In the first half of the Grand Line, the Prometheus sailed steadily across a calm stretch of water.
On the deck, a golden birdcage with a diameter of more than three meters sat prominently. Inside, a small dinosaur, about one meter in length, paced around. This was the Microraptor that Nia and Stussy had captured during their time on the prehistoric island of Little Garden.
At first glance, without prior knowledge, one might mistake the creature for an exotic bird. Its body was covered in vibrant, multicolored feathers, giving it a striking and beautiful appearance. It didn't look particularly threatening, on the contrary, it was quite elegant.
Claudius, Nia, and Stussy gathered around the cage. Nia held a small box in her hand, which contained freshly caught fish from the sea.
"That's right, Microraptors eat fish," Claudius commented, amused. "They've got pretty unique tastes, don't they?"
"Let me try feeding it!" Stussy said enthusiastically as Nia tossed a fish into the cage.
Claudius chimed in, "I want to try feeding it too!"
Stussy gave him a playful look and said, "Your Highness, why don't you go feed the Tyrannosaurus? This little guy isn't really your style." She snatched another fish and tossed it into the birdcage without hesitation.
"Tyrannosaurus…" Claudius muttered softly.
The group had indeed encountered Tyrannosauruses on Little Garden, but these creatures were far too wild and aggressive to tame. Claudius had tried several times but eventually gave up.
In the end, the Tyrannosaurus became a barbecue. Claudius had to admit, the meat was excellent—tender yet chewy, and surprisingly flavorful.
Of course, this also marked the end of Claudius's dream of raising a dinosaur.
"I'll figure something out next time," Claudius grumbled. "Maybe I'll catch Kaido and keep him as a pet instead. Let's see if anyone dares to complain about feeding him!"
"Don't worry, none of us would be interested in feeding that guy," Stussy replied without missing a beat.
Not far away, Robin spoke up. "You can come and feed my Pachycephalosaurus. It eats fruit and leaves, and it has such a gentle personality."
Claudius glanced over and saw Robin holding an iron chain. At the other end of the chain was a juvenile Pachycephalosaurus, about two meters in length.
When fully grown, Pachycephalosauruses could reach up to five meters. This particular one was still a juvenile and was relatively docile, at least compared to other dinosaurs. Being a herbivore, it seemed much easier to care for.
But as Claudius looked at its bald head and the tumors covering its scalp, he quickly lost interest. He waved dismissively. "You feed it. I'm not interested."
Robin, who had been excitedly showing off her "pet," immediately bristled at his response. "Hey are you discriminating against it?"
Claudius didn't hold back. "You're absolutely right. I am discriminating against it."
"A tumor is cute! How can you discriminate against something so adorable?" Robin exclaimed indignantly.
"With all due respect," Claudius retorted, "I don't see how it's cute at all. A tumor is a tumor."
"Hmph! Just look at its smooth, bald head and those little bumps! Isn't that adorable?" Robin argued, pointing at the Pachycephalosaurus.
Claudius crossed his arms and scrutinized the dinosaur for a moment. Then he said, "You know what?"
Robin's eyes lit up in anticipation. "What? You think it's cute now?"
Claudius shook his head with a grin. "Nope. It's even uglier than I thought."
Robin let out an angry huff. "You're hopeless!" she snapped, turning her back on him.
"You need help," Claudius said, shaking his head in mock pity. "Once we get back to Mariejois, I'm taking you to see a therapist."
Robin shot him a glare. "You're the one who needs help! Come on, Swollen, let's go!"
With that, she climbed onto the back of the Pachycephalosaurus in one swift motion, gripping the iron chain tightly as she rode away.
Claudius blinked in surprise. "Wait… is this seriously happening? Did she just become a Dragon Knight?"
At that moment, Ace, who had been perched atop the ship's mast, called out, "I see it! It's Tesoro!"
Ace, now a young man, had grown considerably stronger since eating the Mera-Mera Fruit. His abilities had developed rapidly, and he had even awakened Conqueror's Haki at an early age. Claudius couldn't deny the strength of Roger's bloodline.
Life, however, wasn't always fair. Ace, through sheer luck of birth, had inherited Roger's lineage. Now, with Claudius as his guardian, Ace's backing only seemed to grow stronger.
Compared to Ace, Doflamingo was truly unfortunate in the "father lottery," having been betrayed by his own family and left to fend for himself.
The Gran Tesoro came into view. A massive ship, it rivaled the Prometheus in size. In fact, it appeared to be even larger.
Claudius took a telescope from Nia and examined the ship. Clicking his tongue, he said, "Still a bit small, but it's just getting started. I can't complain."
The Prometheus was roughly the size of a small island, about a third of Water Seven. While the Gran Tesoro appeared larger, it was still far from the enormous casino ship it would later become, one capable of housing three or four Water Sevens.
As Claudius said, though, the ship was still in its early stages. Tesoro was already working on building an even larger vessel, which would surely make waves once completed.
The Gran Tesoro currently served as a grand gambling ship and cruise liner, attracting high rollers from across the world. However, Claudius's visit had nothing to do with gambling. Unlike Crocodile, he wasn't addicted to games of chance. If not for business, he wouldn't have come at all.
Tesoro had contacted him about a peculiar guest aboard the ship, someone Claudius had been seeking for some time.
That guest was Fujitora.
Fujitora was a folk master—a wandering swordsman and a notorious gambler. The world was vast, filled with hidden masters and powerful individuals, particularly in the New World. Some rivaled even the strength of Marine vice admirals.
Many of these masters worked as bounty hunters, assassins, or freelancers in the shadows. Others, like Fujitora, remained relatively unknown despite their extraordinary strength.
Fujitora had no hometown to speak of. Born on a ship in the New World, he had lived as a ronin, wandering aimlessly. Orphaned at a young age, he grew up enduring the harsh realities of life at sea. Over the years, he worked odd jobs to survive—dockhand, laborer, shipwright—barely scraping by.
Along the way, he developed a strong gambling habit, which eventually led him to the Gran Tesoro.
Tesoro, noticing Fujitora's immense potential, had alerted Claudius. It was this discovery that brought Claudius to the ship.
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