One Piece: Gambling to The Top

Chapter 219

After dealing with the distraction of the Totto Land main island, Josh turned into the other islands. Robin, using her ability, made many copies in the other islands and started hunting for the rest of Linlin's crew.

Kalifa turned into a lightning bolt that flew the heaven, creating black clouds everywhere, before using her Observation Haki to locate every fighter with strong spirits and shooting lightning at them from the sky. Hancock led an attack too on the other officers, and Josh was sure that she can kick them easily. 

Josh, on the other hand, went with Viola and Marianne, who had located the treasures of Linlin. There, he found the Road Poneglyph, one of the four pieces that can lead to the One Piece. The only one who can read them is Robin and the people of the tribe that had three eyes. Although Josh had no use to that Poneglyph, since it doesn't match with his ambition, it doesn't mean it doesn't have a use for him. And so, he decided to take it. Also, there was another Poneglyph, but it wasn't red. Still, Robin would like to have them, and Josh would like to sell a copy of them later. 

Taking everything, from the treasures to the gold, to the money, Josh felt that he would reach heaven soon. He smiled genuinely as he estimated that Linlin's wealth is a little over 30 Billion Berries. Still, Doflamingo had more, but that man was known as the underworld Joker. 

But, it's expected. After all, she can rob countries of their wealth so easily, and she could afford to feed a series of islands with various races. 

'Sure, I can create another Yonko with this much… But I want to play with it." Josh smiled a bit. He had reached a very high level of power that it may seem that he doesn't need to play the lottery with the system. But in fact, he was addicted to getting new items. 

"This time, I won't see the future. I'll let it surprise me." Josh laughed a bit, thinking if it would be a good idea to leave things to luck. What's the harm? He has a Mystery Box now with a Divine rank. The box alone is worth more than a hundred billion, Josh assumed. Thanks to Asura Spirit he had eaten, his spiritual powers and vitality tripled and he could eat three Devil Fruits. 

"What?" Viola turned to Josh when she heard him muttering and laughing. She didn't know who he was talking to, but she knew he was quite happy with the money. She was quite surprised, yet she found herself having to smile. She didn't know that man truly, as she had only joined his crew 2 days ago. Surely, he is gentle and very strong. But she had seen him fight, and trust her when she says, him in his Devil Form is so scary. He had even turned a previous Pirate Emperor, someone known to have invincible defences, into ashes. 

Josh turned to the nervous Viola and patted her on the shoulder. "Let's take the drinks. We should celebrate tonight. One less pain in the ass." 

"One less pain in the ass?" Viola didn't understand him. 

"He means…" Marianne, who was holding the Creation Paper to drew things for Josh, turned to Viola. "Big Mom was a threat since she used a hostage on Daddy's personal life, so he is celebrating with a less pressured life." 

"You really do get me." Josh patted Marianne on the head, and she smiled. 

Viola just nodded. "I think the drinks are in the next kitchen." 

"Let's take them later." Josh then walked outside. 

After taking everything to his ship, Josh found Stussy standing there. 

Stussy was looking at the clouds. Lightning bolts were falling from the sky. Screams could be heard as battle shockwaves spread across the place. 

"You have a quite good crew." Stussy turned when Josh stood next to her. 

"I'm proud of my girls," Josh said, almost shedding a tear in pride. 

"Somehow, I'm itching to try my Devil Fruit," Stussy said. "Who will have more destructive powers then." 

Josh patted her on the back. "Don't worry. You are on the top." 

Stussy turned her head to him, smiled, and gave him a French kiss. Closing his eyes, Josh let his tongue and enjoyed the warm kiss from the blond. It had been a couple of months since they had action, and they missed each other, as it appears. 

Once the kiss was over, Stussy turned to the two girls. "Who are they?  I know Viola since I had seen her before. But I never saw that one."  

Viola was the princess of Dressrosa. Stussy, as a CP0 agent, knew every king and princess in the world. She had seen them personally when they had attended the meetings of the World Government. 

Viola just gave a small nod. Marianne just let a sigh. 

"Remember, Marianne, the little girl," Josh said. 

"Oh, the dwarf." 

"She had her growth spurt." 

"Wow…" Stussy examined Marianne. "They grow up fast… Did you do to her what you have done to Carlos?" 

Marianne stomped on her foot. She extended her hand and a plasma pattern was drawn. Stussy felt dizzy all of a sudden as everything started spinning. Josh held her and he stared at Marianne. 

"What was that for?" Stussy asked. 

"You are getting too old. Maybe you should see a doctor." She said calmly. 

"I'll try not taking that personally." Stussy let a sigh as she turned her head, and she whispered in Josh's ear. "Maybe they grow up physically." 

Josh smiled. "You are smart. But don't raise your voice. She was quite sensitive about her height." He then pulled her up to her feet. 

"Anyway. Talking about Carlos." Stussy cleared her throat. "He had been looking for you, to pay off his debt. He said, bring back my 2 inches. Soon, 4…" Stussy giggled a bit, and Josh faked a cough. 

"Guess he is desperate." Josh smiled. "Anyway. Stay close. I'll have you deliver a message from me later." 

"Ohh… sounds exciting," Stussy said as she put her arm around his back, seductively. Without a previous warning, he found Marianne holding his other arm, acting the same way as Stussy. Josh didn't say anything and enjoyed his situation. At least, this may help him forget how Linlin almost forced him to become her Gigolo. 

"Don't be too excited. I may ruin the world forever, but who cares." Josh extended his hand and opened his arm. Azure fog danced there. That was his soul. "I may need you to sneak a few allies with you." 

"Now, this makes me wonder," Stussy muttered. "But is that Linlin's power." 

"Yeah," Josh said. He felt something and he turned his head. "Oh. It seems that girls are done. Let's make a tour of the islands. Stussy, you better vanish for now. You don't want to blow your cover." 

"Right." Stussy let a sigh and vanished into thin air. 

Viola walked and stood behind Josh. She whispered. "She is hiding in this ship." 

"I know. But she is good at concealing her presence." Josh nodded as he let a sigh. 

-x-X-x- 

As it seems, Josh's girls were done from dealing with Linlin's mom. There were two commanders of hers that were still around, but they were defeated quickly, as they never had a chance. As Josh had trapped everyone in these lands, he asked them to gather on one island. Of course, they had no choice but to obey. And those who thought they could run, there were Kalifa and Robin with her copies in guard. And of course, no one would want to escape to get stroke by lightning, just like they had witnessed. 

Josh walked to the crowded island. He believed it should be called Chocolate Island or Cacao Island, as he could smell that. People were afraid. Citizens, from all of the races, had their heads down as they were muttering how their lives would be. After all, they had been selling their souls to find a safe place in this area. 

They had to live in this place, even when Linlin was killing them casually when she gets hungry. But that's better than all of them dying, right. 

Josh let a long sigh as he cleared his throat and moved his eyes to the corner. There were few exceptional tall people for humans. Yeah, people are large in One Piece, but there are larger. They were the kids of Big Mom. And here he is, the man who had killed their mom.

But in his defence, they shouldn't have a grudge against him. Their mom had killed all of their fathers. 

'And here I thought I had a fucked up family.' 

Josh started speaking. "Now guys. It's needless to introduce myself."  Josh opened his hand, and a chair appeared. He placed it, and he sat on it, crossing a leg above another. 

No one talked back to him.

Josh continued. "Now, you may wonder. Why this cruel demon is gathering us…" 

A child among the crow, someone who had two elbows and was 2 meters long, raised his hand. 

A woman behind him put her hand on his mouth and tried to make him put his hand down. 

"It's okay, let the kid speak," Josh said. When the woman made eye contact with him, she shivered and lowered her hand. 

'So, this is how it feels like to be a villain. What should I work on next, my evil laugh…' 

Josh kept a serious face with a casual smirk. 

"You are here to make us an offer, as these lands are yours?"

"See, this is a smart kid." Josh clapped with his hands. He turned to the woman behind him, and he asked. "Seriously, what do you feed him?" 

"I feed him… milk, sir…" 

"Milk…" Josh half-closed his eyes and examined the mother… Yeah, the milk may be the secret ingredient… Maybe Luffy didn't advance physically like his father and grandfather… because he didn't have someone to feed him milk.

'My body belongs to an orphan, it seems.' 

"Don't even think about it." Robin coughed and whispered. 

Josh held his chuckle. "Too late." 

"Anyway. You are right. I'll give you an offer. I have defeated Linlin, and I'm giving you an offer." He looked at the Charlotte Family. "Yes, Charlottes. You have one offer. You can either join me or, you can refuse." 

"What will happen to us if we refuse." 

"Depending on your use." Josh shrugged a shoulder. "As for the citizens, you can still live here. As long as you pay 30.000 Berries a month." 

30.000 Berries a month. If you have 10.000 Citizens, then 

They looked at each other. 

Josh commented. "Better than paying your souls, right. You know, many powerful emperors, at their death, had one wish. You know what's that. They wanted to live one more day." Josh lifted his finger. "And they were ready to give up everything they had. You have the time to think" That was the reality on earth. Josh stood up and turned. 

'And they have the audacity to say that immortality is a curse. What do you expect from a movie producer who make a 1000 years old man thinks like 30 years old man and act like a teenager and cry like a bitch about immortality? Of course, they can't think like a wise old man, let alone write a character like that.' 

Linlin's children were left to think. The older ones seemed to object, especially the two remaining commanders, and some huge woman called Brulee something.

Surprisingly, the other 80 children — older than Josh — seemed to show their true colours, and they decided to betray their dead mom. 

Some started shouting. "She never let me see my father." 

"Remember that time, when Mama got hungry and killed our brothers! I'm happy that bitch died!" 

"Fuck her. I loved my brother!" 

"Hey, are you going to betray her…" 

"Fuck you… you are just a masochist, don't drag me down." 

"She only used me for a political marriage." 

Linlin's kids showed sides of themselves that had been hidden. As it seems, most of her kids hate her, yet fear her. 

Who to blame them, though. 

Josh turned to them and raised his eyebrows. He clicked his tongue. "Shame. From the island I came from, we had a therapist for people just like you."

Josh jumped and landed next to Linlin's kids, who were tied and injured. 

He opened his arms, and he turned to find himself that he was between women, the brown-haired ones. Before spinning and looking at most of them. 

"I'll help you with your mommy issues. And I'll show you a better life." Josh opened his hand, and a group of papers appeared. 

He had prepared those in advance. 

Devil Contracts, with conditions written already. 

"Sign those, and you'll be part of my group." 

"What about us!" A huge man called Cracker, the one on the lead of the ones who refuse to betray their dead mom, said. 

Josh waved his hand. Their ties were cut. 

With empathy, he said. "I feel sorry for you, after what Your mom had done. Deep down, inside, I know that there is a little child you want to protect. You are acting like this, cold and ruthless because it's your way to protect yourself. I bet when you were a kid, you were so afraid. You wanted to prove yourself, but you were surrounded by death and fear." Josh patted Cracker on his shoulder. 

Cracker lowered his head, seemed to be affected, but his face showed no emotions. 

The others were too. 

After using Bullshit Justu, Josh turned to his girls and he winked. Once those guys leave, the girls will deal with them. And Josh will take their spiritual powers and Devil Fruits. 

"You are free, to leave, children." Josh smiled as he opened his arms. 

'Hold on.' Josh sniffed the air. 'Something feels wrong. I smell positivity.' 

He turned his head. The people of this island had tears in their eyes. Some started crying already. 

"He truly understands us." Someone from an unknown race said while crying. 

"He's not a devil. He is a saint… How can he be so forgiving."

"I want to live here…" 

Josh's left eyelid started twitching. 'Reminds me of God Usopp moment. All I wanted was to surprise those guys with false hope; Never thought they will take it this far.' Josh couldn't believe it. People are saying he is a saint… they are thinking that he is the *Hope*

'Maybe should've kept my mouth locked.' 

Josh noticed that someone took the paper from him. 

"I'm joining." Cracker, without reading the Devil Contract, sign it. 

"Me too!" Another one said. 

"I… I can't… but have to." 

Josh, frustrated, smacked the papers on the ground and left. It seems they are pledging their loyalty to him. 

"Where are you going?" Robin asked him as he walked past her.  She giggled a bit. 

"Somewhere to make sense out of this world's logic," Josh said. 

"You're the illogical one here." Robin smiled as she patted his shoulder.

"Yeah. You're right.." Making sense out of One Piece logic makes you mad.