Sabaody Archipelago, Island 78.
Tesoro's home was a small, two-story wooden cabin, standing serenely next to the lush Yarukiman Mangrove Forest. It wasn't particularly spacious, its living room filled with simple furniture—just a worn sofa, an old cabinet, a small table, and a few chairs. Yet, the scene inside was a little messy. Empty wine bottles, old newspapers, and discarded clothes were strewn everywhere, creating an unavoidable chaos.
"Ahhh! I'm sorry, I've been too busy with work, so I haven't had time to clean properly," Tesoro lamented sadly, seeing his beloved gazing at his messy dwelling. He hurriedly began to tidy up the house, his face flushing with embarrassment.
With Stella's help, Tesoro moved quickly, fumbling for a bit, and finally tidied up the living room. Only then did he invite Sephiroth into his study.
A moment later, Tesoro held a warm cup of coffee and placed it in front of Sephiroth, who was already seated in the office chair. He himself stood respectfully beside him, exuding an aura of seriousness.
"Boss, how should our Company begin to develop in the initial stage?" When it came to business, Tesoro immediately became serious and polite, and a flash of wisdom shone in his eyes. For over a year, he himself had conducted several small businesses. Otherwise, it would have been impossible for him to save over ten million Berries, money that ordinary people would take decades to accumulate. This showed how strong Tesoro's ability to make money was. If not, he wouldn't become the richest man in the world in the future, complete with connections in both the real world and the underworld.
"The initial stage of the Company requires a large accumulation of capital, so I plan to work as a bounty hunter for a while first," Sephiroth explained his future plans to Tesoro. "As for business matters, I plan to hand over full responsibility to you."
Initially, he had indeed planned to enter the heavy and weapons industries. Regarding weapon research and development, he planned to hand it over to Franky in Water 7 later. That man tinkered with weapons all day, he could even create something that could destroy a Sea King with one shot, and his passion for it never faded. If he extended an invitation, it was highly likely the other party would agree. At that time, Sephiroth would be responsible for providing weapon development ideas from his previous life, Franky would be responsible for gradually implementing them, and Tesoro, as a local expert who understood the situation in the Sabaody Archipelago, could help them open trade routes. Furthermore, since internal combustion engines had already appeared, wouldn't it be a shame not to develop cars and airplanes?
If all else failed, Sephiroth himself could also moonlight as a weapon developer. During his military service, he had learned a lot about firearms and military equipment. However, these ideas required very large investments in the initial stage, so becoming a bounty hunter and quickly earning money became Sephiroth's only option. The Sabaody Archipelago was a gathering place for Pirates from the four seas. There were some with bounties of tens of millions, or even over a hundred million. Coincidentally, Sephiroth now needed to hone his swordsmanship, and he had awakened Busoshoku Haki. Therefore, improving his strength through actual combat was also a very good option.
Although his current amount of Haki wasn't much, it was even somewhat difficult to fully coat his Autumn Leaf Sword... But for him, that was enough! With Kenbunshoku Haki and Busoshoku Haki, as well as his Vampire Fruit ability, hunting ordinary Pirates with bounties of tens of millions should still be very easy! As for Pirates with bounties over a hundred million, he wasn't willing to take too many risks. It was better to play it safe first and consider it when his strength was sufficient.
"Boss, the bounty hunter profession is very dangerous, and it's easy to invite hostility and encirclement from other Pirates. I suggest you think carefully..." Tesoro said hesitantly, his tone full of concern.
Sephiroth waved his hand and said indifferently, "Don't worry! I'll be careful... Besides, my current profession is a Marine. Pirates are already hostile to me."
"Wait! Boss, you're a Marine?" Tesoro gasped, a hint of shock in his eyes. "Then why do you still want to start your own Company and do business..." He didn't understand why Sephiroth, as a Marine, still had the idea of establishing his own Company.
Only then did Sephiroth realize that he seemed to have accidentally leaked something, but he thought this matter wasn't a big deal. Since Tesoro was his subordinate and partner, the other party would eventually realize his identity, so it was better to admit it openly now. Thinking this, Sephiroth shrugged and said in a relaxed tone, "Alright! Currently, I'm still a Military School student. I plan to remain a Marine for a few years and see how things go. If I feel the Marines aren't easy to get along with, I'll quit and start my own business and develop my influence, that's why I'm making preparations for both scenarios beforehand."
Hearing this, Tesoro waved his hands repeatedly, saying excitedly, "No, no, no! Boss, if you can be transferred to the Marine Base in the Sabaody Archipelago after graduation to become a Marine, I think our Company will definitely be able to grow bigger and stronger, monopolizing most of the industries in the Sabaody Archipelago..."
Sephiroth raised an eyebrow slightly and said with a touch of interest, "Oh!? Tell me more, tell me more..."
That night, the two talked a lot about the future development of the Company, and Sephiroth also fully realized how flexible Tesoro's business mind was. Tesoro's acumen in spotting opportunities and his clever strategies further solidified Sephiroth's choice.
At three in the morning, seeing Tesoro yawn, Sephiroth got up to leave. Along the way, he also gave the remaining thirty million Berries from his suitcase to the other party. He wasn't worried that the other party would run off with the money. After all, during their conversation, he could see that Tesoro wasn't someone satisfied with mediocrity. The other party also harbored great hidden ambitions.
Tesoro and Stella stood at the doorstep of the house, watching Sephiroth's figure slowly disappear at the end of the street. The blonde woman gently leaned into her lover's embrace and whispered softly, "Tesoro, Mr. Sephiroth is truly a good person! We must repay his kindness in the future."
"Whether he's a good person or not, I won't comment for now, but..." Tesoro stared into the darkness where Sephiroth had disappeared, "I could always feel disdain for the World Government in his words, as well as hidden ambition in his eyes. He is a man with great ambition and dreams. I very much look forward to seeing how far he can go in the future..." His voice was filled with anticipation, as if he had just witnessed a grand destiny that had just begun.