Ron's brow twitched slightly as he rose gracefully from the spectator stands, his white cloak tracing an elegant arc behind him.
With a few swift movements, he arrived before Sabo and the others.
"What a rare guest," Ron's voice carried a hint of amusement. "I never expected the Revolutionary Army to be interested in Devil Fruits as well."
Sabo removed his top hat, revealing a sunny smile. "It seems we're a step too late. Has the trading conference already begun?"
He glanced around, his gaze lingering momentarily on the three massive doors floating ahead.
"But we are indeed here to make a trade. I wonder if Ron-sama would welcome us?"
A meaningful smile curled at the corner of Ron's lips. "Of course you're welcome. I'd even say... it's exactly what I've been hoping for."
He snapped his fingers, and several Shandian women in traditional attire immediately stepped forward.
"They will be responsible for hosting you all. However..." Ron paused briefly. "Devil Fruit production requires time. The formal trading won't commence until a week later."
Belo Betty twirled the flag in her hand, asking with great interest, "So we just wait here during this period? That sounds rather boring. Are there any entertainment activities we can participate in?"
Ron pointed toward the three giant doors floating overhead.
"As you can see, the Grand Pirate Tournament is currently underway. Although the matches have already begun..."
His eyes swept across the gruesome scenes within the arena, where Bullet was decimating challengers.
"...the rewards don't seem to have been claimed yet. If you're interested, you can consult Enel for the specific rules."
As he finished speaking, Ron's gaze subtly swept over the cloaked figure at the very back of the Revolutionary Army group.
Although the other party had completely concealed their face in shadow, Ron knew perfectly well—that was the Supreme Commander of the Revolutionary Army, Monkey D. Dragon.
It seemed this "World's Most Dangerous Man" didn't want to reveal his identity just yet.
Lindbergh excitedly adjusted his goggles.
"That sounds fascinating! Sabo, should we..."
Sabo put his top hat back on, concealing his thoughtful expression.
"Let's get settled in first." He turned to Ron and nodded politely. "Thank you for your hospitality. We'll seriously consider participating in the competition."
Sabo's group followed the Shandian hostesses through the magnificent hall, each step deepening their awe at the Eternal Divine Kingdom's profound foundations.
The towering dome was inlaid with glowing gemstones of strange properties, illuminating the entire passageway as bright as day without any visible torches or lamps.
"Wow!"
Lindbergh suddenly stopped in his tracks, his eyes behind the goggles widening dramatically.
He pointed toward the archipelago floating in the distance, his voice trembling with excitement.
"Can you see that? Those islands have absolutely no physical connections between them!" He gestured animatedly with his furry paws.
"They're all connected through these Spatial Gates!"
Belo Betty elegantly brushed her hair aside, her red lips parting slightly. "What's even more astonishing is that these gates clearly incorporate Devil Fruit abilities."
Her slender fingers lightly traced a nearby gate emitting a faint blue glow, sensing the spatial fluctuations within.
"This kind of technology... even the World Government would consider it top-level classified information."
Sabo, walking in the middle of the group, observed their surroundings thoughtfully.
They were passing through a suspended transparent corridor.
A bottomless chasm lay beneath their feet, yet they could clearly see the bustling scenes on other islands through the glass-like floor.
Though the cloaked Dragon remained silent, his sharp eyes continuously assessed this miraculous nation.
"Whoa now, this is no simple technique!" Lindbergh exclaimed excitedly, bouncing around and nearly crashing into the corridor railing.
"To perfectly fuse Devil Fruit abilities into inorganic objects requires such precise control! Not to mention maintaining the stable operation of so many spatial gates..."
Belo Betty gently restrained her overexcited companion, her beautiful eyes shimmering with admiration.
"It seems we've all underestimated this Vice-Captain of the Whitebeard Pirates. Not only is he personally powerful, but he's also achieved such accomplishments in technological research."
Just then, their Shandian guide stopped and respectfully pushed open a door carved with cloud patterns.
"Distinguished guests, this is the rest area prepared for you."
Beyond the door lay a spacious aerial courtyard, with several uniquely shaped buildings arranged throughout.
In the distance, one could see floating seas of clouds.
Sabo removed his top hat and bowed politely. "Truly an astonishing arrangement."
His gaze swept over the peculiar glowing plant at the courtyard's center, then to the floating lighting devices—every detail showcased the extraordinary technological prowess of the Eternal Divine Kingdom.
Lindbergh had already rushed impatiently toward the nearest building. "I want to study the construction here properly!" His voice came in bursts between running breaths.
"Maybe I can learn a thing or two... I mean, use it for reference!"
Belo Betty shook her head helplessly, though a smile she couldn't suppress played at her lips.
She turned to Sabo, lowering her voice. "It seems we came to the right place this time. Not just for the Devil Fruits... even the technology alone is worth investigating."
Sabo nodded slightly.
He glanced at Dragon, noticing his father was also observing everything with a critical eye.
He noted that the courtyard's edges also featured those miraculous spatial gates, suggesting transportation wouldn't be a concern here at all.
...
As everyone entered the main room, the heavy wooden door closed silently behind them.
Soft light filled the interior, with glowing minerals embedded in the walls emitting a warm orange glow.
Lindbergh circled around and was the last to enter.
He carefully checked the door lock before pulling several small mechanical devices from his backpack and placing them around the room—his specially designed anti-eavesdropping jammers.
Whirrr... Click.
After confirming security, Monkey D. Dragon slowly lowered his cloak's hood.
His face, marked with the signature red tattoo, appeared particularly stern under the light.
"Three Admiral-level Devil Fruits..."
His voice was low but carried absolute determination regarding the three Logia-type prizes.
"If we can obtain them, it would mean a qualitative leap in the Revolutionary Army's combat power."
Sabo sat on a carved wooden chair, frowning in thought. He too understood the importance of Devil Fruits.
"But our opponents are extremely troublesome." He looked up, scanning everyone present. "Golden Lion Shiki, a legend once spoken of alongside Roger and Whitebeard; Douglas Bullet, the monster known as the 'Demon Heir'; and Crocodile, a schemer who has regained his ambition."
Belo Betty leaned against the window, her red hair glowing like burning flames under the light.
"The receptionist mentioned the arena has special rules—you can either challenge individually or form teams..." She smirked, her Pump-Pump Fruit charisma leaking out.
"This actually gives us some room to maneuver."
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