Chapter 82 : First Generation, Gild Tesoro

The night was dark and windy.

At the peak of the Red Line stood the Holy Land of Mary Geoise, with its grand and Pangaea Castle.

No one could have imagined that the heart of the World Government's power—the residence of the so-called "gods," untouched by invaders for 800 years—would become the target of a bold heist. Someone dared to sneak into the sacred grounds of the Celestial Dragons to steal.

Inside a lavish Celestial Dragon villa, a treasure room glittered with wealth. Among the riches, three mysterious Devil Fruits stood out.

"Three unidentified Devil Fruits?" Wilhelm murmured, inspecting them closely. Even after recalling all the Devil Fruits listed in the Devil Fruit Encyclopedia, he couldn't identify these.

Without hesitation, Wilhelm took the three Devil Fruits, ignoring the gold and jewels around him.

In an instant, he vanished from the villa's treasure room and moved toward his next target.

With lightning-fast movements, Wilhelm glided through the darkness like a ghost. He slipped into another brightly lit luxury villa with ease. Using his Observation Haki, he quickly located the treasure room.

Inside, Wilhelm found a remarkable surprise. Among the usual gold and silver treasures, there was a Logia-type Devil Fruit—Cloud-Cloud Fruit, Army Code B17. Alongside it lay a renowned sword classified as a Liang Kuai Grade sword.

However, Wilhelm's standards were high, and he didn't bother taking the blade. To catch his interest, a sword had to at least belong to the 21 Great Grade Swords.

He continued his search:

Third villa: Two Devil Fruits and a famous sword, Hualan.

Fourth villa: No Devil Fruits, no notable swords.

Fifth villa: One Devil Fruit and an ordinary sword.

Sixth villa: Two Devil Fruits and a famous sword, Raikiri.

Seventh villa: One Devil Fruit and an ordinary sword.

Eighth villa: No Devil Fruits and an ordinary sword.

Ninth villa: One Devil Fruit and an ordinary sword.

Tenth villa: Three Devil Fruits and an ordinary sword.

Eleventh villa: No Devil Fruits but a famous sword, Huche.

Among the 20 kings who originally founded the World Government, only the royal family of Alabasta chose not to move to Mary Geoise.

The remaining 19 families became nobles of the world, enjoying supreme privileges.

Over hundreds of years, the descendants of these families carefully maintained their bloodlines, refusing to acknowledge children born from commoners or slaves as true Celestial Dragons.

In one branch of the Italian family, Wilhelm's heist had been so successful that he had to send a suitcase filled with Devil Fruits and a few exceptional swords to Finger in advance.

On the way, he encountered a young slave named Gild Tesoro. Without hesitation, Wilhelm rescued him, sending the boy to Finger's location as well. Then, he continued his infiltration, searching for more treasure.

But as he approached the core of Mary Geoise, Wilhelm grew more cautious. His Observation Haki occasionally detected strong presences nearby—likely powerful guards or Cipher Pol agents. He narrowly avoided alerting them.

When Wilhelm reached the 53rd villa, he noticed it was far more luxurious and heavily guarded than the others. As he attempted to infiltrate, a tall figure in a suit and mask emerged, radiating a terrifying aura.

"Who's there?" the masked figure growled, rushing toward Wilhelm with lightning speed. His movement technique was unmistakable—Shave.

The figure's punch tore through the air with terrifying force.

"Iron Body: Steel Fist!" the masked man roared, his attack smashing directly into Wilhelm's defense.

BOOM!

The clash sent shockwaves rippling outward, accompanied by violent wind pressure that swept through the villa.

Debris and rubble scattered wildly from the impact.

The sheer strength of the attack, combined with the opponent's incredibly hard Armament Haki, made Wilhelm's fists ache. The force sent him flying backward through the air.

"There's an intruder…"

"Everyone, be on high alert!"

"Don't let him escape!"

The once-quiet Pangaea Castle erupted into chaos. Guards scrambled to grab their weapons and rushed toward the source of the commotion.

"CPO's shield?" Wilhelm muttered, his eyes narrowing.

He fixed his gaze on the menacing figure in front of him, charging straight at him with killing intent. Yet, instead of fear, a mocking grin spread across Wilhelm's face.

"If that's the case, I won't hold back!"

Swoosh!

Without hesitation, Wilhelm unleashed his Observation Haki to its full potential. The powerful sensory ability swept across all of Mary Geoise in an instant, revealing every building, secret room, and treasure trove within his mind.

"Intruder?"

As Wilhelm scanned the area, several powerful presences appeared, rushing toward him at incredible speed. They arrived almost immediately.

"How dare you invade the home of the gods? You'll never leave here alive!"

A tall figure in a mask roared as he launched himself into the air, aiming a Haki-infused punch straight at Wilhelm.

But Wilhelm had no intention of clashing head-on.

A faint blue light flickered in his eyes, and in an instant, he vanished. The masked figure's devastating punch hit nothing but air, crashing into the wall behind with a thunderous boom that sent shockwaves rippling through the area.

High above, thousands of meters in the sky, massive eagle vultures circled. Wilhelm reappeared on the back of Finley, his loyal mount.

Alongside the earlier loot of Devil Fruits and swords, Wilhelm now carried even more: a plain-looking samurai sword in a wooden scabbard, a dozen more Devil Fruits, and an immense amount of treasure.

Using his special Observation Haki, Wilhelm had scanned the central area of the Celestial Dragons' residences, including the World Government's underground treasure vaults. With the abilities of his Transfer-Transfer Fruit, he had stolen nearly all of their prized possessions in a single moment.

Among the treasures was an extraordinary katana—long, ancient, and radiating an ominous aura. It was none other than the legendary First Generation Kitetsu, taken directly from the hands of a bald elder who had been awakened by the earlier commotion.

"So, it really is the First Generation Kitetsu… Heh, I've stirred up a hornet's nest this time," Wilhelm said with a sneer, gripping the cursed blade tightly.

Before anyone could react, Wilhelm activated his Devil Fruit ability again.

In a flash, the massive Finley disappeared into thin air, reappearing several miles away only to vanish once more, moving too quickly for anyone to track.

"Damn it…"

"He got away…"

"He's a Devil Fruit user, isn't he?"

Several figures with intimidating presences hovered in the air, their Observation Haki tracking Wilhelm's distant aura. Their expressions darkened with anger and frustration, some visibly trembling with rage.

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