One Piece: Fist of the World

"Ha?" Rhodes looked at Tesoro in surprise. He just wanted his money; why was Tesoro offering himself?

"I once..." Tesoro began, but Rhodes quickly interrupted him. "Stop!" There was no shortage of people with tragic pasts in this world, and Rhodes already knew enough about Tesoro’s.

"What an incomprehensible leader!" Tesoro chuckled softly, glancing at Rhodes. "Then I’ll just say it straight."

"If you want to achieve a new hegemony, you will inevitably become an enemy of the World Government. Such a goal cannot be achieved by just one pirate group. I can help you! Whether it’s money, fame, or connections, I can do it for you."

"Correspondingly——" Rhodes cut him off again. "A Celestial Dragon, huh?" He offered no further explanation to Tesoro’s shocked expression. "A leader is someone who carries the dreams of others and keeps moving forward, while others just need to follow closely behind me."

"What a great speech!" Tesoro looked into Rhodes’s sharp eyes, a glimmer of expectation growing. He was betting his future on this Captain.

"However, I will not board your ship for the time being. Compared to sailing with you, I should be able to play a greater role in maintaining the original plan."

"Certainly!" Rhodes nodded. He understood that Tesoro, as an independent, hidden asset, would be far more valuable than a mere combatant on the Polaris. His wealth would ensure endless funds, his underworld connections would provide crucial intelligence, and his influence within the World Government could resolve many issues.

"For now, all you need to do is provide us with funding and some intelligence," Rhodes added. He decided against revealing this full arrangement to the entire crew, believing that a secret was safer with fewer people knowing. The rest just needed to understand that a cooperation had been forged. As he spoke, Rhodes tossed Tesoro his heart back.

"This?" Tesoro caught it, surprised.

"Since they are already my people, I won’t use such low-level means. - Law, restore them." Law, who had been standing nearby, came over and used his ability to return Tesoro’s heart.

"Do you need me to make peace with Joker (Doflamingo) for you? He is a shrewd man. As long as he knows that he can’t do anything to you, he will choose to cooperate. Whether it is in the World Government or the underground world, he has a lot of influence."

"No need!" Rhodes waved his hand. "He is different from you. He has been sentenced to death by me. From the beginning."

Tesoro remained silent. He and Doflamingo were merely partners of convenience; there was no true bond.

"Is it settled?" Law asked Rhodes.

"That’s right." As the main business was concluded, the other members of the Rhodes Pirates, led by Neru, approached. Bepo eyed Tesoro with curiosity. This guy can really control gold? That means he has a lot of money!

The Crew’s Shopping Spree

"After a friendly exchange," Rhodes announced, causing the crew’s mouths to twitch slightly. Friendly exchange? Beating someone half to death and then saving them?

"Tesoro promised to provide us with 5 billion Baileys every year."

"Five billion!"

"Each year!!" Several crew members exclaimed, and Nia’s eyes literally turned into the shape of Baileys.

"I want to expand and renovate the Polaris!" Gray instantly envisioned taking out his tools to build a new warship.

"It looks like it’s time to buy some new books," Robin said with a small smile.

"I can buy some high-quality ingredients to treat everyone!" Minina pointed with excitement, thinking of all the things she’d held back on buying due to budget concerns. "There are also kitchen utensils and tableware that need to be replenished."

"Nice clothes!" "Boss Rhodes, let’s go and customize uniforms. They’re super cool!!" "Please, this is all we ask!"

"Hey hey~~" Bepo giggled, contemplating unknown mischief.

"Well, everyone, go ahead and buy. Don’t save money. Just take whatever you like!" Rhodes declared proudly, waving his hand.

"This purchase can be considered as my extra gift." Tesoro waved his hand, and a large amount of gold surged forth, condensing into several glittering gold bricks.

"Amazing!!" Penguin and Shachi cowardly pounced on them, biting into the gold bricks. "It’s true!!"

"How much are these worth?"

"About a billion," Robin quickly calculated.

"So much money!!"

"Boss Rhodes, let’s continue shopping!" Penguin and Shachi, clutching gold bricks, happily led Bepo and the others away. Even Baccarat was whisked away by Minina and the others for a shopping spree.

Issho’s Benevolence

"You are a doctor, right?" Several massive stones floated down, carrying the blind swordsman Issho, who walked forward, tapping his staff like a blind stick. He approached Law. "There are several people affected by the battle here. I wonder if you could lend a hand."

Law frowned slightly, looking at the people Issho had brought down from the stones. They had large areas of burns, some still glittering with gold powder—clearly accidental injuries from Tesoro’s ability.

"Leave it to me." Law opened his ROOM and moved the wounded to a nearby medical tent. He had already treated some injured people. Despite being a pirate, Law retained a core of kindness, especially as a doctor; he couldn’t simply watch people die.

"Thank you so much!" Issho bowed deeply to Law.

"Uncle, you are not a navy man," Rhodes observed, looking at Issho.

"No."

"Then why are you still protecting the people?"

Issho’s honest face held a faint smile. "Of course it’s because the people are here."

~~~~~~~~~~~~

Tesoro, having been defeated and his will rekindled by Rhodes, surprisingly offers his full support to Rhodes’s ambition of becoming the "greatest hegemon," understanding that this means challenging the World Government and the Celestial Dragons. Rhodes, in turn, releases Tesoro’s heart, sealing a unique alliance not based on coercion, but on a shared formidable goal. Tesoro agrees to provide annual funding and intelligence, maintaining his independent operations as a hidden asset, while Rhodes explicitly states his intent to completely destroy Doflamingo, despite Tesoro’s offer to mediate.

The Rhodes Pirates are ecstatic upon hearing of the massive annual income of 5 billion Baileys, immediately planning extravagant purchases for the Polaris and themselves. Meanwhile, Issho (Fujitora), a powerful blind swordsman, continues to demonstrate his benevolent nature by requesting Law’s medical assistance for civilians injured during the battle, simply because "the people are here."

With vast new financial resources and a powerful, strategic ally in Tesoro, what new challenges and opportunities will arise for the Rhodes Pirates as they set their sights on becoming the world’s "greatest hegemon"? How will this alliance affect their future encounters with the World Government and other major powers in the New World