about this, wondering what the question meant. After a moment, a smirk appeared on his face, "Isn't it obvious? I'd take GOLD of course! To bask in wealth, that's the only way I can assert that my rank is above the lowlifes of the world! HAHA!"
A small smile appeared on Rikishi's face, nodding as pulled out a single gold coin. "I thought you'd say that...catch." he replied, tossing the coin at Morgan. Morgan looked up, grinning as he reached his large arm up to catch the coin, while Rikishi made an ok sign with his fingers. However before the coin could even touch Morgan's hand...
~"HmHm...Gild."~
A bright light enveloped the room, and in an instant...it was over. The faint gold light faded around the circle Rikishi's fingers made...and the once human Morgan stood perfectly still, not a sound to be, as solid and golden as the statues around him.
Rubbing the back of his hand against his new possession, Rikishi sighed, "Never fails to amaze me...to use one's greed to turn them into the treasure that they seem to desire...that's the secret power of my Gild-Gild Fruit...a shame, it's lost on you now." he sighed, "Don't worry, you'll be moved into your new place soon enough." he whispered, putting his hands in his pockets as he walked to the door and turned off the light, leaving his golden statue cold and still.
[Ten-Cent Island]
With crashing waves and cold sea air, Bellamy and the others had managed to swim to shore. They were soaking wet and frozen to the bone, but knew they'd have to be careful if there was a chance to be wiped out by a massive laser at any second.
"Hmm, looks like a...village of sorts?" said Mohji, looking at the desolate barracks. Deciding to split up since the area seemed unguarded, everyone separated to wander around the area.
Approaching a small shack, Bellamy knocked on the door, "Psst! Hey! Anyone in there?" he whispered, pressing his ear against the door. There wasn't any noise coming from inside. "Maybe they went out for lunch?" suggested Hachi. "Seems a bit late for that, it's basically pitch black" replied Kuroobi.
Knocking again, the men waited for any sign of life. There wasn't any from inside the shack, but soon footsteps could be heard. A young man with comically tall yellow hair and dressed in rags casually strolled towards them, "Evening gentlemen, what seems to be the issue?" he asked.
Bellamy turned around, "Huh? Oh, sorry man, I take it you live in this...uh...garden shed?"
The man nodded, "Indeed I do! Uhm, please, allow me to bring you in. You three look like death" he chuckled, as Bellamy and Hachi stepped aside while the man...extended his finger into a thin sharp point and stuck it inside the keyhole, jiggling it around until the door popped open. "Heh, open sesame." he laughed.
Bellamy, Hachi, and Kuroobi were a tad confused but still followed the man inside. Closing the door behind them, a little fire stove began to crackle to provide some light. It was quite dirty, and looked extremely rundown. Despite this though, the shack had a home-y vibe.
Wiping his forehead, the man sat down on a stool as he used his long sharp fingers to cut open tins of beans. "Sure is lucky for you gents that I ran into you! I just restocked my goods earlier today! Name's Blake, good to know you!" he smiled, tossing Hachi some beans. [A Gladiator - Blake]
Bellamy smiled, "Ahah, yeah sure, thanks a lot man" he replied, scooping some beans with a spoon, "Hmph, these are pretty damn good!" he thought.
"The hospitality is appreciated, given how we were welcomed" grumbled Kuroobi, "Some joker with a laser completely ruined our ship earlier today" he explained.
Blake tilted his head, "Seriously? Hmm...laser...laser...oh! You must be talking about El Drago, he's one of Mr Rikishi's men. I heard he was down here earlier and sank a pirate vessel off the coast...I assume that was you gents?"
"Correctamundo" replied Bellamy, "It legit came outta nowhere and cut through us like weren't even there! Musta been some sorta devil fruit, right?"
Blake gave a thumbs up, "Freak yes! Mr Rikishi and all his men have devil fruit powers! Nobody knows what Mr Rikishi can do, but El Drago has the Scream-Scream Fruit, so he's usually only seen when a BIIIG attack is needed" he explained.
"Would've been nice to be warned first, we totally lost our ship in the explosion" muttered Kuroobi, "Why'd they even blow us up anyway? Didn't this Rikishi guy know we were coming?"
"Bill must've forgotten to tell him!" exclaimed Hachi, slurping beans. "Typical, I bet he forgot during one of his ore munch sessions" added Bellamy.
"Crazy stuff, crazy stuff indeed" nodded Blake, "I'm sure you can get stuff sorted out, we're basically like best buddies now. I know my way around the archipelago, you can count on me to lend a hand!...or...comically large fingers" he chuckled, extending his fingers into sharp points again, and making the other men tilt their heads in confusion again.
"Dude...seriously, what's the deal with the freaky fingers?" asked Bellamy. "HaChaCha~, that's just a little side effect from the Poke-Poke Fruit! I can extend my fingers and toes rrreeeaaalll far! Impressive, right?"
"That's kinda dumb." Kuroobi bluntly stated, making Blake freeze up and look down in disappointment. Hachi slapped his fishman friend with a tentacle, using another to pat Blake's head.
"Don't listen to him! He's probably just jealous because he can't ever never ever eat a devil fruit!" Hachi smiled, "Because like...fish...fishman...fish."
"Y-Yeah, I get it, totally, fo-sho, uh-huh!" Blake smiled, standing up and dusting his hands, "A-Anyway! You gents will probably be tired, why don't you stay the night? I've got some fresh clothes here somewhere, can't have you sopping wet like that!" he offered.
[Gilded Tower - Golden Capitol]
"All done, Boss! That new statue is looking like B, E, A, UTIFUL!" grumbled Bear-King, wiping his forehead as he closed the bookcase passage in Rikishi's office.
"Hmm? Statue?" quizzed Eric, "Tch, guess that means Morgan wasn't to your liking as an ally, Sir?"
Rikishi smiled, "Unfortunately not. His ideologies didn't quite align with mine, so I decided to make the executive decision to retire him."
"How do you do it, Bossman?" asked Drago, "It's like anywhere you go everything becomes perfect shiny gold! It's your devil fruit, right? RIGHT?"
Sighing, Rikishi rolled his eyes and sipped some tea, "Hmph...well...I suppose there's no harm in giving some more clarity to my abilities...after all, the plan is set to go in a few months time, maybe I should keep you in the loop after today" he muttered, "Yes. My Gild-Gild Fruit allows me to turn anything into solid gold...though mainly people, by releasing light that searches for the greed in a person's heart...exciting, yes?"
"oooooh, fun." Eric, Gasparde, Bear-King, and Drago all mused together.
Rikishi covered his mouth and chuckled, "HmHm~, yes, yes I suppose it is rather fun...but anyway...the reason gold is such a vital part of this greater puzzle is because it's what I need to make the world a better place" he explained, as his subordinates listened closely, very interested.
Standing from his desk and walking to the large window, Rikishi put a hand in his pocket while the other hand stroked his cheek, "I need my capitol...and I need gold...because I have a dream...that one day all those with hearts of gold can live in peace and prosper, a land of the truly free...but this entire world, and it's people, are diseased...rotten to the core. There's no saving it, I need to pull it out by it's roots...clad every corner of this world and evildoers in the finest of gold." he explained, "Imagine a world, men, free of marines, free of pirates, free of war, free of famine, where the law can change to suit the individual and good men can be whoever they want...a land for the saints of the heavens...that is what I desire..."
The four men gulped as they heard this speech, hearing that what Rikishi's goal wasn't a simple business, but a idealized world void of any of dangers, yet full of choice. It was certainly strange, but was oddly compelling.
Rikishi glanced back, "Tell me...what do you think?"
"I LOVE IT!" Drago boomed immediately, "JUST...JUST GOLD! GOLD GOLD PRETTY GOLD! YAAGYAGYA~, YOU DID IT AGAIN BOSSMAN!" he cheered, which made Rikishi smile.
Gasparde nodded in agreement, "It's an interesting concept...I've come this far with you, Sir, practically since the beginning...so sure, I'll stand by you."
"Hmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm...meh, I'll bite. What's the worst that could happen?" shrugged Eric.
"Wait!" yelled Bear-King, "Boss, if you get rid of allllllll the bad people in the world, well then...what about tournaments?!"
Rikishi raised an eyebrow, "HmHm~, tournaments can still take place, Bear-King. They'll just be filled with good hearted people who wish to compete, rather than dirty criminals who are being punished greatly for their sins against the world."
Bear-King nodded, "Fair enough, I'm onboard with whatever we're doing."
Smiling, Rikishi sauntered to his desk and sat down again, clasping his fingers together, "Exquisite...according to the prediction from that future sight using hag, Enya, my devil fruit is slated to reach it's peak in a 6 months precisely. Once it does, I'll be strong enough that all the marines in the world, all the pirates of the world, even the Sun God Nika himself won't be able to stop me...and only then will every surface of this world shine in gold...Heaven shall arrive in a matter of time."
{TO BE CONTINUED}