At this point, Vista suddenly showed a slight smile, his tone becoming a bit lighter.
"Moreover, Shiki turned in a Seastone vein, and the commanders skilled in mining went to assist.
It's said that beneath the original vein, there's an even larger hidden vein with ten times the reserves, though it's extremely difficult to mine!"
Whitebeard was stunned, his expression instantly freezing as if his brain had short-circuited.
He opened his mouth, taking a moment to recover, his voice tinged with disbelief.
"So you're telling me it's just you and me who are free right now?"
Vista hesitated with an awkward look on his face.
After a moment's pause, he ultimately shook his head, his tone turn apologetic.
"Pops, actually, I'm swamped with work too. I only came to tell you because I'm really worried something might happen to Ron."
"Huh?" Whitebeard grew even more confused, his brows furrowed tightly like twisted hemp rope, his voice carrying a note of puzzlement.
"What do you mean?"
Vista gave an embarrassed, somewhat forced smile, his tone helpless.
"Ron told us not to worry about him and not to inform you, so you could focus on recovering from your injuries. He said he could handle everything."
Whitebeard: "..."
So I'm the only one who's free???
He was momentarily speechless.
After a moment of silence, he slowly spoke.
"Then what are you busy with?"
Hearing this, Vista immediately adopted an expression of facing a daunting task.
He took a deep breath and slowly began speaking, his tone weary.
"Pops, you have no idea."
"Ron's world-announced Devil Fruit trading conference, set to take place one month later at the former site of Jaya Island—now the Eternal Kingdom's trading assembly—is fast approaching!"
"And my task is to assist in receiving Pirates from all over the world.
Some of these guys are utterly vicious, others have terrible manners—littering is just routine for them. There's work everywhere, inside and out. I'm exhausted just thinking about it!"
At this point, Vista suddenly looked up, his eyes hopeful with a hint of testing in his tone.
"Pops, if you're free, would you like to come help?"
Whitebeard felt his head spinning—help, my ass!
He waved a hand with a hint of weariness in his voice.
"I'm an old man now, can't handle all that commotion. You go ahead and manage it yourself. I'm going to check on Ron—still can't stop worrying about that kid."
Seeing this, Vista knew his plan had failed as a flicker of disappointment crossing his face.
But he quickly composed himself, nodded, and replied with a touch of respect.
"Then, Pops, I'll get back to work."
"Go on then." Whitebeard waved him off, feigning a bit of exhaustion in his tone.
Watching Vista's retreating figure, Whitebeard slowly rose to his feet, his gaze fixed ahead, worry still lingering in his eyes as he murmured to himself.
"Ron, you brat, you'd better not get into any trouble..."
A sea breeze whispered past, rustling Whitebeard's cloak with a soft "swish."
His figure stood tall and imposing in the sunlight, yet carried a trace of solitude.
"Impel Down... Hmph, let's see who dares lay a hand on one of Whitebeard's men!" he muttered under his breath.
Then, his form transformed into a flash of lightning and vanished on the spot, leaving only a faint scent of wine lingering in the air.
...
Dressrosa.
Shops lined both sides of the street, their colorful signs glinting in the sunlight.
Crowds surged, bustling and lively.
Children chased each other carefree through the streets, their clear laughter echoing in the air.
Toy soldiers stood tall, patrolling in neat formation, while toy animals, charmingly clumsy, coexisted with humans.
Some toys even helped carry goods or played with the children, filling the entire city with an atmosphere of joy.
But few knew that beneath this happiness lay Doflamingo's violent rule!
However, amid this peaceful, busy street, a low, earth-shaking roar suddenly erupted.
Then, the sky seemed torn apart by an invisible force, clouds swiftly parting to either side.
People looked up, faces stunned, as a massive pirate ship burst forth from the clouds.
Its hull was enormous, gleaming with a cold metallic sheen, looking like a floating steel castle under the sun.
Emblazoned on its sails was the striking emblem of the Shiki Pirates, fierce and majestic like a lion.
It descended like a beast from the heavens, with thunderous momentum, heading straight for Dressrosa!
"What... what is that?!" people on the streets exclaimed, faces filled with shock and fear.
"It's a pirate ship! My god, it's flying!" a toy soldier widened its eyes, disbelief evident, breaking the street's silence.
"How is this possible? Ships are supposed to sail on the sea!"
"It's... it's the legendary pirate, Shiki!"
"..."
Gasps and murmurs rose and fell like waves, fear evident on everyone's faces.
The massive pirate ship cut through the air, leaving white trails like meteors streaking across the night sky, before finally hovering above Doflamingo's palace.
The turbulent airflow around the ship whipped up a fierce gale, causing street banners to snap and crackle loudly.
Several hats were swept into the air, spinning wildly in the wind.
On the ship, Ace, Jozu, and Shiki stood at the bow, their figures appearing mysteriously imposing under the sunlight.
Ace had his hands in his pockets, looking playful; Jozu stood with his arms crossed with a simple, honest smile on his face; while Shiki stood to the side, a cigar in his mouth as he watched everything with a mocking expression.
Jozu, arms still crossed, chuckled and shouted toward the palace.
"Heavenly Yaksha, Doflamingo! Come out! I've got a grand opportunity for you!"
His voice echoed through the air, as if trying to shake Doflamingo out of the palace.
Shiki, standing nearby, was taken aback by Jozu's words.
He turned to Ace and asked quietly, "When did this kid learn to talk like that?"
Ace couldn't help but laugh, a grin spreading across his face as he shook his head.
"I don't know either, but it sounds pretty awesome, hahaha."
Jozu scratched his head sheepishly and said with a smile.
"I learned it from Ron. He said talking like this makes you sound more imposing."
Shiki and Ace exchanged a glance, then both gave a thumbs-up.
"Not bad, that's definitely Ron's style!"
"Really?"