Jozu's voice was as cold and hard as the diamonds on his skin, his tone laced with a clear and potent warning.
Even after the battle had officially ended, it was obvious the Whitebeard Pirates wouldn't let their guard down, especially not in the face of a seemingly harmless newcomer.
The air once filled with the roar of battle, was now thick with a subtle yet suffocating tension.
"Ah-ba-ba-ba-ba…" Scratchmen Apoo forced a wide, awkward smile, waving his long hands hurriedly to show he meant no harm.
His expression was a nervous, sweaty mess.
"Hey, now! Don't be so tense, I mean no ill will, I swear!" His voice trembled slightly, clearly still shaken by the memory of Whitebeard's apocalyptic Thunder God form.
"I… I just came all the way from Sabaody Archipelago to see if there's anything I can do to assist you fine gentlemen. If there is… please don't hesitate to ask."
Before Apoo could continue his sycophantic rambling, Ron cut him off.
He stepped forward, his gaze sharp and piercing, cutting straight through Apoo's flimsy facade.
He knew exactly what these rookies were after, and standing in the ruins of a Marine base, he had no time to waste on games.
"If you have something to say, or a request to make, then speak plainly."
Apoo hadn't expected the vice-captain of the Whitebeard Pirates to be so direct.
The forced smile vanished from his face, replaced by a raw, naked ambition.
He dropped the pretense and got straight to the point.
"Ron-sama, my name is Apoo. I wish to become a Dual-Fruit ability user," he said, his voice now steady and filled with a desperate longing.
"May I ask what price I must pay to acquire this power?"
The moment the words were spoken, the other Supernovas who had been watching from a distance grew frantic.
How could they let Apoo get a head start on something like this?
In a chaotic surge, they all rushed forward, though they were careful to remain well-behaved, not daring to cause any trouble.
The memory of Whitebeard's new form had thoroughly shocked every single one of them into a state of grudging respect.
"Ron-sama, I am X. Drake," the former Marine said slowly, his voice carrying a barely noticeable hint of tension and hope.
"I have heard the rumors that you can help people become Dual-Fruit users. For me, this is a dream come true. I have always longed for greater power, to better protect myself and what I hold dear in this chaotic era." He looked Ron directly in the eye.
"If it is possible, please tell me the price. As long as it is within my capabilities, no matter how difficult, I will accept without hesitation."
Next, Eustass Kid, unable to wait any longer, shoved his way to the front.
"My name is Eustass Kid," he growled, his eyes gleaming with a manic light.
"Hello, Vice Captain Ron. Forget these other losers. Just make me a Dual-Fruit user, and I swear on my life, I'll kill that Red-Haired bastard for you."
Kid made his promise outright, a declaration of war offered as a down payment.
Hearing this, Ron couldn't help but give Kid a few more glances.
'Is this guy always this reckless?' he thought.
'He hasn't even step in the New World, and he's already plotting to kill one of the Four Emperors.'
At that moment, Hawkins, Killer, Urouge, and the others also gathered around, their expressions all burning with the same intense desire.
Seeing so many ambitious, powerful, and, most importantly, desperate pirates gathered before him, Ron's eyes seemed to see something else entirely: piles upon piles of glittering gold coins, waving at him from the future.
He cleared his throat and his voice, though calm, carried an authority that commanded their immediate attention.
"Alright, everyone quiet down."
Instantly, the entire area fell silent, all eyes fixed on Ron.
They all understood.
Whitebeard may have been the heart and soul of the crew, but the true mastermind, the architect of their impossible power, was Ron.
Ron slowly raised his gaze, scanning the faces of the most promising and dangerous rookies of the new generation.
Then, he began to introduce his new business plan.
"Becoming a Dual-Fruit user is a simple matter," he said, his tone casual, as if discussing the weather.
"All it requires is two things: ten billion Belly and a sufficient blood sample of the second ability user whose power you desire."
The moment the words "ten billion Belly" left his mouth, the crowd erupted in an uproar of pure, unadulterated shock.
"Ten… billion?!"
"Are you insane?! That's more than most of our bounties combined, times ten!"
"What a joke! Where are we supposed to get that kind of money?!"
The requirement to provide a blood sample was something they found acceptable; it made a certain kind of miraculous sense.
But the price tag was so astronomical it was almost insulting.
Seeing the troubled, outraged expressions on their faces, Ron just smiled, as if everything was unfolding exactly as he had planned.
"Of course," he continued smoothly, "if you find that option a bit too expensive, I can offer a second choice."
Kid, who had been anxiously scratching his head, immediately perked up.
Apoo and the others also refocused their full attention on Ron.
While ten billion wasn't strictly impossible to gather, it would take years, far too long for men as impatient as them.
Ron scanned the crowd once more before speaking.
"The second choice is to replace your current ability."
A new wave of confused murmurs rippled through the group.
"In other words," Ron elaborated, "if you are dissatisfied with your existing Devil Fruit, you can exchange it for any ability you desire. The condition remains the same as the first option: you will need to provide the target's blood."
He paused briefly before adding a crucial detail.
"And for both options, the more of the target's blood you can provide, the better. The quantity directly affects the success rate of the procedure."
These words plunged everyone into a deep, conflicted silence.
Replacing one's own ability… the idea was incredibly tempting, but it also came with immense risks.
Their powers were a core part of their fighting styles, their very identities.
To discard one for the chance at another was a monumental gamble.
After speaking, Ron didn't rush them.
Instead, he waited, giving them time to process the world-changing options he had just laid before them.
Kid furrowed his brows, the gears in his head turning.
"So," he asked, "if we choose to replace our current ability, what happens to the old one?"
Hearing such a foolishly obvious question, even Jozu, who had been standing silently, couldn't help but facepalm, looking both exasperated and impatient.
He replied in a gruff, mocking tone, "Did you get hit in the head too hard, brat? He said replacement! It's been replaced! Where do you think your original ability went? It's gone, you idiot!"
Kid's jaw tightened at the insult, but he didn't retort, instead frowning deeper in thought.
He was clearly deeply conflicted.
His Magnet-Magnet fruit was powerful, but was it the most powerful?
However, Basil Hawkins was decisively resolute.
"A terrifying opportunity," he said, his voice flat and certain. "I choose the first option."
He made his choice without a moment's hesitation, his faith in his cards and his own destiny unwavering.
Urouge also glanced over, his characteristic grin spreading across his face.
"Ron-sama," he rumbled, "I will gather the ten billion as soon as possible. How should I find you to complete this transaction afterward?"
Ron smiled faintly, seemingly unsurprised.
"You all have one month," he announced to the group.
"After that time, simply wait at Jaya Island. We will find you."
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