"Is that so..." Whitebeard's deep voice carried a hint of hesitation and a father's concern.
Until Ace's Conqueror's Haki reached a higher, more controllable level, he still felt a deep unease about letting him loose in Kaido's territory—a place filled with danger and monsters who had mastered Haki.
Just as Whitebeard was wrestling with his decision, Ace turned a desperate, pleading gaze toward Ron, his eyes practically begging for help, as if he were about to physically cling to the vice-captain's leg.
Faced with such a raw display, Ron let out a soft sigh and shook his head with helpless amusement.
"Captain" he began, his voice calm but firm, interrupting the Yonko's contemplation.
"Maybe we should let Ace give it a try next time. After all, a sword is only sharpened on the whetstone. The pressure of a real battle accelerates the growth of Haki faster than anything else. If we shelter him too much, we might actually hinder his potential."
Whitebeard pondered Ron's words, weighing his protective instincts against the harsh realities of the world.
He knew Ron was right.
True strength wasn't cultivated in a greenhouse. "Very well," he finally conceded, a proud smile touching his lips.
"You can go with me next time."
"Thank you, Pops! Thank you, Ron!" Ace exclaimed, pure, unadulterated joy radiating from him.
Finally, he could go out and put his training to the test!
The tension in the air finally broke.
"Gurararara!" Whitebeard laughed, the sound a joyous thunderclap.
"Let's throw a grand feast to celebrate!" A roar of approval shook the island as the crew sprang into action.
*****
Early the next morning, the air was buzzing with an almost giddy energy.
The commanders and alliance captain gathered before Ron, heavy sacks of gold clinking as they were piled at his feet.
But the precious treasures were not their primary concern.
At this moment, all eyes were fixed on one person: Vice-Captain Ron.
"Vice-Captain Ron," one captain began, practically vibrating with excitement.
"We've handed over the gold, but what we're really hoping for is... well, about those dragons..."
"Yeah, give our squad one first!" another chimed in, his voice thick with longing.
"Imagine riding one of those beasts across the sea! The Marines would crap their pants!" a third joked, drawing a round of boisterous laughter.
In the world of pirates, dragons had always been the exclusive, terrifying symbol of Kaido.
But now, with Ron, they could have one too.
"Alright, alright!" Ron agreed readily, a wide grin on his face.
"With enough funds, I'll get you as many dragons as you want!" He was more than happy to oblige; this was the fastest way to complete his grand project.
"Be careful out there," he added as they began to depart. "And try to bring back more gold if you can!"
Less than ten minutes after the commanders had left, a lone figure reappeared at the laboratory door.
It was Izou.
He strode into the room and, without a word, dropped to one knee before Ron, his head bowed.
"Vice-Captain Ron," he said, his voice thick with a profound, heartfelt emotion.
"Thank you."
Ron was taken aback. "Izou, what is this? Get up." He quickly stepped forward and placed a firm but gentle hand on the commander's shoulder, helping him to his feet.
His expression turned serious as he looked the man directly in the eye.
"We're brothers," Ron said, his voice low but firm. "There's no need for kneeling between us. A man's knees are for his parents, not for brothers."
Hearing this, Izou's eyes couldn't help but moisten.
He felt the deep, unshakable respect in Ron's words, and the weight of twenty years of solitary struggle and grief seemed to lift just a little from his shoulders.
He gave a firm, resolute nod, the bond between them forged not in blood, but in shared purpose.
"Understood... Ron."
"I killed Orochi with my own hands," Izou said, his fists clenched so tightly his knuckles were white.
His voice was a low, gritted sound, filled with the satisfaction of a long-overdue debt being paid.
"At least that's some interest paid for Lord Oden. One day, I'll take down Kaido too."
The triumphant light in Izou's eyes was so bright that it made Ron's stomach sink.
A cold dread washed over him as he realized a critical, catastrophic oversight on his part.
He had been so caught up in the chaos of the raid that he had forgotten to tell Izou the most important detail about their target.
"What's wrong, Ron?" Izou asked, noticing the strange, pained expression on the vice-captain's face.
Ron opened his mouth to speak, but the words caught in his throat.
How could he shatter this moment of hard-won closure for his friend?
"My fault," he finally managed, his voice strained.
"It's all my fault. Actually, Orochi is... a bit special."
"Special?" Izou scoffed, a look of dismissive surprise on his face.
"That guy was nothing but a fool in a fancy kimono. A piece of trash. How could he possibly be special?"
"Listen to me," Ron said, his voice dropping to a serious, low tone.
"Orochi's Devil Fruit is the Snake-Snake Fruit, Model: Yamata no Orochi. It's a Mythical Zoan."
Izou's dismissive expression faltered, replaced by a slight frown. He recalled the fight; the man hadn't transformed at all.
"Yamata no Orochi?" he repeated, a seed of doubt beginning to sprout.
Ron nodded grimly. "That's right. And its ability is unique. It grants the user eight lives."
"What?! Eight lives?!" Izou's eyes widened, his face a mask of pure, unadulterated disbelief.
"Yes, it's true," Ron confirmed. "Every seemingly fatal attack might only cost him one of those lives."
Izou took a deep, ragged breath, trying to process the massive shock.
It meant his act of vengeance, the closure he had felt, was a lie.
To truly kill such an opponent, he'd have to do it eight times over.
He fell silent, his expression unreadable as he stared at the floor.
A long, heavy silence filled the room.
Just as Ron was about to offer a genuine, heartfelt apology for his oversight, a low chuckle escaped Izou's lips.
It started quietly, then grew into a full, triumphant laugh that was utterly devoid of disappointment.
"Hahaha! Ron, what are you apologizing for? This isn't your fault... in fact, it's a good thing!"
Ron looked at him, completely baffled.
"Huh?"
"Ron," Izou continued, his eyes now gleaming with a brilliant, almost manic light.
"it's fortunate you didn't tell me! If I had known, I might have actually killed him for good, and that would have been a huge loss for us!" He leaned in, his voice filled with a sudden, electrifying excitement.
"Since that bastard has eight lives from his Mythical Zoan... it means we can replicate that ability! We can perform the same enchantment and gain eight lives ourselves!"
The words hit Ron with the force of a thunderclap.
His mind, which had been bogged down with guilt, suddenly ignited.
He slapped his thigh, a jolt of pure, unadulterated genius shooting through him.
Damn it! How could I have been so blind?!
Orochi wasn't just a target for revenge; he was a living treasure chest, a key to virtual immortality.
"Izo, it seems we need to speed up our trip to Fish-Man Island for that banquet," Ron said, his voice now filled with a new urgency.
"Ron, whatever you say, I'll follow your lead!" Izou replied, his excitement matching Ron's.
"As soon as possible, we capture Orochi alive," Ron declared. "But there can be no mistakes. If Kaido learns we're after him, Orochi will become the most well-guarded man in Wano. Take Enel with you. His Mantra can cover the entire Flower Capital. We need to know Orochi's every move to guarantee a one hundred percent success rate."
"Yes, Ron!" Izou nodded vigorously, a wide, almost crazed grin on his face.
With Orochi's power, Pops, Marco, Ace... they could all have eight lives!
The Immortal Whitebeard Pirates!
Just thinking about it made him tremble with excitement.
Just as he turned to leave, a thought flashed through his mind.
"I almost forgot something important!" He walked back and carefully placed the large bundle from his back onto the ground.
As he unwrapped the cloth, a dazzling beam of golden light illuminated the entire laboratory.
Inside lay a pile of glittering, priceless treasures.
"Ron, this is all the treasure I took from Orochi's personal vault," Izou explained.
"I've already set aside the crew's portion. The rest of this... I want you to give it to Jozu. It should help him get the enchantment he's been dreaming of."
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The Hebi Hebi no Mi, Model: Yamata no Orochi is a Mythical Zoan-type Devil Fruit that allows the user to transform into a hybrid and full version of the Yamata no Orochi, an eight-headed snake or dragon in Japanese mythology.
The fruit's multiple heads also allow the user to survive decapitation, even in Human Form, resulting in the user being required to be beheaded eight times in order to die
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