"Tonta Chief, it's terrible! Several big humans have entered the forest, and they're heading this way!"
"Leo, I explicitly told you not to play in the forest by yourself! You're still a child! This forest is incredibly dangerous!"
"I'm sorry, Tonta Chief, but I'm already really strong! Stronger than the adults, even!"
"Honestly, it just goes in one ear and out the other. Do you recognize any of these big humans? Ah, never mind, I'm just getting confused in my old age—you wouldn't know any big humans anyway. Take me to them."
"Follow me, Tonta Chief!"
In front of the massive, towering trees of Green Bit, Bardock and Hancock surveyed the dense forest before them. Bardock stared at the giant mushrooms dotting the landscape, practically drooling. He wondered if something that big was actually edible. It was hard to fathom what kind of agricultural technique could grow mushrooms to such a colossal size.
"Princess Violet, I know the Tontatta tribe are master botanists," Bardock said casually, gesturing to the flora. "Why hasn't your kingdom asked them to grow giant, delicious, edible mushrooms? Whether for your own consumption or as a major export, it would be a fantastic source of revenue."
"Hmph. The Riku Royal Family has a longstanding pact with the dwarves," Violet scoffed, crossing her arms. "They are not required to do any labor for us. Whatever necessities they need, whatever they desire, they are free to take as they please."
"Labor? How is that labor?" Bardock shot back. "The dwarves love plants and they love gardening. They grow all sorts of things on their own time anyway. You'd merely be providing them with the spores of delicious mushrooms, giving them more options to satisfy their own hobbies. Whether they plant them or not is entirely up to them. If they do grow them in their free time, the kingdom could just buy the harvest from them. It's a win-win for both the Tontatta and Dressrosa."
"That is pure sophistry!" Violet retorted sharply. "Today, we just 'provide them with spores.' Tomorrow, someone might force them to plant those spores. And eventually, that turns into outright slavery. The Riku Royal Family will absolutely not set that kind of precedent."
Bardock paused for a moment before replying, his tone dropping its playful edge. "Your country isn't actually that wealthy, Violet. Every year, you have to pay a massive Heavenly Tribute to the World Nobles, leaving the common people with very little savings. If there ever comes a day when the Royal Family desperately needs ten billion Berries for an emergency, could you produce it? Would you just beg your citizens for it? A king has a duty to lead his people to true prosperity, doesn't he? If you can't ensure your citizens' financial security, then your 'benevolence' is just self-righteous vanity."
"Why in the world would we ever suddenly need ten billion Berries?!" Violet demanded, thoroughly offended. "Besides, our citizens might not be wealthy, but who are you to say they aren't happy?!"
"Alright, fine. You'll understand one day," Bardock shrugged. 'Though, honestly, even if you did have the ten billion Berries, it wouldn't change anything. Still... just imagining Doflamingo's face if King Riku actually paid the ransom in full is pretty hilarious.'
The conversation ended on a sour note due to their clashing ideals. Only Hancock remained deep in thought. She was certain Bardock knew something crucial—that Dressrosa would inevitably face a crisis requiring ten billion Berries. But what kind of situation could demand such an astronomical sum?
Suddenly, her expression shifted. "They're here," she murmured to Bardock.
Kyros shot Hancock a surprised glance. Throughout their entire interaction, Bardock had clearly been the one calling the shots. He hadn't expected the quiet teenage girl to be so highly skilled—she had actually awakened Observation Haki.
Within the dense foliage, Gancho, the King of the Tontatta Kingdom, revealed himself, accompanied by his tiny royal guards and Leo. He had only stepped out because he recognized Violet; otherwise, the dwarves would have never willingly shown themselves to strangers.
"Princess Violet! What brings you to our forest today?" Gancho greeted warmly.
"King Gancho," Violet bowed slightly. "I came because of these two. They claim to have some extremely important news for the Tontatta tribe. I wasn't sure what to do, and my father isn't at the palace right now, so I decided to escort them to see you myself."
"Hello, King Gancho. I'm Bardock. I've brought news regarding Mont Blanc Noland from four hundred years ago. However, out here isn't exactly the best place to talk. Could we possibly discuss this in your home?"
"News of the great hero Noland?!" Gancho gasped, his tiny eyes widening in shock. "Yes, of course! Follow us!"
'You agreed way too easily,' Bardock sweatdropped.
As the group marched forward, Leo bounded up and landed squarely on Bardock's shoulder. "Hello, big human! I'm Leo! I'm the man who's going to become the Commander of the Tonta Corps!"
"Nice to meet you, Leo. I'm absolutely certain you'll become the Commander one day," Bardock smiled warmly.
"Really?!" Leo's face lit up with pure joy. "Tonta Chief! The big human said I'm definitely going to become the Commander!"
Deep beneath the surface of Green Bit, Bardock and the other three followed King Gancho into the hidden Tontatta Kingdom.
"Everything down here is so tiny," Hancock whispered, looking around in awe as dozens of dwarves peeked out from behind acorn houses to stare at the big humans. "Which one is Princess Mansherry?"
"Ah, I know this one," Bardock chimed in. "Hey Leo, I heard your Princess Mansherry possesses a power that can heal absolutely anything. But I don't see her around. Where is she?"
"Oh, that's her special Jutsu!" Leo explained, crossing his tiny arms. "The Princess is super spoiled, incredibly selfish, and throws temper tantrums all the time! But her tears really can heal any wound. I'll go get her!" With that, the little dwarf sprinted off.
"She doesn't sound very pleasant to deal with, Bardock," Hancock teased, her mood instantly lightening now that she had confirmation of the healing ability.
"On the contrary, Hancock. I think she'll be very easy to get along with," Bardock chuckled. "Even though Leo described her as a complete brat, he still eagerly ran off to find her. It's pretty obvious they have a complicated little relationship."
Bardock already knew from the manga that Mansherry harbored a massive crush on Leo. He just hadn't realized it had started this early. Leo truly was the ultimate, oblivious blockhead—a trait he'd apparently carry from childhood to adulthood.
King Gancho led them into a central chamber, stopping in front of a grand statue dedicated to Mont Blanc Noland.
"Now then, Bardock. What news do you have regarding the great hero Noland?"
"Before we begin, King Gancho, please take a look at this."
Bardock reached into his coat and pulled out a small book, handing it over. It was something he had specifically prepared long before setting sail.
Violet glanced at the cover. Her eyes widened. It was a copy of the infamous picture book, Noland the Liar.
Noland the Liar was a famous fairy tale widely circulated throughout the North Blue. The protagonist, Noland, was depicted as a foolish, chronic liar who, even as he was being executed, stubbornly clung to his fabricated tale that the "City of Gold" was real.
"Impossible! This isn't Noland!" Gancho yelled, his tiny hands trembling as he flipped through the illustrations. "Noland wasn't a man like this! He was a great hero! If he said the City of Gold existed, then it undeniably existed!"
"Exactly, King Gancho. The City of Gold absolutely exists, and Noland was tragically misunderstood," Bardock said firmly. "I came here today for two reasons. First, my friend Hancock needs a small favor from Princess Mansherry. Second, I formally request that the Tontatta Kingdom allow Princess Mansherry and Leo to accompany me on a journey across the seas. I'm going to clear Noland's name and prove to the world that he was not a liar."
"Out of the question."
Before Gancho could even process the request, Violet immediately stepped in and rejected it. "Setting aside the fact that this 'City of Gold' might not even exist—even if it does, no one has been able to find it for four hundred years! What makes you think you can? Furthermore, Mansherry is just a child! How could we possibly let her go off on a dangerous adventure with you?"
"King Gancho," Bardock continued calmly, ignoring Violet and speaking directly to the dwarf. "Noland's descendants are still out there on the seas, struggling under the crushing weight of their ancestor's ruined reputation. I specifically chose Princess Mansherry and Leo because their unique abilities will be invaluable to my journey, and their status allows them to officially represent the Tontatta Kingdom. Besides, we're all around the same age, which makes it much easier for us to get along."
Bardock paused, locking eyes with the King. "And finally... I already have concrete leads on the City of Gold. I promise you, I will find it."
Gancho looked at the book, then at Bardock's unwavering gaze. "This is a heavy matter... I must allow Mansherry to make this decision herself."
"I agree to go, Father!" a sharp, high-pitched voice suddenly rang out.