Chapter 161 - Chapter 163

"Ginrummy, how are you feeling?"

"F-Fine, S-Sir, l...Lord," Ginrummy felt tiny and helpless in front of his physical presence. On top of not knowing how to address him, she couldn't find the courage to look him in the eyes.

"Just call me Amell. No need for formalities."

"Okay. W-Why am I here?" She glanced back at the double doors leading out of the office. She then took a second to inspect the office as a whole. And she had to admit that she had never seen a bigger or more impressive room than this.

"To listen to my offer. Are you willing?" Amell put no pressure through his voice. He gestured for her to sit down on one of the chairs in front of his desk.

"What offer could you possibly offer me? I am a nobody, better to just let me go," she didn't have any confidence about her current chances of survival, but that didn't mean she wanted to die. If there was a chance to get out of here alive, she would do whatever it took to make that happen for herself.

"True, you are indeed a nobody as you are now. Sitting in front of me is a nobody, someone who broke down from just looking into my eyes and realizing how weak she is in comparison." He leaned forward and simultaneously she unconsciously leaned back.

"How does that feel, Ginrummy? How does it feel to be a nobody? Someone who runs at the first sight of real danger?" His voice hit something deep inside of her, and her confidence and anger surfaced for a single sentence worth of time.

"I am not that person! I am just not stupid enough to fight a losing battle!" Ginrummy's little tantrum wasn't stopped by Amell. She herself caught on to who she just yelled at, and she fell down on the chair as she had stood up for that little speech.

"O-Oh god... I-I'm sorry, I didn't mean to yell at you, Sir!" She bowed her head, her whole body shaking.

"No, do not apologize. That is what I was looking for. So, are you now ready to hear my offer?" Amell leaned back with a calm smile. The atmosphere in the room got unusually peaceful and it helped to calm her fast-beating heart.

"I suppose," a quick answer while still having her head lowered, not daring to look at him.

Amell took out something from behind the desk and placed it on the desk. It was a strange-looking fruit and Amell stroked its surface. "Have a look, do you know what this is?"

"A devil fruit?" Ginrummy would never claim to know more about the world than an emperor, but she found it quite strange if Amell assumed she didn't even know what this was. She had lived most of her life in the most dangerous sea in the world.

"Correct. But that's not really what I am asking. I am asking if you know what fruit this is." Amell rotated the fruit using his hand, giving her a complete view of it.

"No, sir, I do not know."

"Then let me give you a hint. A giant club, a body like a giant and suicidal tendencies." Amell enjoyed watching as realisation appeared on her face. Her face twisted from confusion to utter shock.

"C-Captain... He is dead?"

"They all are. But as you know now, this is, or was Kaido's devil fruit."

"And why are you showing this to me. You can not possibly be thinking of offering that to me! I already ate one."

"About that, I removed the devil fruit you had. Incredibly ugly business those artificial fruits." Amell enjoyed another show of various emotions running amock on her face.

"Y-You removed it? W-What! HOW?" She stood up again and yelled at him. She had never heard about anyone doing this.

"Try using it if you do not believe me," Amell said casually and sat back. And Ginrummy tried to use her Zoan fruit, but nothing happened. She couldn't transform, nothing happened. She sat down with a panic-stricken expression on her face. It took quite a few minutes before she looked back up at Amell.

"W-Why me!? What's the catch?" She didn't know what to say to this. But one thing she learned from living this long was, in a pirates lifestyle, nothing's free, ever.

"Glad you asked. The catch is that you serve the Gotei. I will say this now, and it is up to you whether you believe me or not. The Gotei will control the world eventually. Well, we already do control it, we will just wait a while before we make it public. And with this fruit, you will be one of the four most important and powerful pirates in the upcoming era."

"Four? Are you offering me an emperor position?"

"Yes. Not what you think though. My emperors will be servants of the Gotei. Peacekeepers of the world. So in simple terms, you will be below me, but above the rest of the world. So, what say you?" Amell's tone was deadly serious and his gaze started putting real pressure on her body.

"If I eat this, I will gain the powers of Kaido, but forced to join you?"

"Exactly! You are catching on quick."

"I accept!" Ginrummy reached over and took the fruit, and Amell didn't stop her. She looked at it for only a second before taking a bite of the fruit. She immediately showed an ugly expression from eating it. The sour, almost sun-drying garbage taste made her want to throw up on the floor.

"How is it?" Amell asked her as she was on her knees on the floor and trying not to throw up.

"Disgusting!" She said after finally succeeding in swallowing it all.

"Good, that means it's working." A bright smile dressed his face, but it served to only anger her further. "Bastard!" She whispered under her breath.

"Fantastic, one of four done!" Amell said and leaned back on his chair. "Now, let us discuss what comes next for you."

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End