Ron frowned and turned to Bullett, "Are you sure this is the place?"
Bullett chuckled, walked to the corner of the cell, and pressed lightly on the wall.
Instantly, a hidden door appeared on the wall, behind which was a narrow passage.
"This guy likes to play hide-and-seek," Bullett shrugged. "Let's go, he's inside."
The group followed Bullett into the passage.
It was dim and damp inside, with a musty smell hanging in the air.
After walking for a few minutes, they finally arrived at a spacious room.
Inside the room, a man in a red cloak sat on a chair, quietly reading a book.
Hearing the footsteps, the man slowly looked up, revealing a pale face.
His eyes were deep and cold, as if they could see through everything.
"Patrick Redfield," Ron spoke calmly, his expression unchanged.
Redfield closed his book, his gaze sweeping over the group before finally settling on Ron's face.
Bullett stood to the side, crossing his arms, his eyes challenging as he looked at the Red Baron, Redfield, a scornful smile curling at the corner of his mouth.
"Hey, old man, stop putting on airs! Ron here wants to take you on as a subordinate. If you know what's good for you, agree quickly and don't waste everyone's time!"
Upon hearing this, Redfield slowly raised his head, a cold glint flashing in his deep, ocean-like eyes.
He ignored Bullett's provocation and turned his gaze to Ron, his tone calm yet carrying an undeniable authority.
"Ron, I accept your terms. Three years—I will serve you. After three years, I will leave."
Ron was momentarily stunned, clearly not expecting Redfield to agree so readily.
He had originally prepared himself for a strategic battle with this legendary powerhouse, even anticipating having to prove his worth through combat.
Yet Redfield's attitude was unexpectedly straightforward.
He hadn't even opened his mouth to negotiate!
"You... agreed just like that?" Ron asked with some confusion, his gaze carrying a hint of confusion.
Redfield smiled faintly, his tone tinged with detachment.
"I have already seen into your heart."
"Your ambition, your plans, your strength... even your knowledge of my future—it all surprises me.
I am willing to lend you a hand, not only because of the conditions you proposed, but also because I am very interested in what you called 'the ability I will possess.'"
Upon hearing this, Ron's heart trembled.
He knew that Redfield's Observation Haki had reached its peak, even capable of reading others' inner thoughts.
But he hadn't expected the other party to see through his mind so effortlessly.
"You... saw into my heart?" Ron asked quietly.
Redfield nodded, a hint of amusement in his gaze.
"Yes."
"Your heart is filled with ambition and plans, and you even have a thorough understanding of my future abilities. This makes me very curious. How exactly do you know these things? Moreover, I've also read something in your heart that I can't comprehend... For instance, it seems you possess knowledge of this world that surpasses ordinary understanding, even knowing things that haven't happened yet."
Ron was startled, thinking to himself that this was bad.
Redfield's mind-reading ability was truly extraordinary—it had actually read everything he was thinking!
This sent a chill down his spine.
If Redfield were to leak this information, it would likely attract endless trouble.
"What did you read?" Ron forced himself to remain calm, his tone steady as he asked.
Redfield shook his head, his tone carrying a hint of meaning.
"Without physical contact, I can only read certain things."
Hearing this, Ron inexplicably breathed a sigh of relief.
This guy was far too terrifying—no wonder he was once a figure who could stand on equal footing with Roger and Whitebeard alone.
Then Redfield continued, "However, that's not important. What matters is that I'm very interested in your plans and am willing to serve you for three years. As for the rest... I won't ask further."
Ron breathed a sigh of relief, inwardly relieved that Redfield hadn't probed deeper.
He nodded. "In that case, let's sign the contract."
With that, Ron took out a vibrant green leaf from his chest.
The leaf emitted a faint glow, as if containing some mysterious power.
It was a leaf from the Contract Tree.
Redfield looked at the leaf without saying a word.
Ron explained, "This is to ensure our cooperation proceeds smoothly. Once the contract is signed, neither party can break it, or they will pay with their lives."
Redfield nodded, saying nothing more.
After the same process was completed, the leaf's glow intensified, transforming into a stream of golden light that entered Ron and Redfield's bodies respectively.
The contract was established!
Bullett, standing to the side, watched the scene and couldn't help but sneer.
"Hmph, old man, I never thought you'd have a day like this! But since you've joined, don't hold us back in the future!"
Redfield glanced at Bullett indifferently with a trace of disdain in his tone.
"Bullett, you're still as arrogant as ever. However, I'm quite looking forward to seeing if these decades in prison have improved your strength."
Hearing this, a flicker of fighting spirit appeared in Bullett's eyes.
"Hmph! Once we get out, let's have a proper fight! We'll see who the true strong one is!"
Ron watched the tension between the two and shook his head helplessly.
He knew that a clash between these two powerhouses was inevitable.
However, now was not the time for internal conflict.
"Alright, we need to leave here quickly," Ron interrupted the standoff between them, a sense of urgency in his tone.
"The battle outside is growing more intense. If something unexpected happens and the Impel Down is breached, it'll be troublesome."
Everyone nodded and quickly followed Ron's lead.
Just then, a violent commotion instantly erupted within the sixth level of the prison.
The corridors, once eerily silent, were suddenly filled with the thunderous sound of hurried and chaotic footsteps.
At the same time, a cacophony of shouts surged like a tidal wave, echoing through the halls.
Immediately after, a massive flood of prisoners burst out of their cells like a broken dam, their faces twisted with fear and madness as they desperately scrambled toward the exit.
"Damn it, run!"
"Bastard, get out of my way! I want to live!"
"That demon released us just to hunt us for fun! I thought he was being kind!"
"..."