— — — — — —
The Green Gemstone Island was a peculiar land in the North Blue.
Its climate was bizarre, split into numerous distinct zones. These strange zones had given rise to a bounty of precious gemstones, the most famous being Green Gemstone, the island's namesake.
But beyond the gems, the island was a paradise for lizards. Countless species thrived here, making it their home.
As the ship docked, Joey stepped off onto the island.
A member of the local mafia greeted him respectfully, bowing low.
"Young Master! The entirety of Green Gemstone Island is under our control. However, we have yet to locate the Devil Fruit. Reports suggest it was last seen here."
With a sharp motion, the mafia man dropped to one knee.
"This is our failure. Please punish us!"
Joey waved dismissively, his voice calm yet commanding.
"You've wasted time, energy, and resources. By all rights, I should punish you. But since you haven't completely failed—until this island is overturned and searched thoroughly—I'll withhold judgment."
Ordinarily, Joey wasn't one to punish his subordinates unnecessarily.
Instilling fear was a crude and simplistic method of control. True leaders didn't need to wield fear like a club; their power lay in a balance of respect and awe with a little fear.
Only when these qualities coexisted could true control over subordinates be maintained.
"Understood!" the mafia man replied, lowering his head further in submission.
"Good," Joey continued coolly. "Now, overturn every inch of this island if you must. Even if it costs us all the Green Gemstone here, it doesn't matter."
"Yes, sir!" The mafia man quickly departed, rallying others to begin the search.
As he left, Joey's sharp gaze followed him.
Green Gemstone, a rare and highly valuable gem, brought in nearly ten billion berries annually for the Charlotte family.
But that kind of wealth meant little to Joey. What mattered was the Devil Fruit rumored to be here.
Standing beside him, Cadenza scratched his head awkwardly. "Big Brother, isn't this a bit extreme? Even if we don't find the Devil Fruit—"
"Enough!" Joey interrupted firmly. His tone softened as he continued.
"Cadenza, after the establishment of Totto Land, we'll need generals. Katakuri and Cracker can serve as our pirates, but you five will be the military leaders of Totto Land. Do you understand? There's no room for weakness."
Cadenza fell silent.
Joey's logic was irrefutable. A strong leader could always acquire wealth; power was the cornerstone of everything.
"Remember this," Joey said, his tone instructive yet commanding. "The most important things in this world are as follows:
First, money. Anything that can be bought with money is not a problem.
Second, authority. Solving problems through power is the ideal approach.
But most crucial of all is strength. With enough strength, you can have everything."
His siblings nodded obediently, absorbing his words.
Of course, Joey didn't explicitly say what he truly believed. Strength alone wasn't enough. Without a foundation—without roots—any power gained would be fleeting.
The ideal balance lay in possessing strength, authority, and wealth at the same time..
While Green Gemstone provided substantial income annually, it wasn't worth holding onto at the cost of failing to secure a mythical Zoan Devil Fruit. The gem deposits could be destroyed if necessary.
Explosions soon echoed across the island.
Boom! Boom!
As Joey's orders were carried out, the once-quiet island was engulfed in chaos. Green Gemstone mines were blasted apart, one after another.
Reports began streaming in.
"Zone A: Nothing!"
"Zone B: Nothing!"
"Zone C: Nothing!"
The island had 18 zones in total, with vast deposits of Green Gemstone estimated to last 30 years. Even so, Joey showed no hesitation in sacrificing it all.
Three years earlier, the Charlotte family had paid a steep price to claim this island. Now, Joey was destroying it without a second thought.
"Wait!"
A voice shouted urgently.
"Something's wrong in Zone F!"
"Stop!"
"Cease operations immediately!"
Everyone froze. Workers and mafiosos alike abandoned their tasks and gathered near Zone F, tension hanging thick in the air. If the island was completely destroyed without finding the Devil Fruit, it would be a massive failure.
"Young Master!"
Another mafia member rushed over, his voice anxious.
"Young Master! Zone F has shown unusual activity, but we can't proceed further. Based on faint glimmers of light, it might be the Devil Fruit, but…"
Joey's eyes narrowed as he interrupted, his voice calm but commanding.
"Cadenza, this is your Devil Fruit. Handle it yourself."
With a determined nod, Cadenza replied, "Understood, Big Brother!"
The mafia man respectfully gestured. "This way, Master Cadenza!"
As they headed deeper into the island, Joey remained behind, deep in thought.
"Whether this succeeds or not remains to be seen," he murmured. "But if the Fruit isn't here, finding another mythical Zoan won't be easy."
He rubbed his temples, the weight of countless considerations pressing on him. Replacing a mythical Zoan Devil Fruit was no small task.
Most importantly, this was a mythical Zoan.
The Sphinx Fruit, which had taken ten years to locate, was purely a stroke of luck. If this turned out to be another false lead, the losses would be immeasurable.
However, if the reports were accurate, this Devil Fruit was no ordinary mythical Zoan—it was one of immense power:
Dragon-Dragon Fruit: Mythical Zoan – Winged Dragon Form.
If genuine, the Fruit's value would far exceed 50 billion berries in measurable benefits alone, to say nothing of its immeasurable potential.
A mythical Zoan of such caliber could change everything.
.
.
.