Shiki was on the verge of tears.
He was a legend, a rival to the Pirate King, a man who had escaped the inescapable Impel Down!
And now, he was a glorified training dummy for Whitebeard's brats.
But a man, even a pirate, couldn't go back on his word once it was given.
Helpless, he could only grit his teeth and continue the "hellish training."
Yet, over these past few days, something strange had happened.
Through his observations of the Skypiea, the miraculous technology, and the sheer, world-altering ambition of Ron, Shiki's mind had been utterly shaken.
These revelations brought about a massive shift in his heart.
The old, bitter desire to conquer a small corner of the world like the East Blue now seemed petty, pathetic.
He began developing a deep, genuine fascination with this place.
So much so that the thought of leaving after his three years were up now felt… wrong.
He was aware of Whitebeard's miraculous transformation, and a new, more potent ambition took root in his heart: he, too, desired the technology that could not just heal, but restore one to their prime.
Finally, after enduring days of being used as a high-level punching bag, Shiki's moment of liberation arrived.
A cheer had erupted across the island, a wave of joyous shouts that even reached their secluded training ground.
Whitebeard had awakened.
This news was like a brilliant ray of light, illuminating Shiki's world.
Now, he finally had a legitimate excuse to escape these two troublesome, endlessly energetic brats and go share a drink with his old rival.
Whitebeard, for his part, never expected to wake up and find the Golden Lion Shiki lounging on his sky island.
What surprised him even more was when Marco explained the deal.
Shiki had become one of their own.
The sheer, delicious irony of those words made Whitebeard laugh for a solid five minutes.
After all their decades of rivalry, of clashing fleets and titanic egos, this arrogant, fly-boy bastard had still, in the end, ended up joining his crew.
"Gurararara! Shiki! It seems we're finally on the same ship now, my son!" Whitebeard roared, raising a massive bowl of sake, a triumphant, mocking grin plastered across his face.
"Newgate! I am not on your damn ship, and I am not your son, so drop it!" Shiki retorted furiously, though his anger was blunted by the equally massive bowl of sake he was already chugging down.
No matter how much Shiki protested, Whitebeard paid no heed to it.
He just kept drinking heartily, savoring this rare, unexpected reunion of old friends.
.....
After wandering around Sky Island for a few days, Doflamingo had gained a rough, and frankly terrifying, understanding of the place.
He now grasped Ron's standing here with absolute clarity.
To put it simply, Ron wasn't just the law here; he was the god, the architect, and the king, all rolled into one.
Moreover, it was clear that the technologies Ron had shown him were just the tip of the iceberg.
This made Ron appear increasingly enigmatic and powerful in Doflamingo's eyes.
He felt an uncharacteristic but profound sense of relief.
He had made the right choice.
He was incredibly fortunate to have partnered with this monster so early in his ascent.
.....
In the laboratory…
Soft light spilled into every corner, casting the entire space in a serene glow.
Ron lounged lazily in a spacious, comfortable chair, tilting his head slightly, a deep and focused gaze in his eyes as he reviewed his accounts on a holographic panel.
The deal with Doflamingo was for twenty fruits at the market price, with the blood provided "free."
That came to a neat 60 billion Berries.
Doflamingo had paid a 20 billion deposit.
That, plus the 15.4 billion seized from the Marine raid, brought his recent income to just over 35 billion.
After adding in the substantial profits from the sky island's own gold mine, his liquid assets totaled a staggering thirty-seven billion Berries.
This colossal figure made him frown slightly.
"That's all the money I have left," Ron sighed softly, a hint of genuine resignation in his voice.
"Scientific research really is an expensive profession."
The path of a true pioneer, of someone who didn't just use technology but invented it, demanded massive, constant financial investment.
In that light, the temporary Enchantment success rate boost he'd received from the system had indirectly saved him an astronomical amount.
"The Enchantment for the Golden Lion's Float-Float Fruit needs to be accelerated," he murmured to himself, his priorities clear.
"And the reconstruction of the Upper Yard can't be delayed any longer."
With that thought, Ron immediately stood up, shaking off his lethargy.
He threw himself wholeheartedly back into the delicate, complex process of crafting the Enchantment for the Float-Float Fruit, carefully arranging precious materials and mixing them in precise proportions.
.....
Days passed uneventfully.
The laboratory was always filled with a tense yet orderly atmosphere.
Doflamingo and his crew, surprisingly, didn't feel impatient.
Everything on Sky Island seemed to possess a unique, captivating charm.
They had become obsessed with the various Dials, purchasing a large number of them and spending their days experimenting like excited children.
Ace and Jozu, meanwhile, were fully immersed in the grueling but rewarding training of mastering their Haki.
Every morning, as the first rays of sunlight spilled over the vast sea of clouds, they rose early to begin another day of intense practice.
Ace's fiery eyes burned with a thirst for power, his strikes against Shiki becoming faster, sharper, infused with a deeper comprehension of Ryou.
Sweat beaded on his forehead, but his gaze never wavered.
Jozu was no different—every punch and kick carried the weight of a mountain, striking with enough force to shatter stone.
Amidst these days of rigorous training, they still found time to visit their recently awakened father, sharing a hearty drink and listening to his booming laughter.
Marco's mood these days, however, could only be described as bittersweet.
He had been striving, day after day, to sense the mysterious consciousness of the Tree of Covenant.
Yet, no matter how hard he concentrated, he couldn't grasp even the faintest trace of it.
This left him utterly bewildered and frustrated.
Determined, Marco decided to seek guidance from his captain.
"This might be an innate ability, son," Whitebeard said thoughtfully after listening to Marco's troubles.
"Just like Roger. He possessed what he called the 'Voice of All Things.' He could hear the sea kings, the poneglyphs… everything."
Marco's eyes flickered with surprise and confusion.
"Pops, I thought this was some new technique of Ron's," he said, a hint of envy in his voice.
"I never expected…"
The ability to hear the voices of all things was an extremely rare gift, a talent bestowed by heaven upon only a select few.
It was both mysterious and powerful, a sign of a true king.
"Gurararara!" Whitebeard's hearty laughter echoed across the deck.
He pulled the fuming Golden Lion closer for another drink, raising a wine bowl larger than a millstone.
"I always knew Ron wasn't an ordinary kid! He's got that same quality as Roger! Come on, Shiki, drink up!"
With that, he gulped down the fine wine in large swigs, his spirit was so intense it seemed capable of setting the entire sky-sea ablaze.
Shiki chuckled in agreement.
"…Ron," he slurred slightly, the wine already getting to him.
"I could tell at a glance he wasn't ordinary." He recalled their first meeting, that unnerving, composed demeanor.
"It was like the brat carried an innate regal aura. Compels others to submit without even realizing it."
Marco, listening to this, couldn't help but inwardly scoff.
'Are you sure you realized Ron wasn't ordinary from the very beginning?'
'Or did you only figure it out after he trapped you in an unbreakable magical contract?'