Under Lucas's mix of persuasion and subtle manipulation, Charlotte Pudding and Charlotte Galette finally chose to surrender. Of course, for Lucas, Galette was just a bonus—the true prize was Charlotte Pudding.
Her ability was comparable to the powers of the Op-Op Fruit, making her an invaluable asset in Lucas's grand plan to recruit powerful subordinates.
"Let's pay a visit to the Silver Fox first," Lucas said with a grin.
Without delay, Lucas took Pudding to confront one of the World Government's agents—Silver Fox. With a swift, powerful punch, Lucas knocked him out cold, leaving Pudding to delve into his memories.
After a few attempts, Pudding frowned, her brows knitting together in frustration. "His willpower is too strong. It's not easy for me to extract his memories."
Lucas chuckled lightly, "That's alright. Just do your best."
Combining the secret memory-extraction technique he had learned from Senju Tobirama with Pudding's Devil Fruit ability, Lucas carefully navigated through Silver Fox's mind, uncovering critical information about the World Government's covert operations.
In the Chat Group
Golden Lion Shiki's impatient voice crackled through the chat,
Golden Lion Shiki: "Well? What did you find out? As the most mysterious organization under the World Government, how many experts do they have?"
Lucas :"No fewer than three Admiral-level powerhouses. And their number of elite fighters is second only to the Marines. That doesn't even count the hidden monsters among the Celestial Dragons. The World Government runs deeper than we thought."
Pirate King Roger : "Does that mean the World Government has enough power to end the era of the Great Pirates?"
Lucas : "Not quite. The era of the Great Pirates isn't just about a few strong individuals—it's a global phenomenon. Even with their impressive forces, the World Government alone can't completely put an end to it."
Whitebeard : "Gurararara! That's right! You brat, don't underestimate the era you helped shape. No matter how many top fighters the World Government has, they can only stretch themselves so thin. They can't be everywhere at once!"
Senju Tobirama : "If they had access to the Shadow Clone Technique or the Flying Thunder God Technique, the situation might be different. But as it stands, even if they deployed all their Admirals, it would be a drop in the ocean."
Lucas: Exactly. And let's not forget, they can't afford to send all their top fighters out at once. They have to defend Mariejois, the Marine Headquarters, Impel Down, and key territories in the New World. Their forces are stretched thin across multiple fronts."
Gold Thief Woonan: "When you put it like that, the World Government doesn't seem as terrifying."
Lucas: "It's still scary. At least, I can't take them all on by myself—not yet."
Whitebeard: "You're still thinking of taking them down, huh? You've got guts, I'll give you that!"
Lucas: "@Senju Tobirama, don't you have a memory-modification technique?"
Senju Tobirama:: "No. Why do you ask?"
Lucas : "I was thinking of altering Silver Fox's memories to make him my subordinate. He'd be the perfect mole inside the World Government."
Senju Tobirama: "You're dreaming. No jutsu that powerful exists."
Lucas: "True—but there's some unfortunate news for you. While no such jutsu exists, there is a Mangekyō Sharingan ability that can do just that."
Tobirama was stunned. "Nani?! You're kidding!"
Lucas chuckled. "No joke. The Mangekyō's ability to forcibly twist someone's will is very real."
Tobirama fell silent. He didn't want to know more.
Back in the Real World
After extracting all the information he needed, Lucas waved his hand dismissively.
"Take him away."
The scientist Caesar Clown sauntered over, dragging the unconscious Silver Fox off for his twisted experiments. Trafalgar Law followed closely, his Op-Op Fruit powers at the ready to assist with the procedures, while Monet diligently recorded the experimental data.
The trio of chaos was in full form.
"Lord Lucas, is there anything else you need?"
Pudding had returned to Lucas's side, her voice soft and obedient as she gently brushed a strand of hair from his forehead.
"Not yet."
Lucas shook his head but noticed the lock of hair that fell across Pudding's forehead. With a sudden, unexpected motion, he reached out and brushed her hand aside.
"Lord Lucas?"
Pudding blinked in confusion, only to realize that Lucas had lifted the hair covering her forehead, revealing her hidden third eye.
"Your eyes are beautiful. Don't feel ashamed of them," Lucas said softly, his voice steady and warm. "With me, no one will dare laugh at you."
For a moment, Pudding stood frozen.
In all fairness, when Pudding wasn't in her darker, vengeful state, even with her third eye exposed, her appearance wasn't grotesque or unsettling. Instead, it carried an unusual, captivating beauty—a charm that set her apart from others.
"Ah…"
Pudding's face flushed a deep red, her heart pounding wildly in her chest. Suddenly, a rush of steam erupted from her head, and she collapsed, fainting from sheer embarrassment.
In the chat group, Senju Tobirama asked in astonishment,
Senju Tobirama: "What's wrong with that girl?"
Lucas : "Blame me! My charm was too overwhelming for her. She couldn't handle the excitement and fainted."
Pirate King Roger: "That reason is really…"
Lucas: "What? Say it."
Pirate King Roger: "Alright! It's good—plain, simple, and honest. Only an upright guy like our group leader could say something so straightforward."
Everyone in the chat group fell silent for a moment.
Roger, you've changed!
You're no longer the pirate king we once knew. You've become… the group leader's fanboy.
Because of her third eye, Pudding had suffered ridicule and rejection from childhood to adulthood. But with Lucas's simple acceptance of her unique feature, the walls around her heart began to crumble. If she could truly embrace her third eye, winning her loyalty would be effortless.
Later, when Lucas returned to the house carrying the fainted Pudding in his arms, Galette was stunned. Her eyes widened as she stammered, "What… what did you do to Pudding?"
Lucas replied nonchalantly, "Nothing much. Just said a few words… and then she passed out."
Galette eyed him suspiciously, clearly not convinced. "Really?"
Lucas smiled, turning off the chat group's perception so no one could eavesdrop. Taking two slow steps toward Galette, he leaned in slightly, his voice dropping to a soft murmur as he met her wary gaze. "What do you think I did to her? And more importantly, what can you do about it? Don't forget—you're here because of marriage."
Galette opened her mouth to argue but found herself speechless. He wasn't wrong. In the current situation, both she and her sister were effectively Lucas's women. Whatever he did to them was technically justified.
Lucas grinned, taking a step back. "Even though we haven't done anything yet, everyone already knows you're married to me. Even if I let you go, who'd dare approach you? Besides… are you really losing out by being with me?"
Galette went silent for a moment, considering his words. Am I losing out?
She looked Lucas up and down. Strong, confident, and undeniably handsome. No… it wasn't a loss at all.
As that realization settled in, Galette's demeanor relaxed. If there's no way to resist… might as well enjoy the ride!
Seeing the subtle shift in her attitude, Lucas raised an eyebrow. The gleam in Galette's eyes was unmistakable—aggressive and full of intent. He couldn't help but suspect that she was looking at him with those kinds of eyes.
But this wasn't surprising to Lucas. He was used to people falling for him. As a man of unparalleled looks and unmatched charisma, Lucas had long grown accustomed to admiration and affection.
Still, as an upright young man with both virtues and morals, Lucas firmly rejected the advances of overly enthusiastic women. However, Galette looked so pitiful in her obvious longing that Lucas, in his kindness, couldn't help but let her stew in her own feelings.
Afterward, Lucas would reflect on this situation and, in true humble fashion, blame Galette entirely for making him feel guilty for being so irresistible.
Galette, realizing Lucas wasn't going to make a move, huffed in frustration. Not wanting to face his teasing alone, she hurriedly pulled Pudding—who had been pretending to be asleep—back to her feet.
Good sisters share everything, Galette thought smugly. What's the point of enjoying this alone while you pretend to sleep?
The Next Day
Lucas boarded a luxury cruise ship with the sisters, leaving the island behind for a well-deserved vacation. But this wasn't just a leisurely trip—it was also a calculated move to mislead the Big Mom Pirates. Charlotte Linlin needed to believe that her undercover plan was progressing smoothly.
Onboard, Pudding, now more composed but still with a hint of shyness, asked curiously, "Where are we going?"
Lucas laughed, his eyes sparkling with excitement. "Golden City!"
Galette's eyes widened in surprise. "The biggest entertainment city in the world? I've heard people talk about it, but I've never been there."
Lucas nodded. "No more just hearing about it—we're going to see it firsthand."
In the Chat Group
Pirate King Roger: "Is the outside perception back on? Finally! I was suffocating in there!"
Whitebeard: "Cruise ship, sea… Where are you heading this time?"
Howard Stark: "Do we even need to ask? Two girls, a cruise ship—it's obvious."
Lucas: "It's not just about fun. I've got accounts to settle and plans to set in motion."
Golden Lion Shiki: "Where to?"
Lucas: "The world's largest entertainment city—Gran Tesoro. A giant cruise ship made entirely of gold, the most luxurious amusement venue in the world."
Gold Thief Woonan: "Wait, isn't the owner of that place the current user of the Gold-Gold Fruit?"
Lucas: "Bingo! The current Gold-Gold Fruit user, Gild Tesoro, owns Gran Tesoro. The cruise ship is named after him."
Gold Thief Woonan: "Is that so? I'd love to meet this generation's Gold-Gold Fruit user. If he's got enough gold to build an entire cruise ship, he must have mountains of treasure."
Senju Tobirama: "You mentioned settling scores and planning ahead. Does this have anything to do with Golden City?"
Lucas: "Of course. Members of the Germa Kingdom—the ones I told you about—are currently hiding in Golden City. They attacked my territory before but ran when Jinbei chased them off. Now, it's time to settle the score."
Lucas: "Plus, Tesoro's Gold-Gold Fruit ability controls one-fifth of the world's currency. His strength isn't something to be underestimated. Maybe I can nudge him into joining me."
Golden City, Gran Tesoro
The colossal, glittering golden cruise ship cut through the waves, its sheer opulence gleaming under the sun. Two massive snail ships slowly docked alongside it.
From the snail ships, two men in sleek, high-tech combat uniforms disembarked, moving with practiced ease as they entered Golden City.
They were Vinsmoke Ichiji, the eldest son of the Vinsmoke family, and Vinsmoke Niji, the second son. These were the same men who had previously raided Lucas's territory, only to be driven off by the mighty Jinbei.
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