Everyone nodded in silent awestruck agreement.
In their eyes, the colossal, pulsating, and now rapidly growing vine before them was no longer just an ordinary plant.
It had been reborn as a miraculous, living entity, brimming with a strange and profound power.
Ron, at the center of it all, casually reached out and plucked a single, newly formed leaf from a nearby tendril.
The leaf was a work of art, resembling a meticulously crafted piece of emerald, its veins distinct and adorned with intricate, glowing golden patterns.
These delicate, complex markings resembled mysterious runes, exuding an enigmatic, ancient aura.
The crowd's attention was immediately drawn to the impossible object in Ron's hand.
"Look!" a Skypiean shouted, pointing with a trembling finger.
"The leaf in Ron-sama hand… it's turning into a piece of paper!"
"No, wait—look closer!" another cried out. "The tip of the leaf is reshaping itself! It's becoming a pen! What… what kind of ability is this? It doesn't seem very lethal."
"Vice-Captain Ron, what is this thing? How did the vine grow so huge?" a pirate in the crowd couldn't hold back his curiosity, his voice tinged with an urgent anticipation as he stared at the contract paper and pen that had just formed in Ron's grasp.
Ron lowered his head slightly, carefully inspecting the items.
He examined every detail—from the texture of the golden parchment to the elegant shape of the pen, leaving nothing unchecked.
After a thorough scrutiny, he confirmed his success with a satisfied nod.
It was a perfect, and perhaps even superior, replication of Haruta's ability.
Then, Ron slowly raised his head, his gaze calm as he addressed the thousands of onlookers.
"This is the power of the Contract Fruit," he announced, his voice clear and steady.
"And from this day forward, this great vine will no longer be called the Giant Jack. It is now the Tree of Covenant."
As he spoke, his eyes shifted to the spot on the tendril where he had plucked the leaf.
To everyone's astonishment, a fresh new leaf was already sprouting in its place—a vibrant, healthy green, brimming with vitality.
"Tree of Covenant?" someone murmured under their breath, the name sounding both poetic and ominous.
"A contract? Isn't that Commander Haruta's ability?" another pirate whispered to his crewmate.
"Did Ron give the whole island Haruta's power?"
"The Contract power might seem useless in a fight," a more thoughtful observer noted, "but once a contract is signed, no one, not even a Yonko, can break it! This is a power that can enforce promises!"
Doflamingo and his crew were well aware of the contract's power—they were about to be bound by it themselves.
However, what truly shocked them to their core was the revelation that such a mysterious and formidable ability could merge seamlessly with what had seemed like an ordinary, if oversized, vine.
What was once a simple plant had, after absorbing the juice of an artificial Devil Fruit, unexpectedly gained a power that could dictate the laws of interaction for the entire island.
...
As time passed, the changes brought by this fusion became increasingly pronounced.
The tree's branches grew thicker and more powerful, its leaves became a vibrant, shimmering emerald green, and its roots solidified the very foundations of the two sky islands.
Ron stood quietly before the enormous living tree.
He slowly raised a hand and gently placed it on the rough yet vibrant bark.
The moment his hand made contact, a soft green light, like a nimble spirit, flashed across the surface.
Immediately after, a mysterious message, like a gentle breeze carrying a whisper, quietly appeared in his mind.
A vast, ancient, and newly awakened consciousness, simple but immense, greeted his own.
'Interesting, it can communicate in a simple way,' Ron murmured to himself in slight surprise, a faint smile curling at the corners of his lips.
He issued a simple command into the mental link—a silent language only the Tree of Covenant could now comprehend.
Having done this, Ron slowly turned, his gaze sweeping over the gathered crowd.
"One month from now," he declared, his voice ringing with authority.
"Jaya Island, the land beneath us, will welcome pirates from across the entire sea for the grandest auction the world has ever seen!" He let that bombshell sink in before continuing.
"At that time, this Tree of Covenant will prove immensely useful, forging the deals that will reshape the next era!"
He then added, his voice turning stern.
"Additionally, do not harvest from this tree without permission. It is now a sacred part of our island. From this day forward, it will be under the jurisdiction of the First Division Commander, Marco."
Hearing his name called so suddenly, Marco, who had been watching with quiet awe, froze.
He pointed at himself in confusion.
"Me, yoi?" His eyes were filled with bewilderment.
"Yes," Ron said with a reassuring, patient smile.
"Commander Haruta will assist you in managing it. The Tree of Covenant has its own consciousness—it shouldn't be too difficult."
After giving these brief but monumental instructions, Ron turned.
An invisible timer, a system notification only he could see, was counting down in the corner of his vision.
A sense of urgency came over him.
"Marco, you're in charge!" he called out, and without further explanation, he leaped back onto the waiting crimson dragon.
He had completed his tenth item fusion, and it was time to receive his reward.
Roar!
As the crimson dragon ascended into the sky, Ron vanished from sight, leaving the crowd in a state of buzzing excitement and confusion.
Those left behind stared curiously at the now-sentient Tree of Covenant, but no one dared to touch it.
Doflamingo and his crew lingered for a while longer, their minds still reeling, before finally departing.
They had never expected to stumble upon such groundbreaking, world-altering technology.
Truly astonishing.
.....
Ron's Laboratory…
Ron returned to the familiar, unique atmosphere of his lab, where all manner of precision instruments were neatly arranged.
Upon entering, he exhaled a long sigh of relief, waving a hand to dismiss Kingdew.
"Kingdew, I plan to focus on my work in here for a while and won't be going out. Go attend to your own duties."
Kingdew blinked in surprise before nodding firmly, his eyes reflecting a deep, canine-like loyalty and concern.
"Ron, if you need anything, just call for me. No matter the time, I'll be there at once."
"Understood. Go on."
Once Kingdew had left, Ron slowly made his way inside.
The room was bathed in a soft, warm light, everything peaceful and serene.
He walked to his main workbench and sat down, his gaze falling upon the system panel that only he could see, a shimmering, holographic interface hovering in the air before him.
A prompt, indicating the completion of a milestone task, was displayed in glowing letters:
[Milestone 'Master Alchemist I' Complete: 10/10 Item Fusions Performed. Claim Stage Reward?]
A glimmer of keen anticipation and excitement flashed in Ron's eyes.
This was what his two days of tireless work had been leading up to.
He took a steadying breath.
"Claim."
As soon as the word left his mouth, the screen instantly changed.
The previously calm interface began flashing with dazzling, multicolored lights, various data streams and alchemical patterns rapidly flowing and transforming across its surface.
At the same time, the system's familiar, synthesized electronic voice rang crisply in his mind.
[Processing… Milestone reward calculated.]
[Stage Reward Granted: Enchantment Probability Increased to 50%!]
[Effect Duration: Valid for the next three (3) minutes!]
[System Note: Within the three-minute duration, if the same subject consumes two Enchanted Devil Fruits of the same category (e.g., two Logia, two Mythical Zoan), the success probability will stack! 50% + 50% = 100% Guaranteed Success!]
"It's actually… an increase in the probability of Enchantment," Ron whispered, his eyes widening.
A surge of pure, unadulterated ecstasy rose in his heart.
A temporary boost to 50% was a game-changer.
But the stacking effect… a guaranteed 100% success for a dual-fruit user… that was a power that could create a legend.
His mind immediately began to race.
He had three minutes.
Who would he bestow this miracle upon?