Meeting Trebol

Running the business was tolerable as long as there were no mistakes.

"I'll be back in a month," Trebol nodded at the employee and turned to leave.

"Wait!"

The employee suddenly halted him.

Simultaneously, four burly men emerged from the surroundings, all sharply dressed in suits, their presence imposing and authoritative.

"What's going on?" Trebol's expression darkened as he scanned the area coldly. "Are you trying to take advantage of me?"

"Please don't misunderstand. An important person wishes to meet with you," the employee replied, gesturing for Trebol to sit and wait.

"And if I refuse?" Trebol sneered, his eyes narrowing dangerously.

"Then we'll have to use force to detain you," the employee stated flatly, his tone leaving no room for negotiation.

Trebol glared at the employee, contemplating his next move. Facing four opponents, charging at them would be foolish. After a brief hesitation, Trebol suppressed his urge to resist and sat down with a smirk. "Alright, let's see which big shot wants to see me!"

"You'll find out soon enough," the employee replied calmly.

A tense silence filled the air. Trebol sat upright, his expression indifferent, but his mind raced with questions.

'Who could this "big shot" be? What does the World Government want? Are they targeting the young master?'

Trebol considered various possibilities. But he didn't guess it was Lakeman.

More than ten minutes passed. Footsteps approached, echoing ominously in the quiet room.

"So you're the big shot?" Trebol looked up, squinting.

After a few moments, a young man with platinum blond hair and striking red eyes entered Trebol's view. Behind him, a group of over ten individuals followed in a formal procession, their movements synchronized and disciplined.

"No way!"

Trebol couldn't tear his eyes away from the young man. He seemed oblivious to everyone else's presence. All his attention, his entire being, was fixed on this charismatic young man. The young man exuded an overpowering presence, like the sun illuminating the world and casting light into every corner upon appearing. And the sun symbolized raw, unyielding power.

This presence!

Trebol's eyes widened in disbelief, his complexion paled, and cold sweat broke out as he stared at Lakeman in horror. The young man emanated an aura of imminent danger! It was like facing a raging storm at sea or a volcano on the brink of eruption—possessing the power to reshape the world. Even with just a glance, he could effortlessly end Trebol's life. It was akin to crushing an ant.

"Who are you?" Trebol's voice trembled.

"Insolent!" Before Lakeman could speak, his guards glared and snapped.

"How dare you look directly at our master! Do you still wish to learn his noble name?"

Shing!

The guards drew their swords in unison, the blades catching the light and reflecting it menacingly.

Trebol immediately grasped the gravity of the situation. His expression shifted as he lowered his head and said, "My apologies, I didn't realize it was Saint Lakeman himself. Please forgive my ignorance; it's an honor to be summoned by you."

"Heh." Lakeman chuckled softly, gesturing for his guards to sheathe their weapons. He settled casually, regarding Trebol with a smile. "Trebol, of the Donquixote family, user of the Sticky-Sticky Fruit, correct?"

"I am but a humble member, not worthy of your attention," Trebol replied, head bowed.

Inside, Trebol's thoughts raced. 'Saint Lakeman! Lakeman himself sought him out'

'How is this possible? Wasn't he supposed to be ignorant and naive, duped by the auction, prompting the World Government's intervention and ultimately being compensated with the auction? Did the young master misjudge him?'

"You're quite capable. Though you haven't awakened your Observation Haki yet, you're close. With another year or two of effort, you might achieve it." Lakeman's smile was gentle, almost disarming.

Through his Observation Haki, Lakeman sensed Trebol's panic and deep-seated terror. Trebol felt the overwhelming power. His instincts screamed fear.

"Thank you for your acknowledgment," Trebol replied respectfully. He dared not make any sudden moves now. It was too dangerous. Lakeman exuded a presence even more daunting than Doflamingo's. A formidable, imminent threat! At any moment, he could act with deadly consequences! — Trebol's instincts warned him.

"Relax, I didn't summon you for anything urgent. I heard the Donquixote family might have a method to obtain Devil Fruits," Lakeman said with a smile.

Those words struck Trebol like a ton of bricks. He couldn't help but smile bitterly. "My lord, our family happened to come across some fruits by chance. What method could we use?"

"That's not quite right." Lakeman raised an eyebrow. "I recall Doflamingo being quite resourceful."

"The young master is indeed resourceful," Trebol straightened slightly. "But Devil Fruits appear randomly. We can only acquire them through chance encounters."

"Is that so?" Lakeman frowned slightly, deep in thought. He recalled that in the original timeline, Doflamingo dealt extensively in Devil Fruits. Beyond artificial ones, he amassed a collection of original fruits. After Ace's death, Doflamingo secured the Mera-Mera Fruit. He also possessed technology to recycle Devil Fruits.

'Could it be that Doflamingo hasn't yet mastered acquisition methods?' Lakeman wondered.

Ahead, Trebol's nerves were taut, his mind racing.

'What's Lakeman up to? How does he know about the young master's Devil Fruit collection? Is he targeting the young master?'

With these thoughts, Trebol resolved not to divulge the family's operations. No matter how Lakeman probed, he'd keep the secrets close.

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