When two massive ships like the Prometheus and the Gran Tesoro e close together, it easily draw unnecessary attention, especially with the fmboyant fg flying on the Prometheus. To avoid plications, Cudius and his group used a smaller boat to make their way over to the Tesoro, apanied by Stussy and others.

  Though Cudius's face was somewhat known across the seas, there was a signifit differeween the way he looked in photographs and his natural appearance. Unless someone aying close attention, it was unlikely he'd be reized.

  Ihe Gran Tesoro's surveiln, Cudius was watg one of the ss ily. The monitor dispyed a middle-aged man in his forties with a somewhat bloated build.

  The man stood out among the gamblers around him. His clothes were pin and shabby, resembling a ronin's attire, but he carried himself with an air of fidence. He was bettiravagantly, tossing chips onto the table in rge handfuls like a seasoned gambler.

  But something about him seemed off to Cudius, who rubbed his and murmured, "No way… isn't he supposed to be blind?"

  Tesoro, who stood beside Cudius, had been incredibly busy tely. He was managing the resale of minerals from the Calm Belt, a business vehat even Dofmingo and Crocodile couldn't hairely on their own. In addition to overseeing operations on Fish-Man Isnd, Tesoro also had to manage his gambling ship and the maritime shipping business he'd ied from Umit.

  Fortunately, Tesoro had built a capable team to help him mahese ventures, allowing him to focus on the bigger picture. Among his pns was a grand project called "Golden City," inteo legitimize some of the more elusive aspects of his business empire. Cudius fully supported the project, though it was still missing a critical po: the Gold-Gold Fruit. Cudius had yet to hear any news about its whereabouts.

  "Yhness, we've been looking for this so-called blind man fes, but we couldn't find him anywhere," Tesoro said softly, a hint of pint in his tone. "And now, by sheer ce, he shows up here. Who gave you such bad intel and said he was blind in the first pce?"

  Cudius felt a twinge of embarrassment. In his memories, Fujitora had blinded himself as an act of penance, and Cudius had assumed he had always been that way. This led him to order his men to search for a blind swordsman, which might have caused them to overlook him before.

  To hide his mistake, Cudius cleared his throat and said nontly, "Ahem, whoever provided that misinformation is long gone. Let's not dwell oails, it's good that we found him."

  Tesoro silently cursed the so-called informant in his heart. "Good riddance," he thought. Anyone who dared mislead His Highness deserved to be dealt with harshly.

  Then, shifting his toesoro added, "Though I haven't tested him personally, I tell just by looking, this guy is definitely a master."

  "Yes, he is indeed a master," Cudius firmed with a faint smile.

  Tesoro raised an eyebrow. "How strong do you think he is, Yhness?"

  After some thought, Cudius replied, "He shouldn't be any weaker than Kuzan or Sakazuki."

  This decration stuesoro, Stussy, and the others present. For a moment, they were speechless. Someone parable to a Marine Admiral?

  Tesoro quickly posed himself. sidering Cudius's high standards, it wasirely surprising. However, he couldn't help but feel uneasy about the source of this information. Was Cudius being misled again?

  "Are you sure about this, Yhness?" Tesoro asked cautiously.

  "If we recruit him, we'll find out soon enough," Cudius replied with a chuckle.

  Tesoro nodded, realizing that the man's strength would be evident soon enough. Even if he wasn't as powerful as Cudius cimed, he was clearly no ordinary individual, and any iment in him would likely pay off.

  Cudius had a favorable impression of Fujitora. The man reminded him of Kuzan in some ways, though with key differences. Kuzan was a veteran Marine, deeply embedded in the institution and its values. While he harbored doubts, his loyalty to the Marines often outweighed his personal misgivings.

  Fujitora, oher hand, was entirely different. He had no ties to Mariradition or its political straints. This ck of institutional baggage allowed him to a his vis without for preserving Marine "face."

  As a result, Fujitora's as sometimes seemed abrupt or even reckless. Yet, his sense of justice was undeniable. He openly opposed corrupt systems and advocated for reform, aligning closely with Cudius's own vision for ge.

  One of Fujitora's most notable aplishments iure would be his successful abolition of the Seven Warlords of the Sea system. Using his position as a Marine Admiral, he gaihe support of several royal families at the World Summit, effectively dismantling the institution.

  This bination of idealism and decisive aade Fujitora a valuable ally in Cudius's eyes. If recruited, Fujitora could eventually be ied into CP-X and ter positioned within the Marines. Should he one day rise to the rank of Admiral, it would give Cudius yet arong ally within the Marine hierarchy.

  As Cudius tio observe Fujitora on the surveilnce monitor, he couldn't help but smile. The man seemed to be thhly enjoying himself at the gambling table, but his dwindling pile of chips suggested his luck was abysmal.

  With a lighthearted chuckle, Cudius said, "We're not going to learn much just by watg. I'll go talk to him myself."

  He stood up, stretched his shoulders, and began walking toward the door.

  Tesoro turo one of his subordinates and said, "Go with His Highness. Prepare some chips for him and make sure he has a good time."