One Piece: I'm not Roger

A few hours later, deep into the night, the city of Gran Tesoro remained as lively as ever. It was a city that never slept, overflowing with wealth, gourmet food, and beautiful women. The golden lights illuminated every corner of the massive entertainment paradise.

High above the city, hidden within the darkness of the night sky, two figures moved silently through the air before landing steadily outside a casino window.

They were Aether and Carina.

Both of them wore black tight fitting outfits suited for infiltration. Aether's clothing had transformed from the Red Dragon Set, while Carina wore her usual attire beneath the dark outfit.

The moment Aether looked at her, his gaze was immediately drawn toward the exposed snowy-white skin on her chest.

Although Carina had intentionally worn black clothing to blend into the darkness, the zipper near her chest remained partly open, revealing an eye-catching amount of cleavage.

Aether raised an eyebrow knowingly.

"Carina, are you not going to zip that up? That outfit of yours really reminds me of certain kinds of works."

His blatant stare immediately made Carina cover herself with both hands as she glared at him.

"Hmph, the clothes you found were too small. It's uncomfortable wearing them. And what kind of works are you even talking about?"

Aether chuckled.

"Oh? So they really are that big. As for the works I mentioned, it's not something convenient to explain."

Carina narrowed her eyes suspiciously.

For some reason, she felt whatever he meant definitely was not anything decent. Her instincts as a woman told her that much.

After their brief exchange, Aether handed her the invisibility cloak he had not used in a long time before speaking seriously.

"Head to the upper floors and investigate. If you can locate the target, even better. If not, it doesn't matter. Your safety comes first, understood?"

Carina paused slightly before nodding.

"I understand."

Seeing Aether suddenly become serious improved her opinion of him a little. At the very least, this temporary partner was not the type to casually sacrifice his companions.

Her fingers gently rubbed the cloak's smooth surface, and her eyes immediately lit up.

"Can I discuss something with you?"

Her tone suddenly softened as she held the cloak tightly.

"Can you give this cloak to me afterward? I can even waive my payment this time."

Her beautiful face was filled with anticipation. An invisibility cloak was practically a divine treasure for a thief.

Unfortunately, Aether looked at her as if she were an idiot.

"You must be dreaming. This invisibility cloak is a priceless treasure, and you want to trade a few hundred million Berries for it?"

Carina's expression instantly darkened after being mocked so mercilessly.

"Hmph!"

She turned around angrily and walked away, her hips swaying provocatively.

"I'll do my part properly. But if you fail to take over Gran Tesoro like you claimed, don't blame me for abandoning you and escaping alone."

Soon after Carina left, the corridor leading toward the upper floors became quiet once again.

The crisp sound of high heels echoed through the hallway.

Baccarat was on her way upstairs to report the day's earnings to Gild Tesoro.

As she walked through the luxurious corridor, she glanced out through the massive windows overlooking the dazzling city below. The golden scenery filled her face with satisfaction as she enjoyed the feeling of power and luxury.

Then suddenly, a man's voice interrupted her thoughts.

"You seem to enjoy your current life quite a lot. Unfortunately, I'm probably going to change your future."

A figure dressed in black blocked the path ahead.

Baccarat instantly became alert.

Her long brown legs stepped back slightly beneath her formal dress while her hands quietly activated the power of the Luck-Luck Fruit.

Even so, she maintained her elegant smile.

"Isn't this the distinguished guest from earlier, Mr. Kun? Is there something I can help you with? This is Master Tesoro's territory. We always do our best to satisfy every guest."

Her attempt at intimidation only made Aether smile mockingly.

He deliberately revealed a sinister grin.

"I already told Miss Baccarat earlier that I wanted a more in-depth exchange with you. What kind of help do you think I'm asking for?"

Baccarat's expression immediately turned ugly.

She understood very clearly that the man before her was not someone she could confront directly. The strength he displayed earlier was far beyond what she could handle.

The moment she considered escaping, Aether vanished from sight.

In the next instant, he appeared behind her and pulled her directly into his arms.

His hands shamelessly roamed across her sensitive body.

Baccarat's face instantly turned pale from shock.

Just as she thought disaster was about to strike, she suddenly felt someone lick her ear before a familiar teasing voice entered her ears.

"It's really been a while, Baccarat. Looks like you've been living pretty comfortably lately. You've even gotten curvier. I can't even hold you properly with one hand anymore."

Baccarat froze completely.

That familiar voice instantly shattered her panic.

She quickly turned around and saw Aether's true appearance.

The moment their eyes met, her expression shifted from shock to anger.

"You bastard Aether!"

She immediately started punching his chest repeatedly.

"You nearly scared me to death! You liar actually dared to appear in front of me again after disappearing for so long!"

Aether simply allowed her to vent her frustration.

Only after she calmed down slightly did he lower his head and silence her endless complaints with a kiss.

After a long moment, the two finally separated.

Aether continued holding the mature beauty in his arms while whispering softly near her ear.

"Baccarat, do you remember what I told you before? I'm here to take Gran Tesoro now. So tell me, whose side are you choosing?"

The atmosphere immediately became tense.

Originally, Aether had considered targeting Donquixote Doflamingo instead, but provoking Kaido too early was not a wise choice.

That was why he ultimately chose Tesoro.

Baccarat looked at Aether affectionately, her eyes seemingly filled with hesitation.

In truth, she was carefully weighing her options.

Although she did have feelings for Aether, after all, he was the only man who had truly conquered her, she was not someone who would casually abandon her interests for romance alone.

But now, Aether had appeared once again with overwhelming confidence.

At this point, she no longer had much room to choose.

Instead of speaking, Baccarat wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him passionately once more.

When they finally separated, she revealed a charming smile.

"Idiot, of course I'll choose you. You're my man, the only man I've ever belonged to."

Aether stared directly into her beautiful eyes, carefully observing her expression.

This time, she did not seem to be lying.

Originally, he had already decided that if Baccarat chose her own profit over him, then everything between them would simply remain mutual exploitation.

But now, she had clearly made her choice.

A grin immediately appeared on Aether's face as he lifted her into his arms and spun her around lightly.

"Then from now on, you're my woman, mine alone."