A faint smile appeared on Ron's face.
"It's a pleasure to meet you, beautiful lady. Can you tell me where it is?"
The pink-haired woman froze at the sudden change in Ron's attitude. A trace of surprise flashed through her beautiful eyes. After she reacted, she hurriedly bowed deeply to Ron and spoke nervously yet eagerly.
"I... I'm also very happy to meet you, sir... I remember the Marine-sama placed that strange fruit in the row of treasure chests behind you."
Marine-sama?
A trace of confusion rose in Ron's heart. Weren't they slaves who had been captured? Yet she still called those murderers "sama"? Tsk, tsk. How polite.
Ron did not say much. He turned and began searching the row of chests behind him.
After rummaging around, he finally found a fruit with spiral patterns in an unremarkable wooden box. Its skin was earthy brown, and the patterns wound across it like cracks in the ground.
"As expected, a Devil Fruit," Ron muttered softly, the corner of his mouth lifting. This trip had not been for nothing after all.
As for his cooperation agreement with Kaido, he naturally had not forgotten.
It was just that a powerful Devil Fruit that suited Kaido's taste, according to the original trajectory, was still at God Valley in the hands of the Celestial Dragons.
Of course, if they found an option better than the Azure Dragon Fruit on this trip, Ron would also be willing to give it to Kaido.
He placed his hand on the Devil Fruit and silently recited in his heart, 'Activate the Mystery Wheel.'
The instant that thought fell, an ethereal echo rang through his mind.
[Ding. The Mystery Wheel requires consumption of a Devil Fruit. Current Devil Fruit: Soil-Soil Fruit. Confirm?]
'Soil-Soil Fruit, huh?' Ron murmured inwardly. 'Kaido wouldn't care about this.'
'Confirm.'
[Ding. Devil Fruit x1 consumed. The Devil Fruit has been reborn somewhere in the world. Random reward drawing...]
[Ding. Congratulations, Host, you have obtained: Nine-Tails.]
[Ding. Congratulations, Host. Simultaneous unlock triggered: Passive - Malice Perception, Nine-Tails Mode.]
A series of notification sounds fell, and a translucent blue virtual panel appeared before Ron's eyes.
Host: Ron
Basic abilities: Observation Haki [Intermediate (369/500)], Armament Haki [Intermediate (233/500)], Conqueror's Haki [Intermediate (80/500)], Taijutsu [? (?/?)], Swordsmanship [Intermediate (150/500)]
Physique: Sage Body [Unlocked], Sage Eyes [Locked]
Special abilities: Four-Tails [Unlocked], Nine-Tails [Unlocked]
Triggered abilities: Lava Release [Source: Four-Tails], Nine-Tails Mode [Source: Nine-Tails]
Mystery Wheel >>> [Unlock condition: one Devil Fruit]
Ron simply swept a glance over it. The changes to his attributes were not large. The three question marks in the Taijutsu column still left him unable to make sense of it.
When the system first activated, the Taijutsu column clearly had numbers and a rating. But ever since he obtained the Sage Body through the Mystery Wheel, that column had turned into three question marks and had never recovered.
Exchanging an ordinary Devil Fruit for the Nine-Tails... no matter how he calculated it, this deal was not a loss.
Whoosh.
A head suddenly leaned in front of Ron, almost pressing against his face.
Ron froze. Looking closely, it was Kaido.
"You were sneaking around staring at this vulgar gold for half a day?" Kaido straightened up and looked at Ron with suspicion.
At first, he had thought Ron had discovered a Devil Fruit and was thinking about how to pocket it secretly.
In the end, when he ran over to check, this guy had only been staring blankly at gold.
"No, Kaido. Is there really no trust between us at all?" Ron smiled wryly and casually closed the virtual panel.
Kaido waved his hand, turned, and walked to the other side, speaking carelessly. "No, don't overthink it, Ron. Our Apprentice Alliance is unbreakable. I completely trust you. I was just curious what you were staring at because you looked at the treasure chest for so long."
"..."
"Hey, what exactly are you two looking for? Can we leave or not?" Stussy urged from the side, beside her three bulging sacks.
"Wait a bit longer." Ron answered, then looked back at the pink-haired woman. "Any more?"
The pink-haired woman gently shook her head, a hint of apology in her voice. "I'm not too sure... I only saw the Marine-sama pick up one."
"As compensation for the information you provided," Ron's voice softened a little, "I can help you with something within my ability. What do you need me to do?"
"Really?" The pink-haired woman's beautiful eyes suddenly shone. "You... you're truly a good person."
'That last sentence was completely unnecessary...' Ron silently complained. This was only courtesy in return. Of course, if her request was too troublesome, he would refuse without mercy.
"Mm..." The pink-haired woman thought for a moment, lowering her gaze as if carefully considering her words. "If possible, after you leave, if you meet the Kuja Pirates... could you pass along a message for me?"
She quickly added, "Please don't worry. Although they are pirates, they are all good people. They are not as fierce and evil as rumors say."
The Kuja Pirates?
Ron's heart stirred. Was this woman the person Shakky's group wanted to save?
Suddenly, a bold idea flashed through his mind. If Shakky was willing to cooperate with the Rocks Pirates for this woman, then she must be very important.
If he kidnapped her and used her to negotiate with Shakky's group, this deal would be very profitable.
"I refuse." A faint smile appeared on Ron's face. "If you have something to say, say it to them yourself."
"But I..." Before the pink-haired woman could finish speaking, Ron had already reached out, grabbed the iron bars before him, and pulled hard to both sides.
Creak.
The thick iron bars were torn apart like noodles, revealing a hole large enough for a person to pass through.
The other slaves in the cargo hold raised their heads one after another, a faint light igniting in their eyes.
Ron then grabbed the bomb collar around her neck. Armament Haki instantly covered his fingertips, coating the surface of the metal in black.
He pulled hard. The collar's lock snapped, and he casually threw it into an empty corner of the cargo hold.
Beep, beep, beep.
The collar's alarm grew faster and faster, red light flashing wildly.
A few seconds later...
Boom!
The explosion burst in the corner. Fire flashed, and fragments struck the cabin wall with a series of clanging sounds.
The pink-haired woman instinctively shrank her neck and touched her bare throat.
Behind her, the other slaves seemed to see a savior descending and surged over one after another.
"Save me! Please save me too!"
"I am the princess of the Kingdom of Doria!" a woman wearing luxurious ornaments shouted anxiously. "If you save me, I can pay you a huge amount of wealth! Gold, silver, jewels-I can give you as much as you want!"
"I'm a princess too!" Another young woman pushed past those in front and almost threw herself before Ron. "As long as you save me, I can make you my prince consort, and in the future, you can inherit the entire kingdom!"
Voices rose one after another, pleading, promises, and crying mixing into chaos.
Ron frowned and immediately waved to interrupt them. "Sorry, I'm only a pirate, not a savior. The conditions you're offering have no appeal to me. If you want to escape, you can only rely on yourselves."
Then Ron turned to Stussy, who was standing at the side with her hands on her hips watching the show, and shouted, "Hey, come help."
-------------------------------------
A short while later.
Outside the warship.
The battlefield between Sengoku and Whitebeard had gradually shifted from the deck of the warship to the beach.
This was a place advantageous to both sides. Sengoku no longer had to worry about the battle's aftermath affecting the warship.
Whitebeard, meanwhile, could safely let Ron rob boldly. Sengoku could not free himself for the moment.
At this moment, the two stood more than ten meters apart on a stretch of sand plowed full of pits by shockwaves.
"Sengoku, you know it too," Whitebeard said calmly, sticking his naginata into the sand. "You and I can't decide a winner in a short time. Why don't we sit down and chat for a while instead?"
The corner of Sengoku's mouth lifted slightly. He glanced toward the warship, then looked back at Whitebeard and slowly said, "Your statement is correct. But... what if Garp arrives too?"
"What?" Whitebeard's expression darkened.
Almost in the same instant...
Whoosh!
From deep within the forest, a figure leaped high into the air. His fists were clenched, wrapped in Haki.
"Newgate... you really made me search for you!"