"That's the one, yoi. No doubt about it," Marco affirmed, his voice calm and steady as he stepped forward.
He gave a slight, respectful nod to the legendary pirate, a trace of genuine sincerity on his face.
"Shiki, as you know, Pops is still resting right now, he needs proper rest to recover. And right now… across this entire crew, you are the only one with the kind of top-tier Haki that can truly push us to our limits."
As Marco spoke, his eyes revealed a deep expectation and trust.
It was a masterful appeal to the old man's pride.
And it worked perfectly.
The Golden Lion, standing not far away, couldn't help but feel a surge of immense pride upon hearing Marco's words.
To be held in such high regard by the first mate of his old rival… it naturally elevated his status in his own mind.
His already somewhat arrogant face now bore a faint, undeniable trace of smugness.
"Gyahahaha!" He threw his head back and laughed heartily, his boisterous, triumphant voice echoing across the balcony.
"You brats! Since you're all asking so sincerely, I, Golden Lion Shiki, will graciously oblige!"
Still laughing, a glint of cunning flashed in his eyes as he pointed a stern finger at the three commanders.
"But let me make one thing perfectly clear. This training won't be a walk in the park. My idea of a light spar might shatter your bones. If I accidentally hurt you, don't you go crying to Newgate about it."
Ace, standing nearby, couldn't help but grumble inwardly.
'You're the one who'd cry if you had to fight Pops for real, you old windbag.'
He pursed his lips slightly, his face showing a hint of disdain, though he was smart enough not to voice it aloud.
Meanwhile, Jozu looked at Marco with excitement gleaming in his eyes.
"This is perfect! Our Haki training can finally accelerate! With Shiki as our sparring partner, we'll definitely master the essence of advanced Haki much faster!"
"Exactly," Marco agreed with a nod. "Now, let's go see what Ron's up to over there. I have a feeling it's going to be big."
"Let's go, yoi! I've been waiting for the main event to start."
....
The Giant Jack…
The colossal vine, often called the Giant Beanstalk, was a living monument to the impossible nature of the Grand Line.
It was a plant, a simple beanstalk, that had been carried into the sky from Jaya Island four centuries ago by the terrifying Knock-Up Stream.
Perhaps influenced by the strange minerals of the Island Clouds or simply adapting to its new, harsh environment, the beanstalk had undergone a profound mutation.
It had grown at an unimaginable speed, becoming increasingly massive, its body stretching endlessly as if striving to pierce the very heavens.
Now, each of its leaves resembled a vast green cloud, swaying gently in the high-altitude breeze.
This bizarre transformation wasn't limited to the beanstalk alone.
As Marco explained to a fascinated Shiki during their flight over, the other creatures on the Upper Yard had undergone similar changes.
Birds that once flitted through the trees had grown to monstrous sizes, their wings broader and more powerful.
Even the serpents had experienced astonishing transformations, their bodies thickening, their scales gleaming with an eerie, metallic radiance.
Over the centuries, the colossal vine had continued to grow and spread, its dense foliage now resembling a green ocean that enveloped the entire landmass of the Upper Yard.
Its roots, as thick as the ancient bodies of dragons, burrowed deep into the island cloud, ceaselessly seeking nourishment.
Some of those roots had even extended across the sky, burrowing into the cloud-soil of Angel Island, linking the two sky islands seamlessly together.
"ROAR!"
A resounding dragon cry shook the skies.
The crimson dragon Kingdew, surged forward like a blazing inferno, his massive body carving sharp currents through the air.
Standing atop his head, Ron stood tall and firm, his gaze unwavering as he stared at the rapidly approaching apex of the vine.
The trunk here was wider than a dozen warships, its bark etched with the marks of time, exuding an ancient and mystical aura.
A flicker of keen anticipation stirred in Ron's heart.
Trailing behind the dragon was a motley, ever-growing crowd.
Their faces brimmed with curiosity and excitement, their eyes alight with fervor—all drawn by the spectacle, eager to uncover the truth of what their hero was planning.
"Vice-Captain Ron, what's with the big show?" a voice called from the crowd of Skypieans on their Wavers.
"Whoo, glad we made it in time! It must be good news!"
"What is it? New technology? A new weapon for Angel Island?"
One by one, more and more people gathered.
Even the usually composed and enigmatic Doflamingo soon arrived, using his Sky Path to walk through the air.
Clad in his feathered pink coat, he stood silently among the crowd, his deep eyes fixed intently on Ron, speculating about his next move.
Ron turned to the gathered crowd and smiled faintly, his expression as warm and reassuring as the spring sunlight.
"Nothing so dramatic," he announced, his voice carrying easily over the open space.
"Just… integrating a new item into our island's foundation."
With that, he strode forward with steady steps, making his way toward the very heart of the colossal vine.
He came to a halt at the flat, open space where the Golden Bell of Shandora once hung, a place that now stood empty.
He then pulled out the completed, artificial Contract-Contract Fruit.
It was etched with intricate, mesmerizing golden patterns that twisted and turned, captivating all who laid eyes on it.
Under the puzzled gazes of the thousands of onlookers, Ron crushed the fruit in his hand without a moment of hesitation.
A thick, viscous green juice instantly oozed from the shattered fruit.
It shimmered with an enchanting emerald glow, as if pulsating with the very essence of life itself.
The liquid trickled down Ron's fingers, dripping one drop at a time onto the enormous, ancient vine below.
Each droplet resembled a glistening, liquid pearl, carrying an aura of profound mystery.
The moment the first drop touched the bark, the massive vine seemed to come alive.
A deep, resonant hum vibrated up from its roots, a sound that everyone could feel in their chests.
The branches of the colossal plant began to stretch, its leaves rustling without a breath of wind, as it greedily absorbed the green liquid, as if drawing upon an endless well of energy.
At that moment, the Donquixote Pirates, having raced across the sky on their new Wavers, finally arrived.
The sight that greeted them instantly seized their attention.
A wave of golden light was spreading from where Ron stood, racing down the trunk of the vine and branching out through its colossal root system.
"Object… fusion?" Diamante was the first to break the stunned silence, his brow furrowing tightly as his eyes flickered with a mixture of confusion and dawning horror.
It wasn't a question.
It was a statement of horrified realization.
He had seen the reports about Vegapunk's research, the ability to imbue inanimate objects with Devil Fruit powers.
But this… this was on an entirely different scale.
He stared at the pulsating, glowing vine, at the network of roots that connected the two islands, and finally at the calm, smiling man at the center of it all.
The full, terrifying implication of what he was witnessing hit him like a physical blow!