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Chapter 59 - Conqueror’s Coating? Please, That’s Just Hands

Days slipped by.

The Oro Jackson was repaired in no time, yet Roger didn't hurry off. He showed up daily to drink with Dimon, trying to rope him into the crew. If Dimon hid in the Flower Capital, Roger just… followed him there too.

Kaido, meanwhile, kept picking fights with Rayleigh and Jabba—"immortal body" confidence in full bloom—sometimes taking on both at once, and getting flattened for his troubles.

As for Shanks, he turned back into a boy the very next day. Still, every time he saw Dimon, he clutched his little sparrow like a national treasure and backed away in terror.

And so a month rolled past.

Abel brought the first good news: he'd found Skypiea — God's Country. In this era, the "God" ruling it was Gan Fall. As for Enel—do the math—just a brat in his hometown of Birka, a different sky island altogether.

Dimon used a five-point star teleportation array to reach God's Country. He didn't disturb the locals.

He just collected gold.

Shandora lived up to the legend of the Golden City: an ancient metropolis blasted skyward by the Knock-Up Stream, gilded and gleaming. No, the buildings weren't pure gold—just lavishly plated. In the original line, Enel hoarded that gold to forge his thunder-driven ark, Maxim.

Speaking of the Rumble-Rumble Fruit… Dimon wanted that one. It had to be worth a thousand Demon Points at least. Shame it wasn't in God's Country—likely still in Birka.

Dimon didn't know where Birka was, so he shelved the idea.

With Abel's fire as a forge, they smelted the haul into a massive golden sphere and teleported it back to Wano.

Flush with funds, Dimon fast-tracked the Onigashima Research Institute. Then, using Vegapunk's shopping list, he sent Stussy to sea for supplies.

Money burned like kindling. Dimon thought of Chinjao, but the man hadn't called. That ten billion… still out of reach.

Trouble?

Time jumped ahead. Sea Circle Calendar 1490.

After half a year in Wano, the Roger Pirates finally moved to leave.

Dimon celebrated with tears in his heart and personally went to Kuri Beach to see them off.

"Hurry up and go—and don't come back until you've got all four stones."

"Hahaha, don't say it like that, Dimon. We're friends! I'll be back to visit."

Sure, Dimon griped internally. Half a year eating and drinking on his dime, not a berry paid. They'd given all their treasure to Shakky before arriving and were now gloriously broke.

"See you, Dimon," Rayleigh waved. The crew lined up to thank him for six months of hospitality.

Jabba roared, "We'll pay the tab later! We're not deadbeats!"

"Get lost," Dimon rolled his eyes. He hadn't expected to see a single coin anyway.

After their goodbyes, Roger planted a boot on the figurehead, drew Ace, and bellowed, "Boys—set sail!"

Dimon watched the Oro Jackson pull away. Beside him, Kaido smirked. "There's a proper exit, and they still took the waterfall?"

"I forgot to tell them," Dimon said blandly. "Who told them not to pay? Regular exits are for paying customers."

"Ogorororo…"

Kaido's chuckle turned into a low rumble. He lifted his right hand, palm curling into a fist. Black-red lightning—Conqueror's Haki—wreathed his knuckles.

"Thanks to all those brawls, I've mastered Conqueror's coating, Dimon!"

Dimon glanced over, lifted his own right hand—

and the same black-red serpent arcs danced around his palm.

"When did you…?" Kaido's jaw sagged. He'd been ready to show off.

"It's just coating. You have hands, don't you?"

He'd barely been able to use it before; half a year of watching Kaido, Roger and company fight had clicked the rest into place. Honestly? Not that hard.

Okay, not Luffy-with-plot-armor easy. Dimon had a cheat, but not that kind. This was real learning—not copied via Devouring someone who already had it.

"You still need reps, Kaido," Dimon teased. "Didn't even make Morgans' Five Peaks list."

"That damned bird…" Kaido snorted, itching to punch the news right out of the avian's beak.

"Let's go," Dimon said, turning away.

"I've decided, Dimon," Kaido called after him. "The Beasts will go on a campaign. Staying in Wano's getting dull."

"Do what you want. Just remember: collect Devil Fruits for me."

Dimon figured Kaido's new trick needed an audience—ideally the rest of the Five Peaks.

Kaido took a chunk of the crew and sailed, beginning his so-called expedition. What islands he intended to conquer, who he was picking fights with—Dimon didn't pry.

Without Kaido, Dimon had one less drinking buddy. He harassed Stussy instead; life was… comfortable. Between shameless shogun duties, he trained the cat-dog-kappa trio. Under his guidance, they soared.

Sometimes Dimon wondered why no one rebelled.

Where were the daimyo, the samurai? Could they not? Would they not?

Not a peep. Honestly, life was getting too peaceful.

"If you're bored, want to check the Onigashima lab?" Stussy would suggest now and then.

"When it's fully built."

Two more years spun by—SCC 1492.

Kaido hadn't returned; the Beasts were still abroad.

But Roger came back—with the fourth Road Poneglyph rubbing—returning to Wano.

The second Dimon got word, he shot from the Flower Capital to Kuri like a black comet.

Same beach.

This time, the Oro Jackson hadn't run aground. Familiar faces lined the sand to meet him.

"Long time no see, Dimon," Roger greeted.

Compared to two years ago, he looked older, closer to the Pirate King in Dimon's memory.

Dimon dropped to the shore, folding away his devil wings. "Well? The fourth?"

"Yeah. Found it." Roger's smile held wind and salt and distance. "I went home to the East Blue, then North, South, West. All four seas."

"I searched the world and found nothing, so I returned to the Grand Line. I crossed the desert kingdom, visited Skypiea, met old friends in Water Seven. On Fish-Man Island I found the one you told me of. In the New World, I happened upon Zou and got the second. And finally… on Whole Cake Island, I clashed with Big Mom—and took a rubbing of the third."

In Big Mom's hands?

Of course—Whole Cake was her turf and not far from Wano. Dimon sighed. Blind spot. The stone had been practically next door.

"Then—congratulations, Pirate King," Dimon said, early with the crown.

Roger flashed white teeth and held out a hand. "This time, you'll say yes, Dimon."

"Mn. Let's go—to the Final Island!"

A wind rose off Kuri. The surf hissed. Rayleigh tightened the line on the anchor; Jabba checked the sails; the Log Pose quivered like a compass with stage fright.

Dimon set his foot on the gangplank—

—and the Den Den Mushi on Roger's belt exploded with panic.

"Cap'n! Emergency! The Eternal Pose to Lodestar just shattered on its own—and the Log Pose needles are spinning like crazy! Something's pulling the route… from beyond the last island!"

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