Within the glittering sprawl of Gran Tesoro, laughter and the clinking of chips filled the air, when Souta Kiryuu suddenly dropped a question that made the entire hall freeze.
"You're saying... Uta is Red-Haired Shanks's daughter?"
Karina gasped, covering her mouth, her eyes wide with disbelief. "What?!" She stammered. "How has no one on this ocean ever heard that?!"
Apparently, Shanks's talent for keeping secrets extended far beyond the seas. Even Tesoro, Baccarat, and the Empress standing at Kiryuu's side traded startled looks.
"Wait... if that's true, then... could Uta be a Celestial Dragon? Her red and white hair — is that because she carries half of Shanks's bloodline?"
Nico Robin's expression grew serious. The world's best intelligence expert had the distinct look of someone whose intel suddenly seemed embarrassingly incomplete.
"One of the Four Emperors... and the world's most beloved songstress? They're father and daughter?"
The golden palace erupted in commotion. Lafitte, Capone Bege, and the other lieutenants exchanged knowing glances — already plotting a dozen ways to use this information against the Red-Haired Emperor himself.
Karina hesitated. "Kiryuu-sama... are you planning to make a move against Uta?"
She'd spoken with the girl before — over a Den Den Mushi — long talks about music and dreams. Uta had seemed kind-hearted, someone who despised cruelty and piracy.
"Relax," Souta said calmly, swirling the golden wine in his hand. "From what I've heard, the Red-Hair Pirates abandoned her years ago. She resents them deeply. And she's not his real daughter — Shanks took her in as an orphan. I only wish to meet her because her Devil Fruit ability is... extraordinary."
He said it plainly, though his eyes gleamed with quiet calculation. Was it her beauty or her power that caught his attention? Naturally, the latter — the Uta Uta no Mi, capable of reshaping reality through song.
Still... if he did win her over, "son-in-law to the Emperors" had a nice ring to it. Three Emperors, three "daughters." Why stop there?
Too bad Whitebeard hadn't left behind any adorable heirs — otherwise Souta would've gladly extended his "collection" to "son-in-law of the Four Emperors."
If Law or Doc Q ever learned what went through their captain's mind, they'd probably choke. Between Ivankov's hormone powers and Vegapunk's surgical experiments, even Izou the cross-dressing commander could be "converted" to help Souta's... eccentric habit of collecting imperial brides.
Tesoro crossed his arms, frowning. "So capturing the songstress won't pressure Red-Hair after all. Hmph. A pity — I thought we might use her as leverage."
He leaned back against his gold-encrusted throne, recalling old battles. He and Shanks had clashed once, back when both were still clawing for a place among legends. Tesoro had been hailed then as a Monster of the New World, his awakened Gold-Gold Fruit shaking even Doflamingo into offering partnerships.
He wasn't like other pirates — Tesoro's ambition was money. Power was a byproduct; wealth was the prize. He'd become a World Government affiliate, a "royal" of a recognized nation, all so he could build his empire higher and higher.
By the time Gran Tesoro rose from the sea — a literal city of gold — Shanks had claimed his title as the youngest Emperor. Tesoro, meanwhile, had mastered all three worlds: the underworld, the upper world, and the shadows in between. He'd earned the name Emperor of Gold, a titan whose reach rivaled Doflamingo himself.
Ever since he'd stolen the Gold-Gold Fruit from Doflamingo's network, Tesoro had modeled his own rise on the Joker's path: piracy, smuggling, bribery, nobility — all the way to godhood.
"I don't need a girl as a pawn against Red-Hair," Souta muttered when the room started to hum with speculation. "I'm interested in her power, not politics."
The others quieted — though a few traded skeptical looks. Souta's record for restraint wasn't exactly spotless.
He sighed. "Alright, yes. Maybe I did capture Ace once to bait Whitebeard. But that was different."
After the banquet wound down, Baccarat led the group to indulge in what Tesoro called "true luxury."
The palace transformed into a carnival of excess: gambling tables piled with mountains of chips, floating roulette wheels, diamond dice. Souta himself donned a crimson suit and joined the madness — laughing, drinking, throwing billions like it was spare change.
At one table, three of Kaido's "Disasters" and four of Big Mom's "Sweet Commanders" played high-stakes poker. At another, the buy-in for a single round reached ten billion Berries.
Gran Tesoro's vaults held at least five hundred billion in cash, and the treasures of pirates, nobles, and arms dealers flowed through the casino like blood through veins of gold. Tesoro's own ship, the Emeralda Shark, gleamed in the harbor — its hull encrusted with gemstones, a monument to pure, unashamed wealth.
This was what Souta called "a simple evening."
The next day, Gran Tesoro began to rise — not metaphorically, but literally. Under the power of Souta's engineers and the Pika Pika propulsion system, the massive island-ship lifted into the clouds.
Thousands of pirates and merchants screamed in delight as the golden city took flight. They were bound for Totto Land — Big Mom's own territory.
Above the Cake Island region, a floating fortress hovered: the headquarters of the World Economy News, one of Big News Morgans's aerial castles.
"Gahaha! Now this is what I call flair!" Morgans squawked, snapping photo after photo with his transponder snail. "Souta Kiryuu's crew just swallowed Tesoro whole — his fleet's going to dominate the skies!"
He kept clicking furiously, his wings trembling with excitement.
Below him, Gran Tesoro gleamed like a newborn sun. The airborne fleet of the Arlong Pirates followed in formation, an entourage of flying ships protecting their leader's new golden citadel.
"Tesoro's strong," Stussy remarked, swirling wine in her glass as she watched through a telescope. "Maybe not Admiral-class... but close. At least on par with Greenbull or Black Horse."
Her smile was sly. "Seems Vegapunk's living quite comfortably under Souta Kiryuu's flag."
With Tesoro joining him, the balance of power had shifted yet again. Even commanders like King and Katakuri would think twice before challenging this new coalition.
The Emperor of Gold had officially joined forces with the God-Dragon of the New World.
Back on Cake Island, the Charlotte family gaped at the spectacle above them.
"That's... that's not a ship," someone whispered.
"It's an island-ship!"
"The world's largest golden fortress!"
Charlotte Pudding, sitting on her flying carpet Rabian, brushed her hair aside. Her third eye gleamed as she stared at the sky. "So that's him... the 'God' among the Three Emperors — Souta Kiryuu."
A faint blush crept up her cheeks. "Leaving Totto Land to become his woman... maybe that wouldn't be so bad after all."
Beside her, Smoothie, Custard, and Carrot all exchanged unreadable looks — faces caught between awe and worry — as the floating golden island drifted across the sun.