One Piece: The Admiral's Treacherous Path

The Marine G0 base of the New World.

At the helm of this base is the esteemed Admiral Xilan, also known by his epithet, the "Red Dragon". He's the user of the Mythical Zoan type Devil Fruit, the Red Dragon Emperor, which is considered a god-tier Devil Fruit, imbued with potential on par with Straw Hat Luffy's Nika fruit.

On the barren training grounds, a gang of pirates stood with their limbs bound, awaiting their impending execution by the Marine forces.

"Sir, please wait! I have money!" one of the pirates suddenly exclaims.

The leader of the Marine unit turns, casting a sharp gaze upon the offender and exclaiming, "You have ten people, each of whom can be spared the death penalty for one hundred million berries."

The pirate captain's face contorted in discomfort. "Ah... why so much?" he asked.

"Trash!" the Marine bellows in response, "Despite living in the New World, you can't even produce one billion berries. What use do you have?"

Bang bang bang!!! The marine, feeling frustrated, fires several shots, killing them all.

The Marine soldiers standing beside him remained expressionless, as this was a common occurrence in their line of work

This was the code of conduct at the G0 base: everything had a price, and money was the ultimate bargaining chip.

Upon another execution ground, another group of pirates awaits their fate.

"Sir, don't kill me! There's 1.5 billion berries on my ship!" the captain of the second group of pirates, tied up and kneeling on the ground, begged frantically.

"Really?" The leader of the Marines raised an eyebrow, a sly grin forming on his lips.

"Absolutely true! I am willing to offer all my assets in order to pay respects to Admiral Xilan," the pirate captain replies quickly, his heart filled with hope.

"Very well, untie this man and prepare a feast for him. From now on, he is a friend of ours." The Marine waved his hand, and a group of Marines immediately move to untie the captain, even offering him a cigar.

If this scene were to spread, it would most likely shock the entire Marine organization. The Marines offering a cigar to a pirate? But such bizarre occurrences have been a common occurrence at the G0 base for decades.

"I'll bet big this time! 100,000 berries!"

"Fuck off, I bet 1 million berries for this one!"

Unlike other Marine bases, the soldiers at the G0 base often engage in gambling during their downtime. And while such behavior could be expected from the lower ranks, it is surprising to see that their leader, Admiral Xilan, is no different.

In the admiral's office, Xilan lounges on his bed, surrounded by several women who attend to his every need. Two beautiful women massage his feet, two young girls gently caress his arms, and another woman tends to his hair.

"Old man, how does the pressure feel?" the woman washing his hair asks.

"Do not refer to me as an elderly individual," Xilan said, opening his eyes suddenly after nodding in agreement. "Do not judge my age based on my beard and hair, for I possess a vigor and vitality that belies my years."

The woman nods and continues her work.

"Very well, you may all depart," Xilan said, waving his hand suddenly. "Go and speak with my secretary to receive your compensation, 500,000 Berry each."

"Thank you!!" The girls bowed and expressed their gratitude. With 500,000 berries given out in less than an hour, it was clear that Xilan, though referred to as an elderly individual, was generous with his wealth.

After the girls left, Xilan dressed himself and walked to the mirror. Gazing at his reflection, he saw his white hair, wrinkles, and dazed eyes. Despite the signs of age on his face, he maintained a suave and debonair appearance.

Xilan, who is presently 74 years of age and has lived for more than half a century, is a contemporary of figures such as Garp and Sengoku. He has also engaged in conflicts with individuals such as Roger, Whitebeard, and Rocks, and has risen through the ranks from being an unknown soldier to a Marine Admiral.

As he stands at the window and observes his subordinates engaging in various forms of indulgence, including eating, drinking, engaging in promiscuous activities such as whoring, and gambling, Xilan is struck with the realization that youth is a coveted and fleeting commodity. 

"Time sure flies fast. Looking at them I realize that it's really nice to be young."

As he stretched his waist, Xilan's eyes flickered as he considered the capabilities of the system within his mind. Specifically, he wondered if it had the ability to preserve youth.

"Does the system possess the capacity to preserve youth?" 

"Affirmative," a mechanical sound resounded within Xilan's mind. 

The super money-burning system, which grants a wide range of abilities in exchange for currency, has a high demand among users seeking to augment their capabilities.

The acquisition of Xilan's Red Dragon Emperor form required the expenditure of 10 billion berries.

Additionally, the acquisition of Top Conqueror's Haki necessitates the disbursement of 600 crore.

(AN: 600 crore is equivalent to 6 billion berries)

It should be noted that Xilan's strength has been attained through monetary means, as he has never engaged in traditional "cultivation" techniques. His combat prowess is comparable to that of Roger at his apex. 

However, it should be noted that obtaining such strength comes at a great cost, totaling nearly 100 billion berries.

In addition to the initial cost of acquiring various abilities and powers through the system, the annual operation of the system also incurs a significant expense, totaling approximately 36 billion berries or roughly 100 million berries per day.

These costs represent only the basic expenses and do not include the additional hundreds of billions of berries required for various other aspects. The system's exorbitant financial demands may even strain the resources of a country, let alone a single individual.

Given the extreme costs associated with utilizing the system, it is questionable whether Xilan can continue to use it without obtaining a substantial income.

Anyway, back to our topic.

"Affirmative," the system replied with a mechanical sound. 

"The host has the option to purchase an eternal body, which will maintain its current state and prevent aging indefinitely. This is equivalent to obtaining an immortal body, but it comes at a cost of 200 billion berries"

"Two hundred billion?" Xilan, who is known for his extravagant spending habits, was taken aback by the steep cost. He couldn't help but suspect that the system was being sarcastic with the exorbitant price.

With a displeased expression on his face, Xilan asked, "System, you didn't do it on purpose, did you?" It is likely that the system had intentionally set such a high price. Currently, Xilan's family property is estimated to be worth only 200 billion berries.

After dedicating his life to being a Marine, Xilan has grown weary of the lifestyle and intends to retire. He currently possesses 200 billion berries, which he plans to use to enjoy his retirement.

However, the exorbitant cost of purchasing an eternal body, which totals 200 billion berries, threatens to deplete his savings and potentially drain his pension funds. This unexpected financial burden has disrupted Xilan's retirement plans and caused him concern.

"Would it not be a financial deficit to purchase an immortal body for 200 billion berries?" The system inquired in response. "Given the host's capacity for generating wealth, it would be relatively simple to accrue hundreds of billions of berries annually with a slightly more aggressive approach. While 200 billion berries may seem like a significant sum, it is equivalent to only half a year's worth of work for the host."

After a moment of hesitation, Xilan's gaze became uncertain. He considered his options for a while before finally nodding and saying, "Very well, I will purchase the immortal body for 200 billion berries."

Xilan had initially intended to retire in the near future, but the unexpected financial deficit of purchasing an immortal body has forced him to delay his retirement plans.

He has decided to continue working for another year in order to generate the necessary funds, and will wait until this time next year to retire.

—

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