Spandam's face twisted in fury.
He shot to his feet so abruptly that the red wine in his glass splashed across the floor.
"What?! You useless fools! You can't even handle such a simple task?!"
A cold glint flickered in Lucci's eyes, but he held his tongue.
Instead, his voice came out calm, steady—almost chilling.
"Captain Spandam, we have important intelligence to report."
Spandam frowned, waving his hand impatiently.
"Speak already!"
Lucci's tone turned grave. "Shiki is constructing something called the Eternal Kingdom on the ruins of Jaya Island... under Ron's orders. They've plundered twenty-one islands for its construction."
Spandam froze.
The glass slipped from his fingers and hit the ground with a sharp crack, shards scattering across the floor.
His eyes widened, filled with disbelief.
"The Eternal Kingdom?! Ron... that bastard actually dares to establish a nation?!"
Lucci nodded, his gaze unwavering. "Yes. And Shiki has completely submitted to him—serving under Ron's command."
He paused, then added, "Ron seems to possess a special ability—something that allows him to manipulate the powers of Devil Fruits...."
Spandam's lip curled.
"Hmph! I already knew that much. It's not exactly a secret."
But even as he said it, his thoughts churned in chaos.
Countless fragments of information flashed through his mind, piecing together the picture.
'So that's why Shiki's power had suddenly surged... why he'd been plundering islands left and right.'
'All of it—for Ron's so-called kingdom.'
"Damn it... that bastard Ron!" Spandam spat, gritting his teeth as rage twisted his features.
"How dare he act so arrogantly!"
But even as anger surged within him, he knew the situation had already spiraled far beyond his control.
This was no longer something CP9 could handle.
He snatched the Den Den Mushi from his desk and quickly dialed a number.
After a few rings, a lazy voice drifted through the receiver.
"Spandam... what is it?"
Aokiji.
Spandam took a deep breath.
His tone carried a rare urgency.
"Admiral Aokiji, I have critical intelligence to report! Ron is building a Kingdom on Jaya's ruins—and Shiki has completely submitted to him!"
There was silence for a few seconds, then Aokiji's voice sharpened.
"What did you just say? Shiki... working for Ron?"
Spandam nodded vigorously, even though the admiral couldn't see it.
"Yes! His strength has returned to its peak—maybe even beyond that!"
"We suspect Ron used some kind of special power to completely heal Shiki's injuries... even enhance him further!"
On the other end, Aokiji's brow furrowed deeply.
Shiki... that name alone carried weight enough to shake the seas.
He was the Golden Lion—one of the monsters who once stood shoulder to shoulder with Roger and Whitebeard.
Even weakened by age and injuries, he had remained a top-tier threat.
And now... he had pledged himself to Ron.
"Are you certain?" Aokiji's tone dropped, heavy as the sea.
"Absolutely," Spandam replied quickly. "Our agents saw it firsthand—Shiki follows Ron's every command, even raiding islands to build that cursed kingdom!"
Aokiji fell silent again, thoughts stirring behind his calm voice.
"If that's true... then his transformation makes sense. Only Ron possesses the kind of ability that could heal fatal injuries—or grant someone dual Devil Fruit powers."
Spandam's eyes widened. "You mean... Ron can actually manipulate the power of Devil Fruits?"
Aokiji exhaled, his voice steady, but laced with meaning.
"That's right. Ron has some kind of... modification ability. I'd wager Shiki's wounds were healed using a Mythical Zoan—perhaps the Phoenix."
Spandam stiffened, the pieces finally clicking together.
If Ron truly had that power... then even a pirate like Shiki bowing to him made terrifying sense.
He swallowed hard. "Admiral Aokiji... what should we do next?"
"This matter's already beyond our reach," Aokiji said quietly after a pause.
"I'll report to Fleet Admiral Sengoku immediately. You continue to monitor Ron and Shiki—report anything unusual, understood?"
"Yes, understood!"
The line clicked dead.
Spandam lowered the receiver slowly, his face dark as shadow.
He knew full well—once the Eternal Kingdom was complete, it would become a direct threat to the World Government itself.
And with Shiki involved... that threat had become monstrous.
"Ron... just what are you plotting?" he muttered, a flicker of malice glinting in his eyes.
....
Far away, on a frozen sea, Aokiji's bicycle came to a stop.
The admiral's gaze lifted toward the distant horizon—toward the towering island rising in the mist.
"So Shiki's moved islands... for Ron, huh?" he murmured, a trace of disbelief flickering in his usually calm eyes.
The balance of power across the world... was shifting again.
The Eternal Kingdom—it wasn't just a project.
It was the spark of a coming storm.
Aokiji reached for his Den Den Mushi again, dialing a familiar number.
When the call connected, his voice carried a rare edge.
"Fleet Admiral Sengoku. Urgent report. Ron is building a kingdom on Jaya's ruins—and Shiki has fully submitted to him. We need to act now."
There was a short silence before Sengoku's grave tone replied.
"Understood. I'll assemble all high-ranking officers. Emergency meeting—immediately."
Aokiji hung up, eyes fixed on the horizon once more.
A storm capable of reshaping the world was quietly gathering strength.
And in that storm's eye... stood Ron.
"Ron... just how far are you planning to go?" Aokiji murmured, his breath fogging the cold air.
...
Marineford – Marine Headquarters.
The conference hall was thick with tension, the air heavy enough to choke.
Every high-ranking Marine had gathered, faces grim and eyes sharp.
Fleet Admiral Sengoku sat at the head of the long table, urgent reports in hand, brows furrowed deeply.
His gaze swept the room before he spoke, voice low but firm.
"Everyone... we've just received confirmation from Aokiji. Ron is constructing something called the Eternal Kingdom—on the former site of Jaya Island."
The room fell into a heavy silence.
And the storm—was only just beginning.